Elopement Planning Guide
Elopement Welcome & Planning Guide
HELLO HELLO HELLO!
Marriage is so so wonderful and I am stoked that you guys are getting married!! YAY! This guide is just to welcome you to your wedding photography experience with me and to help shape your timeline. There are so many ways to arrange your timeline and I am totally here to help. I’ve been around the block with being a wedding photographer for 6 years so I can help point out some little details and tips that might help.
Elopements are so much more intimate then bigger, grander, wedding days. You’re surrounded by your closest friends and family, you feel more, and you get to spend intimate time with everyone around you.
Most Elopement coverage is 4 hours or less, so some timeline examples below are for 4-hours, but if you’d like to make one for less than 4 hours, shoot me an email and we’ll make a custom timeline together!
Again, thank you so so much for trusting me to capture your big day; it means the world to me that you’ve connected with my work and that we’re going to be making magic together!
For vendor referrals, keep scrolling to the bottom of this page for all the details!
Alright, you ready to go? Let’s do this!
Let’s Talk About Portraits
THE FIRST LOOK
For those you haven’t heard of a ‘first look’ before, this is when I coordinate a set up and make sure your fiancé doesn’t see you before turning around, seeing you all dressed up, and I catch the pure and beautiful first look moment reaction.
So for Elopements, I usually recommend having a little first look before the ceremony so you two can have an intimate moment together and then after your ceremony, you can just enjoy the family and close friends who came to see you get married.
Having your first look down the aisle is also optional and totally do-able, as long as you’re open to doing all your bridal portraits and family portraits after the ceremony.
*Please note your sunset time! For example, if your ceremony is at 5pm but sunset is at 6pm (like in late fall or winter weddings), I really insist on a first look. If we run out of natural light before we are done with your portraits, that’s a huge problem! Then we have to do them inside and set up flash and honestly that’s not very pretty or interesting visually at all.
FAMILY PORTRAITS
So this tends to be one of the most stressful parts of the day- but I’m here to help de-stress it all!
I highly recommend making a shot list of all possible immediate family formal portraits you’d want before or after the ceremony. You can always have a separate requests for a shot with extended family during the reception, but try to keep it to immediate so we don’t take hours photographing every possible combination.
Depending on how many combinations of immediate family members you’d like, usually family photos take about 15-20 minuets if everyone is ready to go. Sometimes it takes a while to either find someone, rangle everyone, but no worries, we’ll get it all throughout the night! Elopements usually have fewer family combinations so we can get through those quickly.
I also love to capture not only those ‘mom shots’, more traditional posed shots, but also those photos where you can look at each other, enjoy each others company, and just be together.
BRIDAL PORTRAITS / GOLDEN HOUR PHOTOS
So if youre planning on a first look, I count those as couple photos, too, because right after your first look, I like to take some of just you two while you’re got the first look tingles. It’s fun! So I usually allow about 10-15 minutes after the first look, and then about 20 minutes for Golden Hour Photos That’s when I can steal you two away from the reception, give you two a break to relax and breathe, and then chase that PNW light!! We’ll get some more bridal portraits that are covered with the golden hour light. SO good!
At your Elopement, we could do some first look photos, then some bridals, and if we’re still shooting while the sun is setting, we can sneak away for a few more golden hour photos.
Timeline Examples
Just to help get you started with putting together your wedding day timeline…
If you have more questions and want to create your customized wedding day timeline, I’ll be shooting you an email to chat more about what all you want planned for your wedding day and we can create a timeline together over FaceTime, Skype, or just over the phone. I want to make this process as easy as possible for you so we’re in this together!
Most Elopement coverage is 4 hours or less, so some timeline examples below are for 4-hours, but if you’d like to make one for less than 4 hours, shoot me an email and we’ll make a custom timeline together!
