When you choose to elope, you’re stripping away the noise to focus on what matters most. Raw emotions, your ceremony, and signing the marriage license are a given, but building a meaningful elopement gallery goes way beyond the main events. Here are the must-have elopement photos I strive to capture at every single elopement to tell your full story.
The Epic Landscape
The wide, iconic photo. I want you to remember what it felt like to stand in the middle of all of that vast red rock. My goal is to make you guys look tiny in a big landscape.
Details
Your vow books, rings, and florals aren’t just props—they anchor the story of the day you chose each other!
Heirlooms
Whether it’s your grandmother’s broach, a memory charm of a loved one who has passed, or a custom piece you picked out together – these details bring your personal history into your day.
The In-Between, The Unscripted Downtime
All of my packages allow for multiple locations since I really only offer 4+ hour elopements, so there will always be an opportunity for those moments where you are on the go! Whether it be via Jeep, car or foot I will likely snag a shot of it to help round out the gallery, but also to let you reflect on your day more clearly.
Snacks
Snacking is inevitable to keep the energy going! When we are together for 4+ hours you most certainly need some fuel. It could be a pre-planned picnic or some Cliff Bars! This leads seamlessly into….
CAKE
For the love, please celebrate with a cake, cupcake or cookies! It’s so fun and adds some flair to your gallery. You probably needed a snack at this point in the day anyway 🙂 Some may not call these must-have elopement photos, but to each their own!
Creativity
When I create a timeline, I add lots of buffer time! Not to just HAVE extra time in your day to make it more relaxed and curate an experience that doesn’t feel rushed, but so I can be my true creative self. If I am rushng around from moment to moment this takes away my ability to feel out the moment for making it art. Double exposures, motion blur, negative space, flash, astrophotography… The part of photography that your photographer lives for.
Plug for Sedona and Flagstaff, they are dark sky cities! Flagstaff being the very first one!
Last Photo
This is when the light is low, the day has wound down, it’s quiet… We capture that last moment before we part ways. I feel it out, but most likely this is soft, reflective of the day and romantic.
Never Force a Shot
One thing I have learned is to take a step back and just let things be. When I am in the way, directing each moment, posing constantly… the moment doesn’t feel authentic. I WILL pose and I will direct if needed, but only if it feels right. The most important part of my job is to not field every moment, but more-so to curate a day and timeline where you can be yourselves and let me capture it naturally.
Ready to plan an elopement that feels uniquely yours? Reach out here to start talking through your vision! We can chat about the moments that are most important to you so I can make sure I have YOUR must-have elopement photos!
Clarice