June 2, 2021
What do you think when you hear the word elopement? Does a “shotgun drive-thru Las Vegas wedding” come to the forefront of your mind? There’s definitely a stigma around the word elopement and what it means in a traditional sense. In the past few years, the wedding industry has been rocked by the radical popularity of elopements. Elopements are attractive because they are low maintenance and the call of a laid-back adventure can outweigh the planning and stress. Your wedding day should be about what you want. If that’s a drive-thru service in Las Vegas, then so be it. If it’s on top of Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park, then so be it. Wear a white dress, don’t wear a white dress. Do the first look, don’t do the first look. Do flowers or don’t do flowers. Just remember that the day is yours. If you’re second-guessing your current wedding plans or have been considering what would be the perfect wedding elopement, then this post is for you.
#1 It’s a chance to do something epic and spontaneous
When is the last time you’ve done something crazy with the love of your life? There’s a quote that says “When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.” There’s a lot of truth to that! What if you stopped planning your wedding and started planning for the rest of your life? What’s a more epic way to profess your love than on a whim? Even if you’re a type-A planner, you can still make it happen with an elopement. Instead of planning for catering and flowers, you can plan a hike to the top of a mountain or a casual barbecue on a Hawaiian beach. The greatest adventure will be marriage; you might as well start it that way. It’s a metaphor for what’s to come!
#2 It’s less stressful
The pressure for weddings can leave some people frustrated and unsatisfied. This is such a shame because your wedding day is supposed to be the greatest day of your life! I was recently talking with my mom about her wedding and one thing she always mentions is how stressed out she was from the expectations that various family members had. By the end, she had little choice over her first dance choice, the venue, and the bridesmaid’s dresses. Trying to keep up with the latest trends can cause burnout. I’ve seen dozens of pins on Pinterest sharing advice about taking to-go plates for your wedding cake (just in case you forget to eat it because you’re so busy). SAY WHAT. Why do wedding days have to be such a blur? Why is it that wedding days aren’t seen as relaxing? Some people thrive off of chaos, while others would rather be in quiet stillness with the love of their life. There’s room for both types of people, but if you like the latter, eloping might be for you.
#3 It’s better for the environment
I’m going to get up on my soap box here for a minute. The planet is suffering. We’ve abused it and thrown things away carelessly without much thought of where it might go. If you’re someone who loves the outdoors as much as I, it’s painful seeing a piece of trash tarnishing the views of a National Park or anywhere in the outdoors for that matter. This isn’t meant to shame anyone, after all, none of us are perfect and the powers that be definitely contribute to this problem. But, do you want to know a huge contributor of waste every year? The wedding industry. The average wedding produces 400-600 pounds of waste. Consider how much energy and production goes into decorations that get thrown out, balloons, leftover food, utensils, invites and save the dates, gift wrapping, air travel, and the list goes on. Eloping cuts down the environmental toll that we put on the earth.
#4 You can do whatever you want
You have freedom with anything you want when it comes to planning an elopement. You can elope anywhere. You don’t have to answer to anyone except you and your partner. You have the choice to invite the people that matter to you the most. If you’re nervous about sharing vows in front of 100 people, you can trade that in for sharing with just one person. You can create your own traditions. Wear a red dress. Put wildflowers in your hair. Go barefoot. Go to In-And-Out for dinner. Eat donuts. Wear a Hawaiian shirt. Dance to Irish folk music. Run into the ocean. Get ready together. Go horseback riding. Go skinny dipping. Snowboarding, drive off-road, or skydive. The opportunities are endless, and they’re all up to you!
#5 You can save money and spend it on better things
The wedding industry is insane. The average wedding is around $30,000. Most venues will cost you around $10,000-15,000. The numbers start to add up quickly. Why not take the money that you would spend on a large wedding and elope somewhere EPIC? Somewhere that’s on your bucket list. Take that money and fly your loved ones out with you. Put it as a down payment on your dream home. Book a helicopter ride. Fly to the other side of the world. Spend more of that money on an extended honeymoon. Get a killer rock to put on your finger. Brainstorm your elopement day and take the section above as inspiration because the opportunities are endless. The key is to spend money on things that will last longer than the day itself. Photos will last forever and so will your memories. Not flowers, cake, or the DJ. You might as well make it count!
Whatever your flavor is when it comes to love, think “couple first.” At the end of the day, it’s about you two and the beginning of a lifelong commitment. If you could elope in the world, where would it be?
COLORFUL COLORADO PACKAGES
Eloping is unique and such an adventure! Pick any view in Colorado (Want to elope somewhere else? Check out my other packages HERE) and you won’t go wrong 🙂 And I’ll be here to be with you every step of the way. Through location scouting, help with all of the planning, and all the way down to delivering your unforgettable photos!