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How to Prepare for Your Wedding Photos
FAMILY SHOT LIST
I always ask my couples to make a family formal portrait shot list. That’s all the possible combinations you can think of for immediate family members that you want there before or after the ceremony for some nice formal shots. This shot list makes this family portrait time (which is one of the most stressful parts of the day) go by a LOT faster and helps run it all smoothly.
Example of a shot list:
-Bride, Groom, Brides Parents
-Bride, Groom, Bride’s Sibilings
-Groom with Groom’s Parents
-Bride and Groom with both sides of parents
-Bride with Sister
-Bride with each parent
etc.
If you need help putting together a shot list, just let me know and I’m more than happy to help!
DETAILS
When you’re thinking about what kind of details you want photographed, I highly recommend having all your wedding accessories together in a bag or separate storage box so they are ready to go for me when I arrive to start shooting.
If you want detailed shots of your wedding rings, grandma’s old broach, veil and shoes, etc, please have all of them together and ready to go.
Something I love to do is style your accessories. I take your wedding jewelry, shoes, bouquet, wedding dress, etc., and make fun images that best represent your wedding style.
Make sure to also have your wedding stationery on hand for me to photograph that as well if you’d like.
Vendor Recommendations!
If you’re still needing some recommendations on vendors in Washington State, feel free to check out my vendor list below. These are all vendors I love and some I’ve worked with.
If you’re wanting some Oregon State vendors, please email me!
FLORALS
TOP RECOMMENDATION: JESSICA VANN-CAMPBELL FLOWERS
Jessica is flat out incredible. She has such a fun and bubbly personality and is always willing to go that extra mile for your wedding florals. We worked together at the Big Fake Wedding show in Seattle and she’s just a doll. So sweet and her florals were AMAZING! She’s easy to work with, will make the most stunning bouquets and tabletop arrangements yo’u’ve ever seen, and just knock your socks off. Highly, highly recommend. 🙂
DAS BLUMENREICH
I’ve personally worked with Merritt, the owner, on a few projects and weddings, and he’s so very tallented! Knows his way around florals and is so creative. He’ll totally make your floral wedding dreams come true!
BLOOM & DESIGN
This small business in Spokane is seriously amazing and every floral arrangement and bouquet perfection. I’ve personally worked with these wonderful florists for a recent styled shoot and their bouquet was so gorgeous! Definitely check them out and get ready to fall in love with them!
FLORALS FROM SAFEWAY
I highly recommend checking out Safeway! They are seriously the best well-kept secret for wedding flowers. So adorable, can DIY your centerpieces yourself, and they do seriously amazing job at bridal bouquets. Best kept secret in the wedding industry.
POTS & PEDALS FLORAL DESIGN
If you’re into more small businesses (heck yes!) then I would check out Pots and Pedals Floral Design. SO gorgeous and local! Individually Inspired and custom ordered; so amazing!
BAKERIES/ CAKES
SWEET FROSTINGS
Based in Spokane, WA but really amazing cupcakes, cakes, and other delicious baked goods. Always a pleasure to talk to and work with!
FROST ME SWEET
Located in Kennewick, WA but have really talented bakers in their bakery. Everything is delicious and at a great price. Will make wedding cake dreams come true.
CHRISTIE’S CAKES
A little more local (at least to Yakima) that is great quality and adorable cake designs.
PHOTOBOOTHS
OH SHOOT! PHOTO BOOTH & DJ
Oh! Shoot Photo Booth is so amazing! A husband and wife team where the wife works the photo booth while the husband is the DJ! And he is SUPER good! They both were so awesome o work with and so friendly. They have tons of hilarious props and dancing lights too!
SNAP BAR
So fun to work with and their camera takes really high quality photos! I actually have some I snuck in on my About Me page! Really awesome people to work with, they send a rep to help take your photos, and you get a physical and digital copy! Love Snap Booth!
DRUNKEN PIXEL
Super awesome people at Drunken Pixel and they have TONS of fun props to have fun with! Great backdrops and really cool people.
