When I started advertising elopement photography in 2017, I was a burned-out wedding photographer who saw them as a way to slow down from the hectic pace of big weddings. 

I also saw an opportunity to attract more diverse couples interested in wedding photography services without wanting to host an actual wedding.

Airbnb Wedding Venues

Little did I know that a pandemic would hit years later, and elopements would save my business from doom and keep me operating while all the wedding venues were closed down.

I was inundated with elopements, and I'm still in awe of all the couples I served during these three years. Also, there are so many gorgeous places I wouldn't have known if I was still constrained to big event venues.

Many couples sought smaller, cost-effective, more flexible alternatives, which is how I visited many Airbnbs for microweddings and elopement ceremonies in gorgeous locations.

Any Airbnb is a Wedding Venue if you have a Backyard Like this

One of those idyllic locations was the coast of Arecibo, where I met Aisha and Luis. This coast has a rough tide, the kind of beach you avoid as a swimmer. However, for an elopement photographer, it's truly a gem.

Aisha and Luis invited their closest friends and family members to witness their union at a simple beach ceremony driving later to a local restaurant, Salitre Mesón Costero, for a no-frills micro-wedding celebration.

They stayed at Orange Wave Airbnb, a beachfront Airbnb with an excellent design and a backyard pool deck that opens up to miles of golden, sandy beach and foamy waves.

Summer weather is always unpredictable in the tropics, so with a rainy day situation, we used our weather tools to determine the perfect moment to start the ceremony. This kind of flexibility is hard to have at a formal wedding, but we can adapt easily for elopements.

We were lucky that the time window allowed for family portraits after the rituals. Then, guests brushed the sand off their feet and drove to the restaurant. 

Aisha, Luis, and I waited a while: ten minutes later, the rain stopped for just enough time. We walked to the beach for lovely, simple, gorgeous newlywed portraits.

I hope you enjoy this mini-set!

xo,

Cami