Adventure Instead - Elopement Photographers and Guides

list alone was too much for us. Maddie instantly made us feel heard and so excited about the possibilities ahead of us. As two people who struggle to make decisions, she really helped us navigate and envision what our elopement day could look like. The amount of dedicated and thoughtful work that went into each detail is instantly apparent. Maddie created resources and slides to help us choose locations, lodging, excursions, and more. She was always available to answer questions and was patient with us as we took our time to sort through the choices. Elopement day went effortlessly smooth. Meeting Maddie felt natural. She instantly made us feel comfortable and like we had been friends for awhile. Neither of us have really ever had professional photos taken so we were nervous about acting natural, but with Maddie's guidance we didn't have to think about what to do. The whole day was so fun and full of activities that made it truly feel representative of us: reading letters from family and friends in a canoe on an alpine lake, frolicking in fields of wildflowers at 12k feet, and driving on some crazy 4x4 roads in a rented Jeep. The images we received are breathtaking. We have had so many of our friends and family say they are the most stunning wedding photos they've ever seen. We're so excited to display them on our walls and share them with everyone we know. Maddie is an incredibly talented photographer that took away 100% of the stress of planning a wedding, and made our elopement a day we will cherish for the rest of our lives. We recommend her wholeheartedly!!

ing for and helped us push our imagination beyond just "not a traditional wedding" - what we co-created was a deeply personal, intentional, once-in-a-lifetime experience. We created an epic 2-day Alaskan adventure that included a helicopter journey across glaciers and mountains, vows beside a glacial melt pond, and quiet, meaningful moments that balanced out the adrenaline. Every detail was thoughtful and intentional - this could have easily been overwhelming so while she helped us creatively get our heads in the clouds to craft our dream day, she was equally a lifesaver handling the hour-by-hour practicalities from packing lists to timelines - all so we could live in the truly incredible moments we were making. On the photography side, Maddie has an incredible eye for storytelling - capturing both the vast, cinematic scale of Alaska and the quiet, intimate moments in between - and even indulging our requests for Wes Anderson quirk. Looking at our photos feels like reliving the experience all over again - months later we keep finding ourselves drawn back to flipping through our albums. Perhaps most importantly, Maddie brought a calm, confident, and joyful presence to every step of the process. In environments that could have felt overwhelming or unpredictable, she made us feel completely at ease - like we were in the hands of someone who genuinely cared about our experience, not just the outcome. If you’re considering Adventure Instead, know this: Maddie will help you create something that is uniquely yours, wildly beautiful, and far beyond what you thought was possible. We will be grateful to her forever for helping us start this chapter of our lives in such an extraordinary way. Thank you, Maddie! 

I was also nervous about having someone else there for such a private moment and worried that it might feel awkward or intrusive. Those fears disappeared almost instantly. From our first conversation, Maddie made everything feel light, fun, and stress-free. She helped us focus on what really mattered — why we were there — and she captured our day with such sensitivity and care that it felt completely natural. I never once felt posed, silly, or uncomfortable. Honestly, it just felt like hiking with a friend who happened to have a camera and an incredible eye for detail. Because we were eloping from out of state, Maddie’s resources and recommendations were a godsend. She had vendor suggestions for everything — florists, hair and makeup, even hiking-friendly attire — and every single one was perfect. We loved the vendors she recommended, and she even helped me find my dress (the first one I tried on!) by sending a detailed style guide that balanced comfort and aesthetics perfectly. She thinks of everything — from the right shade of suit to wear, to bringing nude leggings for under my dress (game-changer!), to a detailed checklist of props like lanterns and picnic blankets that made the day feel uniquely ours. Choosing our location was another area where Maddie truly shined. We had a vision in mind but couldn’t quite describe it, and she somehow translated our vague ideas into the perfect spot. The location ended up being even more beautiful and meaningful than we imagined. We absolutely love our images. They perfectly capture the way our day felt — joyful, intimate, and full of awe. Every time we look through them, we’re instantly transported back to that moment. Sharing them with friends and family afterward was so special, and everyone commented on how natural and full of life they felt. We originally chose Maddie for her photography style, but what made the experience unforgettable was her planning expertise, knowledge, and warmth. She’s so much more than a photographer — she’s part guide, part planner, part hype-woman, and part stealthy documentarian who manages to catch every meaningful moment without ever making you feel like you’re “being photographed.” We ended our wedding day not only married, but genuinely happy, relaxed, and grateful — and with a new friend for life.

