There’s nothing quite like the romance and fun of a perfect elopement, but the special moments can pass by in the blink of an eye. This is just one of the reasons why professional photography is one of the critical elements to any elopement.

Think of what goes into an elopement: it’s like taking the best parts of a wedding ceremony and a honeymoon and combining them, and pulling it all off in only a few days. It can truly feel like a whirlwind for the couple and anyone else joining in the experience.

Photos of the event help ensure that the memories and special moments of an elopement last forever.

Here are just a few of the reasons why photography is the true elopement secret ingredient you simply have to have.

A lot can happen during the course of an elopement. Besides the ceremony itself, which you are going to want to look back on and cherish for a lifetime, there will be dozens of tiny spur-of-the-moment events that you would regret not being able to recall after everything is all said and done.

Many couples even stage pre-ceremony photoshoots, which are becoming a popular trend. Being able to spend some much needed alone time with your significant other, while posing for romantic pictures in the location of your dreams: what could possibly be better?

If you have a professional photography service with you on your elopement, they will be able to be there when you need them most, to capture each and every moment of your special day. They are trained to make sure they preserve what matters most to you, as if they were bringing form to your memories. But even better, they might be able to capture something you would have forgotten about altogether in all the excitement.

Whether you are holding a tiny ceremony or having a full scale destination wedding with a bunch of your family and friends, you’re going to want to make sure that these important moments are preserved.

One of the key parts of an elopement is typically the smaller size. You’re not going to be inviting extended family and friends you haven’t seen in ten years, although you may still want to inform them of what’s going on and include them in spirit.

This is where good photography comes in.

You obviously can’t invite everyone on an elopement, and that would kind of defeat the purpose anyway. Most couples choose an elopement over traditional marriage because they want to have a ceremony better suited for themselves rather than what’s expected of them by family and tradition.

Not having to cater to 100 different people when all you want to do is focus on your union together is part of what makes elopement so special.

When it’s all over though, you’re going to have family and friends that want to hear (and see) what happened. Photography provides this medium, so you can share the experience on social media and any other way you want without them actually being there.

Stress, nerves, butterflies, this is all common even with the simplicity and freedom of an elopement ceremony compared to a wedding.

A great photographer can help put you at ease and bring out your playful side.

In our experience, one of the most difficult parts of marriage for couples the day of, is just unwinding and not letting the gravity of things get to them.

Pre-ceremony photography for example is a great way to help release stress and have fun. Photo shoots in general on an elopement allow for freedom and fun without all the hassle and show of a wedding ceremony.

During an elopement, the world is on your plate. Shoot some romantic pictures in a park, or on the balcony of your hotel (which New Orleans specializes in by the way!), or in front of an historic monument as if you were on vacation!

Great elopement photographers know all the sights and know just how to tease out a playful mood from even the most nervous couples, allowing them to unwind and enjoy the experience.

It’s one of the best parts of the job when you help couples be themselves and enjoy the experience, and see them open up and just live in the moment. Capturing these intimate moments is why so many couples insist on having a great photographer at the heart of their elopement experience.

You can see why photography is the "secret ingredient" to a memorable elopement. It's truly the best way to take your ceremony to the next level!

Click HERE to learn the 5 secrets to a successful (and stress-free) elopement and BONUS checklist!

The bouquet is certainly one of the most iconic parts of any wedding or elopement ceremony. It’s a tradition spanning hundreds of years and can make for some perfect and elegant photographic moments as well.
 
When it comes to New Orleans elopements, seasonal flowers are typically what work best and that’s why Elope to Nola specializes in them. It’s important to know beforehand exactly what kind of bouquet you can expect in order to help you plan for the perfect elopement.

While the selection may be less broad, this will work in your favor to not have any additional stresses of flower details. With ElopeToNola bouquets, you simply need to select a color theme!  
 
The reason we have simplified the flower selection is that some flowers just don’t work because they have to shipped from far away, which is expensive and also tends to damage the flowers in the process. Other flowers wilt fast shortly after they are cut, like the magnolia, and are not ideal for most elopement bouquets. Some simply don’t do well outside in Louisiana’s humid climate, like the lily.
 
Some couples may want certain flowers from a faraway state or even exotic ones like the Hawaiian plumeria, which are quite popular in wedding ceremonies in certain parts of the country. However, it would be extremely expensive and impractical to import such flowers to Louisiana.
 
Remember that elopements rarely take place in the controlled confines of a church, where flowers can be preserved and tend to remain in air conditioned surroundings. Most New Orleans elopements take place in parks, outdoor courtyards or beautiful streets of the city itself; often in less than ideal conditions for certain flowers.
 
Many of the classic pictures of bouquets you can find on Instagram and Pinterest were designed with either church halls or a lot of money in mind. That’s not practical for an elopement, which should be focused more on romance, affordability, and spontaneity.
 
Here’s some of the best seasonal flowers you can expect from one of our elopement package bouquets that ensure top quality:

You can always ask our florist if a specific flower you want may be available on hand, and she will do her best to make it happen if there is a supplier that can get them (premium flower upgrade fees may apply). Keep in mind if you asked florist for pink roses and that week of your wedding only ivory roses were available, she will incorporate pink color to your bouquet in some other way either by adding another pink flower or using pink ribbon tied around the stems. Because we focus on seasonal, fresh flowers, sometimes substitution is necessary!
 
You can be sure that whatever our florist comes up with, it will be absolutely stunning, and perfectly fit the theme of your elopement.

If you have any questions about what kind of bouquet you can expect, or help planning and putting everything together, get in touch with us. Sometimes it takes that expert touch to make everything fit, and creating gorgeous bouquets for our couples is one of our specialties!

Click HERE to learn the 5 secrets to a successful (and stress-free) elopement and BONUS checklist!