My Colorado packages start at $3,000 and include:
- With Options of 4-Hour, 6-Hour, and 8-Hour Packages.
- 100+ Page Elopement Planning Guide
- Unlimited Guidance & Consultation Calls
- Custom Timeline
- All Travel Fees and Expenses-Minus something extra like a helicopter ride.
- Vendor Recommendations
- Permits Assistance and Location Scouting of The Best Locations in Colorado
- Upgrade to 1:1 Vow Writing Consulting (pst did I mention I have a background in copywriting?)
- Discounted Photo Album Design Services (with creative and romantic storytelling of your gorgeous elopement)
- Gallery Slideshow
- 500+ Culled and Edited High-Resolution Photos
- Digital Gallery with Printing Rights
- Surprise Gift From Me
“She really puts her heart and soul into this.”
My husband and I decided to elope after feeling a little overwhelmed with the idea of planning a wedding. , Alisha pitched a lot of ideas based on what we were imagining and they were so killer so it was so hard to pick. She can really zero in on what a couple is all about and plan from there. And all her ideas were incredibly creative and original. On the day of our elopement we were so relaxed. Alisha picked out all the locations including our vow ceremony spot which was beautiful, private and romantic. We literally laughed the whole time and kept repeating "I'm so happy we did this." After the desert ceremony in Death Valley she drove to Vegas with us, waited for us to change into our cool Vegas attire, and carted us all over the strip and downtown to take more fun photos. The photography is beyond remarkable. I mean COME ON. I've never seen more beautiful photos in my entire life. We're so happy to have them to enjoy forever, so so SO worth it. She really puts her heart and soul into this. It actually makes me tear up...We love you Alisha.
— HEATHER & COLIN
“Hire her. You
won't regret it.”
Our first experience working with Alisha was on an elopement styled shoot. I knew from that day on she was going to be the photographer to capture our wedding day. Alisha said "yes" to absolutely every crazy idea and vision I had for our wedding day. She literally hiked miles and woke up before the sun to make it happen. Alisha is completely in her element when photographing, she knows how direct a shoot without being bossy, she captures every angle without being in the way and doesn't make you feel like you're even behind the camera. Alisha pours her entire self into every shoot she does, she doesn't stop until everything is perfect. It put me at ease knowing Alisha was paying such close attention to detail when it came to the location scouting and capturing every single photo imaginable. Working with Alisha was a breeze, she's communicative, fast and detail oriented. Not to mention, an incredible photographer. We were blown away when we got our wedding gallery within a month of our wedding, with over 700 beautiful photos. Our families cried happy tears all over again reliving those memories. If you're wondering, "is it worth it?" The answer is 100% ABSOLUTELY yes, hire Alisha, you won't regret it.
— Katie & Kevin
“I do not think any other photographer would have been able to do that for us.”
Choosing Alisha for our elopement photographer was the absolute best decision we could have made. Bryan and I had a pretty short timeline of only a few weeks until our wedding day so I was not sure if Alisha could make it work, but she went out of her way to travel and make all of the behind the scenes arrangements in advance. She made everything so easy for us leading up to the day helping with park permits, scouting out photo locations, making vendor recommendations, and suggesting fun ideas for the day. As two people who do not feel natural in front of a camera, she made us laugh, have fun, and get out of our shells in a way we could not have expected. From start to finish, our experience with Alisha was so genuine and natural. She is just a joy and a light to be around. On top of that, we were truly blown away when we received our wedding photo gallery. You can feel the emotion, beauty, and love in every single image. Because she took the time to get to know us on a personal level and really understand us as a couple leading up to the wedding, the photos showcase who we are in a real and honest way, and I do not think any other photographer would have been able to do that for us.
— MIRANDA & BRYAN
“Incredibly talented, creative, caring, and personable.”
My fiancé and I could not feel more fortunate to have crossed paths with Alisha while searching for a photographer for our engagement shoot. Let me tell you, this girl is a GEM. I talked to at least 50 photographers during my search and Alisha is the only one that I felt truly cared about what we wanted. We met up at sunrise on the day of our shoot and I can truly say that it was a flawless experience! My fiancé and I were exhausted and nervous, but immediately upon meeting Alisha, we felt comfortable and excited. Her positive energy is contagious. I tend to be awkward and never know what to do with my hands, but she was so patient and guided us every step of the way, giving us prompts and making us laugh the entire time. It felt like we were leaving the shoot with a new friend. WE ARE OBSESSED WITH OUR PHOTOS. In short, Alisha 10000000% exceeded my very high expectations. She’s incredibly talented, creative, caring and personable. You can tell she has a huge heart and is passionate about what she does.
