Why Your Elopement Can’t be Photographed in Two Hours

The last couple of years have been kind of crazy, am I right? Despite many moments of “what the heck” couples are still getting engaged and are finding new ways to get married. Couples just like you! Many traditional wedding standards are being put aside and micro-weddings and elopements are rapidly becoming the new norm.

But like so many couples you are probably a little lost on what eloping in modern times looks like. You might even be thinking that an elopement consists of jetting off to Las Vegas to get married by Elvis. Oh how how the times have changed.

Eloping looks different to every couple. Seriously. The whole entire day is about the commitment you are making and the love you share together. You get to decide how your day will look, where you say “I do”, who will be there to witness it and how you celebrate afterwards. Eloping is a day meant to embody you as a couple. A day that you are free to be yourselves without the fear of judgment from Aunt Susie or even your own parents. A day that allows you to focus on each other and really embrace each moment spent together. Where you won’t get lost in the chaos, that typically happens on a traditional wedding day. Whether you want to travel to an epic wilderness location or stay local and exchange vows in your favorite city….it’s. all. up. to. you!

So you might be thinking, “okay this sounds great…so like we only need you for two hours, right? You can get some photos of us saying our vows followed with some portraits of us. And that should do it.”

Wrong!

THIS IS YOUR WEDDING DAY! It’s not just some photo shoot. Eloping or not, this is your one and only wedding day. A day that you will look back on for many, many years to come. Just because you aren’t having a traditional wedding, doesn’t make your wedding any less meaningful or special. In fact because it’s so tailored to you, I think it’s even more meaningful. Meaning it’s even more important to have it documented in it’s entirety.

There is a huge misconception in the photography+wedding industry about elopements and how they are laid out. By only covering one or two hours of your day, I’d be doing a huge disservice to you. Would you want only an hour of your traditional wedding captured? No. So, why should your elopement be any different. Okay so, now you’re wondering what do people do on their elopement day? How could there be things to photograph for 6, 8, 10 hours?

I help couples create a timeline that embraces who they are and how they want their day to look. I not only photograph you, but also help you plan, find vendors and often serve as a witness when you self-unite! Keep reading below and let me show you what your day could look like!

If you were to sit down together and really visualize what a perfect day spent together would look like, do you think that that would fit into two hours? Would it start with a slow morning together, with an adventure mid-day and end with a beautiful sunset and delicious meal?

Your elopement day is a day meant to be intentional, to take things slow and to enjoy. Here’s how that might look if you are planning on a wilderness elopement!

10:00AM — the day begins at the cute AirBnb you booked — coffee in bed together, snuggles with your fur babies, your favorite morning beats playing in the background.

11:00AM — getting ready starts, hair and makeup arrive, you are feeling your best and now you’re about to look your best!

1:00PM — you both got dressed separately and are now ready for your first look together. We find a cool naturally lit spot at your AirBnb for you to reunite and see each other for the first time all done up.

1:45PM — we all head out to the trailhead that we have worked together on choosing for you.

2:30PM — we arrive at the trail and begin to hike. Stopping along the way to take photos and to soak in the beauty that is around us.

3:30PM — at some point we come to a spot that just seems right for your ceremony. you both say your vows and express your commitment to one another, you explore together and take all the time to appreciate the amazing place you chose for your elopement day.

4:00PM — we all begin the hike back to the vehicles.

4:45PM — we arrive back at the Airbnb where a local chef has prepared a delicious meal. You guys get to take time to eat and soak in those just married vibes.

5:30PM — we all take a short break after dinner, giving you guys some space to re-group together.

6:30PM — we all head out to a simple overlook for sunset portraits and your first dance

6:45PM — the overlook view is incredible, your song is playing from a small speaker and you dance under the red sunset sky, we take a few more portraits and head back to your AirBnB.

8:00PM — we arrive back at the AirBnB and we help you build a campfire. you end your day with smores and snuggles.

Sounds amazing right? But maybe you two love the city you call home.

And would rather hit all your favorite local spots! Read below to see what that might look like for you!

10:00AM — the day begins at your home — coffee in bed together, snuggles with your fur babies, your favorite morning beats playing in the background. You cook some breakfast and take it easy.

11:30AM — getting ready starts, hair and makeup arrive, you are feeling your best and now you’re about to look your best!

1:00PM — you both got dressed separately and are now ready for your first look together. We find a spot near your home for you to reunite and see each other for the first time all done up.

1:30PM — we get your pups and take a short walk around your neighborhood. We stop in at your favorite brewery (where you shared your first date) for a craft beer and circle back to your place to drop the pups off.

2:30PM — we Uber to a local park that the two of you hang out in on the weekends.

3:00PM — we stroll to your favorite old oak tree. you both say your vows and express your commitment to one another. afterwards, you celebrate with a small picnic of wine and cheese.

4:00PM — we all head back to your place to freshen up, giving you guys some space to re-group together.

5:00PM — we take an evening walk over to your favorite upscale restaurant, where you enjoy a custom four-course meal together. ten of you closest people join you!

6:30PM — we take golden hour rooftop portraits and you share your first dance together.

7:00PM — we head back to your home, where your friends are waiting. your day ends with a dance party in your living room, disco ball included!

These are just sample timelines, but as you see there are so many options for how your day could look. Two hours that only include your vows and a few photos would simply cut you short on what an incredible day you two could have! You deserve to have a day that’s totally tailored to, one that tells a beautiful story through images and experiences!

Hi! I’m Liz, I specialize in Pennsylvania elopement photography and planning. I've helped over 100 couples plan their dream elopements, and I would be honored to help guide you on this exciting adventure. I help couples create an elopement day that’s intentional and stress-free by offering a supportive, knowledgeable and kind experience that includes vendor and location research, a comprehensive elopement resource guide and custom timeline curation, ensuring couples get beautiful photos while having an incredible time.

If you're interested in learning more about how I can help plan your elopement, don’t wait contact me today and let’s get started!