3 Things I Wish Every Couple Knew Before Their Elopement
From a photographer who’s witnessed love in its rawest, most beautiful form
Hey, you two. First of all—congratulations. Not just on getting engaged, but on choosing an elopement. That takes guts, heart, and a serious commitment to honoring your love story above anyone else’s expectations.
I’ve photographed elopements on mountaintops, beside waterfalls, in the misty forests of Vancouver Island… and every single one has been deeply, wildly different. But there are a few truths I wish every couple knew going into it.
Here they are, straight from my lens to your heart:
1. The Day Isn’t Just About Photos. It’s About Presence.
The magic isn’t in the perfect timeline or Pinterest-worthy dress swish. It’s in the way you breathe together before your vows. In the silence that falls over the trees when you’re both overcome by the moment. In the messy, real, sacred connection.
Photos are just the artifact. The experience is the treasure.
So take time. Hold hands longer. Walk slower. Feel it all.
2. Your Elopement Can Be Anything You Want It to Be (Really)
Want to climb a mountain before dawn? Read vows barefoot in the ocean? Eat burgers at your favorite dive after? YES.
You don’t have to follow a template. There’s no rulebook.
Design a day that reflects your relationship—your rhythms, your joy, your quiet, your wild. And I’ll be there not just to document it, but to help you dream it up.
3. You Don’t Have to Be “Good at Photos”
Please let this be your permission slip: you don’t need to be models or know your angles or worry about “posing.”
The truth is, the best photos come when you forget the camera is even there. When you’re wrapped up in each other, laughing, crying, existing. That’s when I click the shutter.
And if you feel nervous, that’s okay. I’ve got you. I’ll guide you gently, we’ll take breaks, we’ll laugh. I promise you’ll leave feeling more connected than when we started.
Eloping is brave. Sacred. A little rebellious.
And I’m so honoured to walk alongside you, whether you’re just starting to plan or already packed for the woods.
If this stirred something in you—or sparked an idea for your own elopement—reach out. I’d love to hear your story.
With so much love,
Ember
Wild-hearted photographer | Vancouver Island + beyond
