Iceland Elopement

ICELAND ELOPEMENT | GRANT + HANNAH

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the moments that are uncapturable are the ones on your first date, or your first kiss, or when you meet each other’s families for the first time, the long talks on your driveway before saying goodbye at the end of the night, the disagreements + growing pains, the inside jokes, or the good morning texts . those moments are unforgettable memories between the two of you alone .

your wedding day will be no different . it will be a sweet memory . except that there’s time to plan the moment in time – time to ask someone to be there to capture it all, so it won’t just have an incredible story, but will have tangible memories to go with it . photos to look at for a lifetime . photos that will relinquish joy & soothe heartache when hard times come .

it’s not always an easy decision . there are so many questions to think about .
where? when? who do you want there? what do you want it to look like? feel like? how do you want to remember the day you vow your whole lives + beings to each other? 

but once the decision is made – once you’ve decided to elope – and all the weight + pressure of organizing a mega event surrounding your vows is gone, and you’re able to see it clear as day what you want and how you want it – & then you decide to have someone else there to capture it all – who will it be?  

hannah + grant asked me to be the one to document their elopement in iceland and let me tell you, I was beyond thrilled . excited to be shooting a kind + beautiful couple in Iceland, but really just so honored to be the person there to witness + capture such a sweet moment in time . 

& to hear their story – that hannah had a crush on grant (her older brother’s best friend) since she was a kid, to then marrying him now – it made it all the more special .

so on august 14th, a day special to grant & his family, standing on the coast of a small town in Iceland, josh & I witnessed + captured the commitment of love between these two . and not just love, but endless, relentless amounts of joy . 

in the days following, we’d travel around the golden circle with them, shooting them at some of the most dreamiest locations – an epic waterfall, an abandoned Navy plane that had crashed in the 70’s (everyone survived), an isolated + iconic black church on a lava field peninsula, and a natural hot spring in the icelandic highlands .

this was definitely a highlight of 2017 .
enjoy .

Surprise Proposal in the Salt Plains

SURPRISE PROPOSAL IN THE SALT PLAINS

I met Rich + Kaylyn at this wedding late last year . I fell in love with them pretty instantly -- I can't even remember why . We just clicked and ended up hanging out after the wedding too, dancing the night away . At some point during that evening, Rich pulled me aside to look at my engagement ring explaining that he was in the  market for one . Of course I was squealing with excitement -- I just love proposals + surprises + the love/thought that goes into them . & Rich was no exception . I knew he was going to have it all planned out in the most perfect way -- but months later when April called to tell me Rich was going to be popping the question soon -- I had no idea at just how freaking amazing it was going to be . 

With April's help of throwing Kaylyn off, her and Rich colluded up a plan to be able to video + photograph the whole thing . They decided to trick Kaylyn into thinking we're shooting an edgy, modern, interracial styled shoot and wanted them to be our models . Of course she was down! We decided on the Salt Plains & requested Rich + Kaylyn to dress the part in all black . April ordered black + white smoke bombs to add to the edgy styled shoot -- which turned out to be such a fun addition to a sweet proposal! 

April said "I told Kaylyn I wanted to do an experimental video portrait / love confession piece… I had to get creative in order to have Rich and Kaylyn microphoned, so I told them I wanted there to be a narrative of vow-like confessions of love." 

Once it was time, we had Kaylyn go first with her 'confession of love' -- which blew us all away honestly -- she hadn't planned ahead or written anything down, she just spoke to Rich her thoughts, feelings, and adorations for him . She had us all crying, knowing that she was about to feel even more loved with Rich's words + proposal . 

So happy + excited for these two . & so thrilled to be shooting their elopement in England later this summer . Check out the commercial-like editorial video by April of Ethnos Creative below & be sure to check out our feature over on Green Wedding Shoes! 

XO

credits: 
+ photography: Melissa Marshall 
+ planning + video: April Kirby
+ makeup artist: Chelsey Ann Artistry
+ hair stylist: Ali Earnheart 
+ Kaylyn's dress: BCBG from Dillards  

Scotland Elopement

JAC + CHELSEA / A SCOTLAND ELOPEMENT

an hour outside of Glasgow’s international airport is a tiny hilltop town called Balfron . we drove the windy streets of Scotland’s countryside to reach it, made our way down a long, sheep covered drive way that led to our home for the next few nights . an airbnb straight from the heavens would be the place where Jac + Chelsea would spend their wedding weekend, along with Josh + I and the videographers April + Clint.

jac + chelsea have been together nearly 11 years . starting in their adolescence and growing up together, loving + learning each others faults, strengths, joys, weaknesses, humor, love languages . they know each other like the back of their hands, and with their families knowing & loving them together, eloping to Scotland on their 11th anniversary, a dream destination in both of their minds, was a no-brainer .

the days leading up to their wedding day, we spent our time filled with jet-lagged delirious laughter, wine-filled nights by the fire, playing ridiculous games (where we got to know each other all too well), eating every meal together, and driving on narrow winding roads throughout the countryside . when we woke up that Saturday morning on their anniversary, we came downstairs to Jac + Chelsea making breakfast together, as they always do, but this time with grand anticipation . the rain was heavy outside, but it made no difference . joy was overflowing .

it was such an honor getting to be not only their media team, but their guests – their friends – their people . I helped curl Chelsea’s hair and pin it up, April helped her into her dress, and the guys helped Jac with his final touches and retrieve the bouquet . 

once chelsea was ready, she met Jac outside to let him see her for the first time in her dress . everything became so true + real for them in that moment . so with giddy hearts, we drove into the Loch Lomond National Forest, trekked through the rain and found some coverage in the woods . we all stood and documented as Jac + Chelsea stood through tears, vowing their hearts + lives to one another . 

over the next couple days, we celebrated with them over fish + chips at a local pub, enjoyed more fireside wine + conversations, explored + captured portraits of the two of them exploring Scotland ... as husband + wife. we ended our time together with a drive into the fearsome and beautiful Scottish Highlands, epic views & vastness to no end . 

jac + chelsea, thank you for having us on this wild adventure with you . your elopement was one for the books and we’re so honored and happy to have been along for the ride . here’s to you lovers! 
check out the video from Ethnos Creative at the bottom!

video: ethnos creative
floral: myrtle + bracken
dress: rue de seine from a & bé bridal
airbnb: 17th Century Scottish Cottage

see jon + klara's swedish wedding here.