tender for a photographer someday. That day finally came and she was the only person I actually talked to about being our photographer. Her energy, commitment to adventure elopements, and love for intimate moments was all I needed to pick her. It was also important that I had someone that supports ALL types of love. She takes the time to really get to know you as a couple. She asks you bunches of nitty gritty details ahead of time so once you do meet in person it feels like you’ve been friends already. She was kind enough to lend us her canoe for a portion of our elopement, did all the grunt work of planning a perfect timeline (and executing it too), and just made sure we felt prepared and confident going into the day of. We’ve only received our sneak peaks so far, but she provided a generous amount and we are blown away by them! The editing style was exactly what I expected, and she adds her own touch of artistry to her shots. Our elopement was a full day, and was so so fun and very “us”. Highly recommend working with Maddie if intimacy and epic scenery paired with adventure is your jam

by the time I got engaged in April 2021 that they would have space OR I could afford it. I was dead wrong! I received a response really quickly from Maddie upon my first inquiry and from that point on, over a period of 1.5 years, the whole team would be incredibly accommodating to changing plans and locations. I ended up having a traditional wedding for family, but my husband and I were still able to live out our dream during a photo session with Maddie at Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. Maddie is so incredibly knowledgeable about the process of finding the perfect spot(s) and covers everything you could possibly need for your elopement. Her team is well versed with the ins and outs of planning, and were incredibly respectful of my stress that came from changing plans. Even on our trip to Colorado there were several bumps along the way, but she made that day one of the best days of our lives. We just got our “sneak peek” and I feel so completely fulfilled. The whole process was so emotional and now I have these phenomenal photos which made it all worth it. Thanks a million, Adventure Instead!

ges and we felt so comfortable having someone document our special day! She is so kind and an amazing photographer and person. The photos she shared in our sneak peeks were breathtaking, and I was so shocked that they are us!! I cannot wait to see the rest. Highly recommend!!

ess, just excitement through the whole process. Amber was our amazing photographer! She was so kind and patient with us. On top of their excellent service, the photography is stunning!! We’re going to print out all our photographer . We highly recommend eloping with Adventure Instead. Thank you for providing us with such treasured memories!

dations on things outside of our elopement day! She focuses on making sure that your and your partner feel comfortable and yourself so that the photos are so genuine. I could not recommend Adventure Instead enough! If you’re on the fence about hiring them, do it! You will not regret.

nal, responsive, patient, and helpful. Amber helped us pick the right location for the aesthetic we wanted, designed a timeline for us, and was available along the way. On our wedding day, Amber was there when we needed her, but otherwise a fly on the wall. The whole day felt so genuine and special. The photos speak for themselves. Just gorgeous. It takes a special person to facilitate someone else's elopement, capture tender and silly moments, do all the editing, offer helpful suggestions along the way, and not ever come off as intrusive or pushy. Amber was just so kind, a gentle energy, but also a powerhouse and so talented. The admin team at Adventure Instead is attentive and helpful. I can't speak for the other photographers, but I'm certain they share the same talent and professionalism. If you are considering Adventure Instead to photograph your elopement or small wedding, you should at least reach out! You won't be disappointed. We will cherish our photos and the memories we made that day for the rest of our lives. Thank you Amber, for making our day so perfect.

ported us in every step of the planning process. It was a beautiful, magical day, and we couldn't recommend Adventure Instead more! ELOPE! and hire these amazing people!

had the pleaser of Amber being our elopement guid & photographer and she was amazing!! Everything went to smoothly and felt so comfortable on such an important day

at every step along the way, with all of our questions, needs, and awkwardness in front of the camera!

file we immediately decided to reach out to her. We were so excited when she decided to pick us! There was an instant connection from the first Skype call, she is enthusiastic, professional and you can tell she has a ton of experience to help you have an epic elopement. From brainstorming locations, to accomodation, to suppliers, to activities on the day. There are no questions she and her team can't answer. We can't express our gratitude enough on how flexible Maddie was with having to reschedule our elopement due to travel restrictions in 2020. She frequently updated us on the situation and other options. It really helped us stay positive and keep looking forward to our big day. During the elopement we love how natural she was around us, giving us some guidance but at the same time seamlessly fitting into our day and letting us be completely ourselves. The day flew by and the pictures she shared with us are a true reflection of how we remember the day. That is an incredible skill! If you made it this far down my review, then I don't know what you're waiting for. Book Adventure Instead, it will be the best decision you've made for your wedding day!

erything about the way Maddie guided us was perfect and tailor made for us and our personalities. We had so much fun and Maddie is the best guide , friend , and photographer that we could ask for on our wedding day! Her fun personality, compassion , knowledge and enthusiasm did shine through everything she did. There are guides (for location scouting, vendors etc), checklists and advice provided through out and Maddie and the Adventure Instead team were always very responsive and lovely. Our marriage day was magical! On our marriage day all we had to do was relax and enjoy thanks to her taking care of everything around us. The photos are SO gorgeous, true to our vision and we absolutely love every moment Maddie has captured. We are reliving our dream day. Maddie is the BEST! We definitely plan to work with Adventure Instead again in future. They have exceeded our expectations. 5 stars! Deepthi& Siwei

including camping on her own for two nights, to make it possible and we were extremely appreciative of that. Going into this process, we were worried about whether it would feel awkward to have a stranger along with the two of us on our wedding day, but with Amber it was not an issue at all. Her easygoing nature made it feel like we were on a hike with a friend, and over the course of the day she struck a perfect balance between being present with us and giving us space to share special moments together. This applied to her photography style too – she provided us with direction to get some great posed/planned shots, but for most of the day she was just capturing us naturally. This allowed us to be relaxed and just focus on each other without feeling like we had to perform to a camera all day. And the pictures came out perfectly – she is a really skilled photographer and her unintrusive style makes for photos that feel like incredibly genuine representations of who we are and how we were feeling on that special day. Overall, our elopement experience ended up being even better than we imagined; it felt like a truly authentic expression of who we were and how we wanted to celebrate, and we will always be grateful to Amber for helping make it possible and documenting it so perfectly. We are so glad that we chose to work with her and would encourage anyone reading this to do the same!

