Spectacular Martha's Vineyard Elopement off the Coast of Cape Cod

Selina & Rob’s Cape Cod Elopement Was Made for Magazines

SWELL & STONE / ADVENTURE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER / CAPE COD, MASSACHUSETTS & BEYOND

How do I count the ways in which Selina and Rob’s Martha’s Vineyard elopement was one of the most incredible weddings I have shot…ever? I had an absolute blast exploring Martha’s Vineyard with them, I teared up during their ceremony, and I laughed with and celebrated with their friends. By the end of their unreal two-day wedding experience, I walked away feeling like a close friend of theirs. I love all the couples I work with for such a wide variety of reasons, but I never expect them to make me feel like I’ve known them for years. For these two, it was effortless, and I know this isn’t about me, but I can’t tell you how special and lucky it made me feel to be the one chosen to tell the visual story of their day. So to Selina and Rob, THANK YOU! You deserve all the happiness in the world.

Their two-day adventure started with alpacas! Rob organized a special surprise for Selina, who loves animals. They enjoyed their own private alpaca walk and we pet and enjoyed these incredible animals. Such a fun and light-hearted way to start off the day. After the alpacas, we made our way to the famous “Jaws” bridge for some more goofing around, before heading to Edgartown Lighthouse Beach, one of the most scenic lighthouse spots I’ve seen. The flowers were in bloom and everything smelled like roses. It was so fun to explore this area with these two. After a quick game of “who can skip the rock the farthest” (Spoiler: Selina) we started our hike back so we could stop in and check out the ceremony site for the next day- Lambert’s Cove Beach. A little exploration and planning where the ceremony would be the next day and we made our way to our final spot for the day, the incredible Aquinnah Beach and Cliffs. They were up for a looooong walk and the tide was right so we walked on the beach all the way to the lighthouse. The further you get from the trail down to the beach here the more seclusion you find. Just be careful because there are a couple of spots that if the tide comes in while you are walking can trap you there until the tide goes back out as the water reaches the cliffs. There is seriously every color of cliff you could imagine here- from gold, orange, red, yellow, purple, place, white, and light blue. Aquinnah is known for its beautiful clay cliffs and natural serenity, as well as its historical importance to the native Wampanoag people. They danced and romped and even galavanted through the water and along the beach. We watched the sunset from above the cliffs and had a beautiful view of Gay Head Light and wrapped up our first evening together. They were covered in sand and couldn’t be happier as we ate lobster rolls and watched all the light fade from the sky.

The next day was their actual ceremony day and friends and family came in from the mainland in order to celebrate their union. They got ready at the same location their celebration would later take place. A gorgeous rented house with a stunning backyard surrounded by trees and fields. After the “first look” we headed out Lambert’s Cove. Family and friends enjoyed about a half-mile stroll through the sand to get to their ceremony spot. It was a warm day, but the breeze coming off the water felt nice and comfortable. One of my favorite moments of the ceremony aside from their vows was after Selina walked down the sand “aisle” and took her place beside Rob. Their pup, Brembo, saw his parents and took his rightful place directly on Selina’s train. This garnered laughs and applause from all attendees and he stayed there for the remainder of the ceremony until Selina had to walk back down the “aisle” and officiant/best friend Kate had to urge him off of her gown.

We all headed back to the house for formal photos, cocktails, and appetizers while the catering team got to work on the main courses. Lawn games and sparklers kept the kids entertained and the atmosphere was joyful and relaxed. As the sun sank low in the sky toasts were made, more joy shared, and more love felt by everyone in attendance. We ended the evening with the cake cutting and the stars coming out. It was the perfect end to a perfect summer day and the most beautiful wedding on Martha’s Vineyard.

From the couple…

“My now husband and I used Kat from Swell and Stone as our photographer for our small wedding. What an amazing experience we had with her. We can’t recommend her enough. You don’t realize how important it is to be comfortable with your photographer because it shows in your photos!!!

If I could give people any advice from our experience it would be to consider taking photos over two days or more. The reason why is because the whole actual wedding day can be very stiff and more traditional. We spent the first day exploring Martha’s Vineyard island. We took photos all over the island which is what my husband and I are more about. We are the outdoors and adventurer type. This also allowed us to get more comfortable with having photos taken and act like ourselves in front of the camera.

