Elopement photography and videography for small weddings
Elopements, micro weddings, courthouse ceremonies and vow renewals, photographed and filmed in half a day or more by an independent partner photographer matched to the place.
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In short
Troth Weddings photographs and films elopements, micro weddings, courthouse weddings and vow renewals. A half-day collection is the usual start, with photo, video or both from one crew. An independent partner photographer matched to your location photographs it, and marriage license rules are set locally, so check yours before you book.
Small ceremonies, photographed and filmed
An elopement has fewer people and less schedule, which means the photographer has more to decide. There is no reception to anchor the day, so the arc is built outward from the ceremony: where you get ready, where you say your vows, how far you want to walk afterwards. A good photographer and videographer turn that freedom into a plan you do not have to manage.
This page covers four kinds of day. Elopements with only the two of you and a witness. Micro weddings with a short guest list. Courthouse and registry weddings, where the ceremony is brief and the day around it is yours. And vow renewals. The coverage is the same in each case: an independent partner photographer matched to the place, one crew for photo and video, and a half day as the usual starting point.
We do not arrange the officiant, the venue or the permit. We do tell you what to ask the authority in your location, because each location page lists the license rules we have sourced for it. For a full-size wedding, see wedding coverage.
What an elopement collection includes
A half-day collection is the usual choice: enough time for getting ready, the ceremony, portraits and a slow stretch at the end where nobody is hurrying. Longer days exist, such as a courthouse ceremony followed by dinner, or a two-day trip with a rehearsal evening, and the price list for your location shows how the tiers change.
Photo is an edited online gallery with print rights and a sneak peek within days. Film is a feature that follows the day in order, a short teaser, and the ceremony audio, so the vows are heard and not only seen. Choosing both means one crew for everything. A quiet ceremony is where a film earns its place, since the only voices on the recording are the ones that matter.
For micro weddings and vow renewals the deliverables are the same; what changes is who is in the frame. A short family session after the ceremony can be added to the plan before the day. Albums and prints are optional and follow the gallery: albums and prints.
Planning an elopement with us
Start with the place and a rough date. Send the form; within one business day we reply with the price list for your location and the work of the partner we would introduce. On the call, ask about the spot and the time of day: the photographer can suggest where the ceremony will look best and when the light is kind.
Before you book, check the marriage license rules for your state or province: who issues it, whether there is a waiting period, whether witnesses are needed, and whether a permit applies to the place you have chosen. These rules are set locally and they change, so the location pages cite their sources. Once a deposit holds the date, the photographer sends a questionnaire and works the day backwards from the sunrise or sunset you want.
Where we photograph elopements
Eleven of our places have their own elopement guide, with the license, permit and half-day timeline for that spot. The rest are covered through their wedding pages, and the partner photographer matched to that place can plan a small ceremony just as well.
United States, with an elopement guide. Eureka Springs, Glacier National Park, Kauai, Maui, Moab, New Orleans, Oahu, Redwood Coast, Savannah, Sedona, Yosemite.
United States, other locations. Boise, Charlotte, Chattanooga, Cleveland, Des Moines, Grand Rapids, Huntsville, Indianapolis, Knoxville, Lincoln, Louisville, Omaha, Pittsburgh, Sioux Falls, Tulsa.
Canada. Calgary, Halifax, Kelowna, Saskatoon, Victoria, Winnipeg.
Collections
Every collection comes as photo, video, or both, with the same team on the day. Half day covers an elopement or a small ceremony and portraits; Full day runs from getting ready to the first hour of the reception; Two days adds a rehearsal dinner, a welcome evening or a next-morning session. Travel to your location is built into the quote, not added later.
Prices depend on the date, the team and how far we travel, so we send a price list for your location rather than publishing one number for every town. Ask for it below; it arrives within one business day.
Half day
Covers an elopement or a small ceremony and portraits.
- Edited gallery
- Print rights
- Sneak peek within days
- Feature film
- Teaser
- Full ceremony audio
- One crew
Full day
Runs from getting ready to the first hour of the reception.
- Edited gallery
- Print rights
- Sneak peek within days
- Feature film
- Teaser
- Full ceremony audio
- One crew
Two days
Adds a rehearsal dinner, a welcome evening or a next-morning session.
- Edited gallery
- Print rights
- Sneak peek within days
- Feature film
- Teaser
- Full ceremony audio
- One crew
Questions about eloping
01Do we need witnesses to elope?
It depends on where you marry. Some states and provinces require witnesses and some do not, and the rules can differ between a courthouse and a private officiant. We do not give legal advice: confirm the requirement with the issuing authority, whose page the location guides cite wherever we found one.
02Can you help us choose a time and a spot for the ceremony?
Yes. Your photographer can suggest where the ceremony will look best and which time of day gives the kindest light. The location pages list the spots we shoot and the sun times for the year; the partner turns those into a plan for your date.
03How long does an elopement session take?
A half day is the usual collection: time for getting ready, the ceremony, portraits and a slow stretch afterwards. The real length depends on how many places you want, how far apart they are and when the light is best. A brief courthouse ceremony can be paired with an evening session.
04Can family join us for part of the day?
Yes. A short gathering after the ceremony, or a family portrait session before it, can be built into the timeline. Tell us who will come, and when, in the form's note. Some places set limits on group size, so check with the authority that manages your spot.
Pick a day.
Tell us the place and a rough date, even if the date is still only a month. We reply within one business day with the price list for your location and the work of the partner we would introduce.