There’s something undeniably magical about adventure elopement photos, right? Maybe it’s the scenery; maybe it’s the passion in a couple’s eyes; maybe it’s in the knowledge that two people chose to do exactly what they wanted on their wedding day. Whatever it might be, when you look at adventure elopement photos, you can feel it deep in your bones.
But I have a secret.
That magic? It doesn’t just happen because a couple elopes in a beautiful place. Sure, the landscape is always stunning. The adventures are always incredible. And the stories couples have of their elopement day are always ones that ring true to their most authentic selves.
But the real magic you see in elopement photos? That comes from the love a couple feels for each other–and capturing that love by freezing a moment in time is what makes it truly magical.
And guess what? You don’t have to be eloping to have that magic captured. And that can happen in any session–an engagement session, an elopement, or even just a single capture of a couple in love. In fact, when I look at photos of Sarah and Tom’s Breckenridge engagement session, I feel exactly what I feel when I look at a couple’s elopement photos.
It’s that raw and beautiful mix of love and joy–but also the freedom of knowing they’re expressing their love and choosing to celebrate their engagement their way.
Sarah and Tom fell in love slowly but so surely. Watching them together, it’s easy to see why they make sense. They’re playful and funny, speaking in a language of inside jokes. But mostly, they’re incredibly comfortable with each other–they’re obviously deeply in love, but they’re also each other’s very best friends.
When we met for their elopement session, we initially spent some time exploring Loveland Pass. This area is downright breathtaking, but known for some questionable weather in the spring. We weren’t there too long before windy and cold conditions gently nudged us toward another secret spot for their photos.
Even though both of them seemed a little nervous about photos, all they needed was the slightest encouragement to focus on each other–and everything else seemed to melt away. In what felt like just a few moments, any anxiety about capturing their love vanished. In place of nerves and anxiety were simply belly laughs, silly poses, and a beautiful couple wrapped up in each other.
And you know what? It was perfect. There’s never a right or a wrong way to let someone capture your love. Because your love–the love you and your partner share–is entirely unique and wholly beautiful. If I give a couple the slightest direction, all I ever want from them is to do what feels right. I’m there to capture your love as it is–never to pose you uncomfortably or make you feel like how you’re experiencing your day is wrong.
Sarah and Tom leaned into that in the most beautiful way. Their day was goofy and silly, authentic and honest, and genuinely a stunning picture of what makes their love so fun and unique. They sang silly TikTok songs to each other, busted out into fake fights in the snow, and just spent time enjoying the heck out of the moments they spent together.
And that’s exactly the point of engagement photos. In fact, that’s the point of every sort of moment you want to capture–to be your authentic self, living in the moment so you can remember it forever.
I’m lucky enough to be the photographer capturing their elopement later this year, and I couldn’t be more thrilled to spend more time with Sarah and Tom. Being able to get to know them before their day was such a beautiful experience for me–and it means I’m truly counting down the days until their adventure elopement in the Fall.
