Best of 2021 // Elopements + Adventure Sessions // Utah & Alaska Adventure Wedding Photographer

» AT A GLANCE

We photographed 31 Weddings + Elopements and 9 Adventure Sessions

» AS SEEN ON

HUFFINGTON POST WEDDINGS // GWS BLACK WEDDING DRESSES // BRIDES BEST PLACES TO ELOPE // GREEN WEDDING SHOES: NATIONAL PARK ELOPEMENTS // THE KNOT IN PRINT

If you’ve been following us on Instagram, you might be aware that 2021 has been a big year for us! In fact, as I type this (in December), we are expecting our first baby any day now :) [Edit to add — she’s here! We’re completely in love with our newest addition, little Hyder Hearne ❤️] Of the 31 elopements we shot this year, baby Hearne was along for 28 of them…some of the early ones she went unnoticed (well, by everyone but me, who was definitely trying not to throw up during a few early sunrises 😅), and by the last few she was undeniably present! It was such a fun time getting to celebrate this new adventure with our couples, and we’re so excited to see what 2022 brings as we adjust to running this business as parents. In fact, we’re intentionally booking much less in our schedule next year to make sure we’re still able to bring our full experience to our couples, and we’re really looking forward to seeing how parenthood adjusts our perspective and motivates us to be even better at our job.

Even without this exciting personal step, 2021 felt infinitely better than 2020 as we were able to be vaccinated early in the spring (and boosted in late fall!), making us feel a lot safer about our elopements, spending time with our couples and their families, and traveling. With adjusting to the pandemic and our own changes, 2021 is pretty difficult to compare to any previous year, but we are so grateful for every single couple we got to work with! It’s obvious the best part of these blog posts is the photographs, so without further adieu, a few of our favorites from 2021! Along with some of our favorite/most helpful IG captions of the year if you do feel like reading, too ❤️

A Simplified Way of Thinking Through Your Guest List & Guest Count

If you’ve been planning a bigger wedding but love the idea of eloping, the whole process can seem intimidating. After talking with hundreds of couples through that process, I think a big struggle often comes for couples who still want a few guests, and they start narrowing down the list from 100 or more to something much smaller. It’s weird to cross names off a list, especially when those names are people you truly care about. But something that I always encourage couples to think about is the time they’ll get with their guests. If they have 150 guests, they are essentially dividing their time with those 150 people, which means your friend from college is getting time that could be spent with your sister. Imagine your people in circles...there’s a small circle around you, probably your immediate family or closest friends. Outside of that, a slightly bigger circle with friends or relatives, and so on. The more circles you invite, the less quality time you have with the inner circles. It’s also worth noting that the first circle is just you + your partner. Any additional people mean a little less time between just you two.

The thing is, having a smaller wedding doesn’t have to mean ditching your people. It can mean being more intentional about time with the people that really matter.

“Your couples aren’t even outdoorsy, they just want photos for Instagram.”

I am debunking some elopement myths and assumptions and I wish I could say this was the first time someone has said something along those lines, but it’s not. Here’s the thing...the outdoors are for everyone, and “outdoorsy” is a made up word that forces people to feel like they aren’t good enough to enjoy them. The truth is, we are all part of nature, we’re all made to feel the wind on our cheeks and the ground on our skin. Anyone can love the smell of fresh pine and the invigorating feeling of standing on the precipice of a cliff. I don’t care what your resume says, whether or not you have an REI membership, or how many mountains you’ve climbed. Those can all be rad things, but they don’t qualify you for enjoying the outdoors. You can step outside right now, wherever you are, look up at the sky and guess what? You’re doing it. You’re outdoorsy.

If people want to spend their wedding day in nature, let them. If people want to hire outdoor experts who they can trust to keep them safe and show them an incredible experience in a beautiful place, LET THEM. Some of our couples are avid backpackers, hikers, climbers, total outdoor heros that can run/hike/climb circles around most of us. Some of them aren’t. I don’t discriminate because it doesn’t matter, we know anyone can enjoy the outdoors and we feel confident in our ability to plan adventures for any comfort level.

