5 Questions to Ask Your North Carolina Elopement Photographer
If you are just starting to plan your North Carolina elopement, you may be feeling a bit overwhelmed. That’s totally okay! A great place to start is by talking to your photographer because they can be a huge resource for you. Not sure what questions you should be asking? Here are 5 things to ask your photographer that will help you get started:
1. Can you help me find the perfect ceremony location?
This is such an important question because the location of your ceremony will help you shape the rest of your day. You may already know that you want to get married at an overlook at the end of your favorite hiking trail in Asheville, for example. Or, you might only know that you want to experience an entirely new adventure and that you want it to be in the mountains.
I start helping my couples pick their ceremony spot by sending them a detailed questionnaire so that I know exactly what they are looking for. I then spend the next couple weeks reviewing locations that I have shot at in the past and researching new locations that would fit their ideal adventure. Next, I send them a detailed location packet with several options that include pictures and details about each location. These location packets can be so much fun to get because it is like receiving a menu where you get to pick your perfect adventure.
2. When is the best time to have our ceremony?
The time of day that you have your ceremony also plays a huge part in how your day will go. Should you say your vows as the sun crests over the mountains or do you want to commit to each other under a blanket of stars?
This is a really fun discussion that I have with my couples. Light is a huge element in my photography and I love to help couples decide what type of lighting and time of day will capture their essence as a pair.
3. What should we wear?
Unlike traditional weddings, your outfits for your elopement day needs to be practical as well as stunning. That doesn’t meant that you can’t wear your dream wedding dress. You just don’t want to wear a tight strapless gown and flip flops all day if you are going to be climbing 6 miles up a mountain before sunrise.
Layers are always a good idea! Another option that I make sure my couples know about is changing once they get to their ceremony site. I can make a very effective changing room in the wild with nothing more than a blanket and a sturdy bolder.
4. What other activities can we do on our elopement day?
So many couples want to extend their day by including other fun activities. It is your elopement day and you deserve to do anything that you want. Your photographer can be a huge help in brainstorming some fun ideas.
When I am helping a couple build their timeline, it is a ton of fun to bounce these ideas back and forth. Maybe you want to have a private chef prepare a picnic for you and your partner on the beach or you want to go on a helicopter ride and view your ceremony spot from the sky.
5. What happens if it rains?
Because most adventurous elopements happen outdoors, inclement weather is always a possibility. Make sure that your photographer has a plan for it if that happens.
It is always a good idea to have a plan B,C, and D; whether that means waiting out the rain at a local bar or having another location in my back pocket.
6. BONUS: What other things should I be thinking about?