We planned our second day (wedding ceremony) to be more traditional. We had family and friends join us for the ceremony. By day two I was used to Kat being around but I also knew how to pose and move better for the camera. On your wedding day you want a really easy breezy experience. That is what Kat gave us.

In the end my photos are amazing - Better than I could have ever envisioned. Kat is a gem in the wedding photographer world.”

— Selina & Rob

Picture Perfect Block Island Elopement

Ari & Dave’s Epic Block Island Elopement Adventure

SWELL & STONE / ADVENTURE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER / RHODE ISLAND & BEYOND

When Ari and Dave gave me a call and started planning their Block Island elopement they were clear on a few things- They wanted to be married at the end of it, and they wanted to explore Block Island. Sometimes that’s all the info you need to plan the most magical elopement day, even if it rains on you. And magical is a great way to describe their day. The rain held off on our ferry ride over from the mainland, and it continued to hold off during their ceremony at Mohegan Bluffs. But it started sprinkling as we explored the beaches, no worries we had some lovely umbrellas in tow.

By the time we arrived at our sunset portion of the evening, it was pouring on us. We stood in the parking lot in the warm summer rain as the wind whipped around us. Ari tossed her umbrella aside and Dave gave her an “are we seriously doing this?” smile. We hiked out to the lighthouse and they were both soaked when we got there. They cut some cake, walked down to the water, played in the water and the rain, and some very cute onlookers joined us. Seals poked their heads up out of the water to see what was going on. There was not another person for miles and they watched the seals and enjoyed the peace and quiet and gentle rainfall that capped off an incredible and adventurous day full of everything they ever wanted and nothing they didn’t.

Earlier in the day at the beach, their vows induced a few tears of joy. This was a place they had been to before and one they would keep coming back to over the years. We saw lighthouses and beach volleyball courts. Fun fact: Ari was an amazing Division I collegiate volleyball player, so it was fun to get some shots of them on the sand volleyball court. Their day just goes to show that everything doesn’t have to go exactly according to plan and it can still be everything you ever hoped for and more. Sometimes welcoming the unexpected on your elopement day is the most rewarding thing you can do.

Throughout the day their love radiated through the landscape. They reminisced on their previous trips to the island and they were really looking forward to spending a few more days on it after their elopement. They embraced their feet in the sand, the rain on their faces, and at the end of it, all thought it was perfectly them, getting married in that way.

So, at the end of the day, don’t sweat the small stuff. Do welcome the rain on your face with arms wide open and at the end of the day you’ll be married and maybe see some seals too.

Epic New Hampshire Elopement on Mt. Washington

Julia & Jeff’s Incredible Two-Day New Hampshire Mountain Wedding

Swell & Stone / Adventure Wedding Photographer / New Hampshire & Beyond

Julia and Jeff had an epic two-day New Hampshire elopement on Mt. Washington and in Jeff’s parents’ backyard. From endless mountain views to lush waterfalls, and private forests, their elopement day had everything. The two-day experience started in the beautiful and forested backyard of the groom’s parents’ place. Jeff, an engineer by trade, but also a very talented woodworker created an arbor for the backyard and it was beautifully decorated with floral arrangements. The setting was quiet and idyllic and absolutely the perfect place to hold a ceremony that both of their families and some close friends could attend. I couldn’t get over how tall the trees in the backyard were and how perfectly they created privacy barriers around the perimeter of the yard. It was also summer, so the flowers were in full bloom, making the perfect backdrop for formal photos.

After the ceremony toasts were in order and then dinner and the couple’s first dance soon followed. A tent was set up and it was a very warm but comfortable evening. Having the entire ceremony and celebration portion all in one place made it easy on everyone and grandparents did not have to walk far to enjoy every aspect of the celebration. Julia and Jeff’s vows were beautiful and heartfelt, tears were shed, and during the best man and maid of honor speeches many laughs were shared.

Julia said, “If I had to describe Jeff in one word, it's caring. No matter if I'm having a good day or a bad day, Jeff is always there to listen and ask if I need anything or if there's something he could do to help. The love he shows me in constantly trying to improve our relationship, be a better person for our family, and in raising our dog is really indescribable.

