Coming from a tried and true island girlie and coastal grandma (before the coastal grandma aesthetic was all the rage, thanks very much), believe me when I say that Caroline and Luke’s destination elopement was everything, and then some. 

Their destination elopement in Florida had my little heart fit to burst with all of its sunset glows and sandy footprints. It was so iconic that they might as well have shouted ‘If you’re a bird, I’m a bird’ from the top of the sand dunes… (If you know, you know, and if you don’t… Well, let’s remedy that. You can thank me later.)

Here’s how Luke and Caroline had a destination elopement worthy of the big screen, and how you can, too: 

Embrace the Elements of Your Destination Elopement

As your cinematic destination elopement photographer, my goal is to document your love story exactly as it happens… and that even includes the moments that might seem not-quite-as-perfect as you had originally envisioned. Maybe the day is slightly overcast and gray even though you were hoping for the ideal golden hour. Or maybe it started raining and your hair went from curly to, well… not so curly. No matter how much you prepare, there are always elements of a wedding day (or any day, for that matter!) that you simply cannot control. 

And before you panic: What if I told you that it might just be for the better to leave things (at least a little bit) up to chance? 

(Read: Five Wedding Myths Debunked for more on that!)

Grains of sand might weave their way into the train of your dress (okay, they most definitely will). The day might be breezy as all heck, and you might have a few extra freckles strewn across your nose from the sheer strength of the sun… But those are the kinds of things we LOVE around here because they are entirely *of the moment*. 

I mean, that effortless, wind-blown, couldn’t-replicate-it-twice-if-you-tried look?! Straight off the cover of a freshly printed Vogue magazine, if you ask me!

Because here’s the thing: The photos that embrace the elements and capture your love in all of its messiness are going to be your favorite because they feel that much more authentic to who you are as a couple. 

Those perfectly imperfect moments that make up one of the happiest days of your life are where the real magic is. 

There will be magic in the way the wind whips something fierce, in the way your calves will burn from frolicking across the beach (your favorite workout class could NEVER), in the way your dress will get a little bit dirty from playing around on a sand dune, and in the way you won’t really care all that much… After all, you will be hand in hand with the love of your life, and that is all that will really matter.

Allow Unfiltered Authenticity to Call the Shots… LITERALLY!

Since we’re all about keeping it real around here, you won’t ever find me bending over backwards to manufacture a moment. But you will find me peeking through my lens, catching those raw, romantic moments where it’s so totally obvious that your love is one that lasts. 

(You can read more about my approach here.)

While your grandkids are clutching those dog-eared photographs and inevitably marveling at just how jaw-droppingly STUNNING Grandma and Grandpa were back in their day, they’ll also be able to learn a thing or two about what a real life love looks like. (Hint, hint… it looks a LOT like Caroline and Luke’s). 

No, but seriously: You cannot help but feel just how head-over-barefeet-in-love they are. 

It’s a love so utterly organic that they didn’t even have to practice to produce a dip-kiss worthy of winning the 2005 MTV Movie Awards… And that’s pretty hard to do considering Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams changed the course of history that day. (By the way, it either altered your brain chemistry or it didn’t. And I bet you totally can’t guess which category I fall into). 

It literally swept Luke and Caroline off of their own two feet and when it was time for their first dance, they couldn’t even keep their hands off each other long enough to set down the bridal bouquet. 

(Honestly though– I would never put those gorg florals from Mint Floral Studio down either. The blue hydrangeas? Are we kidding?! Every coastal girlie’s DREAM). 

Pick A Destination That Makes You Feel Your Most Cinematic

Finally, whether you’re eloping on a beach in Florida or a mountain in Montana, it’s important to pick a destination that makes you feel your most cinematic. The setting where you get married (like married–married, eek!) should help you feel like the main characters of your love story because you are the main characters in your love story. 

For Caroline and Luke, it only made sense to say ‘I do’ on the Florida beach. They were vowing to a lifetime of chasing sunsets together, and their gallery shows exactly that. From sneaking under the pier during blue hour to silhouettes against the sinking sun, it’s a place where they will want to sit back, relax, and stay awhile– comfortable and oh-so-elated in each other’s company.

Caroline and Luke’s destination elopement shoot embodies all of my favorite things: capturing you at your most authentic, rolling with the punches (or rather, a big ocean air breeze) and a whoooole lot of Florida sunshine. 

They didn’t need anything but each other, and they’re all the more radiant for it.