Autumn Red River Gorge Hiking Elopement

Is there anything more romantic than leaves crunching under your feet, the smell of fall in the crisp air, & light filtering through colorful foliage as you walk down a trail you’ve never explored before? As I drafted up a few options for how we could spend Kate & Ben’s elopement day I had that idea in mind, but of course it ended up being even more magical than I could have imagined. We spent the afternoon hiking a couple of different trails and were rewarded with stunning views that included a sea of yellow leaves floating along a stream that led to an arch across the water, deeply textured lichen-covered sandstone, and a waterfall surrounded by golden leaves where Kate & Ben pulled off their boots to wade and dance in the water. We saved the cliffside trail for sunset and they watched the sky turn from red to magenta to blue. They snuggled on their blanket as the moon rose. We drove the windy road back to their cabin and shared potato soup on their porch from a safe, responsible, distance. Ben got a fire going and they ended the night enjoying s’mores under the stars.

My spouse Joyce captured video of the day as well which gave the whole experience a very double-date feel that I highly recommend. We swapped stories of our favorite trips—they also love Peru. They hiked the Inca Trail when they visited which isn’t accessible during the rainy season when I was there...so now I’m looking forward to another visit if I can convince Joyce that hiking for several days at a high elevation is a fun idea. 

As is the case with most weddings right now, this wasn’t the original plan for the day. At first, they were going to have a more traditional ceremony & reception at Yew Dell Botanical Gardens in September and then we were going to go to RRG the next day for a day-after session. In June, they asked if I’d be free for a backyard wedding in a couple of weeks. Everything came together quickly & beautifully and they were able to have a small backyard ceremony with their closest friends and family that Joyce and I were able to document. They were still going to wait and see if in September it would be safe enough to have a larger group gather for a reception. As the date got closer and it became apparent that it was not getting any safer, our current plan was formed. Their ability to go with the flow, never get discouraged, and to focus on the most important parts of it all reminded me why I love what I do. Kate was in the middle of finishing up school & getting her nurse practitioner license while all of this was happening. I am beyond impressed that she managed to juggle it all with so much grace and compassion. 

For all of you who are planning your wedding or elopement during this chaotic time— focus on each other, embrace adventure, and everything else won’t seem quite as daunting. Hint: It helps to have a photographer who is down to help you dream and plan your perfect day. This elopement planning guide is also full of resources to help you along the way and I also have an elopement guide specific to Red River Gorge here!

Adventurous Red River Gorge Hiking Elopement

Back in early February, Shannon & Tim reached out to me while planning their intimate wedding. I was immediately excited since they wanted to collaborate on locations— they were looking for something woodsy & adventurous, but also somewhere that would be easy for folks carrying kiddos and older family members to get to. So, I made a list of accessible options that still felt natural and wild for them to choose from!

Originally the idea was for twenty or so family members to join them as they said their vows, but then everything changed in March. Since their original plan would involve a whole lot of people traveling, they made the decision to get married in their backyard with family, and then come down to Kentucky with just the two of them to explore, read letters to each other, and have an elopement day full of adventure.

Once the location we choose didn't need to allow for a group, Red River Gorge moved to the top of our list! Shannon and Tim had never been to RRG before, so for their elopement, I acted as both photographer and tour guide. I had so much fun planning their day and even more fun actually getting to hike around with them! Our goals were to see some cool rock formations (Shannon teaches about rocks to her students), interesting water features, and some expansive views...and y'all I don't want to toot my own horn, but I think we nailed it. We got really lucky and had a gorgeous foggy sunrise with almost all the trails totally to ourselves! I don't think the day could have been any more perfect.

If you're in the process of planning your own Kentucky elopement and don't know where to start, I made a blog post outlining how to elope in Kentucky that should be helpful! I also offer location assistance, help building timelines, and feedback on just about anything for all my wedding and elopement clients. Contact me and let’s start making magic!

Summer Parklands Engagement Session

Just looking back through this gorgeous summer engagement session has me already missing the peak-season greenery...but if we're being completely honest I'd trade all that in for the cooler weather that is *supposed* to be coming sometime soon. These two were a joy to photograph— they make each other laugh so easily, their fashion choices are right up my alley, and their tattoos complement each other's perfectly. I had such a wonderful time showing them all my favorite paths in The Parklands.

Reminder about flower fields: flowers are delicate. If you want an image of someone sitting while surrounded by flowers, look for a rock or dirt area for them to sit on so that you don't crush the blooms. It'll give the same impression without causing harm. (I know you don't believe me, but look at all the images we got while sticking to dirt and rock! You can't tell at all - which is why I feel the need to bring it up.) A good question to ask is "if one hundred other people did the same thing what would happen?" One hundred people can walk on dirt or rock without an impact, but if 100 people wandered through the flowers then we would lose those flowers fast. The Parklands is pretty good at putting up signage on areas that are delicate or need to rest so you know where to avoid.

Another note for all the photographers out there— make sure to stay current on your permits when you're shooting at a park! The Parklands requires a permit to shoot in all five of their parks, but it is so worth it! They always have clean (and temperature-controlled!) bathrooms, beautiful flowers, and are constantly expanding with new projects! Our financial support is needed to make sure our impact is minimized— and to ensure the parks are well-maintained so we always have a beautiful place to explore and to photograph.

If you’re looking for more outdoorsy goodness try this adventurous hiking session or this epic Iceland engagement. Also if you want to hear more about how Kristen and Ryan got engaged these photos were featured along with their story over on How They Asked!