Jeff followed with, “How do I pick one (word)? I love how she's always looking out for me, how she's a five star chef, how good of a mother she is to our four-legged child, and the way she giggles to herself when she makes herself laugh.”

For day two of their celebration Julia and Jeff choose adventure. Originally, Julia wanted to just elope in the mountains with just the two of them in a very private way as neither like being the center of attention. But eventually they decided they wanted family to be there for the actual ceremony and they opted to say different private vows in the mountains the next day. It was the best of both worlds, and the weather made for an enjoyable experience, well… as enjoyable as can be expected on top of the tallest mountain in New Hampshire and the a peak with some of the most extreme weather conditions in the world. You see, it is ALWAYS windy on top of Mt. Washington, and their day was no exception. But temps on the summit were unusually warm for June, reaching almost 70 degrees.

We drove to the summit and began the hike down to Lake of the Clouds in order to get away from some of the crowds. If you’ve ever hiked any of the trails in this area you know how rocky they are. Julia did an amazing job of navigating the wind and the rocks all in her beautiful gown. There’s one thing I’ve learned about most wedding dresses- the bustle is never strong enough to handle what we put them through! Julia’s loops started ripping out one by one and one the hike back up she was just holding her train in her hands. We were sweating getting back to the top as the hike is only a couple miles but gains over 1200 feet in elevation in that time. Certainly not for the everyone, but these two are incredibly athletic and capable of anything.

After driving back down the mountain we headed to a nearby waterfall and then we did even more hiking up to a steep viewpoint where we caught the sunset over the mountains. At the end of the day, sitting and taking in the view, they were able to reminisce about the past two days and all the amazing time they spent with family and each other. After sunset we headed down and had one last stop at the very bottom of the hike for night sky photos before calling it a night. Julia mentioned that she would be sore the next day and couldn’t wait to find a swimming hole or waterfall to jump into! It was the perfect ending to a stunning and memorable two days.

From the Couple…

“Kat is AMAZING, period. From the beginning, she was so responsiveness and incredibly timely. For me and my husband, we wanted to make a point about making the wedding planning process and the wedding day itself not stressful and fun. So we opted for a small wedding with 13 guests on one day and an adventure day on Mount Washington to exchange personal vows the following Monday.

Kat helped us with every detail along the way and made it easy on us to make choices. She scouted locations based on what our idea of an ideal wedding day was, she gave us list of local vendors, and she finalized a schedule for us. She was basically like our wedding planner and we found that so valuable since we didn’t know what we were doing or exactly what we wanted! If we had a lot of questions, she was very willing to schedule a call to go over them with us. I’ve had friends tell me about their horror stories with photographers not responding to them or never getting their photos back, but I 100% never had to worry about that with Kat. She even got our photos back earlier than promised. She was truly so fun to be around that it made the days that much more enjoyable.

I also wanted to compliment the website our gallery was posted through. It’s super intuitive to use and I love that it’s categorized, that I can favorite photos, and that I can see which photos my husband has favorited on his own account. I can also send out links to our guests and they can send me back links of their favorites, it’s super cool and convenient.

Kat also gave us some polaroid photos and some GIFS she curated, which I did not expect and absolutely loved. I knew the photos were going to be great from looking at her portfolio but they were better than I could imagine. I was also super stoked about a starry night photo and she made that happen. So if you couldn’t tell from my review, Kat goes above and beyond and you will absolutely not regret working with her!”

— Julia & Jeff

Summer Elopement in Historic Newport, RI | Elope to Rhode Island

Jess & Jesse’s Lovely Newport, RI Elopement

SWELL & STONE / ADVENTURE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER / NEWPORT, RI & BEYOND

Jess and Jesse’s stunning Newport elopement was picture perfect and complete with water views, historic forts, and evening sailing. I always encourage couples to do something that is special to them and really encompasses who they are as a couple on their wedding day, and for Jess and Jesse that was going sailing on the water.