— LAUREN & NIK
I will continue to use her and her talents for life!!
Alisha is the best photographer and person you’ll ever work with! She has such a fun and calming manner about her. Her system is down to a t. And very personalized as well. I found her through a friend but loved her because her art and photos weren’t so posed and perfect. She captured such perfect moments and seemed like she had 10 photographers! I can’t believe the photos she got of our wedding and all the special moments I got to see that I otherwise would have never known happened! My husband can not recommend her enough! And will continue to use her and her talents for life!!
— SYD & JAKE
“Book her now.”
Alisha is the consummate photographer that you want capturing your special day. We used her (twice!) for engagement photos and she was the first we asked to be our wedding photographer. From the moment we engaged her for the big day, she was all about us. From a welcome care package that frankly knew us almost better than we knew us, to her wedding guides, assistance in finding other vendors, and of course her amazing skill behind the camera Alisha was the perfect choice for our wedding photography. On the day of the big event she took great photos and had creative ideas for shoots in and around the venue. She’s given us keepsakes that we are thrilled to treasure forever and proud to frame and hang on the wall. Book her now.
— COLTON & YVETTE
“She gave us the best photos EVER!”
We absolutely love Alisha! She gave us the best photos EVER! She planned everything to the smallest detail. It was so easy and she made sure we had everything we were looking for. My husband and I even flew back to get wedding photos done! Alisha braved the cold winter for us. We are so thankful to have memories in the best photos ever. I can’t say enough about her. Not only is she an AMAZING photographer but such a good person! We will definitely be having plenty more sessions in our lifetime :)
— danielle & Xavier
“Alisha is easily one of the best humans I’ve ever met”
Where do I even start!? Alisha was an absolute dream to work with!!! She was so flexible with us and our last-minute cancellation due to covid. We had originally planned to meet her in Vegas for our anniversary shoot in March and we ended up canceling our trip a week out due to the virus. She was so understanding and even offered to refund our deposit. We knew we still absolutely wanted to shoot with her so we scheduled another trip to Colorado this time and she met us there for an amazing sunrise shoot at Great Sand Dunes Natl Park. The whole experience was incredible and Alisha was so amazing and personable, we felt like we had left and made a new friend! She sent us sooo many sneak peeks just a few days after the shoot and Then probably 100 more photos a few weeks later. They were absolutely stunning. She is easily one of the best humans I’ve ever met and not to mention an extremely talented photographer with a clear passion for her clients and her work! We can’t wait to shoot with her again!
— MIA & FERMIN
“I cannot wait to
book her again”
I have never done a couples shoot but I fell in love with Alisha's work on social media. I was beyond ecstatic when I found out she was traveling to Minnesota. Where do I begin? From the moment I spoke with Alisha, she easily made me feel comfortable and confident. She responded back to my questions and concerns within a timely manner and was easily accessible. Her talent and passion for photography is truly admirable! It’s so evident that she genuinely cares about each and every couple that she works with. Alisha has a gift for detail and seeing things differently than everyone else. She took some breathtaking pictures that will always have a special place in my heart! Alisha doesn't just take photographs, she creates beautiful works of art that don’t just capture smiles but our souls, and to be a part of her art is an absolute honor. Not only is her work stunning, but she is a great person to be around. She is professional, patient and outgoing and I cannot wait to book with her again! Thanks for the memories, laughs and for creating such an enjoyable experience.
— Miriam & Jaime
“She made everything perfect! 10/10 recommend”
Alisha was super professional and friendly throughout the entire process of our engagement shoot. I was super indecisive on where to have our shoot and she gave me multiple choices. She even went to the spot before hand to scope it out for us. My fiancé hates getting pictures taken but he loved natural and fun our experience was. Alisha made us our own playlist to listen to throughout the shoot which made both of us feel super comfortable. We ended having our shoot in Breckenridge and made a weekend out of it. Honestly, one of the most rememberable and amazing weekends we could ask for. Alisha communicated with us throughout everything and was SO fast getting our sneak peak photos and album to us. She even sent us a little gift that we appreciated SO SO much. I would highly recommend Alisha for any photography session whether its an adventure shoot or a wedding. She made everything perfect! 10/10 recommend :)
— GRACE & JAKE
“Alisha is the absolute
best photographer!!”
Alisha is the absolute best photographer!! We did our engagement photos with her and she made my fiance and I feel so comfortable. We had never gotten professional pictures taken so were a bit nervous beforehand but Alisha made us feel so comfortable and the photos came out AMAZING. I literally scroll through all of them a few times a week because of how much I love them and how they capture our love for each other so beautifully. I highly recommend using Alisha as your photographer!
— NATALIE & JAKE
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