When Kristen and Dave reached out to me wanting to elope in Vermont before their larger celebration this year, I knew they were looking for something intimate and relaxed but that they also wanted a really cool final gallery of images. Like many couples, after chatting with me about coverage options, they decided to book a 2 hour time slot which allows them a little time to get ready, an opportunity for a quick first look, an epic sunset ceremony, and a quick little champagne cheers and cake cutting. They didn’t want to just say their I Dos and call it a day, they wanted to document the story of their time together that afternoon, and an Airbnb near Stowe, Vermont was the perfect way to incorporate all of the elements of their elopement. In this post, we’ll review five reasons why choosing to elope in Vermont at an Airbnb or rental property might be the perfect option.
5 Awesome Reasons to Elope in Vermont at an Airbnb
1. More Time for Storytelling
Using your Airbnb as your getting ready space often increases the opportunity for your photographer/videographer to capture more storytelling moments. What do I mean by storytelling? Storytelling is the art of intentionally photographing details and candid moments that are unique to the couple and authentically represent the mood of their day. Often this looks something like: a few details of you and your partner getting ready (together or separately), your pup eating a treat out of your mouth (see below), or you putting on your final touches before a mini first look. Elopements are amazing in that they allow space for you two to choose elements of your day that are meaningful to you, and to pursue them with intention during our time together. No first look? Cool. Not interested in getting ready photos? That’s cool too. Instead, let’s spend more of our time together taking epic portraits. Not sure what to do or how long things will take? No worries, I’m here to guide you through the decision making process and help you figure out the what, where, when and how of our time together.
2. More Intimate and More Comfortable
More often than not, couples who choose to elope in Vermont (well, elope anywhere) tend to be looking for a quieter, more intimate experience. These couples tend to feel more comfortable in front of smaller crowds, which makes reading your vows in front of only your spouse and photographer/videographer versus 150 people more appealing to them.
By choosing an Airbnb with a getting ready space and a beautiful outdoor setting, you’re able to still have a “getting married” feel without the outside pressures of a traditional wedding day. Plus when it comes to weather, it’s always nice to have a warm and dry indoor space if breaks are needed. The couple I mentioned above, Kristen and Dave, eloped on a day where the “real feel” was 5 degrees Farenheit. Without an Airbnb to use for warm-up breaks, a two hour storytelling elopement session would not have been possible.
3. More Unique Location Options
When it comes to a traditional, 8 hour wedding day, photographers tend to only be alone with the couple for portraits for pockets of 10-15 minutes at a time. And often those (plus family photos) are the ones being framed or hung on your walls at home. With an elopement, you end up with way more two-on-one quality time with your photographer which leads to even more options for epic photos. Paired with an Airbnb property like the Treehouse at Walker Pond, your elopement can be as unique as you want it to be! Plus, using a smaller rental property also helps you avoid ceremony or site fees that some larger resorts may charge when they learn that you’ll be using their property to get married. Additionally, some places charge a fee to bring a photographer on site. As long as you’re obtainig permission from your rental host first, there are often no additional fees to invite your photographer over for a few hours.
Pro Tip: Book a rental property that’s near another cool location, like a lake, waterfall, mountainview, etc. Often couples will spend the first 1-2 hours at their Airbnb and then we’ll travel to another cool location for portraits so that their final gallery has even more variety.
4. Less Stress
Let’s face it, planning, coordinating, and paying for a full day wedding can seem really overwhelming. Is it worth it? Absolutely, but for some couples it becomes too stressful and doesn’t represent their relationship authentically. Couples who choose to elope often hire hair and makeup, a photographer, a videographer and florals but often for only one or two people, which means they save big when it comes to budget.
5. More Quality Time
On a more traditional wedding day, there are very few moments where you’ll be spending time with your spouse, and even fewer moments where you’re spending time with them alone (maybe during your first look?). Choosing to elope means you’ll get to spend your entire elopement time with your person. Maybe you’ll have a photographer, videographer, or officiant, but often they are quiet observers.
Bonus: If you opt to stay in Vermont longer than a day or two, you can start your marriage off with a cozy Vermont mini honeymoon! With a million amazing breweries, places to eat, summits to hike, trails to bike, slopes to ski or board, etc., Vermont is a great place to start off on your newest adventure together.
For more information on getting married on Vermont, click here. For more information on elopement photography in Vermont, check out my blog here, read pricing info here, or come on over and say hello on Instagram!
If you’re interested in learning more about the booking process, fill out my contact form here and I’ll be in touch!