since I dreamed of having an adventure elopement. I never thought it would come true since I have a large Indian family who would traditionally have a large wedding. We had gotten engaged literally the day quarantine started, so we postponed any plans of getting married until things got better. Unfortunately, circumstances did not change even a year later, so we thought it was the perfect opportunity to have an adventure elopement with Adventure Instead, especially since we did not want to put anyone at risk with a larger wedding. And we decided just to message them through their website, and we received a prompt email back. **I definitely recommend messaging them even if you are not sure about when/what location, they do an amazing job at working through what the perfect elopement looks like for you! Also don't be intimidated and think that you have to be super adventurous couple or avid hikers to do an adventure elopement, they do a fantastic job at finding beautiful locations that are within your comfort level (which was great for us especially since we had acquired quarantine bodies). Both Tori and Amber were super helpful in decided which location and dates, since we were considering either Joshua Tree NP in CA or Colorado. My partner and I decided to go with Colorado, and with the help of Amber, we were able to plan the elopement in under 3 months! The whole process was so streamlined and so easy (since Amber did most of the work), all we had to do was pick out outfits, a cake, AirBnB, and drive to CO! It was truly a magical experience, even though we had never had our pictures taken professionally. What Amber does with her camera is insane, we never thought our awkward selves would look like art! All in all, if you choose Adventure Instead, you will have an unforgettable wedding day, all about you and your loved one, with absolutely no regrets!

n’s love of dancing reminds me that it is those times in our lives when we are freaking out with joy that give us the greatest clues about who we are and where we genuinely belong." Want to freak out with joy and have the most amazing special wedding day?! Then look not further than Adventure Instead. I can not say enough wonderful things, but here are a few highlights for you: 1) Thoughtfulness and care- We first spoke to Tori about eloping in the Pac NW (where we are from) and she so wisely reminded us that perhaps winter would be better to spend in the snow than the rain - and connected us with Amber. Even though Tori wasn't going to be our day of photographer she sent me the most detailed & thoughtful responses- answering all my questions, sharing so much great information, and connecting us with Amber. To be so thoughtful about our day that she was willing to give up our business to make sure we had the best day - well that just speaks volumes. 2) The Planning - Even though we were eloping, there's still some planning to do! We weren't sure exactly what we wanted, and Adventure Instead put together the most detailed 30+ page packet of location ideas, complete with photographs, packages, and several itineraries to choose from. Simply amazing. 3) Encouragement - We were a bit nervous about eloping v having a traditional wedding, but wanting to be careful and not have people travel in COVID, we decided to take a leap - Amber and Adventure Instead were nothing but encouraging and helpful throughout the entire process. 4) The day of - Everything was taken care of by Amber - locations, timing, travel..she thought of everything! We started our day at Loveland Pass with the sweetest first look she coordinated, then had our ceremony at a gorgeous looking at Sapphire Point, hiked around, and then had an afternoon snowshoe at Clinton Gulch. I literally did not worry for even a second and Amber put us so at ease! I have never had so much fun - I didn't even realize we had photos taken!! Not just that..but she took some on her phone so she could share some immediate snaps with us so we had those until our actual photos! 5) The PHOTOS. They look like they came from a magazine. They capture all of our authentic moments perfectly and I didn't even realize Amber was taking photos most of the time!! At one point I turned around (I was twirling in the sun and snow in my dress!) and she was laying in the snow to capture the perfect shot. DEDICATION!! We had an absolute blast and could not have asked for a more perfect day. PLUS - Adventure Instead is woman owned , carbon neutral (hello earth!), LGBTQIA+ friendly - all things that were super important to us. Also - bonus? We got our sneak peeks in a handful of days and 500 photos (!!!) in just a few weeks!! And they're GORGEOUS. Thank you Amber and Adventure Instead!!!

as the first detail we decided on. Amber was patient with us when it came to deciding on details (I’m an indecisive person) and gave us amazing advice along the way. She made us feel comfortable, loved, and brought out our inner adventurers! I always looked at the beautiful photos of other couples, and never imagined we could look that good in our own photos. We rock climbed, hiked, laughed, and cried, and it couldn’t have been more worth it. One thing that truly sets Amber apart from other photographers (other than talent) is that you can tell she loves what she does. She took the time to get to know us and encouraged us to make this day about us. Her passion for her work shows in her photos, and we were all in awe at how beautiful the photos came out. Looking at the pictures makes me tear up every time, and I am so thankful we followed through with booking. I could not imagine our wedding day any different. If you’re considering booking, do it. If you’re considering eloping/having a small intimate wedding, do it. It is so so SO worth it. I’ve had so many people tell me “your wedding photos have me reconsidering my traditional wedding plans.” We have every intention of booking Amber again down the road for a vow renewal. Until then, I will absolutely cherish the beautiful photos we have been blessed with. Thank you Amber !

