Maybe you’ve been told that “the wedding day isn’t for the couple getting married.” Maybe you’re so sure you’ve picked the right person to marry, but the thought of declaring the most private pieces of yourself in front of a room full of people makes you anxious. Maybe this whole big wedding thing just doesn’t feel like you. Maybe you would rather do something that feels a little quieter, and little smaller, and little more intimate. Maybe you’ve been told feeling that way is wrong.
I’m here to say that you feel that way for a reason. You’ve chosen someone to share your life with, and that choice is beautiful and meaningful.
And ultimately, that choice is intimate and sacred.
Some of the best things in life don’t require a huge audience. And this moment only needs you, your person, your nearest and dearest loved ones, and someone to capture it all.
If this resonates with you,
The modern wedding is pretty formidable. Last year, the average Missouri wedding cost $35,000, included over 120 guests, and created 600 lbs of waste. Not everyone dreams of celebrating their marriage by throwing a party complete with a DJ, party bus, and favors for hundreds of guests. In fact, in a survey 3 out of 5 recently married couples regretted throwing a traditional wedding day. But everyone seems to continue going this route.
But you don’t have to.
An elopement allows you to put aside traditions, “shoulds”, and expectations. It allows you to say your vows in a way that’s completely unique and reflects your personality and relationship as a couple. Imagine hiking to Hawksbill Crag, saying your vows overlooking the cliffs, then slow-dancing in the woods. Imagine having a ceremony in downtown Springfield, then heading to Hotel Vandivort for a private meal with your closest friends. Imagine saying “I do” at your family farm then having a picnic with family. Imagine getting married on the bridge where you first said, “I love you,” or the restaurant where you had your first date. Consider this your official call to reject the crazy, the stress, and the impersonal, and your invitation to
Hi! I’m Hope, I’m a Springfield, Missouri wedding photographer and elopement photographer, and I’m low-key addicted to weddings. Like, so into these small intimate ceremonies that my husband and I have had to establish boundaries during dinner-time for how much I can talk about my couples, otherwise I’d never stop. So yeah, I love you guys, and that’s a huge piece of who I am.
When I’m not photographing elopements and iweddings, I’m probably reading (it’s really rare to catch me without a book in my lap), painting, playing with my Sheltie, Nessie, or cooking a new recipe with my handsome husband. We’re currently really into cooking French food, and it’s weird but good. All of these activities are usually accented by tea brewing, candles burning, and movie scores playing in the background because, well, why not?
“I really can’t put into words how FANTASTIC Hope is! Not only is she extremely talented, but she is also a dream to work with! Hope is very responsive, helpful, and detail oriented. She captured our day perfectly and surprised us with so many moments we had no idea were even being captured! It is safe to say she EXCEEDED all of our expectations!”
– Alissa
