HOW TO PLAN THE BEST FLORIDA ELOPEMENT FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM
SAY “I DO” IN FLORIDA WHILE ON HOLIDAY
ORLANDO FL ELOPEMENT WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER + VIDEOGRAPHER
HOW TO PLAN THE BEST U.K. TO FLORIDA ELOPEMENT
Elopements in Florida are becoming increasingly popular among couples from the United Kingdom looking for a holiday and destination wedding in one.
But planning an elopement in Central Florida can be tricky, especially for those traveling to elope from overseas.
If you’re dreaming of a Florida wedding while on holiday in America, keep reading for my best tips for planning your perfect elopement right here in the Orlando area.
01
SMALLER IS BETTER
The best part of planning a destination elopement is that your wedding really can be anything you want it to be. In a traditional wedding, family pressure often dictates many of the decisions engaged couples make about their wedding and soon it starts to feel like it’s not even their own wedding any longer.
2024 IS YOUR YEAR TO HAVE THE ELOPEMENT WEDDING OF YOUR DREAMS.
Make your elopement wedding all about you: your unique personalities, your love story, and the most important people in your life. Sometimes, the most intimate moments are found in the most intimate of weddings.
02
PICK YOUR PERFECT ELOPEMENT LOCATION
Eloping in Florida can be so much more than getting married on the beach. While couples traveling from the cloudy skies of the U.K. may dream of sand and sunsets on the water, there truly is so much breathtaking beauty in the state of Florida. This is your chance to get creative: consider planning your elopement amid the lush foliage of a tropical garden or against the backdrop of a Spanish-style estate. There really is a perfect elopement ceremony location for everyone here.
03
CONSIDER THE CLIMATE
If you’re planning a Florida elopement during summer holiday, be prepared for temperatures in the low 30ºs C and daily thunderstorms. If you’re not used to such hot weather, the heat index can pose a comfort and safety risk. It might be wise to find an indoor wedding venue or choose to elope very early in the morning (a sunrise elopement would be so romantic!).
On the other hand, if you can take an extended winter holiday, November through May are much milder months and the ideal time of year for an outdoor elopement wedding ceremony (though have a backup plan just in case of poor weather).
04
MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR ELOPEMENT BUDGET
With the current rate of currency exchange between the U.K. and the U.S., be prepared for wedding costs to be a bit higher than what you might expect back home.
However, if you’re combining your American holiday with your elopement and honeymoon, you’ll likely end up saving money in the end. Spend some of the money you’re saving by bringing in the wedding vendors of your dreams, such as unique floral arrangements or incredible catering.
This is your chance to get ahead of the exchange rate and end up making the system work for you instead of finding yourself overspending due to currency differences.
05
PLAN YOUR ELOPEMENT AROUND YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY
Elopements are a much simpler way to get married, which means less stress on your wedding day. This lack of stress really comes through in your elopement photos. During an elopement, you have all the time you need for photos and you’re in control of the time of day we take them in, meaning you get to choose the ideal lighting conditions so you look your best.
Schedule your elopement ceremony for when it’s the best lighting to take photos. 2 hours before sunset allows for optimal golden hour lighting (which is extremely stunning down here in Florida).
If you need some extra guidance, grab our perfect 4-hour elopement wedding day timeline!
CENTRAL FLORIDA ORLANDO ELOPEMENT WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER & VIDEOGRAPHER
Hi, I’m Michael, an Orlando-based elopement and micro wedding photographer.
I believe elopements are a meaningful and personal way to celebrate your love, but many wedding photographers overlook the unique needs of couples traveling from overseas to elope in Florida. It’s hard enough to plan a holiday in another country, but planning to get married abroad is a whole other story.
As your elopement photographer, I’m here to preserve the memories of your holiday elopement forever and make sure your wedding day is blissfully stress-free.
Fun fact: I also work remotely for a Manchester, U.K.-based team (so I’m used to the time difference) and am a huge Liverpool F.C. fan!
HOW TO FIND AN ELOPEMENT PHOTOGRAPHER NEAR ORLANDO FL
WHY HIRE AN ELOPEMENT & INTIMATE WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER?
Looking for a wedding photographer for your Florida elopement? You might think that every wedding photographer is alike, but not quite. Here’s a few reasons why hiring a wedding photographer who specializes in elopements and intimate weddings can bring the most impact to your wedding day:
01
WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY PACKAGES CURATED JUST FOR SMALL WEDDINGS
Elopement photographers (like me!) offer smaller wedding photography and videography packages, which can end up saving you quite a lot. A 2–4 hour package covers getting ready, your elopement ceremony, and photos of the two of you. Many traditional wedding photographers offer coverage starting at 6 hours, meaning you’re paying for extra hours you may not even need.