And, on that note...this goes for anyone, not just elopements. You don’t have to have $400 hiking boots and a triple crown to enjoy a National Park. You can be 55 and never stepped foot off pavement in your life and still have an amazing first day in nature. Sure, some activities require experience and there is basic knowledge that is helpful, but I’m so sick of this toxic mindset that people don’t deserve to enjoy the things you enjoy simply because their parents didn’t have them in skis as infants. The outdoors are for everyone, and so are adventure elopements, don’t let anyone tell you otherwise✌🏼

“Eloping is selfish.”

This is another one I hear on occasion, usually after someone learns more about the type of wedding we shoot — you know where our couples put their budget toward incredible experiences instead of feeding dinner to hundreds of people.

Here’s the thing. I’m not going to say it isn’t true, but I will defend the fact that couples should be allowed to be selfish with *their* wedding day, and that expecting someone to throw a big party for you to enjoy, or expecting them to let you watch as they read their vows, even if it’s not what they would prefer...*that* is selfish. And who’s to say that having a big extravagant party isn’t selfish too? The point is, let couples have the wedding they want.

Engaged couples, I know that it feels like every bridal magazine, blog, and possibly well-meaning relative may be telling you what you *must do* for your wedding, but the truth is: the only requirement is that you and your partner get married. That’s it. Every detail, plan, outfit, vendor, location...the rest of it is yours to decide.

My biggest advice to newly engaged couples is to sit down together and really dream about what your best day ever might look like. Is it a big party with nearly everyone you know? Awesome, go for it (but please hold off on that for now 🦠), is it just the two of you on top of a mountain somewhere? Then do that! Your wedding should be a symbol of your life together, your commitment to each other above every other person in your life, and it should reflect the two of you more than anyone else. Believe me, I know this is nuanced and complicated and so hard sometimes, but in 50 years, you two are the ones looking back and remembering that day together more than anyone else, and I sure hope it’s a day you’re really freaking proud of. Be selfish about it, together.

We spend a lot of time laughing with our couples, some time crying (especially during ceremonies and first looks, those big moments always get me), and quite a bit of time just straight up hanging out like buddies on a hike together. Our big goal every time a couple is in front of our lens is to create photos that bring them back to that moment, that place, the feeling they have for each other and for life that day. We want to create photos that a couple will love the moment they see them, and every time after that for the rest of their lives. The goal isn’t just creating great photos in 2021, but creating photos that will be great to them in 2065. One way we do this is getting to know our couples before, and spending quality time with them throughout their session. It feels more like a double date than a photo shoot, and we do our best to make everyone super comfortable so they feel like they can give us their true selves.

We structure our booking options to always be more than enough hours together so we aren’t rushed, and so we have time to get really comfortable and have everything be really low pressure. We know how to get the “essential” shots efficiently so the rest of the time can be spent taking real photos that have real meaning and capture real memories; like the way they make each other laugh, or the places their hands go when they embrace, or the way it felt to stand on the edge of a cliff in a wildly gorgeous dress.

Because in 50 years, we want these photos to bring them back to who they were then, and bring them back to this exact day together. We want them to remember their love and their experience. And we really hope no matter how many times they look through their photos, they’ll laugh (and cry) again just like we all did that day together 🖤

I’m pretty sure #HearnesOmbre is the number one accessory for an epic elopement look.

Something I absolutely love about adventure weddings is how our couples throw caution to the wind and embrace the messy, dirty, muddy, dusty environment in their fancy clothes. It’s such a fun thing to watch and be a part of! I often joke about what their dry cleaner is going to think when they bring their clothes in, but then most of our brides say they never want to get their dress cleaned! They love the idea of pulling it out in 20 years and feeling the dirt again, maybe showing their kiddos just how adventurous they were.

