Interview with a Wedding Elopement Photographer

Morgan reads vows to Chris during their Alaskan elopement. Turnstone Farm was thrilled to create Morgan’s bridal bouquet. Big thanks to Tori Ware or Adventure Instead for this amazing photo.

This summer has been HOT for wedding elopements. As Alaskans in the wedding business, we are proud to be the home of one of the premier elopement destinations!

Recently my amazing and multi-talented summer employee say down with Tori Ware of Adventure Instead Elopements and recorded some great information on those looking to elope. Please enjoy!

What got you interested in elopement weddings and how long have you been doing them? 

I have been doing elopement weddings for three years. Before this I had been doing big weddings for 5-7 years. In 2016 I did my own elopement and was inspired to share that same experience with other couples. 

What is the process for planning an elopement? How do you specifically prepare?

Couples come to us knowing they want to do something unconventional.

We start off by helping them choose a location. They tell us what details are important to them and we scout and research potential locations for them to choose from. Usually, it involves adventuring in some way. Traditionally that looks like hiking to spectacular views.

Once a location is chosen we look into the best time of day for privacy and help them make a timeline for the day.

We give suggestions from attire to lodging, from our database and the couple uses our advising to complete the planning. 

Take me through what the actual day of the wedding looks like.

In Morgan and Chris’ case (a Turnstone Farm wedding flower customer), we met at the trailhead at 5 am. They started off in their hiking attire.

They kept hiking until they found the spot that felt right. At that point, they each went to a spot to use as a “dressing room” separately from each other. They met back at the ceremony spot and faced back to back.

They hadn’t seen each other’s outfits up until that point. They turned around seeing each other in their wedding attire for the first time.

The ceremony included the exchange of vows and rings. I signed as the officiant.

Random hikers along the trail agreed to sign as their witnesses.

Do elopement weddings usually have a guest list, or is it just the couple and the wedding team?

I would say 60% of the weddings we do are just the couple and us. The other 40% invite some family and friends, with usually 20 people or less to keep it intimate… and not crowd the trails!

How do you source some of the basic wedding elements for the couple? ( i.e. flowers, food, makeup, hair, dress)

For locations we are familiar with we have a database of vendors that we recommend. For places relatively new to us we discover vendors through word of mouth in the photography/wedding community. 

How would you describe your clients? Does it take a certain type of person to be able to have an elopement wedding? 

Anyone can have an elopement. However, the clientele we attract are people that are most comfortable, most themselves, outdoors.

They like to do specific outdoor activities or are just travelers and explorers. They value experience and quality time over things.

Couples usually choose a place they have never been to before to experience a completely new adventure they associate with that special day. 

Is there anything that your clients feel like they miss out on by having an elopement wedding compared to a traditional one?

My clients often say that it was an incredible experience and that they wouldn’t change a thing.

There is a misconception that you will miss out on family moments but there are plenty of creative ways to incorporate family and friends.

Some couples will invite a very small group which makes it more intimate than it would have been with a big production. Everyone comes in support of the couple. Instead of the couple spending a few minutes with each guest, as they would in a large wedding, they get to spend quality time for the whole day with those specially selected people. 

What is your favorite part of elopement weddings?

When a couple finds a location for the very first time. They have never been to the spot.

Seeing their awe that this is really happening is my favorite part.

What is the toughest part of elopement weddings?

Mornings can be hard!

Summers have great lighting but it's hard to get up!

You need to be the kind of person that is okay with spontaneity. To go with the flow and be okay with a plan B.

What is the coolest location you’ve photographed/planned?

Before I would have said New Zealand. But right now I am obsessed with Alaska. I have been to Winterlake Lodge, Harding Icefield, and Knik Glacier. Alaska has all the best parts of New Zealand.

Do you have a dream destination you would like to photograph/plan?

Japan for my own personal bucket list. For a wedding, I would love to photograph in the Mediterranean. Switch it up from my usual mountainous landscapes. 

What advice can you give couples who want to do an elopement wedding?

Think of your perfect date together and start with that as your base. What are you doing? What is the landscape?

And don’t stop there. Brainstorm the wildest possibilities then make it concrete.

Tradition often tells us how to do things and it just doesn’t have to be like that. 

Morgan with a Turnstone Farm elopement bouquet. Thanks to Tori Ware of Adventure Instead Elopement for this gorgeous photograph.

Hatcher's Pass Elopement Flowers

I had the pleasure of creating wild and romantic florals for this adventurous couple who trekked up to Alaska for a picturesque elopement in Hatcher’s Pass.

Thank you to Echo Photography for these amazing photos.

What I love about creating wedding flowers is helping to transform a person to their most gorgeous version. I love creating a piece of art, from natural, ephemeral and inherently beautiful materials. I hope that each piece makes my customer feel like their highest most glamorous self on their wedding day.

Hatcher’s Pass is dear to my soul. Growing up in Eagle River and being in love with skiing, I spent many many days escaping to these mountains. My dearest friends shared precious times with me here.

I’ve run mountain ridges here. Climbed routes. Bagged peaks. Telemarked down powdery slopes. Played hooky from high school because the roads were too bad. Camped all seasons of the year here: sometimes in the car, in a hut, or under the stars. One night we slept on a tiny island on a tiny lake and counted over 50 shooting stars (none of us really slept). Berry picked. Celebrated my mom’s 70th birthday. Attended weddings. And so many more adventures!

This is such a special, wild and easy-to-access landscape that has something for every adventurous soul.