As someone who is a photography aficionado myself, I set the bar really high when it came to finding a photographer for my own elopement. Someone who can get the perfect lighting, 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.