So once upon a time the term “elopement” was probably thought of mostly as a dirty word that was often associated with a shotgun wedding, or some kind of shady secretive ceremony. But as many things, times change and concepts evolve! Today’s elopements are a unique and deeply personal way to say I do and to celebrate your love for one another. It’s a chance to craft a day specific to what matters to you, without the expectations and pressures of planning a traditional wedding filled with hundreds of guests.

It can be as small and intimate as the two of you and the vendors you choose to include. I shot one recently that was just the couple, myself, and the officiant. We actually had to find a second witness wandering the park to sign their paperwork to make it official! But it can also include your closest friends and family to share these special moments with.

Even before COVID the idea of eloping and planning a very personal and intentional wedding day was catching on. It’s been something that has always intrigued me, as someone who much prefers the beauty of nature and joy of a couple in love to the craziness of impossible wedding day timelines, overwhelmed wedding couples, and out of control guests. That’s not to say a good party isn’t an amazing experience, but imagine planning a wedding day that is perfect for YOU, without everyone else’s opinions, expectations and desires trampling your own.

That’s the kind of day I am talking about. The kind of day that you’ll actually enjoy in it’s entirety, living in the moment, with the person you love most. Sounds amazing right?

I know that the idea of an “adventure” elopement is probably the vision that many people think of these days when they think about an elopement. And that is absolutely a possibility, if that is the kind of thing you are into. But the beauty of an elopement, is that you quite literally can plan it for anywhere. In the mountains? Why not! At the ocean? Absolutely! At your favorite park? Yup! In your grandparent’s backyard? Hell yea!

There really are no rules for this is what I’m trying to say. Sure some locations will require permits, and logistical planning, but that’s where the fun part of designing your day comes in!

Just because the actual size of your wedding won’t be large doesn’t mean you need to think small about how your wedding day will look. In fact, this is your greenlight to think BIG! For example this winter I will be taking a couple into the mountains via helicopter to the most amazing and remote scenery in the Enchantments that we can find! Just the two of them, our ordained pilot, and myself.

In fact, you actually don’t even NEED to get married in the legal sense on your elopement. Many couples plan an amazing day just for them, and save the paperwork legalities for another day.

Like I’ve said a few different ways already, the only rules are the rules you impose on your day. So this is me giving you the permission to dream a little, make a list of what matters most to you, the places you love, the things you enjoy, the people you may want to share it with, and then start putting the pieces of the puzzle together to make it happen!