what is an elopement?

A day all about you & your person

Do whatever y’all want, wherever y’all want. Bring a few people or leave everyone in the dust. The main thing is that we’re planning the day around you & your boo, no one else.

This is Going to be Epic

Leave that wedding “rulebook” behind

You don’t *have* to do anything here. Traditions are only fun if they matter to you. I promise the best way to guarantee an epic wedding day is by filling it with the things that matter the most to you & your person.

So What Could Our Elopement Look Like?

Great Question!

The answer of “anything” is kind of overwhelming, but it’s incredibly exhilarating too! The first thing we’ll chat about is your favorite things, your priorities, and what you have envisioned so far. With that information I’ll be able to help you pick locations + activities to shape your day. The perfect day to one couple is another couple’s worst day, so don’t base your decision off of someone else’s elopement.

Want some ideas?

  • Off-road into the mountains & say I do above a lake
  • Go backpacking to a sentimental location
  • Watch sunrise on the edge of a canyon, and see sunset in the mountains
  • Travel to a new country to experience a new culture
  • Bring your dogs along for an adventure in Colorado and have them witness your marriage
  • Say your vows on top of a mountain and ski down to some hot chocolate
  • Visit the spot of your first date & explore your hometown
  • Rent a remote cabin and relax all day
Let’s Brainstorm Together

Planning An Elopement Should Be Just as fun as Actually Eloping

Hey There! I’m Sam

Your Elopement Photographer & Planner extraordinaire

I’m here to help through the whole process, not just to show up on your day and click a few buttons. We’re in this together.

Get to Know Me


How Do We Plan This?

02

Location, Location, Location

now to truly launch the planning stage- you’ll fill out a questionnaire that collects everything I need to know in order to create the coolest location guide you’ve ever seen. Your guide is 100% personalized for you & your person, and will have everything you need to pick your epic elopement location.

04

Timeline

now we put everything together. This often coincides with step 3! We’ll nail down what is happening when & who needs to be where.

01

Book Your Date With Me

first things first, let’s get you official. We’ll chat, sign a contract, and you’ll pay a retainer. Then you’re officially a Maye.Be Take A Photo couple!

03

Vendors & Activities

now that we know where we are going, it’s time to figure out who else we are bringing along and what we’re gonna go do! Florists, hair & makeup artists, restaurants or private chefs, lodging, adventurous tours, etc. You’ll tell me what you want and I’ll give you the best of the best!

How Do We Plan This?

01

Book Your Date With Me

first things first, let’s get you official. We’ll chat, sign a contract, and you’ll pay a retainer. Then you’re officially a Maye.Be Take A Photo couple!

02

Location, Location, Location

now to truly launch the planning stage- you’ll fill out a questionnaire that collects everything I need to know in order to create the coolest location guide you’ve ever seen. Your guide is 100% personalized for you & your person, and will have everything you need to pick your epic elopement location.

03

Vendors & Activities

now that we know where we are going, it’s time to figure out who else we are bringing along and what we’re gonna go do! Florists, hair & makeup artists, restaurants or private chefs, lodging, adventurous tours, etc. You’ll tell me what you want and I’ll give you the best of the best!

04

Timeline

now we put everything together. This often coincides with step 3! We’ll nail down what is happening when & who needs to be where.

Ok Now Let’s Chat Photos

Looking for the perfect balance of candid, documentary, & posed/prompted so you get those pinterest-perfect photos you’ve been saving forever? You’ve come to the right place! I’m never going to interrupt a moment for a photo op. But if you are staring at me I’ll toss some fun prompts your way. None of that boring move your hand one inch to the right and stand still for an extended period of time.

Your elopement won’t feel like a photoshoot, but you’ll get freaking awesome pictures to remember every moment of the day.

Bold & Colorful Perfection

I’m sure you’ve noticed by now, but if I had to pick two words to describe my editing I’d definitely pick bold and colorful! You won’t find any muted tones here. I make sure the natural colors of your day sing in your photos, just as much as you do!

I use professional editing software to edit each image, and make sure each photo is perfect. I’ll clean up the background from distractions, and fix any other little details that are distracting to the eye while making sure to keep the moment real. The perfect balance of telling the story of your day as it happened and making sure nothing in the photo makes you want to say “it would be better if”.

Frequently Asked Questions

The sooner the better (especially if you have a specific date or place in mind)! Let’s get you on my schedule. I open my books ~12 months out, give or take. If you reach out now but your date is further out than I am currently booking you’ll get put on an email list for me to reach out to once my calendar is open!

No! I totally get that hiking isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. The point of eloping is doing whatever you want! So, if you don’t want to hike I’m not going to suggest any locations that would require it. Nature can be super accessible! Instead I’ll recommend spots we could drive up to or have other modes of transport available (helicopters, boats, etc.).

You’ll get your gallery within 8 weeks! I always aim for quicker turnaround (my goal is typically 4 weeks). Buttttt- you’ll get a sneak peek within 48 hours, so you don’t have to wait!

Heck yeah! I’m often traveling more than I’m home. I love to go new places, or return to cool spots. I am a very experienced traveler. Let’s go somewhere cool!