The ceremony took place at Fort Adams State Park and with just immediate family in attendance, the setup made for the cutest little ceremony spot. Water views and the iconic Newport bridge loomed in the distance, the perfect backdrop for an intimate ceremony like theirs. A lovely touch from their family was blowing bubbles during the recessional, which was a perfect Leave No Trace solution that I like so much better than throwing rice or confetti.

After the ceremony, we explored more of the fort, and then headed over to Brenton Point for a little more coastal exploration. We were hoping the kites would be out in full force, but the weather that day kept most of the kiters away. Nonetheless, we explored the incredible rocky coastline there and then headed back to the marina for the celebration. Jess LOVES sailboats and Americana, so Newport in the summer was the perfect aesthetic for their dreamy elopement.

These two had been together a long time at this point, so getting to witness them exchange vows and capture this part of their story together was truly special. Jess was such a joyful smiling ball of energy the entire time and clearly took in every single moment and loved the process. Watching Jesse’s face absolutely light up when Jess was walking down the “aisle” was one of the highlights of the day. He completely transformed seeing her for the first time during their ceremony. It was important to both of them not to do a “first look” but instead to see each other for the first time while Jess was walking down the “aisle”. It’s always such a special moment when couples choose to do this and the genuine joy on their faces is always priceless.

Jess and Jesse’s day is a testament that even if the weather doesn’t cooperate, you can still have a beautiful and joyful day. They were amazing enduring strangely chilly temps in July, and a constant threat of rain. Their great attitudes and love for each other won the day and in the end, they made some more incredible memories together.

Stylish NYC Couple Elope in Upstate New York

Emma & LA Finger Lakes Region Upstate NY Elopement

Swell & Stone / Adventure Wedding Photographer / New York & Beyond

When Emma & LA first reached out they knew they wanted to elope somewhere in Upstate New York, but they weren’t exactly sure where. After they filled out some info for me and I sent them a location guide with custom spots picked out based on their preferences, they decided the Finger Lakes in Upstate New York felt the most like them. Emma wanted winter vibes, but with the feeling of spring in the air, and the weather cooperated in the best way. They had a lovely day for their actual elopement, with snow still on the ground and a slight, but no too biting chill in the air. The next day all the snow melted off and they enjoyed the rest of the week in the Finger Lakes in relative warmth!

They both really connected with Watkins Glen, a gorgeous spot with stone pathways through an unreal granite river gorge. The first time I saw it many years ago I thought it looked like it belonged in Scotland. During the winter the lower paths are not open, but the top footpaths are open. We found a lovely lookout for them to say their vows, followed by more exploration on foot. They enjoyed a picnic and some champagne, and then we headed to the next location. A top-secret gorge with a beautiful frozen waterfall.

After all the hiking we headed back to their lodging to warm up and were met by a private chef who was busy creating their elopement celebration dinner. Emma headed outside to light the fire while LA made them hot toddies. They carried the steamy drinks outside, enjoyed the fire, and played a game of frisbee together, one of their favorite activities. The snow didn’t bother either of them at all. Instead, they basked in the beauty of it all. The opened letters from family and enjoyed the incredible sunset from the yard that was perfectly positioned to watch it go down. Each course of the custom-picked dinner was incredible and they took time somewhere in the middle to have their first dance on the patio, and then to watch the stars come out as the alpenglow faded. It was a perfect day, and when I left them that night, they both seemed very content and happy to be exactly where they were.

One of my favorite things about Emma and LA was their sense of humor- and I loved hearing their engagement story where things didn’t go quite to plan as they did on their elopement day. In LA's words.

“In July of 2020 I flew over to the UK so that we could spend some time together after having been apart since the start of the pandemic. By this point, I had already gotten Emma’s parents’ blessing for the proposal. We had planned a vacation in Cornwall, a place Emma’s family went for beach holidays during her childhood. I knew that Emma loves the beach and the ocean, so I thought that would be a great place to propose.

Now I’m someone who usually likes to plan things meticulously and not “wing it”, especially in something as serious as this. But due to the pandemic, traveling to places I’ve never been before, and also being together 24/7, there was a massive number of unknown variables to deal with. So I had to take a lot of things in stride, and relinquish control. One huge thing was that I didn’t know when (or where) the ring would arrive. The good thing was that the holiday itself was so gorgeous and so much fun, it was easy to have a great time with Emma — despite the undercurrent of stress bubbling below the surface. We were in a beautiful old seaside town called Mousehole, and the pandemic and all worries seemed like universes away.