website and the idea of having a photographer that is also a guide and an officiant. Tori was very warm and patient, talking to her feels like she is one of your besties. She listened to our ideas and thoughts very carefully, and gave us a lot of inspirations for our wedding planing. Before our wedding day, Tori went to all of the spots to make sure the lights/locations/environments are perfect for our shooting. We really appreciated her for spending the time doing this ahead of time to make sure the spots chosen were private and beautiful, which were our top priority. During this process, she discovered another spot that was amazing for photo shooting but not on our original list. She suggested to add this spot, and it turns out to be an excellent decision. The photos we took there were better than we expected! In the beginning of the photo shoot, we were a little nervous and worried, but Tori gave us a small talk to help us relax and enjoy every second of our wonderful wedding day. We are grateful to have Tori be part of our big day and would strongly recommend Adventure Instead!!

s the last straw. When having a large gathering was no longer possible or safe, we needed a plan B. We were going to elope October 2020 in central Oregon, but when the wildfires hit... we needed a plan C! And ended up eloping still in October but on the Oregon coast. The day was still amazing, incredibly fun, the photos turned out beautiful and we could not be happier with all of it. If you're considering this route, I would encourage you to pursue it, and I wouldn't recommend anyone else but Adventure Instead! Tori was so flexible, empathetic, great at listening, supportive, communicative, and helpful. I think we all became best friends.

ntact was quick and professional and we knew we were in good hands from the start. Tori was responsive to all our questions and the communication was open and flexible as we had just begun to plan in March 2020 (hello COVID-19). We got engaged in March and married in October, a quick turn around but we never felt like anything was rushed. Tori did a thorough job of presenting us with location and scheduling options for our two-day elopement. The resource guide for the area is something we will actually use for years to come! She also was very intentional in getting to know us in order to better prepare for our big day. As the wildfires raged in Oregon the month before our wedding, Tori was already presenting us with back up options that we luckily did not end up needing, but what a relief to know that someone was looking after us so that we didn't have to worry. Meeting Tori for the first time was like being reunited with an old friend. She did a great job of maintaining professionalism while at the same time making us feel comfortable in front of the camera throughout the weekend. Your wedding day should be spent surrounded by people who truly care about you and this is incredibly true of Tori and the Adventure Instead team. It's easy to see that all their photography work is incredible but it's also important to note that the people behind the cameras truly care more about your experience than any sort of photograph they might add to their portfolio. I cannot recommend Tori enough--you'd be lucky to have someone like her as a part of your wedding!

our officiant and witness since Colorado is a self-solemnizing state) and got married in a beautiful alpine lake setting. The whole process with Amber was easy, exciting, and stress free. We found a great hike in Aspen and Amber was great to communicate with the whole time. Our experience with her on the wedding day was also amazing as she was pleasantly interactive but also made us feel like there wasn't even a third person there and we were able to share intimate moments together. Our photographs came out beautifully and we were ecstatic about our whole experience. Amber went above and beyond that day too as we accidentally dropped our ring into the lake and she helped to get it out! We also went over our allotted time but Amber said nothing of it and we were never rushed. I would highly recommend eloping in an adventurous location and definitely recommend hiring Amber to capture the beautiful moments of that day.

and helpful advice. On the day of she arrived on time and immediately put us both at ease. She helped us to have an amazing day and captured the photos that will allow us to relive it again and again. It felt like we were in our very own Colorado fairy tale and Amber played a huge role in making that happen. Honestly, we can’t say enough good things. We were in love with our day and we love our photos. We are beyond grateful for our experience!

azing. We had some specifications for our spot, particularly wanted to be easily accessible for loved ones, but also wanted a nearby hike with big views for just us + Tori to go on and she did not disappoint! Even when we found out three weeks before our wedding that our original location couldn't accommodate us, she quickly found us just-as-amazing plan B and C options that also met our specifications and even recommended nearby lodging/restaurants. During the day of, Tori made us feel comfortable and completely ourselves and it came through authentically and beautifully in the photos. Cannot recommended them enough!

stions, and made the found a place that we were dreaming of in our heads (which was no small task). ...And all of this was before COVID hit and wildfires squashed our intimate wedding dreams... it is here that I think sets Tori apart from other photographers. We went from a small intimate ceremony with 24 family members to just eloping the two of us. She became our one woman hype team. Her willingness to research and switch up plans in some rough times made us significantly less stressed even an extremely stressful time. As for the day of, she put us at complete ease. Told us to be ourselves, take in the day, and she would capture it along the way. There was no need to pose or “fake smile” at any point because she let us be us (which is saying something because I am an awkward photo taker). Her images she captured are beyond breathtaking. She scouted our locations the day before so she already knew the best place for us to take photos and have our ceremony. The 4 hours went by quickly and we enjoyed every minute of it. Using Adventure instead was hands-down the best wedding decision we made. I could not recommend more and will over share with anyone who asks how positive our experience was. Tori was an absolute delight to work with. We left the day feeling like we made a new friend - that is literally how she makes you feel.

