Golden Shoulder Season Wedding in Grand Teton National Park

Haley & John’s Small Outdoor Wedding in the Tetons

Swell & Stone / Adventure Elopement Photographer / Wyoming & Beyond

Haley and John’s small outdoor wedding in Grand Teton National Park ended up being everything the two love birds from Illinois envisioned for their day. When they first reached out to me they were set on Yosemite. But after the pandemic remained serious for longer than expected, and wildfires threatened the area they were ultimately super happy they ended up choosing beautiful, mountainous, Grand Teton National Park. And they happened to choose the absolute best time of year to be there. They got married on October 20, so after the fall color leaf-peeping tourists had cleared out, though there were still some leaves to be peeped, and before ski season and heavy snowfall, so all the roads were still open. It couldn’t have been more perfect.

We started the day early. They had two beautiful condos next to each other and Haley was getting ready in one with her friends and family, and John was getting ready in the other with his friends and family. John’s friends were getting rowdy already and the sun had just risen :P. They shared their first look on the patio and then we rounded everyone up to head to the ceremony site. Haley’s dad had kindly scouted out a gorgeous spot that was totally secluded. Their good friend served as the officiant, and everyone was laughing and having fun through the ceremony. They exchanged rings and were pronounced married. We took advantage of the gorgeous site for formal photos, and then we hiked out. By this time everyone was getting chilly, so most of the friends and family went and changed for the hike we planned for around noon. Haley, John, and I stayed and took a few more photos and saw a beaver hard at work on his dam!

Then we headed over to the Taggert Lake trailhead where everyone geared up for the hike. We were still waiting on one set of the crew, but they were running late, so other members of the group decided to leave a note in the dirt for them at the trail split. We made it to the lake, which was surrounded by an epic cirque of mountains. We explored, the other group caught up to us, and Haley and John snuck off alone to share their vows privately. This is one of those times that I feel so freaking honored to get to be the person to photograph these moments. Haley read her vows first, and John only moderately held it together. Their love for each other is seriously the cutest. Haley managed to hold it together while saying her vows, but when John read his vows, it was all over. In the end, they were both wiping their tears, hugging, and they seemed deeply and truly happy. It was such a great moment, and again I’m so honored that couples let me into these moments in their lives. We were in the most beautiful location, and I know it’s a memory and a place they will be able to go back to and feel all those same feels years down the road.

We started the hike out, and to our surprise and amazement, we saw TWO MOOSE on the way out! It was the perfect way to end this incredible day. They were deep in the thick woods, but it was so cool to see them on the side of the trail.

“We used Kat for our elopement in Wyoming, she was the absolute best! From the moment I reached out to her she was responsive to all of my questions (I had a lot) and she helped me plan our perfect day! She thought of things that I didn’t and she made the perfect timeline for our day. On the actual day, she made us feel so comfortable with her and she captured every picture that I wanted to get with friends and family! She got the best pictures (I still look at them everyday and almost cry 😅) and at no point did I feel that I was overly posed or uncomfortable. I am so happy that I found Kat and Swell and Stone! I would recommend her to anyone!!”

— Haley & John

Desert Tower Wedding in Moab, Utah

Sari & Luke’s Stunning Castle Valley Wedding

SWELL & STONE / ADVENTURE ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHER / UTAH & BEYOND

Sari, Luke, and I planned their stunning desert wedding in Moab, Utah from afar. I used to live in my truck for many years and the desert southwest is, and always will be, one of my favorite places on earth. They were coming from Washington and just knew the desert was the perfect place for them.

Several friends and family members were able to join them and what resulted was an incredibly beautiful, memorable, and joyful wedding day full of love and amazing views. We began the day at their Airbnb which was also their amazing reception location. There were so many perfect little details that told the story of who these two are together.

Let’s start at the beginning. “What made Luke fall in love with Sari, “She’s the complete package. She has a heart of gold—that encompasses everything. She makes me laugh, she is incredibly caring, the way she treats my son, Everett, how physically attracted I am to her, she sees me, she understands me, the way she loves me. I’m still falling in love with her every single day. “

What made Sari fall in love with Luke, “His thoughtfulness and small, sweet, daily gestures and little surprises meant the world to me as we were falling in love (and still do). His tender heart and strong exterior. His drive, passion, and ambition made me know we’d never become stagnant as a couple or individuals. The way he has always been my biggest supporter and never judges me, for anything. Him in daddy mode. He makes me laugh and feel like the most special and beautiful woman alive.”

