UNEXPECTEDLY BECOMING AN ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHER

Like many little girls, I was absolutely obsessed with make believe play. Libraries, banks, teachers, detectives, Hannah Montana... I tried them all.

The detective and Hannah Montana phases were particularly useful because they gave me an excuse to carry my mum's old Pentax camera everywhere. I'd drag my friends outside for photoshoots on the tyre swing or in the local park, convinced we were creating something spectacular (iconic pics and editing below!) Looking back, photography became a hobby long before I realised it.

I rediscovered that love during university. Somewhere between lectures, assignments and eventually a master's degree, I realised I didn't actually have any hobbies. Uni and work had taken up so much space that I'd forgotten how to enjoy anything creative.

Thankfully, two of my close friends had been photographing for a few years and would occasionally need a model. I caught the bug almost immediately. I bought a Canon 1500D (which I don't think they even stock anymore!) and started tagging along on their creative adventures.

Looking back at those early photos honestly makes me laugh. Trends come and go, and at the time I thought uploading photos of myself frolicking through fields on VSCO was the height of artistic achievement. I also had absolutely no idea how to use a camera properly but I kept practicing and was very enthusiastic. A lot of my photos were blurry, oversaturated, or both. It's a little embarrassing, but I've included one below for a laugh. 😅

That said, there are still a handful of images from that season that I genuinely love. They remind me that every photographer starts somewhere.

One thing I remember most from those early years wasn't the camera or the editing. It was the self doubt and doubt about business in general. I genuinely believed photography was something people did if they wanted to be broke for the rest of their lives. No one in my family had owned a business, and I'd never considered myself a particularly creative person.

My future was supposed to be professional. Photography was just a hobby.

Throughout university, I kept practising, and somewhere along the way I discovered a little spark for photographing families. Friends of friends started paying me small amounts to capture theirs, and for the first time photography felt like more than just a creative outlet.

Around this time, the Lord kept placing the phrase "love is sacred" on my heart. It became the foundation for why I picked up a camera in the first place.

The love I have personally known through Jesus has shaped the way I see all love. It's so much deeper than the dopamine-fuelled version we often see in movies or the excitement of a honeymoon phase. Real love is secure, sacrificial and steadfast. It seeks the good of another person, even when it's costly.

I realised this was the love I was witnessing through my lens every day.

Whether it was parents caring for their children, newlyweds making vows, or couples quietly serving one another, I wanted my photography to reflect the sacred nature of love and the way God designed us for relationship. That became my purpose.

A few years into my career as a speech pathologist, I was photographing families consistently on weekends. While I genuinely enjoyed my work, I found myself craving more creativity, more autonomy, and more flexibility for the future. I knew that if Jack and I were blessed with children one day, I wanted the option to spend more time at home with them.

So I took a leap and reduced my speech pathology hours. Around the same time, I joined a photography coaching program with an incredible mentor, Nate.

Looking back, I probably joined earlier than I should have. My business was still tiny. But it ended up being one of the best decisions I could have made.

I knew how to take a nice photo, but I knew almost nothing about running a business. I learnt about branding, pricing, marketing, client experience, goal setting, finances, and how to build something sustainable. More importantly, it was the first time I truly began to see myself as a business owner.

I started viewing myself as the manager of the business, while God remained the owner, gently leading the way.

Things were growing steadily. I was excited about photographing more weddings and investing more time into the business.

Then life threw a curveball.

I found out I was pregnant with Annie!

While we were absolutely thrilled, the first trimester hit me like a truck. If you've been there, you know exactly what I mean. Physically, emotionally and mentally, it was one of the most challenging seasons I've experienced.

Suddenly, all my carefully laid plans felt uncertain.

Would I return to speech pathology after maternity leave? Could photography realistically contribute to supporting our family? Would I even have time to pursue it with a baby?

I had no idea what was ahead.

Thankfully, with the support of my incredible husband and our wonderful grandparents, I was able to keep photographing after Annie was born. My postpartum experience was overall a really positive one, and slowly the business kept ticking along.

Then came a wedding that really impacted me.

In 2025, I photographed Luke and Claire's city elopement. I absolutely loved getting to know them and resonated so deeply with their story. Their day was beautiful, intimate, and completely centred on what mattered most to them.

I truly fell in love with the idea of elopements and micro weddings. I loved the idea that couples could still have a stylish and heartfelt day without the huge fanfare or potential stress of a big wedding!

Afterwards, I uploaded some behind-the-scenes footage to TikTok and thought, "Why not? It might help couples see what a city elopement can actually look like."

To my complete surprise, the video took off.

That month alone, I received around 40 enquiries for elopements.

I remember sitting there doing the maths and realising that the bookings from that season could genuinely help support our family. It felt like one of those moments where God quietly opens a door you never expected.

For the first time, I could clearly see a path forward. Photography wasn't just a side business anymore. It could become the way I provided for my family while still being present with Annie.

So she napped, and I would get to work.

I rebuilt my website, refined my brand vision, organised styled shoots, created content, improved my systems, wrote resources, and spent countless hours learning how to better serve these types of couples eloping.

More than anything, I became passionate about helping people navigate wedding planning in an honest and approachable way. Weddings can feel overwhelming when you've never planned one before, and if my content could make the process even slightly easier, I wanted to create it.

The enquiries kept coming. And everyone LOVED the content! 

Today, I have the privilege of photographing elopements and micro weddings full time. I spend my days serving incredible couples, documenting deeply meaningful moments, and building a business that aligns with my values.

Most importantly, it allows me to support  and be with my family while doing work that genuinely brings me joy.

I also need to give a special mention to my husband, Jack, who has supported this dream from the very beginning. He has always encouraged me, prayed for me, and helped me see God's heart for both my business and the people I serve. I hands down would have never stepped into this without him. Fun fact: he still sees almost every gallery before it goes out. So if you've received photos from me, they've probably received the official Jack tick of approval.

I'm certainly no expert, and one of the things I love most about business is that there's always more to learn. But when I look back at the little girl carrying her mum's Pentax camera around the backyard, I could never have imagined where that hobby would lead. I'm incredibly grateful that it did, she would be STOKED!

And if you've made it this far, thank you for reading. I think you've earned yourself a coffee. 🤣☕️