Looking back, the amount of things that didn’t go to plan was actually comedy. The day before I had tried to sneak off and buy mini champagne bottles while Emma was in the bathroom. She found them almost immediately. The ring hadn’t arrived, and even if it had, I don’t know if FedEx would have found the house we were staying in because of the tiny unmarked roads. I had planned for bouquets of flowers to be delivered after lunch (after we got back from the beach and the planned proposal). Instead, the flowers announced themselves through the doorbell in the middle of breakfast. Flabbergasted and unable to come up with any false explanation, I just received them — each subsequent bouquet bigger than the last. Emma, clearly knowing what was up, had even put on a white dress and everything.

Eventually, we got to the beach and got changed into our swimming gear and wetsuits to go bodyboarding in the ocean. We ended up having an amazing day full of waves, ice cream, and frisbee.

As we were wrapping up I pretty much coerced Emma to go on a walk to a secluded cliffside that overlooked the beach, one that I had scoped out and marked in my head earlier. We were already late for a dinner appointment, so for me to suggest “going for a walk” was not at all suspicious, but Emma played along nonetheless. When we got to a really nice spot that was away from people and I was happy with, I took a knee (for a second time, because I took a knee earlier without thinking, to pose for a photo), took Emma’s hand, and fumbled through some sentences I’d rehearsed the night before while unable to fall asleep. Without an actual ring, I proposed with a ring made out of tree bark that Emma had made almost a month earlier in the trip. She said it was something she did as a child, and she had left the tree bark ring behind one day after breakfast. Instinctively I kept it, just in case.

Luckily she said yes. We took selfies with the tree bark ring on the cliffside overlooking the beach and cracked open the mini bottles of champagne. I was ecstatic and relieved and we were so late for our dinner appointment. We took a stroll in the beautiful seaside town of Port Isaac to have our first picnic as fiancées. The food was delicious.”

Now that’s an incredible story and I love that they are able to roll with whatever happens to them in life. But of LA’s sake, I’m very happy that their elopement day went off without a hitch.

Couple Elopes in Magical Vermont Winter Wonderland

Olivia & Dave’s Frosty Vermont Adventure Elopement

Swell & Stone / Adventure Elopement Photographer / Vermont & Beyond

When trying to find the proper adjectives to describe Olivia & Dave’s elopement day in the dead of winter in Vermont I went through a whole slew of descriptors trying to find the best fit: sparkly, fun, joyful, adventurous, frosty, wintry, and then finally…magical. I think the word magical best describes their elopement day.

They did their first look in the Stowehof in Stowe, VT. Their great room has a ton of windows and it was pretty much empty on their wedding day which made for a beautiful, private moment. We packed up our winter hiking gear and headed out to hike an incredible trail that has 360 views on the top. The high that day was 10 degrees, so it was frosty, to say the least. It had snowed in the days before their elopement so I brought snowshoes and they had microspikes, but we only ended up needing the microspikes because the trail was packed to the top. This made for some funny moments, however, whenever one of us stepped off the trail and sunk into the snow up to our waists.

We stuck body warmers, toe warmers, and hand warmers on Olivia, which ended up being both too warm and not warm enough. The thing about hiking in the winter is that as long as you are moving, it’s comfortable. But the second you stop moving things get chilly fast. On the way up we got too warm, so I made them stop for photo opps so they wouldn’t get too sweaty. But as we neared the top they turned on the hiking speed and summitted quickly! We were hot at the top so they had no problems taking off their jackets for some shots. But after about 5 minutes they got chilly so the coats went back on and the jumping jacks began. That’s the other thing about hiking in the winter, it’s always a great workout.

The primary view spot was in the frosty wind, so we picked a spot for their ceremony that was protected by trees. The read the sweetest vows to one another, laughed, maybe shed a tear or two, and it was adorable because Olivia tried to kiss Dave somewhere in the middle, but he said they had to wait until the end for their first kiss!

