Traveling is always an option for couples who book me.
I’ve been lucky enough to shoot elopements across the country in places like Virginia, Arizona, Utah, and Montana. Mallory and Jake, some of my long-time friends from Illinois, asked me to photograph their Traverse City elopement weekend experience in Michigan, and I was so stoked!
They got engaged a couple years ago and started planning their wedding. But we all know what happened a couple years ago… Since it wasn’t safe to have a wedding, plus the addition of their baby girl Emma, they put their plans on hold. Once it was safe again, they decided on a Traverse City elopement. During long distance dating Jake and Mallory would meet up there for fun weekends together, so it holds a super special place in their hearts. It was a no-brainer to say “I do” in Michigan.
The Details
- It was very important that both of their parents and Emma were part of their weekend, so they rented a lake house for everyone to stay at
- The morning of their elopement, they all woke up and had breakfast together
- Jake and Mallory helped each other get ready, then they got Emma dressed. She’s freakin adorable
- Before we went to their ceremony, we went downtown for lunch at one of their favorite spots
- They shared hand-written vows on the beach, and it could not have been more perfect
- Once they said “I do,” we went off alone to take photos around Traverse City
- To finish off day one, they shared a dessert together back at the lake house!
- The next day, we took photos at some of their special places in town. They booked me for an adventure session that allowed me to capture the whole story of the weekend.
- When they would meet up during long distance, they loved hiking, sight-seeing, and paddle boarding. We were super intentional about the locations we shot at, and now they have photos to remember some of their favorite places
- We ended the day back at the beach with their parents and Emma to celebrate one hell of a weekend!
Must Knows
- The WHOLE weekend was about them. They spent so much time together while also incorporating their parents and Emma
- Mallory and Jake chose elements that made their elopement unique to them. They did a first look with their parents, filled a jar with sand from the beach they got married on, and goofed around on scooters at night
- If you want me to travel for your elopement, make sure you contact me well in advance. Planning travel can take a little bit longer than a Colorado elopement, so the earlier the better boo!
Vendors
- Florist: The Faux Bouquet
- Gown: Adore Bridal
- Jewelry/Rings: Bremer and Groove Life
Let’s catch flights AND feelings
"Hiring McKenzie to photograph our wedding was single-handedly the best decision we made when planning our wedding. Wedding planning and vendor research was so stressful, and once we had Kenzie, she stepped in as support and helped us with narrowing down things that were important to us and to figure out what we really wanted. wish we could get married over and over again just to recreate these and work with Kenzie again! "
Nadia + Daniel
"You will not find another wedding photographer who has the McKenzie signature style- she can capture the absolute beauty of the area and people all at once. She can shoot in a variety of settings and lightings and the photos are all gorgeous. One of the main reasons we booked McKenzie was the fact that she showcases a diverse clientele and finds beauty in all beings- something not all photographers can say.As a plus size bride who was extremely worried about looking back at my wedding pictures with dread that I wouldn't look like those gorgeous girlies on Instagram- this meant so much to me. "
Sydnie + Nathan
"When we got engaged, we searched near and far for an elopement photographer - & we met with several different photographers but none felt right until we met McKenzie. My husband, my dog and I are avid hikers - we wanted a beautiful hike and view, but it was also very important that we could be our authentic selves and intimately celebrate our 10 years together in the way we wanted. I'll be honest, I was shy about wanting to elope (ya know, family opinions and such), but McKenzie made us feel so comfortable in our decision. She wholeheartedly welcomed us being.. us! We couldn't have asked for more."