Yes! I actually require payment plans for all of my elopement packages. This is because we are actively planning + I’m actively working for you to make this thing perfect! So payments are spread out to cover the planning happening, and make it so there aren’t humongous payments to deal with right before your elopement (stresssssy).

I currently shoot on a Canon R6 Mark II and a Canon R6! They are both professional mirrorless cameras with dual SD slots. I also have a variety of badass lenses that go with them, and all the other random gear I need to capture your elopement (like SD cards, tripods, flashes, the list goes on.) I’m overly equipped, I promise!

This is one of the *most* important things to ask a photographer, so good on you for wondering! I have at least two camera bodies with me so if one breaks, I’ve got a backup. Both of those cameras have two SD card slots and I am always recording every image I take to both cards (so there are two copies)! After shooting I back up the images on SSD drives, and I don’t wipe the SD cards until after you have your full gallery back. I protect your images just as I protect my own, as safe as they can possibly be!

Inquire here! Just fill out the form and I’ll get back to you shortly. I’m stoked!!

Amazing question! The line between elopement and wedding is blurry, and it is truly up to you what to call your day. To me an elopement is more of a day where we are focused on the couple and a wedding is more of a day where we are focused on guests. If you want to bring guests, bring them! I’m here to support your decisions and make this easier.

Two of my smaller packages have a guest limit due to time constraints, but my larger packages don’t! Any of my larger packages work great for weddings with a max of 50 guests. Once we get over 50 I’ll switch a few things up in the package to fit your wedding day’s needs better! But if we vibe I’m happy to be your photographer.

How Long is An Elopement?

This is a super personal decision

you could decide to go to the courthouse and sign papers, meaning your elopement could take all of 15 minutes. Or you could decide to go on a backpacking trip meaning your elopement could be 2+ days long. It depends on what you have envisioned for your wedding day.

What’s An “All Day Elopement”

it is flexibility, fun, & adventure. Truthfully, it’s whatever you want it to be. Each and every one of my all day elopement couples have a wildly different day. But they all have one thing in common- happily married couples.

Example Elopement Timelines

Two days of epic adventuring? This is going to be incredible.

Day 1- The Elopement

Wake up in a coastal airbnb

Slowly get ready together

Venture to the Redwoods for your mid-day adventure

Eat a picnic lunch

Head back to the coast to find your ceremony spot

Share vows as golden hour begins

Run around the beach during sunset

Day 2- Adventuring

Head out early to drive to the trailhead

Pack wedding attire in a backpack and begin the hike

Enjoy your first hike as newlyweds!

Arrive at an epic waterfall + take in the views

Splash around and have fun!

Wake up in a cute mountain cabin & make brekkie

When you want to, start getting ready with your partner

Separate to put on wedding attire

Share a first look

Hop in a jeep rental and head to an off-roading trail

Off-road up a mountain pass, stopping to explore overlooks and views

Break for a picnic lunch

Hike to an alpine lake

Share vows & a first kiss at sunset

Return to town for dinner

Venture back to your cabin for a few star photos

Wake up before the sun, and hop in your car

Drive up to a canyon overlook

Share breakfast while watching the sun light up the miles of canyon below you

Explore the area now that it’s light out

Head back to your car to get your packs, and hike to your elopement location

Get your attire out & get ready on the trail

Find your ceremony spot, share vows, & seal it with a kiss

Head back to town for lunch + a mid-day nap

Venture back out for sunset, this time at lower elevation looking up!

Explore till after the sun has gone down, & the milky way has peeked out

Meet at your getting ready location for some quick details & touch ups

Share a first look

Hop in the car to drive to your ceremony location

Walk to a mountain lake + exchange vows

Pop some champagne

Drive up a mountain pass and stop at all the overlooks to explore

Enjoy sunset on top of the world

Head back to town for dinner

Meet at your ceremony location

Explore your location to pick “the” spot

Share vows & exchange rings

Adventure nearby or do a short hike

Share your first sunset as a married couple!

Read More

Packages & Pricing

The ultimate elopement package: photography coverage of two days (18 hours), full planning, travel within the U.S., photos delivered via online gallery and USB, a bonus adventure session, and a photo album. The best adventures go on for days, and so will your elopement. This package will forever immortalize all the little moments that built your best adventure yet- getting married.

$10,000

The best adventures aren’t just a few hours, they go from dawn to dusk and beyond! Includes up to 12 hours of photo coverage, all the planning help, travel within Colorado/Utah/Wyoming, photos delivered via online gallery and USB, and a bonus adventure session.

$7,400

Up to 8 hours of photography coverage, planning assistance, photos delivered via online gallery and USB, travel within Colorado.

$6,200

Up to 4 hours of photography coverage, planning assistance, photos delivered via online gallery, travel within Colorado. No more than 15 guests.

$3,600

You want short, sweet, to the point coverage. This can be used within an hour of Fort Collins, CO (some of my favorite locations are here!). No more than 10 guests.

$1,200

I’ve teamed up with an awesome videographer to be able to provide photo+video duo packages. Inquire for pricing, availability, and more info!

Let’s Chat!

I’m stoked to hear more about your elopement and start this process with you. Just fill this out, click submit, and I’ll get back to you asap.