happy! Amber was such a sweetheart, and made us feel so comfortable working with her. She helped making the whole process stress free. I just received my photos today, and I am IN LOVE. I highly recommend to anyone who loves adventure to choose adventure instead to help with your big day!

e families. It was SO beautiful and stress-free. Amber is such a phenomenal photographer. There are no words to describe how beautiful the photos came out and how helpful Amber was every step of the way. Amber listened to our vision and ideas and built the most amazing day for us. Amber made us feel that our wedding day would be awesome and perfect every step of the way, including during the pandemic. We constantly look at the photos and want to relive these moments because they were truly INCREDIBLE. I already want to book a vow renewal adventure with adventure instead because of how much fun it was. We are so happy we decided to elope from the beginning. It was truly a day all about us, doing what we love together, hiking in the mountains.

and reassurance as our plans changed over time. She was always happy to offer multiple solutions whenever we hit a roadblock in our planning. It was wonderful having Tori as the only other person present during our wedding. She reminded us to take it all in and be fully present throughout the day. She cheered us on and seemed just as excited as we were to be getting married. She was also prepared with bug repellent and sunscreen when we needed it! Our pictures are absolutely beautiful and fully capture the feeling of the day. We never felt posed or not ourselves. I'm so glad to have the photos from Adventure Instead to relive our magical wedding day on the mountain! I know we'll enjoy them for years to come!

cess where they send you questionnaires to get to know you and what you want from your day. Not only were they fun to complete together, but it meant a lot knowing the effort that Amber put in to getting to know us before photographing one of the biggest days of our lives! Amber is so discreet and skilled at what she does that we actually wondered if she took enough photos when the hike was over, because we hardly noticed her taking them! Of course once our sneak peek photos came in...WITHIN 24 HOURS...we realized how many awesome shots she had gotten. Then....there's COVID. Amber and the rest of the team worked with us to adjust our package when we realized our family couldn't travel and it was just going to be the 2 of us. From waking up in the middle of the night to meet us for a sunrise hike...to running back UP the mountain on our way down when we realized we lost my husband's boutonniere(!)...to turning over our sneak peek photos in 24 HOURS and the rest of them within a month...Amber is the best and we would recommend her to any couple looking for an intimate, unique, unforgettable elopement experience!

the pandemic because we really wanted a day that reflected our values, and this company delivered on those values and our hopes tenfold. We highly recommend Adventure Instead! Not only are we absolutely thrilled with the final product of our photos, but Adventure Instead really helped us long before our actual elopement day. They assisted us in homing in on what our perfect location would be (since we were coming into Colorado from out of state). Their knowledge of locations, hikes, and alpine lakes was incredibly helpful, and of course made the planning easier. Before our big day, we video chatted with Maddie Mae so she could show us how the sun would look at specific times in our exact location, helping us pick our ceremony time and plan our hike. She even shared the links to the same pack raft and paddle she had so that all three of us could get to an island for the ceremony. On the day of our elopement, we met up with Maddie Mae and we both felt very comfortable with her as we hiked up to our location. Her willingness to paddle all of her photography equipment to an island to allow us to have an incredibly unique and intimate ceremony was really amazing and we so greatly appreciated it. Although she was on the island with us while we exchanged our vows, she was able to keep some distance to allow us to have that moment, just the two of us. And she was still able to capture each and every beautiful moment! We paddled back to the shore and had a lovely little picnic and read letters from our families, all while Maddie Mae took the most gorgeous photos. Even for our portraits, she instructed us to pretend she wasn't there, and in so many ways, the photographs capture the small glances, intimate reaches, and happy, knowing smiles as if it really was just the two of us there all evening long. The photos speak for themselves, but this team is also incredibly professional and responsive to questions. If you have had your heart set on a romantic getaway in the beautiful outdoors, trust Adventure Instead with your elopement or intimate wedding - you will not be disappointed!