“I can be my complete self with Dave and it’s not only accepted but celebrated. It’s so freeing. I don’t have to be anything but me and I know deeply that he loves me exactly for who I am. We also spend 99.9% of our day laughing at anything and everything. I just can’t help but smile and laugh with Dave and I genuinely have the best time with him doing something totally boring to anything adventurous. We make a great team and are truly best friends,” said Olivia of Dave.

And that was true, they complement each other in the most wonderful way, and genuinely do laugh at EVERYTHING together. They had so much fun, even though they were freezing cold, they embraced the adventure and lived in the moment, and you can just tell when you are around them that they love every moment of time spent together.

In fact, this elopement day was in the middle of a two-week long adventure road trip where they tried skiing together for the first time, they went snowmobiling for the first time, they hiked mountains in the winter for the first time, and enjoyed so many other adventurous firsts. As we were hiking up and they told me all about their trip so far it was clear that they were making memories that would last a lifetime. And this is something they will continue to do together forever.

These two rolled with all the punches and unknowns that come with getting hitched in the middle of winter in Vermont, and it totally paid off. The snow sparkled in the sunlight and their love and joyful fun nature made the afternoon even brighter than it already was. Cheers to these two lovebirds- keep adventuring and making snow angels together forever.

Frosty Alpine Elopement on Mountain Summit | Vermont Mountain Wedding

Sara & Joe’s Adventure Elopement on Vermont Summit

Swell & Stone / Adventure Elopement Photographer / Vermont & Beyond

WOW! What can I say about Sara and Joe’s alpine adventure elopement in Vermont? I think the photos speak for themselves, but I’ll delve into the backstory a bit. Sara and Joe reached out having seen several other elopements I’ve photographed on Mt. Mansfield, Vermont’s highest point and a stunning mountain. In the spring they snowshoed to the summit, and it was there that Joe proposed to Sara. The mountain was special to them, although they’ve hiked dozens of summits together, they knew they wanted to say their vows on the summit of Mt. Mansfield. The date they chose, 10/25/20, was also their anniversary!

They reached out, and I’ll admit, I was a little nervous about the plan. Most of the couples I work with reach the summit of Mt. Mansfield via the Auto Toll road, the gondola, or the chairlift. However, because of Sara & Joe’s desired date, none of those options were available. But they didn’t want to take the easy way regardless! They had a specific route in mind, the Profanity Route to the Chin on the Long Trail. It’s the same route they took when they got engaged, and let me tell you, it is straight up. I knew they were in great shape, and I knew I could do it, so our plan was set in stone. However, there was one more wildcard, and that was what the weather would be like in the alpine on the day of their elopement. We all carried microspikes, just in case, and although it was icy on the summit and the summit ridge, we ended up not needing them.

Now I’ve hiked up Mt. Mansfield via nearly every imaginable way, and during winter, summer, and fall. But I have never hiked it during the transition from fall to winter. It was a truly incredible sight. There wasn’t a lot of snow on the trails, but there was a layer of frost and ice on all the trees. Some of the trails were icy, but not enough to need spikes. It was so cool to see the summit in a way I never had before, and Sara and Joe thought the same.

The forecast called for a cloudy morning easing into a clear sky mid-morning. We began our hike around sunrise and made it up to Taft Lodge where Sara touched up her makeup and Joe touched up his mustache, fairly quickly. They changed into their wedding clothes just below the summit in an area protected from the wind. It was cold up there, but these two were absolute troopers. They had their first look on the alpine boardwalk, and then we headed up to the summit for their vows. The summit was mostly socked in, but it seemed like the sun was trying to poke through. After some emotional and tear-filled vows, we needed to touch the actual summit. Hands were getting cold, and I knew that on the other side of the ridge, even if the summit was socked in, you could usually see great views, so we decided to hike down about a half-mile and that’s when the sky opened up for us! We hung out for about 15 minutes taking photos with the incredible views before the clouds rolled in again, so we started back down the trail. On the way down the trail, the clouds intermittently opened and closed, and we were in awe the whole time.

