CALIFORNIA ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHER
Elope in Stunning California locations such as the Bay Area, Yosemite, Joshua trree, Lake Tahoe, Death valley and more
- How do we find the best Washington Elopement location for us?
- What's a realistic elopement budget?
- Are elopements all-day events? What should our timeline look like?
- Are we able to invite guests? How and where can we host an intimate reception?
- How to coordinate a day that feels authentically 'us' without months of planning stress?
You want to elope in California, but have questions
Your role? Choose what matters most for your day. Mine? Taking care of the planning for you.
Just like you, All of my clients had these same questions and felt overwhelmed at first. But here's the good news.
My elopement packages are designed to take you from feeling stressed about planning to feeling ecstatic about creating your dream day. I'll guide you through each step, from finding the perfect location and securing vendors to creating a timeline that fits your vision for the day. Better yet, I’ll artfully capture your whole story so you can remember the way you chose to celebrate it forever.
Growing up, traditions didn’t really resonate with me. Church on Sunday, pursuing a degree that felt more like an obligation, or even being all that close to my family. What made sense was community, friends that became family, a career driven by passion, and a religion of running around this world eyes-wide looking for joy in every corner.
This is why I made it my mission and full time job to challenge tradition and create wedding day experiences that aren't bound by wedding customs, but rather overflow with love, joy, and the exhilarating feeling of doing things your own way. I’m here to support and guide you through every step of the journey, and then tell your story through artful and meaningful photography that captures every moment. I want you to see your wedding photos for the first time and experience that insane moment of feeling jealous of your own life.
Your California elopement photographer
Here are the steps:
… We chat on the phone so I can figure out where you’re starting from, even if you have nothing planned yet and don’t feel “ready,” this is the part of the process that gets you there. I’ll get to know you and help you figure out the foundations of your plans.
… Once you’re booked, you get questionnaires that will help me find the perfect location for you, plan activities, and curate timelines for you and your partner.
… Finally, when we’ve nailed the big picture, I help you hammer out the details. This includes finding lodging for you and your guests, recommending vendors, and all the small things to make your day stress free and fully planned
You see a stranger’s puppy & it takes everything in you not to run up & cuddle it.
Your dress gets dirt on it, and you shrug.
You think ice cream & wine is always an acceptable dinner option. Always.
You LIVE for the feeling of sunshine on your skin & wind in your hair.
You’re already screaming YASSSS WHERE DO I BOOK YOU?
She made such a daunting task much more manageable from the beginning, and was able to provide us with information from her wealth of experience that was such a relief to us while planning our wedding day. Emilee was prompt to respond and displayed a great attention to detail that we very much appreciated during the planning process, including a detailed location guide and timeline that were very helpful. in making time for just us and our family. In fact, the hike we ended up selecting from her list was absolutely perfect, and she kept us on track the day-of to make sure we would get the sunset photos we wanted at the peak. Emilee is not only an amazing photographer, but such a great person as well.
"From our first call, we knew we had found our perfect wedding photographer."
let's do it
Activity suggestions
The uniqueness of elopements comes down to them being about the experience and not just a ceremony. We will work together to come up with activities for your day that speak to the type of couple you are and the way you want celebrate together
I want this
Lodging research
Lodging is important for elopements, not only do we want them to be close to the elopement location, but they are often used for intimate receptions for couples including guests. I will help you find exactly what you need
Contact
Hidden gem location scouting
Other photographers might recommend generic, crowded locations. Did you know 90% of Yosemite Park remains unexplored by guests? I will find you stunning locations that are unique to you and off the beaten path
Extras included in my services
She was professional and so unbelievably helpful from the very beginning, making us feel comfortable and confident in our elopement plans and day-of specifics throughout the entire process - from all the way across the country.
We are so in love with all of our photos and have gotten so many compliments on just how beautiful they turned out. Emilee helped us make sure we had all of the special moments captured forever, can’t thank you enough!
Emilee was so wonderful to work with!
after our first phone call meeting we knew that she could make all of our ideas and wishes come true, she made us feel comfortable and understood what we wanted and had envisioned. Emilee provided us with vendors, a list of locations for us to choose activities and the ceremony, and was so honest about the reality of making our desires actually happen
Our photos were better than we could've ever imagined, Emilee captured the nature, our love, and our personalities. We HIGHLY recommend Emilee for your elopement We are so in love with all of our photos and have gotten so many compliments on just how beautiful they turned out. Emilee helped us make sure we had all of the special moments captured forever, can’t thank you enough!
We knew she could make our dreams come true
Working with Emilee was an absolute dream! From location scouting to day-of timeline creation, she made planning our wedding a breeze!
The photos she captured so incredibly portray the perfection that was our special day, and as two people who were very nervous about being in front on the camera, she made us feel so comfortable and at ease. We can’t recommend Emilee enough :
She made planning easy, and our photos are beautiful
I cannot recommend Emilee enough for your photos!! She was there for us in our planning stages, our crazy ideas, our last minute changes, our family needs, etc. She helped us with everything possible and we were so thankful to have such a kind and passionate photographer with us on our special day.
I have never enjoyed taking photos, but Emilee was so great with just letting us be us and reminding us its our day and we can do exactly what makes us us and the photos will come out perfect!
She was there for us in our planning stages
You could scout possible locations on your own, you could create a timeline for your entire day solo, and you could hire a photographer to show up for a few hours. All of these things are within your means and you could absolutely do them yourselves.
And yet, I still think you should hire me. I’ll be there from start to finish, doing everything in my power to bring your ideas to life, leaving you with no need to sacrifice a thing on your wedding day. Not only that, but I’ll take the time to get to know you, to help you with all of the planning, and to document the true nature of your relationship, and the unique way you chose to celebrate it.
You could do this without me.
Here’s something I probably shouldn’t say:
California elopement guides
California Elopement Guide
Big sur Elopement Guide
Lake Tahoe elopement guide
Where is the best place to elope in california?
Still have questions?
California is massive and diverse. One of the reasons I love California as an elopement destination is because it truly has something for everyone. Gorgeous Oasis lodging to glamping in the desert or an A-frame in the mountains. I will help you find exactly what you’re looking for, this state will not disappoint.
Do we need a permit to elope in california?
Most locations require a permit. Some don’t, and it will always depend on the final locations you decide. Most locations around $50-$250 for a permit.
How many photos are included?
I don’t have an image cap, and deliver all the images that are well composed, in focus, and tell your story. On average you receive around 100 images per hour. I also include day of polariod sneak peeks!
Best time of year to elope in california
California has pretty nice weather year round. Northern California gets much chillier, and it snows in the mountains. A lot of hikes and trails aren’t fully open until mid june to early july. The best time of year to have full access to trails and National Parks would be the end of june through the end of October!
How do we get a marriage license?
Marriage licenses are actually very easy too acquire. I will send you the application you need to fill out as well as the steps you need to take. You will pick it up in person. The waiting period is 3 days, but that can be waived so long as we call in advance!
How many guests can we have?
Elopements normally cap at around 25 people. Although, this doesn’t mean you can’t have an adventurous small wedding. I’ve worked with couples who have had up to 50 people included in their day and still avoided the stress of having a big traditional wedding!
How much does it cost to elope in california
Couples spend between $5,000 to $20,000 to elope in California. This includes lodging, permits, decor, vendors, food, flights, attire, and everything you need to have the experience you want. Your budget will be determined by how lavish or simple you’d like your day to be!
Still have questions?
I can answer any questions you might have over my complimentary phone consull! Just send an inquiry and let's chat.
count me in!