After getting ready, everyone headed out to a remote location in the desert. We decided to do family formals there, so we could spend more time at a beautiful location. It was on the Colorado River with views of desert towers in the background, everything they hoped for in the backdrop to their big day. After portraits, we began the ceremony, which was officiated by a good friend. It was an emotional ceremony and there were more than a few tears shed. After wrapping up the ceremony, we headed to a different spot for sunset couple’s portraits while the rest of the crew headed back to set up for the reception.

You know it’s good when the videographer, who also happened to be Luke’s brother was exclaiming out loud the entire time. He was so blown away by the views, which was awesome to witness, and if Luke and Sari weren’t always stoked enough, which they were, it fully ignited the fire. After an incredible sunset, moonrise, and blue hour we headed back to the Airbnb for their reception. They had the backyard set up so beautifully, and it made for the perfect atmosphere of celebration. Toasts were made, games played, first dances danced, and we all watched the stars come out in complete awe. It was the perfect ending to a totally perfect day.

Luke and Sari on why they decided to have a small outdoor wedding, “A small wedding is more personal and our style—it’s intimate, sacred, and spiritual. We both have a deep appreciation and love for the outdoors and try to be outside as often as possible. Our lifestyle is very outdoor-oriented. We chose Moab because we both feel at peace in the desert and love to climb.”

“Kat did such an incredible job helping us plan, coordinate, and capture our small wedding in Moab!! She was so helpful, quick to respond, professional, and friendly! We are in love with our wedding photos and couldn’t be more impressed with how they turned out—PERFECTION. Kat went above and beyond to help us plan our special day (we live in Washington) and did a fantastic job capturing every big and small detail that we hoped she would. The editing and finishing touches on the photos are spectacular and we highly recommend her!”

— Sari & Luke

Enchanting Tree Grove Wedding in Florida | Florida Elopement Photographer

Kavita & Brice Tie the Knot in a Gorgeous Tree Grove in Florida

Swell & Stone / Adventure Wedding & Elopement Photographer / Florida and Beyond

There are so many things I loved about Kavita & Brice’s wedding day, from the colors to the many festivities, but the thing that made it so much fun to be there was seeing how much fun they were having. They smiled, laughed, and danced the entire day, up until the very end, and then they kept going. Their families were both incredibly fun and the day was full of joy.

They began they day getting ready separately and including a few sweet surprises for each other. Kavita kept mentioning how excited she was to see Brice, she couldn’t wait until the first look. When she arrived on site the bridal party took care to make sure they didn’t see one another. When Brice was in position Kavita walked up from behind and they barely saw one another before they embraced.

The guests soon started to arrive and the Baraat began. A Baraat is a groom's wedding procession in an Indian wedding. Brice’s side joined in dancing around the wedding grounds. When they arrived back to the start Kavita’s sister and mother where waiting there and a dance battle ensued. Kavita and her bridesmaids showed up for part of the dance battle. The entire wedding had so much fun with this portion of the ceremonies.

Next, Brice moved through a series of ceremonies and rituals before everyone was seated and they were ready to begin the formal wedding ceremonies. The Indian wedding ceremonies were done first followed by an American ceremony led by Brice’s mother.

After they said “I DO!” we snuck off for a few photos before delivering them back to their cocktail hour where they spent the rest of the evening laughing, crying, and generally having as much fun as possible. One of the more moving moments was when Kavita’s sister surprised her with a few songs played by live musicians. The entire wedding starting singing some of the songs at one point.

The reception took place in a gorgeous barn on the grounds of Florida Rustic Barn Weddings. The ceremonies took place on the grounds as well in a beautiful tree grove.

These two danced the night away with their seriously awesome crew of friends and family. They are two of the kindest humans, clearly incredibly in love, and I’m so happy they have found one another on this journey through life.

“Kat was our wedding photographer. She exceeded our expectations on all fronts. Our photos came out stunning. We are constantly getting comments that our wedding photos are unreal and that the turnaround time for getting previews and our photos was unheard of. Kat really spends the time to get to know your style and capture the shots that are most important to you. She is an AMAZING photographer. I know so many brides who end up disappointed by their photos, and I can say Kat will not disappoint. Her photos are just absolutely amazing and I am so grateful that we chose her for our wedding.”

— Kavita & Brice