Sara and Joe both completed the entire hike down in their wedding clothes, a truly amazing feat considering how many times we had to scramble down rocky and icy parts. I have no idea how Sara kept holding her dress up through all the tough parts. We stopped at Taft Lodge again to update the logbook, and then stopped at a few beautiful spots along the hike down. At the base of the mountain, it was like a different world, no ice or snow, just dead colorful leaves on the ground, and naturally, you have to play in them for a bit!

Ultimately, we had the best freaking day, in one of the most beautiful places, and Sara and Joe’s vows were sweet and intimate and they were surrounded by clouds. It was so unique, and I love that more and more couples are choosing to dedicate their lives to each other is by creating experiences they will remember for the rest of their lives!

Joyful Fall Elopement in Vermont

Holly & Louis’s Vermont Adventure Elopement

Swell & Stone / Adventure Elopement Photographer / Vermont & Beyond

Holly and Louis’s Vermont adventure elopement can best be described as fun-loving, colorful, and an absolute blast. They started with a sunrise first look at a gorgeous mountainside lake, followed by some good old-fashioned romping around the area. Their first look was adorable and Louis was blown away by his gorgeous bride. I loved his facial expressions throughout the whole day, but seeing Holly for the first time in her dress took the cake. Fun fact: Holly and Lauren (Holly’s cousin, and the officiant) blindfolded Louis and brought him out to the lake for the first look. He showed up having no idea where we were but kept saying how amazing it was!

Just look at how cute they are when they describe what they love most about one another. Holly said, “I love how he always makes me laugh, is amazing to my kids, and never settles for less than what he wants. Also, he’s gorgeous which doesn’t hurt.”

Louis said, “I love how patient she is with me and how she always makes me feel like I am the most important person to her. She is literally my perfect match.”

After the first look, we headed over to the ceremony spot, the always stunning Warren Falls. We were there just after sunrise, and it was mid-October so there wasn’t a person in sight. Lauren performed a beautiful and emotional ceremony, and the happy couple exchanged rings and sealed it with a kiss. After the ceremony, we spent some time exploring the falls and taking in the sights before heading over to a local covered bridge. What I love about Holly and Louis’s choices for their day was they chose to include so many small touches that are uniquely Vermont. They picked up apple cider donuts, stopped at the covered bridge, and we even explored a corn maze in Stowe. It was the perfect day filled with all things quintessentially Vermont.

Lauren was taking Instax shots the whole time which created a super cool, unique real-time vision for the day. It was so fun to have her along to perform the ceremony and instigate goofiness and fun!

What I love most about this gallery of their day is how much they let loose, ran around, and enjoyed themselves like kids. They were goofy, fun, and most importantly themselves, and their day could not have been more special.

When asked why they decided to elope they said, “We’re just not traditional people, hate the spotlight and avoid stress whenever possible. An adventure wedding is so us.”

Elegant Small Wedding in the Adirondacks, Upstate New York | Upstate NY Wedding Photographer

Esti & Derek’s 2-Day Adventure Wedding in the Adirondacks

SWELL & STONE / ADVENTURE ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHER / NEW YORK & BEYOND

Welcome to Day Two of Esti & Derek’s epic micro-wedding in the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York. Go HERE TO SEE DAY ONE of their incredible and colorful fall elopement. I’m beyond ecstatic that they chose me to be their Upstate NY small wedding photographer.

For Day Two Derek and Esti celebrated with family on an incredibly private beautiful lake with two cabins and private land bordering Adirondack Park near Lake George. The cabins were stunning and there were a variety of boats for the enjoyment of everyone attending to use. Day Two was a much warmer day than their elopement day, which worked out perfectly because it was super comfortable to hang outside for most of the day. However, a thunderstorm was threatening to strike, but ultimately never materialized, which left us with great temps and happy and dry wedding guests!

Esti had the help of her sisters and mother to get ready, and it was so fun to see two different sides of her incredible style play out. The happy couple shared another first look, and then we moved into family portraits. The backdrop at this location was really striking, so it was fun to take photos on the hill above the lake and the dock. After all family portraits were complete, Esti and Derek decided they needed to paddle a canoe on both days, so they headed out in the canoe to the private island in the middle of the lake. The fall colors were a little less bright than the location that we were at the day before, but it made for a beautiful early fall scene. Derek’s dad was a little concerned when Esti jumped out of the boat with bare feet to pull the canoe up for Derek, but of course she had done the same thing the day before!

