Meet Tess
The steady hand behind the day you actually want.
Adventure elopement planner and photographer. Based in Renton, Washington, working across the Pacific Northwest and wherever else you want to stand.
Full galleries on Pic-Time (opens in a new tab)
I’m Tess. I’m the one quietly making sure everything is taken care of before you ever have to think about it. The timelines, the backups, the small details that keep things moving without you feeling it.
I’m the one with the extra safety pins, the calm voice, and yes — the squeaky toy when it matters. My job is to hold the structure so you can stay fully in the moment.
You don’t have to manage this. You don’t have to anticipate every possibility. I already am — so your day can feel exactly how it should: present, steady, and completely yours.
My work blends planning, photography, video, timeline strategy, creative direction, and calm problem-solving. After years of learning how wedding days really move, I know how to prepare for the beautiful moments and the unpredictable ones.
The result is a day that feels personal, supported, and easy to live inside. You get to be present. The details have somewhere to go. See the full planning roadmap →
What couples notice
The kind of support you don’t realize you need — because everything just works.
The energy is warm and helpful, not bossy. The support is thorough, so the day can still feel spontaneous, and yours.
The way I work
Five things worth knowing before you write to me.
I plan it and I photograph it
Not two people, not a team you meet on the morning. One person who already knows the timeline, the trail, the light and the name of your mother-in-law.
You hold your own vendor contracts
I find them, vet them, introduce you and tell you honestly who suits you. Then you book them and pay them directly. No mark-up, no management fee, nothing in my name that should be in yours.
Prices go on the website
You should not have to sit through a call to learn what something costs. Everything is published, including the add-ons.
Access is a planning question, not a disclaimer
Tell me what your body needs, what your grandmother needs, what your wheelchair needs. Every location on this site lists its real surface and distance, and plenty of the best ones are paved the whole way.
Everyone is welcome here
Every couple, every family shape, every body. If you have had to check whether a photographer would be comfortable with your wedding before, you do not need to check with me.
Practical details
Where I am and how to reach me.
- Based inRenton, Washington
- TravelsAll of Washington, the Pacific Northwest and destination
- Emailhello@cascadevows.com
- Phone(206) 659-5170
- Galleriescapturedbytess.pic-time.com