I really believe your favorite clothes are meant to be worn and enjoyed, and your wedding dress/suit should be no different. Not to mention how much cooler they look with some custom ombré that perfectly matches the landscape 😉

2022 GOALS:

Over the years, we’ve noticed our goals are always quite similar, with the same “blanket terms” and a few small adjustments. I love to look back over them at the end of each year and see how we did, as well as consider how we can improve and do even better in the new year. I honestly think in 2021 we did the best job we’ve done yet, and I’m so thankful to be able to set these goals again, with confidence we’ll continue to work toward them.

Book Less » By booking less, we open ourselves to an even better client experience, especially now that we’ll be balancing life with a new baby. We are so passionate about our relationship with each and every client, we want every single person we work with to know we love them and we want to really get to know them. I'm convinced that the amazing relationships we form with our couples are a huge reason we take such amazing photos, and I am excited for even more of that in 2022!

Play More » Here's the thing. Do you want to know why we're so psyched all the time? Why we love Moab so much? How we find all these amazing locations? It's because we love to play. We spend our free time exploring, hiking, biking, rafting, skydiving, skiing and climbing all over these places! We didn't get to know our favorite areas in Alaska by shooting weddings there, we got to know it by PLAYING there. We also know we perform way better and deliver a much better experience if we've taken the time to enjoy ourselves instead of work all the time.

Have A Positive Impact » This looks a little different every single year. In 2022, we will continue working closely with our local Moab BLM office to improve their permitting and guidelines for wedding-specific events on BLM lands, as well as giving back a percentage of our earnings for them to protect the land and improve every visitor’s experience. It has been a grueling process at times, but I know we will have a positive long-term impact if we are patient and persistent. We also hope to donate more to organizations like Access Fund and Honnold Foundation, spend more time educating people about their impact on the lands, and be conscious of our own footprint as we travel, live, and recreate!

Be a Better Wife, *Mom*, Daughter, Friend, Human » This one should be obvious, but honestly in 2017 I was a really good photographer, businesswoman + entrepreneur, but the other things mostly took second-priority. I realize that's how it goes when you start a business (or in our case, drastically change it and grow it), so I'm glad my people stuck with me while we skyrocketed to success, but now that we're where we are, I want to focus more on the other aspects of my life. I want to spend more time with Callen (QUALITY time), more time calling friends and family, and more time enjoying myself and others without thinking about or talking about business. Any tips for overcoming workaholism are greatly appreciated!

Keep Growing, Learning, and Improving » Scaling back booking numbers doesn't mean we're going to stop pouring into this business, it simply means we'll do a better job of pouring ourselves into what matters! We absolutely love this job and are so thankful (and amazed) by this past year. Next year we will aim to work smarter and make our clients even happier than ever. I never want to think I know it all and I'll never stop growing and improving. One of my favorite pieces of advice I received when I was a skydiver was to learn something new with every single jump. I believe in applying that to all that I do, so in 2022 I hope to continue learning something new with every adventure session and wedding!

Lead Our Industry In A Positive Direction » I’ve realized this year how big of an impact we have on the photography industry. A lot of photographers look up to us, follow our lead, and strive to do things like what we’re doing. Whether I like it or not, we have a lot of power over the direction in which this industry goes. In 2022, I want to do what I can to lead in a positive direction. I want to encourage photographers to care for the environments they’re shooting in, to put sustainability at the forefront of their minds, and to prioritize the longevity of these beautiful wild places.

Maintain The Right Priorities » This one sums up most of what I’ve said above. This year, I want to keep my priorities straight. I don’t want to care about popularity or how cool people think we are or how successful we look. I want to prioritize my personal relationships, my beloved wild spaces, and my incredible clients!

If you made it to the bottom of this, you're an angel. Please comment on this post so I can thank you!! There is no way we could do what we're doing without the support of our online community. Every follow, comment, like, share, and late night spent browsing the website means the world to us — it literally gets us to where we are now (what a time to be alive!). We are so appreciative of you. I know it sounds silly, but I honestly feel like we have a little family of online buddies that love us and when I'm sitting in the rig in the middle of nowhere feeling a little lonely, it's awesome to feel connected to all of you. Thanks for reading, friends!

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