02
RELAXED, CANDID DOCUMENTARY-STYLE APPROACH
Elopement wedding photographers often have a more relaxed approach to weddings, focusing on capturing the intimate moments in a candid, documentary photography style. We’re not focused on capturing dramatic and grandiose editorial-inspired photos but rather, about preserving the feeling of intimacy that led you to choose an elopement in the first place.
03
HELP PLAN THE DETAILS & LOGISTICS OF YOUR ELOPEMENT WEDDING
As an elopement and intimate wedding photographer, I go the extra mile to help my couples plan the details of their special day. Especially if you’re traveling from the U.K. for a holiday elopement, I’ll be your local contact for making sure every bit of your elopement goes smoothly, from your day-of timeline to providing Florida wedding vendor recommendations.
CLIENT WORDS
“Our experience with Author Made was fantastic.
I started as a lost and stressed bride, and after speaking with Michael everything fell into place. The event photographs came out stunning, we could not have asked for a better photographer for our special day!”
– NIKHOL + ALEX
CLIENT WORDS
“We really enjoyed working with Michael for our wedding!
The pictures were beautifully edited and he took extra time with us to take us to all the great locations around Lake Louisa. Our wedding video was well done and we're glad to have memories [in] both photo and video."
–LILY + CASEY
CLIENT WORDS
“Michael went above and beyond as our wedding photographer.
He got so many great pictures of us as a couple and of the guests in order to capture the day. He’s very easy to talk to and tries to make your day special the day of and leading up to the event. Every one was impressed with how efficient he was taking pictures and they all turned out wonderful.”
–SOFIE + DONNIE
CLIENT WORDS
“First of all, Michael is an artist. The finished pictures were stunning, and blew me and my husband away. Truly exceeded our expectations!
Additionally, Michael is very organized and detail-oriented. He thought of everything, and worked with me to create a schedule for the photos and worked seamlessly with my day-of-coordinator. He worked so hard to provide us with everything we wanted; truly went above and beyond. On top of all that, he was super fun to work with! He kept me and my bridal party laughing and having a great time. It felt like hanging out with a good friend and taking pictures; never awkward or stiff. Do yourself a favor and hire Michael!
–LUCY + ALEX
ELOPEMENT WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY PRICING & PACKAGES
2 HOUR COVERAGE
PHOTOGRAPHY: $1000
ADD ON VIDEOGRAPHY: +$600
2 hours of either photography only or photography + videography (additional cost for videography listed above)
Online gallery of 80+ images
With videography option: at least 1-minute length highlight film
4-6 week turnaround on final photos
With videography option: 6-8 week turnaround on final video
Guidance on day-of schedule to ensure all the details of your day are fully captured
4 HOUR COVERAGE
PHOTOGRAPHY: $1600
ADD ON VIDEOGRAPHY: +$600
4 hours of either photography only or photography + videography (additional cost for videography listed above)
Online gallery of 160+ images
With videography option: at least 1-minute length highlight film
6-8 week turnaround on final photos
With videography option: 6-8 week turnaround on final video
Guidance on day-of schedule to ensure all the details of your day are fully captured
6 HOUR COVERAGE
PHOTOGRAPHY: $2200
ADD ON VIDEOGRAPHY: +$600
6 hours of either photography only or photography + videography (additional cost for videography listed above)
Online gallery of 240+ images
With videography option: at least 4-minute length highlight film plus ceremony film
6-8 week turnaround on final photos
With videography option: 6-8 week turnaround on final video
Guidance on day-of schedule to ensure all the details of your day are fully captured
8 HOUR COVERAGE
PHOTOGRAPHY: $2800
ADD ON VIDEOGRAPHY: +$600
8 hours of either photography only or photography + videography (additional cost for videography listed above)
Online gallery of 320+ images
With videography option: at least 5-minute length highlight film plus ceremony film
6-8 week turnaround on final photos
With videography option: 6-8 week turnaround on final video
Guidance on day-of schedule to ensure all the details of your day are fully captured
Pricing shown above is only applicable to micro-weddings (max count of 100 guests, bridal party included) within 100-mi radius of 34787 zip code.
LOOKING FOR ADDITIONAL COVERAGE?
We also serve weddings needing more than 8 hours of coverage. Just send us an inquiry and we’ll discuss the right option for you!
PRICING STARTS AT $3,000
If you are planning your wedding outside the Central Florida area and/or have a larger guest count, we’d love to create a custom package to meet your needs! Just share your wedding location and approximate guest count in your inquiry to start the conversation.
