The beauty of a backyard elopement stretches far beyond the actual scenery. The intimacy that comes with it truly can bring out emotions in your photos that you don’t quite experience at a traditional wedding. Spending the day with a client that is less stressed about the entire production of a wedding and has more time to focus on love, family and marriage can result in some truly amazing photos. 

Covid made this type of wedding all the more popular, but this was actually my first choice when it came to my own wedding. My husband and I wanted to focus on each other and the love we shared, caring less about who we impressed and how fun of a party we could throw. 

Disclaimer: This was very much a reflection of who we are as a couple, and is not the same for everyone – my message is to always be as true to yourself as possible.

With the overall cost of weddings continuing to increase, I am happy to see more couples considering a non-traditional route. It allows for some truly unique and special moments with memories that are completely individualized for the couple. It breaks free from tradition and forces you to ask yourself, what really does matter most to us? The freedom to simplify your day in a way that makes room for light and playful energies to shine through is what I love most about a backyard elopement.

The stress of having a full production wedding also plays into expectations of the day. Striving for perfection will get you nowhere other than focused on details that only you will notice. Perfectionism interferes with simply enjoying the moment and being present. Unfortunately, with these expectations also comes compromise and disappointment when something doesn’t fall the right way. Removing these extra factors from a wedding allows for more joy in the in-between moments. 

These small moments, coincidentally, can provide the most authentic photos. When the pressure is removed, playful, joyful, intimate, and romantic moments take their place. It allows couples to be unapologetically themselves – no need to hold back tears in fear of being embarrassed, dorky dance moves that might be judged, intimate kisses, or silly faces that you only feel comfortable making in front of your partner. These photos often are the most meaningful to clients because they tell the story of the love that is unique to them. It is ultimate freedom from expectations of who you are and how you are supposed to be. 

Your love is unique, and so your wedding should be also. Think about what would be the truest reflection of your love – is it loud and proud? Great! Your wedding should reflect that. Is it soft, playful, and maybe a little awkward? Also great, but maybe you would feel most at home in an intimate setting. Choosing a backyard elopement is rebelling against the conventional, and instead, choosing to prioritize your own wants and needs. That is the beauty of it all.

With a slower-paced day, I get to know the couple better, becoming truly comfortable and often friends with them. It feels so special to be trusted to capture these intimate moments, and that can be the most fulfilling part. Don’t get me wrong, the ethereal photos that come from a customary wedding are absolutely beautiful. But there’s something so special about the memories you can capture in a more personal setting. 

Photographing a couple at their house, a meaningful location, in the forest, or even a destination elopement, the imperfections and natural elements come to life – the mundane parts that are hidden when everything is curated for a perfect day. It shows a different side of love, and creates genuine nostalgia for the couple, so when they look back at the photos they remember the little things. They remember how the sticks cracked underfoot as they walked down a trail, the wet grass they laughed and danced through, or even the raindrops that made your perfectly curled hair a little frizzy. 

Watching people be authentic to themselves and their love is why I love what I do. I hope the words from my personal experience allow you to consider an elopement, but most of all I hope it encourages you to discover what kind of wedding is the perfectly unique fit for you. Your wedding day is about you and your love and how you want to express that to the world.