2020 is the year of elopements, and I am predicting 2021 will be also! Nothing like a global pandemic to bring things into perspective, am I right? In today’s post, I want to share just the true beauty of elopements.

The COVID pandemic has forced so many couples to face some difficult decisions. Do we postpone our wedding to accommodate our original sized guest list? Do we scale it down? Will our vendors be available next year? SO many scenarios, and ultimately, these choices all include some sort of sacrifice.

As many of my couples weighed all of their options, it all came down to “we just want to be married!”, therefore, they opted to continue with their original wedding date, and “elope”! Now, “eloping” in the traditional sense was more about secretly running off to get married without parental consent. (HA! My how times have changed!) The modern version of an elopement is when a couple chooses to get dressed in the wedding attire, say their vows to each other, and sign the license. Most of my couples even had a few family members in attendance!

The beauty of these elopements is the rawness of it. All the things that are supposed to be important, get stripped away, and it’s just the two of them committing their lives to each other in marriage. Is there anything more intimate?

One of my favorite experiences this year was having the great privilege of capturing Krisanna and Nick’s elopement. (Full blog post on their story to come!). This couple chose a location that had special meaning to them, and the three of us scouted the general area together the night prior. The next morning, the couple got dressed separately, and the groom and I drove together to choose the exact spot for their vow reading to each other. The groom said how much Krisanna loved trees, and we found this little lone tree in the middle of the field, on an island, and it was perfect. I stepped back, and allowed the moment to unfold, without a script, without direction, but just a beautiful sweet moment in time.

We named the tree the “Vow Tree”, and we have hopes to return someday with their future children and tell them the love story, and of course, I hope to capture it.

Following their vow reading, they had a tiny ceremony with an officiant down by the water with their parents and siblings to make it official. They will be hosting a separate celebration in 2021, and I can’t wait to be a part of it!

In closing, I will admit, I could photograph an elopement every day. I love everything about them, and I am so thankful for the honor of being a part of these intimate celebrations. These have been the 2020 silver linings. 🙂