Elopements and Small Weddings: Featuring Carrie Ann Doyle
How to successfully photograph elopements and small weddings is a specialty of Carrie Ann Doyle. Living only 12 miles from one of America’s most picturesque national parks, Carrie Ann Doyle is uniquely positioned to capture the kind of “Adventure” wedding photography only seen in magazines.
Her first elopement shoot in the Glacier National Park was featured on Huffington Post Weddings and used by the official Glacier National Park tourism department for advertising weddings. Carrie has been a successful wedding photographer for 12 years, specializing in elopements for the last several years. So who better than Carrie to give us some tips on how to successfully photograph elopements. We’ll let her take it from here.
Elopements and Small Weddings | Carrie Ann Doyle
Step 1: Know the Area
“Even if it’s a new location, come prepared. I scout out the area in advance to know how much I can access, what amazing angles I can get, and what the lighting is like in certain areas that time of day.”
Step 2: Know the Rules
“Since many elopements take place in National Parks, State Parks, and preservation areas, it’s important to know your boundaries for the safety of your couple as well as respecting the area.”
Step 3 Elopements and Small Weddings: Don’t Scale Down Your Attention
“Treat elopements like the largest wedding you have ever booked and nothing less. Most of my couples are seeking nature’s beauty and adventure; however, this day means just as much to them as the couple planning the largest wedding possible. My elopement couples get just as much attention as any other wedding I book.”
Step 4: Be a Tour Guide as Much as a Photographer
“Elopement couples are often looking for a lengthy experience in the area they choose to get married. They will often spend a week or more taking in all of the area’s activities and adventures. Providing help with the full experience will make them cherish their wedding adventure even more.”
Step 5 Elopements and Small Weddings: Come Prepared for Anything
“With elopements taking place off the beaten path and often in the rugged terrain of nature, it’s important to be prepared and keep your couples safe. Having wilderness first aid training and proper safety gear is always wise when you shoot out in the elements.”
Carrie says the term “Elopement” doesn’t quite mean what it used to. “I would say 95% of my elopement couples are just choosing to have a more private wedding in a place they love rather than ‘running away in secret’ to get married.”
Bonus Tip: be sure to build relationships with local wedding coordinators and vendors for a win win! Want more tips on that? Read this article on Building Trust with Wedding Vendors here!
To check out more of Carrie Ann Doyle’s work, visit her website or follow her on Instagram and Facebook. Elopements can be extraordinary and exciting. So follow Carrie’s advice and you’ll be set for your next elopement wedding!
Written by Sabrina Sabbagh