They began the ceremony in the early afternoon, which was stunning and sweet, and seeing their families smiles made me think that you can have it all- an epic adventure elopement with just the two of you, and a celebration with those closest to you.

After the ceremony came the cocktail hour. As the sun sank low over the lake Esti’s dad made a toast and the families celebrated into the evening.

Adirondack Mountain Elopement with Awe-Inspiring Fall Views

Esti & Derek’s 2-Day Canoe Adventure Elopement in the Adirondacks

SWELL & STONE / ADVENTURE ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHER / NEW YORK & BEYOND

I had to spilt up Esti & Derek’s EPIC two-day elopement in the Adirondacks of Upstate New York into two posts because, to be honest, there are too many amazing moments and photos over the two days to share in just one post. So this is day one- you can FIND DAY TWO HERE. Not only do Esti and Derek have impeccable style, but our timing for the fall colors was spot on, and the location they ended up choosing was perfect and secluded. I’m beyond ecstatic that they chose me to be their Upstate NY elopement photographer.

When Esti and Derek reached out they had a general idea of what they were looking for in terms of location, but they really began to narrow it down after I sent them their custom location guide. We knew they wanted an incredible mountain summit and it wouldn’t hurt if canoeing on a lake was involved, so I suggested a super unique option- canoeing to the trailhead of an epic mountain summit.

The day started with a very early morning wake up. Esti’s hair and makeup artist was wrapping up when I arrived at 6 am. We had their first look on the grounds, and then we headed out for a sunrise canoe ride. The color on the leaves was spectacular, and it was going to be a beautiful day, but the sunrise canoe was chilly, and frost lingered on the grass as we pulled the canoe into the water. After the sun hit their faces and things thawed out a bit we packed up our gear and headed across the lake to the trailhead. We had 6.5 miles of hiking ahead of us, and the last section of the hike is straight up, and really more of a scramble than a hike. Esti wore her wedding dress for the first, flat-ish part of the hike, and then took it off before the steep section. She had white leggings under her dress, so all she had to do was slip on a warm shirt and jacket and she was ready for the hard part.

After reaching the summit and checking out the views we scoped out a spot for their private vow exchange. I was able to stay a little higher on the summit to give them some space, but still capture all the emotion during their beautiful and heartfelt vow exchange. There were tears and laughter and joy, and after it was all said and done they celebrated with champagne!

“I love Esti's passion for learning and teaching others, love of adventure (traveling, hiking, and camping), professional drive and determination in the field of Pathology, creative side (painting, singing, and dancing), and ability to motivate everyone around her to pursue their dreams,” said Derek.

“I love Derek's caring and warm nature, his goofiness (always cracking jokes, making up songs about our cats, sending me memes to make me laugh), and his willingness to try new things (trekking in high altitude, trying caviar or snails (ew! haha), skiing). As someone who loves to try new things, it's really fun to have Derek there with me willing to look like a fool as we try new things together! I also love his practical side - cooking great meals, fixing things that are broken, and just getting things done in general. I always have a million ideas in my mind and it's awesome to have a partner who can help me follow through with these ideas,” said Esti.

They shared stories of their amazing travels, and it was so much fun to learn all the things they had done together. When two people are in a canoe together, you really learn about their ability to be a team, and Esti and Derek worked seamlessly as a team, and if they ever veered in the wrong direction they took a second to recalibrate and begin again.

On the hike down we relaxed and made miles. It was a long and joyful day and we still needed to canoe across the lake. We reached our canoe with about an hour until sunset and made the nice, easy paddle back across the lake. After hauling up the canoe Derek and Esti stood, arms wrapped around each other, and watched the sun sink below the mountain. I mentioned that we could go up the hill to where I was staying to watch a better view of the sunset, so we headed up that way. They danced in the field as the sun sank low, and then eventually settled onto a blanket, finding the perfect, comfy spots to lean on, and watched the sun go behind the mountains again. The perfect ending to the epically adventurous and wonderful day.