CATERERS
CLASSIC EVENT CATERING
I can not say enough good things about Classic Events. Donna, the cook is a 100% doll and is SO great at what she does. Not only is the food incredible, you’ll have plenty left over, she helps clean up as people are done eating, and has seriously the best attitude. So sweet! My husband and I had Donna at our wedding and we STILL talk about how great her food is!
** Most catering recommendations are based on location. I just really love Classic Event Catering 😉
RENTALS: TABLES + CHAIRS (OR BENCHES!)
SEATTLE FARM TABLES
They have some of the most adorable benches in all kinds of wood, chairs, and tables. All so gorgeous and will make your wedding tables, ceremony chairs, anything just stand out and not be so traditional.
EVENT CO.
Also a great option for any rentals that are needed. They have more traditional but sturdy and great quality rentals like chairs, farm tables, and so much more. Highly recommend!
VIDEOGRAPHERS
TOP RECOMMENDATION: ROAM AND ARROW WEDDING FILMS
This husband and wife team are so amazing and oh so sweet! They really care about capturing your personality and your love story more than anything. They are so awesome to work with and also do engagement session video to add to your overall engaged/ wedding experience video. So cool and they do amazing work!
KRYSTA AND NICK PHOTOGRAPHY/ VIDEOGRAPHY
These two are so chill and amazing to work with! Their personalities make you feel so comfortable and feel great when they are filming you. I worked with them on a promotional video for my business and they were just amazing. Highly highly recommend these two!
MIRANDA SHILLAM
Miranda is such a wonderful person and is easy to work with. Highly recommend her for any wedding videography needs! Great prices and she’s just an all around amazing gal.
HAIR & MAKEUP
PACIFIC BRIDES
Spunky and out going. She really knows hair and makeup and does an amazing job! I’ve personally worked with her for a wedding and she’s amazing! Highly recommend!
SOPHIA HUTCH
Sophia and I have worked together on a couple different weddings and she’s just the best! She’s on it, she knows her stuff, and she’s the sweetest soul. Highly recommend!
LIGHTHOUSE STUDIO BEAUTY
These girls seriously know what they’re doing! They have all the foods, do a phenomenal job, and are also super sweet ladies! Definitely check out their work on their social media! But seriously, wonderful gals and their make up and hair skills are insane!
JACKIE BENOIT FROM ALEXANDRIA’S ON SECOND SALON
Jackie is my go-to girl. She did my wedding hair and makeup and was SO fun to hang with. She is so good at what she does (she seriously knows beauty), that I did my tanning with her, waxing, hair and make up for my wedding prep. She’s wonderful and down to earth!
CUSTOM CALLIGRAPHY
WATERED DOWN ART
Holy Moly, you guys! Aislinn is a fantastic artist and does all kinds of watercolor and calligraphy to make your wedding art dreams a reality! If you’re designing your own invites, have her do some custom calligraphy for you, calligraphy and water color art on a welcome sign at your wedding, any details, or even make some water colors to your decor for invites, anything- she’s your gal and I highly recommend her! Aislinn is super sweet, easy to work with, and a lovey gal 🙂
PRINTING SERVICES
PRINTS & ALBUMS: ARTIFACT UPRISING
I use AU for literally all my prints and albums for family members. They have such great quality in all their products and I highly recommend them for your printing needs.
PHOTO ALBUMS: NATIONS PHOTO LAB
I recently discovered NPL and fell in love with their wedding albums. They are so well made and have all kinds of pages like lay flat, matted, glossy, you name it. I used them for wedding albums for a recent bridal show and everyone loved them. Definitely check them out!
Again… I am SO EXCITED FOR YOUR ELOPEMENT DAY!
I just want to say thank you so much for trusting me to be your wedding photographer! I am so excited for you guys to get married and I can’t wait to get to know you two more and dive into this season of engagement together.
There are so many things that go into your wedding day and planning it all, and I hope this really helps with planning your photography vision.
If you have any further questions about wedding planning or about photography, please feel free to message me, text me, call me, beep me, if you wanna reach me, anytime!
