Miranda and Idrees wanted to combine three of my favorite things as a travel elopement photographer: The Wedding Tree at Grand Teton National Park, astrophotography, and 8MM film. To say that I was excited to join them for their two-day elopement is an understatement! They approached their elopement with intentionality and deeply romantic symbolism to their story. It was a pleasure to spend two days with them capturing their elopement.
Outdoor Elopement at The Wedding Tree
I’ve been pretty vocal about my love for Grand Teton National Park, but The Wedding Tree itself is a hidden gem, especially for couples looking for a more intimate elopement ceremony. This particular area of the park is outside of the normal tourist areas, making it the perfect location for a wedding with a sweeping overlooking view of the Teton valley. The iconic trees that frame the classic Teton silhouette acted as a stunning backdrop for Idrees’ and Miranda’s big day. Since they tied the knot in June, the wildflowers were in full bloom and the weather was calm.
Super 8MM Wedding Formals at Grand Teton National Park
They took full advantage of their elopement by making it a two-day event, something I highly recommend as an elopement photographer. Day one of their elopement at The Wedding Tree was focused on family, getting ready, and the ceremony itself. Day two was for adventure and stress-free formals since we didn’t have to contend with a tight schedule. The three of us explored the Tetons together and I photographed beautiful memories of their elopement on Super 8MM film.
Tips for an Elopement at the Wedding Tree
When it comes to the ideal time frame for eloping at The Wedding Tree, couples should shoot for June to mid-July. The weather & wildflowers are gorgeous and the roads are cleared, but this is also peak time for bear sightings. Since they’ve just come out of hibernation around this time each year, there’s very real potential for a bear to wander through your ceremony. During Miranda’s and Idrees’ elopement, a grizzly meandered our way before heading back across the meadow. That said, add bear spray to your GTNP elopement packing list! Safety concerns aside, it’s also worth mentioning that weekends are busy during this time of year and weddings are scheduled by time slot since they allow multiple a day. If you can manage it, consider scheduling a weekday wedding when you submit your wedding application with your $300 ceremony permit fee. This location is truly worth the planning, as you can see by the painterly backdrop in this couple’s elopement gallery.
Astrophotography Elopement on Film
It’s truly an art to see couples weave in details of their story on their big day, and Miranda and Idrees did it beautifully, especially on the final night. Their story began when they met at a comp-sci 24-hour hackathon. At some point that first night, they ended up watching the stars together and they wanted to acknowledge their beginning on their wedding day. Idrees got the stars of the night they met engraved on his wedding ring & they wanted to include the starry night sky in their Wedding Tree elopement photos as well. As a wedding photographer who specializes in astrophotography, I couldn’t have been more excited to photograph their elopement under the stars! (And I’m eager to do the same for more couples in the future.) It was incredibly special to see their story come full circle in a creative, romantic way. What better way to commemorate the occasion than capturing how the stars align on your wedding day? The Grand Teton sky put on a great show for this amazing couple that night, and it was a pleasure capturing the start of the next chapter of their lives together.
Travel Elopement Photographer & Videographer
Hi, I’m Elayna! I’m a Utah-based wedding photographer and videographer by trade, but a nomad at heart. If you’re imagining cinematic photos that evoke a sense of nostalgia, I’m the photographer for you. As a storytelling photographer, I love a good adventure and travel often to capture romances not just in Utah, but all around the world. Want to see how I can bring your dream photos to life? Take a look at the packages I offer and let’s have a chat about how I can capture your unique story.