play with angles/depth-of-field, capture us in our best element, get the perfect exposure…my partner and I went through a lot of photographers’ portfolios, but Adventure Instead’s photos jumped out with their punchy yet natural editing style. Their images were vivid, warm, natural, clean, and composed to feature the couple without losing sight of the stunning scenery. We submitted a request on their website, and very quickly, Tori reached out. From our initial consultation, Tori was friendly - and a trove of information. She explained the concept of an elopement and how it fit into our wedding vision. She also walked us through her packages and helped break down which worked best for the locations/timeline we had in mind (We knew exactly where we wanted to elope to, but if you don’t - Adventure Instead can 100% help recommend). We booked with Tori in February 2020 for a July elopement. Shortly after, COVID hit, which put a cloud of uncertainty over our plans. Tori was immensely encouraging and accommodating throughout the process. Because we weren’t planning to bring any family or friends, and our elopement date was rather far away, Tori suggested that we continue preparing what we could for it, and that she’d help evaluate the go/no go situation as the date neared. From sending us guides on where to shop for dresses/suits, giving suggestions on props to bring, keeping track of COVID situations, applying for a national park permit…Tori played the roles of our elopement mentor, photography professional, friend, and confidant (with whom I gossiped about dresses, styles, planning...). Two weeks from the elopement date, Tori reached out to know that while she had everything booked and was ready for our big day, she’d only do it if we felt 100% comfortable. Otherwise, we could reschedule for a later date on her calendar without hassle/cancelation fees. We were bullish about the situation, so we greenlit the trip on our end, but we were grateful that she put our health/comfort level/best interests in mind. Because of the multitude of exchanges we had with Tori, we felt like we were catching up with an old friend when we met her on morning of our elopement day. She was literally the nicest person - during the shoot, she gave simple instructions, and nudged us to only do things that we usually do/interact normally as if we were spending time together. Anyone who knows me knows that I’m one of the most awkward posers, but Tori did not explicitly ask us to “pose”. Her style is “you do you, and let me worry about the photos.” In hindsight, looking at the photos which Tori delivered way ahead of what the contract required, I was truly surprised by how candid, pretty, happy, and cute my partner and I look when we…show each other affection and interact in our normal way (hey, confidence boost!) So, if you are looking for someone who is more than just a photographer, knowledgable about elopement, able to uncover your inner model that you didn’t know existed, makes you comfortable, creates a magical day, is accommodating, and delivers rad photographs you can keep for a lifetime, Tori is your girl! And going with Adventure Instead is one of the best choices I had made in life, second only to choosing my partner with whom I got to spend this wonderful elopement with.

ture Instead, they were very responsive and incredibly helpful. When we decided to go with them, we were assigned Tori and she instantly made us feel so comfortable and helped us out every step along the way. She gave us a whole list of different places we could go, vendors for pretty much anything you’d need. Since she is very familiar with the area, she was able to answer any questions we had. Our wedding day was absolutely perfect. We were able to go to 3 different waterfalls and got tons of incredible photos. We actually just got our photo album back yesterday and were blown away at how good they came out. We were so comfortable all day and she was a joy to be around. Thank you so much Tori and the entire Adventure Instead team for the best experience we’ve ever had and will never forget. 🥂100/10

icture (location planning, marriage license details) but she assisted with all the simple yet important details like how to hike with your bouquet in your backpack and where to find the best cake. Amber made our day SO incredibly special by paying close detail to everything that we wanted to capture and made our day feel so real and candid unlike a typical wedding day, which is what we really wanted. The images that we received from her were delivered well under the expected time frame provided and they were unreal. She is more than just a wedding photographer she is a life-capturing artist. All in all, we are more than pleased with the services we received from Amber and the Adventure Instead team. Additionally, the vendors list provided by Amber offered top notch hair and make-up artists, florists, and bakeries located in your area in which you will elope and is much recommended as it made the details of our day come together with ease. I will recommend Amber and Adventure Instead to anyone and everyone I know that plans to get married. Go elope!

as well. My husband and I were so nervous about planning an elopement from out of state, but Amber set our minds at ease right away. From the minute we spoke with her, we felt like we hired one of our best friends. She helped us plan everything, from our dream location, to suggestions on how to hike with flowers in my backpack. She sent endless breathtaking location options based on our vision and helped create a timeline for our perfect day. My husband and I were a little concerned about being camera shy and introverted, but she truly made us feel comfortable every step of the way. She captured the raw emotion we felt on that day in the most beautiful way and our pictures turned out better than we could have ever imagined. Amber was incredibly thoughtful about letting us have our intimacy but was still able to capture the magic we felt every single moment of that special day. I honestly don't think we could have pulled this together without Amber and we are forever grateful to have found Adventure Instead to help make our day extra special and one we will never forget.

el really small and be somewhere that would take our breath away. Tori helped us decide on our bucket list location of New Zealand from our first phone call. Once we had a location set we had no idea how much research she would provide us to narrow down where we wanted to spend our hours with her together and get married. I think we had over 40 pages of potential locations, and all of them were on point with what we were looking for! Tori helped us to plan a day that would be fun and allow us to see so many beautiful spots. The day before we met up, she even went out and scouted multiple locations so we would have back ups and options. Even though it rained on our wedding day (good luck!!) we had such a blast and made the most of our elopement day. Then we had two more days where we spread out our hours and those days were so fun filled and relaxed too!! I think my favorite moment was after our first look (lots of tears were shed), we were all emotional and Tori put away the camera after she got the shots and talked to us as my husband and I held each other. She talked about how today was about us and she wanted us to focus on each other and to not worry about getting good pictures because she would get those. She reminded us to think of all the good times we have had in the 8 years of our relationship. It was so calming and heartfelt and just made us feel so comfortable from the get-go. We never felt posed or awkward, she really made us feel comfortable and would encourage us to be snuggly and cute like we would if no one was around. I honestly was worried we’d come off awkward because my husband is super shy and we don’t like PDA, but our photos could not be more beautiful!! I still cry when I look at them!! Our families and friends were able to understand why we wanted to elope as soon as they saw those pictures. When my husband and I went through them we were so shocked we were captured so beautifully as us being ourselves, you can see the happiness in all of the pictures. If you are on the fence about eloping, or on the fence about hiring Adventure Instead versus another elopement photographer, search no further and book them. You will not regret it, they are so much more than photographers. They truly love what they do and have this down to a science so that your day can be a true reflection of you two as a couple and you’ll have the best experience possible.

