Chelsea & Michael = Chic Downtown Elopement!

Chic Downtown Elopement |  Chelsea & Michael  |  May 12, 2023

I am SO EXCITED to share this extra special blog with ya’ll today! Chelsea reached out back in January, and we started planning a SECRET Elopement! She already had a whole mood board of ideas right from the start, and I was so inspired by her vision! 🙂

Chelsea started choosing each piece to make her vision come to life: Jimmy Choos, a “vintage” corvette convertible, beautiful coup glasses, and even when the prettiest dress ever shipped in the wrong size (and her size was out of stock) Chelsea was so committed to the look, that she lost 2” to fit into the dress! (And she teased that she was having a BURGER and a COKE the second we were done photographing, haha!) It all came together BEAUTIFULLY in such a unique & epic way!!!!

In preparation, Phillip and I scouted downtown multiple days, looking at locations & lighting – sending ideas to Chelsea, and making plans for cool spots to shoot.

It all came together with having a beautiful day for their Elopement. Chelsea, her mom Josie & mother-in-law Karen had a fun morning with getting glammed by Abby at Mitchell’s Hair Salon, picking up her bouquet full of peonies & extra rose petals, and enjoying time together.

We got to the ceremony location early, and picked up lots of trash around the site (the joys of photographing downtown, haha) and then got ready for the ceremony! As Chelsea & her dad came up the beautiful staircase, Michael was smiling so big and taking it all in! The ceremony was sweet & full of hugs from their family afterwards! Michael was tearing up after the ceremony and it was soooo precious!

Their parents were all so kind (and their dads are HILARIOUS, literally two peas in a pod) and we loved photographing their Family Portraits for them. Chelsea’s dad was so kind, he went to the store and bought everyone water bottles since it was such a hot day!!! Their parents went place to place with us for the next 2+ hours as we photographed, and they just enjoyed the evening & watched!

Right off the bat, Chelsea and Michael BOTH were naturals in front of our cameras! I told them immediately that I felt like I was photographing a STYED SHOOT and not a real Elopement!!! They made our jobs soooo easy and fun. Chelsea is WILDLY photogenic and I barely had to pose her. We had the BEST EVENING with these two, just being creative and bouncing ideas off each other!!! Michael wins HUSBAND OF THE YEAR AWARD for taking photos for hours… and being the best sport doing it!!!!

I’m soooo beyond thrilled with how everything turned out. It was an absolute DREAM to photograph Chelsea & Michael, and be a part of their special day.

Now that their secret it out – THEY’RE MARRIED!!!! – we can share some of my favorite photos with YOU! Enjoy!!!!