New Client – Elopements :

Frequently Asked Questions

 

We’re excited to be working with you for your elopement or micro-wedding!

Here are answers to common questions couples ask us as they start to plan their day.

 

 

What are the rules for obtaining a marriage license in TN? 

You can apply up to 30 days ahead of time through Hamilton County Clerk. Georgia will only allow their marriage license to be used in Georgia, so you would need to obtain a TN license for your ceremony in Tennessee. The Hamilton County Clerk office is located at 625 Georgia Avenue, in downtown Chattanooga and is open Monday-Friday, 8:00-4:30pm – both people must go in person with their government issued ID to sign and pickup the license. The cost for a marriage license is $103.00 – be sure to bring your marriage license paperwork with you to the ceremony, and our officiant will sign and submit it.

 

Do you have any Vendor Recommendations?
 
 
 
 

What is the backup plan for inclement weather?

We watch the weather starting about 5 days before your ceremony. If rainy weather is in the forecast, we start a conversation about an alternative plan. Then about 24-48 hour we make the call to push your timeframe to before/after the weather passes, move to the following day (pending there are no other weddings booked), or clients sometimes book a backup, indoor location such as the Read House or Common House. 

 

How many guests can we invite?

 Approximately 20 guests, but depending on the site, it can be flexible.  

What kind of shoes should I wear?

 For Snooper’s Rock and Cloudland Canyon, we recommend bringing a comfortable pair of hiking shoes or sandals in addition to your wedding shoes. Sometimes it can be muddy at these locations or difficult to traverse in high heels.

 

Can we bring confetti/items to throw at the end of the ceremony?

If your ceremony is at an outdoor location such as a park or overlook, we do no recommend it. We abide by the “leave no trace” mantra, and with these spots being public spaces, we need to leave them as we found them. 

 

Should we have music? 

Yes! We recommend having background music, especially as the bride walks in. This can be as simple as a smart phone + Wifi speaker a guest controls, or live music such as a guitar or violin. 

 

Can we bring props/items? 

Yes! Lots of clients bring a bottle of champagne to open/toast, a wedding cake, a rug to stand on for the ceremony, a blanket if it’s cold, and items like that.  We recommend bringing any extra special items you’d like to have captured, such as a photo of a relative, invitations, perfume, etc. for details shots.

 

How long will it take to receive our images?

Our turn around time for the two-hour elopements/micro-weddings is about 4 weeks. We aim to get about 15 preview images to clients within a week of the ceremony.

 

 
 
What colors should we wear?
If you’re having an outdoor wedding during a very green season (spring/summer), we suggest not having people wear lots of green.  Other than that, wear what you love! Casual, formal, a mix – everything works great and you’ll have beautiful pictures, whatever you choose.
 
 
 
 
We have poses and special items we’d like to have captured. Can we send you a list?
Yes! Here is our Photography Questionnaire we send to clients about a month before their ceremony.  We also have a separate Video Editing Questionnaire for those clients that have booked video.
 
 
 
 
Our Late Arrival Policy:
Because we’ve had our clients show up late to their weddings, we are having to implement a late arrival fee. If we start 30 minutes later than the planned arrival time, there is a $50 fee. Then you would decide if you wanted to add additional time or just end the session at the designated time. For example, if you are 30 minutes late, there is a $50 fee to pay our officiant to cover his time, and you would have 1 hour and 30 minutes left on your time with Joseph taking photos. However, if you would like the full two hours of photos, an additional fee will be required to compensate Joseph’s time. That additional fee is determined by how late you are.