Elopement Photography at Awbury Arboretum | Oki + Adam

Oki and Adam eloped privately by signing a self-uniting marriage license with their two friends as witnesses. We met up at Awbury Arboretum in Philadelphia to capture portraits of them in their wedding attire. It was a very windy November day, where we explored new areas of the arboretum together and ventured to a pond and bamboo grove.

Elopement and microwedding photography is becoming understandably more popular, along with shoots like this, where I took socially-distanced portraits at a location that was special to the newly married Oki and Adam.

In one of their initial emails, Oki shared that they were a bit camera shy and have almost no pictures together. I really enjoy working with people who describe themselves as shy — taking the time to get to know each other creatively during the shoot, so we can bounce ideas back and forth. I strive for my sessions to be interactive, feeding off of the energy and personalities of the people I’m shooting alongside. I felt a rush of energy as we were wrapping up our session, which is when some of my favorite shots took place.

Thanks to folks like Oki and Adam who go against the grain and challenge the idea of what “wedding photography” can look like. Wedding photos can be whatever you want. Whether you exchange vows, or want to celebrate your love by soaking up nature together on an otherwise still and quiet Monday afternoon. Pandemic or not, these are the kinds of portrait sessions that make my week.