Finding an elopement photographer is one of the most important things you can do for your day – and okay, maybe I’m a little bit biased, but finding an elopement photographer that you vibe with can really elevate the entire experience! But sometimes it’s easier said than done, and it can be difficult to know how to find a photographer that’s a good fit. So, this guide is all about how to find an elopement photographer – we’ll talk about everything from liking their photos to making sure the two of you connect!

 

What is an Elopement Photographer?

When it comes to how to find an elopement photographer, the first thing you’ll need to know is what exactly it is you’re looking for. There’s a big difference between an elopement photographer and a photographer who shoots elopements, and investing in someone who specializes in small, adventurous days like yours is an absolute must.

 

You shouldn’t be trying to find a wedding photographer for your elopement – you should be trying to find an elopement photographer!

 

 

An Elopement Photographer Understands Elopement

The first reason to find an elopement photographer is that they’ll understand the value of your wedding day. A lot of people still think of elopements as a lesser, not as important version of a traditional wedding, and these myths are often perpetuated by photographers who mainly shoot traditional weddings.

 

The truth is your elopement isn’t just a quick ceremony and a few photos, and it’s not any less meaningful or important than a traditional wedding. It deserves to be treated with respect and given the same care and time as a big wedding! A photographer who specializes in elopements will understand why you decided to elope, and they’ll be there to support you in your decision and uplift you throughout the day. They will recognize the importance and meaning behind this decision, and they’ll help you plan the elopement day of your dreams!

 

An Elopement Photographer Can Help You Plan

A huge part of hiring an elopement photographer is that they will often double as a planning assistant! Traditional wedding photographers can give their couple some guidance, but they usually are mostly there to take photos, leaving the planning to their couple or to the wedding planner. 

 

But an elopement is much more intimate, and your photographer will play a much bigger role. As an elopement photographer, I help my couples through every step of the process – that means helping them find a location, recommending vendors and places to stay, giving them tips and advice to ensure that everything goes smoothly, and so much more! 

 

My job begins from the second you send me an inquiry, and I’m not just a photographer – I’m also your planning assistant and adventure buddy, and your cheerleader as you navigate the process.

 

How to Find an Elopement Photographer

Now that you know what it means to look for an elopement photographer, here are some tips for how to find one!

 

Looking for Elopement Photos That You Like

Usually, the first step in narrowing down your options for an elopement photographer is to find some photos that you like. Every photographer has a different style, and what you’re looking for when it comes to your wedding photos may not be the same as what another couple is looking for. Of course, you want to love your elopement photos – so the first step is to find some photos that speak to you!

 

You can look on Instagram, Pinterest, and Google, and pay attention to what kind of photos you’re drawn to. After a while you’ll notice if you gravitate more towards bright photos and pastel colors or darker photos that use moody lighting, or something in between with colors that look more like real life. Pay attention as well to how couples are posed – or not posed – in their photos, because this is a big part of choosing your elopement photographer as well!

 

Connecting With Your Photographer

How the photos look is definitely important, but it’s just as, if not more, important to make sure that you and your photographer get along and that you can imagine spending your day with them. Especially for something as intimate as an elopement, where it may be just you and your photographer, or maybe a few other people, it’s super important that you connect!

 

After you find an elopement photographer whose work you love, read through their social media and their website to see if it could be a good fit. Of course, it’s hard to gauge something like that through some text on a screen, so it’s super important to chat with them too – but taking some time to read this stuff can give you a lot of insight!

 

Schedule a Phone Call

Once you’ve found a few photographers whose photos you like, it’s time to send an inquiry. Go over to their website and fill out that contact form!

 

They’ll likely respond back with pricing information, and the next step is to schedule a phone call! I know, I know, some of us avoid phone calls like the plague – but this gives you a chance to talk to them, ask questions, and you can get to know each other to make sure it really is a good fit. 

 

Remember, you’ll be spending all day with this person – make sure to chat over the phone!

 

Booking an Elopement Photographer

It’s totally okay to inquire with multiple people and schedule multiple phone calls – just be upfront with the photographers you were talking to and let them know if you need time to think about it! 

 

Once you’ve decided on the perfect photographer for you, let them know (and let any photographers you didn’t go with know as well), and the next step will likely be a contract and a deposit. Get those done, and you’re booked! You’ve found the perfect elopement photographer for you, and now it’s time to start planning your day.

 

 

Investing in an Elopement Photographer

So many of us have heard the horror stories – a couple wanted to save money in their wedding or elopement budget, so they hired a friend of a friend, an inexperienced photographer, or someone who was charging a too-good-to-be-true-rate.

 

And then they ended up with a photographer who didn’t show up, or photos that were completely unusable.

 

Don’t let this happen to you! This is one of the most important days of your life – and you’ll want to remember it. An experienced photographer is an investment, but it’s so worth it. A professional photographer will have back up equipment to keep your photos safe, the experience necessary to guide you through elopement planning and to navigate any hiccups along the way (the truth is these happen more often with adventure elopements than they do with traditional weddings!), and the photos you get back will be ones that you love looking at for years to come.

 

Ready to Find an Elopement Photographer?

Good news – if you’re looking for the perfect elopement photographer, you don’t have to look much further! If you’re ready to plan a day that perfectly reflects who you are, and you want your wedding day to be stress-free and completely about you, contact me! Let’s see if it’s a good fit, and we’ll start planning your dream day.