edibly accommodating, responsive, and helpful. Her excitement for our elopement was infectious and her expertise on how to plan, prepare, research, etc. was absolutely incredible. My wife and I like to plan things out to a T but Maddie was so willing and excited to help and in some cases, completely take over so that we could relax and enjoy everything going on around us. If you're unsure of whether or not you want to pull the trigger on eloping with Adventure Instead, do it!

et. The photos turned out incredible and we are so happy we hired Adventure Instead. We drove to the Sand Dunes and Amber was a perfect guide throughout the entire day. We had a lot of ups and downs to deal with (food poisoning, unexpected freezing weather, hail on our motorcycle ride, etc) and she handled it all like a champ, I’m not sure what we would have done without her. She clearly has a huge passion for her work and it truly shows in her stunning photos. We finally created a photo album and can’t wait to have that as our first wedding heirloom! Thanks for everything Amber. If you’re on the fence about eloping, do it! : )

to our elopement day and after. They were quick to reply to all of our questions/worries going through the process which is a huge deal when you're doing something like this. We weren't looking for a production, we were looking for an adventure. Which is exactly how we aim for our marriage to be and it's exactly what we got. Thanks so much for making our day the one to remember. I can not recommend their service and team enough. Do what you want! And make sure it's what YOU want, not what others want. We did that and it could not have been more rewarding.

she put in to make our dream day come true, it was truely magical and a story of our lives I will treasure and hold so close , it would not have been the same without Maddie, she is honestly the guru of elopements. She isnt just a photographer but an epic planner , it was honestly a breeze working with her, we never once doubted her capabilities in the whole planning process. obvioulsy having an outdoor day you never know whats in store but Maddie is so adaptive and has a solution and plan for every possible situation that may come along. All her future couples are so lucky to have her help plan and capture their day. Maddie is a phenomenal photographer and has a true gift in bringing the best out of her couples. Maddies energy, enthusiasim and care for her couples knows no bounds. I cannot stop looking through all the photos with the biggest grin on my face and tears in my eyes, my heart is overflowing with happiness reliving our magical dream wedding. The photos are just so so beautiful Maddie captured everything perfectly with so much attention and emotion, we couldnt have asked for more, we LOVE them so so much and will treasure them so dearly. everyone that sees them are just blown away

he does from your first conversation - she is so knowledgeable in location scouting, prepping for the weather, knowing which time of day (sunrise vs sunset) your photos will look best and has the best vendor recommendations! Our sunrise hike with her was better than we could have ever imagined. Maddie ensured we were comfortable and even gave us time to ourselves to soak in the sunrise - Matt and I felt like the only 2 people in the world on our wedding day. Maddie also had a quick turn around for a sneak peek so that we could show our friends and family at our separate reception back in PA and I am SO grateful for that! Her photos brought tears to so many people's eyes. Our photos are works of art and she captured our emotions in the most beautiful way. THANK YOU times a million to Adventure Instead for giving us the most unforgettable experience of our lives. Also, props to Bessie for letting me send my dried bouquet to their office 4 days before our wedding so that I could stop freaking out about how it was going to get there from Pittsburgh, PA :)

rked as a model and had countless professional pictures taken of me. Yet, this is the very first time I have seen my real self captured, genuine feelings. that's unique. The pictures are so pure and truly reflect all the magic we felt those days. I love the shots where she has captured small expressions of my husband that I love so much - those expressions that are so difficult to freeze in time. It's worth more than I can express. ------------------- To be honest, Maddie did most of the planning. We just showed up with our wedding attire in our backpacks and had a really great time - the weather in Lofoten that day was gloomy and not as expected. But it just made our day more special. It might for some seem weird to spend such a private day with two people you haven't met before, but it all felt so natural. Maddie's husband Alistair was kind enough to come along and made everything so easy. He helped a ton with controlling our crazy, needy dog as well. They are the coolest couple and I am so grateful that we were able to spend our wedding day with them. I couldn't be happier. Warmly recommended. xx

mpse of our lives together. We started our day hiking and rappelling in Estes Park and she captured some gorgeous photos of my husband and I doing something we love together. She was so professional and so fun to be around and we got a ton of compliments from our family and friends about how smooth the portraits went after the ceremony. Thank you so much Amber. It was truly a perfect day and we are so grateful to have those memories captured from your creative eye for the rest of our lives.

