One thing I see a lot of photographers do is put on their social media “Travel anywhere”, “Travel for Love”, “Worldwide Photographer”, but not actually book any work outside of their home state. Why is that? Well it’s all about perception; perception from the couple’s standpoint that is looking at your Instagram wondering if you would be a good fit for their Iceland Elopement in front of a waterfall. And while of course you can do it, because you’re an awesome photographer, they end up choosing someone else (someone that travels frequently).

The reason being is because they trust them. Not that they don’t trust you or you have given them a reason not to, it’s because they can see expectations and see the product that they are getting. Couples want to see what they are getting so they can picture themselves with it. Think about it- if your favorite burger restaurant told you they can make linguini alfredo and that you’ll love it, would you order it there? Or would you go to an Italian restaurant?

You need to put out what you want in return- here is how…

1. Curate your brand for Elopements

My best piece of advice is to put out what you want in return. If you are looking to break into destination weddings or adventurous elopements I recommend showing it everywhere. Show it on your Instagram, your TikTok, your Facebook page to friends and family, to your website especially. You want to be known as the travel photographer and show the world that yes, you do this, you travel!

Where do you start? With your friends and family!

Friends & Family

Your own circle (no matter how big or small) will be your biggest cheerleaders when they see your amazing work and what you can do. They will refer you to anyone they know once they can see what you provide; they will tell their coworkers, their neighbors, their in-laws at dinner when they hear that someone wants to elope or have a destination wedding. But first you need to be known as the “travel photographer” rather than “Your Name who does travel photography”. There is a big distention between the two. You want to be known for traveling and not as an option.

This step may take some time but eventually your circle will convince others that you are the perfect fir for them instead of saying “Oh yeah, I think ____ travels, they could probably do it for cheap”. Once they see you do this and provide consistent good work, they will practically sell you themselves. People will always trust a referral over any other source of marketing.

Web Prescence

Just like how we want our friends and family to see us as “THE travel photographer”, we need to do the same with the world. When a couple arrives at your Instagram, your TikTok, your Website, your Facebook page, your Google Business Profile, they need to see within the first .2 seconds that they are in the right place. Then you have about 3-5 seconds to keep them engaged and poke around to learn more. Crazy huh? It’s true!

Put out what you want in return. Show couples and the world that this is what you do and that you are the right fit for them. Show photos of the type of elopements (or any type of work) that you want in return. Again, they want to know they are ordering linguini alfredo from the right shop!

But how can you show what you don’t have? Read below.

2. Do Styled Shoots

What is a styled shoot? A styled shoot is basically a shoot where you have the creative freedom to do a photo shoot of whatever you want! In our case, you will want to have a couple in wedding attire in an epic outdoor setting. They are easy to set up because you can do the following:

Ask Friends & Family
- Ask your married (or even non-married if they are willing) to get back into their wedding attire and do a shoot for you! You can even get new wedding attire by asking your local Bridal Shop or buying one on Amazon, BHLDN, or Lulus.
Ask Strangers on your next Trip
- Sound weird? You got nothing to lose! Ask a couple that lives at your destination if they would be willing to model, go up to a cute couple on the beach, find a wedding planner or make-up artist on Instagram and see if they are married and would be willing! Offer to pay them or just give them free photos. I’ve done it many times and you will be able to find someone able and willing!
Use Existing Bride & Groom Photos
- You probably have a bunch of photos from previous weddings that you can pose as elopement photos! You take photos of the couple alone (without guests) on their wedding day anyway so might as well use them!
Host your own Styled Shoot!
- If you are active in your local photography community, you probably have seen other photographers host styled shoots for various styles and themes. So why not host your own? Market it towards elopements and get everything paid for (florals, attire, models, location, etc.) plus some extra cash in your pocket.

3. Use Existing Clients

When I first started wedding photography I knew I wanted elopements to be my end game. So when I started weddings I provided a free adventure session. A session where I took my couple outdoors, after the wedding, for more photos. It was a win-win because my couple got amazing photos (and more than a typical couple gets) and I started growing the content I wanted and needed.

Ask your existing clients to get back into their wedding attire and do another shoot! Whether you do it for free or it’s paid- this will help!

Plus- you have already established a relationship with them so they will most likely be ecstatic to do it!

4. Go on Workshops

Workshops are a great way to get the content you want and even better to be around other photographers that love doing what you love! There is something so cool about being around like-minded people to learn from.

I host my own workshops called Elopement Photographer Experience and still learn from my peers. This business is ever-changing and growing throughout the years and when you are around other people that do things differently you can grow as a photographer and business owner.

5. Post Giveaways

The last thing you can do is giveaway a discounted session or elopement! The right Instagram ad will attract a lot of people to your page and you can even offer the ones that didn’t win a discount on their elopement.

This is recommended for the beginning of your career and not meant to be a long term activity. Why? Doing too many giveaways will tarnish your brand and couples will not value you or your work.

Would you value a wallet you got for free or one that you paid a lot of money for? The same feeling goes with your photography. Plus- you work hard for what you do, your equipment costs money, marketing your business takes effort and time, you need to remember to value yourself first and the right couples will come along.

Bonus Pro Tip: Hire a Mentor

When I first started getting into elopements, I had an idea of what to do but wasn’t sure if I was using my time and resources wisely. I more or less wanted to be pointed in the right direction, to be shown a path whether it was hazy or obvious- just to know I was headed in the right direction.

Sometimes all we need is the reassurance that we are on the right path. And while I would love to tell you that there is a secret formula no-one is telling you about, a “one size fits all” to break into this and be successful, there isn’t. Your path will be as beautifully creative and unique as you are.

Trust your instincts and do what you feel is right. Follow your passion and don’t compare yourself to anyone else.

I offer mentor sessions to help photographers find their Business Why and how to portray it. I help them with their web presence and ensure that it is portrayed to attract ideal clients so they can continue doing what they love. If you are interested, click below to learn more!

Mentorships