Styled Elopement | Justin + Carly

How do you create a styled elopement?

Have you ever hit a creative block? Or maybe you want to jump in to something new, whether it is weddings or photography in general – a styled elopement is a low budget way to create something for YOU. And of course, your portfolio.

As for me, I had been struggling with a creative block and had been wanting to create some content for the passion of my career, so a huge thanks to my beautiful friends, Carly and Justin, we made some magic!

Create a mood board.

This is an important step not to skip. You need to have a vision. What colors do you want for theme of your styled elopement? What emotions do you want everyone to feel? Flowers? Dress? The people you partner with won’t be able to read your mind what you’re looking for, so this is the best way to show them! The image below was my mood board.

Partner with a florist.

When you partner with a florist, this is a win-win for both businesses to share each others’ content. This is not something I wanted to try and do myself – I wanted the real deal and I wanted to invite another vendor into the process. Poiema Florals did an excellent job helping my vision come to life!

Decide on outfits.

If you decide not to purchase the clothing yourself, be sure to communicate with your models clearly what you are looking for. I knew exactly what I wanted for Carly that I purchased from Baltic Born. For Justin I told him anything neutral and to avoid blue jeans.

Model call

I didn’t exactly hold a model call because Justin and Carly were exactly who I had in mind for this project and it helped that we were friends so that I knew a little bit about them. This isn’t always the case! You post a model call on social media and “interview” couples. You want to make sure you choose people that are comfortable in front of the camera, comfortable with public affection, and comfortable with the location you have in mind.

Scout on a location.

Don’t just think of a spot – scout it at the exact time you will be shooting (that should really be for any shoot). If you want something outside of what you typically do, don’t be afraid to go outside your city limits! Just make sure if it is a park that you are aware of their hours.

And that’s your five easy steps!

are you getting married and feeling inspired?

Let’s chat about your big day!