Fall Mountain Elopement

A Fall Elopement in the Mountains of Utah

When Carly reached out to me, I instantly knew I wanted to take her and Alden’s photos. The two had plans to elope in Utah, having just moved here and not knowing anybody.

They had no idea where, just somewhere pretty.

And not knowing anybody, they’d also need two witnesses.

I couldn’t have been more excited when they asked me to be their elopement photographer. I drove around to find them the perfect, epic mountain spot, researched elopement photos to make sure they would get gorgeous, unique photos, asked my roommate to come with me to be their second witness, and finally, geared up for their rainy, fall, mountain elopement.

First we met at park to change Carly into her dress and capture Alden’s first look at his bride. Carly, being an absolute angel, wasn’t even phased by the rain, mud, or cold. To say she was the perfect bride for this kind of celebration is an understatement. She left her jeans on under her dress and wore boots so she wouldn’t be completely frozen.

Afterwards Carly and Alden followed me up the mountain and down a trail to an overlook above Sundance Resort in Alpine Loop. Right as we got there, it started to snow…kind of. It was almost like hail, but still soft enough to soak our hair and turn the hem of Carly’s dress brown with mud.

The ceremony was short and sweet, with very little said but so much felt. The excitement and anticipation on both Carly and Alden’s faces were clear, and no time was wasted getting them officially married.

After the ceremony, the hail/snow officially became rain. We hiked back up the trail on a slippery pathway to the road, where we embraced the rain, the love, and the adventure of the day. Carly and Alden were happy to stand in the rain, to run down the road, dance, spin, and be merry with me for a while out in the cold, and the pictures couldn’t be more amazing.

At the end of the day, as I got into my car with wet hair and muddy shoes, my heart was so full. There’s nothing more beautiful than two people ready to commit their lives and hearts to each other, and being able to be a part of it so frequently is one of my favorite parts of this job. But there’s something extra special about being one of the only people to witness it that moved me so much.

Carly and Alden, thank you for trusting me not only to capture your day, but to be one of just a few to witness it. If this is how you start your marriage, I can only imagine how bright the future of it is!