well planned due to the fact we had a few months to get our vendors and wedding things together. Of course there is stress before the Big Day but I couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day and setting. We asked Tori many questions on our location and how long our adventure was. We knew what vendors we wanted to go with and she also recommended many vendors to help us through the process! They have so many sources so it did help so greatly. Because we planned so well the elopement day had no hiccups. (Only thing was John popped our raft to do our vows on the island) BUT it worked better in our favor. She helped us find another location to read our vows and also helped my wife when she felt a little nervous at the top of the mountain! It honestly felt like Tori wasn’t there and the pictures are so beautiful! We were both in awe of all the beauty around us! We wanted a location that wasn’t far from where we were staying in Denver and also wanted Lost Lake because we grew up on a the lake in the Carolinas. Tori knows exactly what she is doing and she wanted us to feel like she wasn’t there and made sure the day was about us and how we wanted! We had so much fun and we even talked about going back to our location in the future..possibly with our kids..when that time comes. I think everyone can agree on the fact that the pictures are breathtaking and captured our love for each other. It was a very emotional day and we were so glad we incorporate music into our day. We had our “let’s get married” playlist going all day with our favorite bands and songs! If anyone is on the fence about doing an elopement, we would say just do it! We had no stress with time, family, or friends..it was just us three! I never imagined doing this but we are so happy that we made the decision to do it for OURSELVES. At the end of the day it is about US. We spent a lot of time in Denver going to the best restaurants and going to Red Rocks. John’s family was a little upset about the elopement at first but when they saw the previews of our big day, they realized how beautiful it was and how great the pictures were..his family still talks about the pictures and how great they are! We had a little bit of everything on our day. It got hot at one point, rained a little, got cold and windy, had a beautiful sunset and a full moon that day! The best part was when we had our ceremony and read our vows to each other, it was very emotional for both of us but the whole time we didn’t even notice Tori and she truly captured our love and emotions! We can’t wait to venture to Washington in the future and we will he contacting Tori when we go! We hope to see you in the future, and again thank you soooo much Adventure Instead and Tori, you guys made it perfect and stress free! <3

this review) and reach out to Maddie, Amber or Tori. I am telling you choosing Adventure Instead was hands down the best decision we have ever made. My husband and I knew we wanted our wedding day to be about US. Spending quality time together, making memories without any stress and staying authentic. We also wanted wedding photos that looked like art. What Tori gave us was beyond our wildest dreams. From the very second we reached out, she helped us feel good about the cost and start brainstorming badass locations based on our lifestyle and the things we like. I cannot stress enough that you get what you pay for. 100% and much much more. Tori says in contact with you the entire time, she’s up for anything and it seems like is continually doing research to make sure you don’t have to worry about a THING. She even was so kind to stop on her way from another wedding a couple months before ours and scout out our location, find a perfect first look spot and send us videos of the whole thing!! She’s so flexible with you and your family and just seriously the sweetest lil badass you’ve ever met. The day of we were nervous because we aren’t super lovey dovey in public. Not only does she give you lots of time to soak it all in, but she takes the time to encourage you both to hold hands, reflect and be in the moment. I was nervous about posing and EVERY day thing suggests or captures turned out unbelievable!! Oh, another thing we were on the fence about is wanting to be alone with nature to say our vows BUT also wanted not to be close to a town to spend the weekend. She helped us find both! A beautiful secluded canyon top and then jumped in her car and followed our limo from the trailhead to an orchard! My family adored her and you become to comfortable you forget she’s running, climbing and jumping around capturing the best lighting and the best moments. I really feel like the whole process of choosing Adventure Instead brought my husband and I closer together. From start to finish it’s truly such a memorable, personal and special experience. My family and friends who experienced it all want to or wish they would have eloped. Our wedding day truly wouldn’t have been the same if it weren’t for Tori and Adventure Instead. Check out Adventure Instead’s Instagram page and look for Sami and Trey to see what I’m describing (he’ll be in the cowboy hat) ELOPE! :)

efulness and enthusiasm that is unparalleled and so necessary when planning a wedding! From reading the Adventure Instead website, blog, and IG posts, I could tell that we shared a common idea of what makes a wedding day special and great. Throughout the planning process, Maddie did so much to get to know us, understand our wants/needs, and take so much care in the planning process. She really thought of everything! She also made great recommendations for hair/makeup artist (didn't think ANYONE would come to our cabin at 1am, but she knew someone!) and helped the day go so smoothly. The day-of, she came to our cabin at 2:15am and brought an AMAZING energy to the day. My husband and I were immediately at ease. Our day could not have gone better, the hike was a BLAST, Maddie was so sweet to our dog and found such a great way to incorporate him, we got to our spot right as the sun was starting to come up and the photos were INCREDIBLE. She reminded us to be present, take in the moment, and gave us so many intimate moments to say our vows and do our ring exchange. It really was the perfect day and all of our family and friends are raving about the photos. Would love to work with Maddie again and again and again!