THE EXPERIENCE

INFO+PRICING

Elopements | Intimate Weddings

Your day should be the way you want it to be

AND you’ve DECIDED “TRADITIONAL” isn’t for you

Whether you’re eloping, having an intimate wedding or having an adventure session with your love, we’re here to make it a day to remember and help make it the way you want.

If you have ever thought, maybe you don’t want to do what others are doing, an elopement might be your best option!

You want to do things your way

maybe you just want something different

You want to create special memories

for just you two + possibly your closest family/friends (of course it can just be just you 2)

You want an experience

and one that will last a lifetime

LET’S CHAT

all the feels + MOMENTS

Your day is about celebrating your love in the way YOU want.

Capturing you two as the real YOU is 100% our priority. We’ll suggest some pretty amazing spots and work with you to create something epic. Being surrounded by trees, hiking to the top of mountains, and being surrounded by surreal waterfalls is the best!

Your day with us will be made up of real moments. We don’t do the overly posed imagery. We want you to be yourselves + be exactly who you are and have the best time with each other. Maybe you don’t like to be the center of attention. Trust us, we get that. You should feel comfortable being yourselves and make some memories for you both to look back on.

At times, we’ll tell you things to do to create movement or real interactions, but won’t have you just standing there and looking at us all the time. It just isn’t natural and we want to show you and your realness together.

We love to be able to suggest things that can help make your day memorable and exactly the way you want it to be. We believe in full transparency and are completely open about everything. Have a question…please don’t hesitate to ask us.

This area is amazing and we love adventuring through all the state and national parks around us (we are near a lot of them!). We travel a lot and have been all over the US. We know tons of beautiful places we can show you and create an epic experience for you.

We also believe in conservation and try to be as green as possible. We follow the LNT principles (Leave No Trace) and will always make sure we are following those principles.

HOW IT WORKS

Let’s Chat SO WE CAN GET TO KNOW YOU BETTER

Email us, send you some info + set up a time to chat.
This isn’t stuffy. Grab your favorite drink + we’ll talk about fun stuff. We’re here to help in every way we can. We want to make sure we are a great fit for each other to capture your day whether it’s an elopement/intimate wedding or an adventure session.

We want to hear about your thoughts for your day + what is important to you both. This is a great time for us to learn about you two + get to know you a bit to figure out a perfect spot + feel for your day.

BOOK US FOR YOUR DAY

You give us the day and location. For elopements with just the couple, it’s totally ok if you only know the general area. We can help with the exact location when needed and as soon as possible.

We will put together all the necessary paperwork (ew, that’s sounds so serious) and you will be totally booked once the contract is completed and the retainer is paid.

YOUR DAY IS HERE + WE DO THE THINGS YOU WANT

Along the way, we’ll chat to make sure your day is exactly what you want. You can send us ideas + we can make recommendations on what could work best.
We think of the lighting, the location, the time of year, etc. to make sure it will be amazing. This is when we chat more about location ideas, build timelines, talk about needs and wants more in depth, suggest vendors etc.

We can help you find the vendors you need and ones that work best for you. We’re here to help in any way we can + will always have your best interests at heart.

Every moment on your day

Your day has finally arrived! You wake up and are stoked for the day to happen. There’s no stress. You are ready for this. We plan the day to do all the things you want to do and see all the things you want to see, but we also leave some time for other things to happen. You want to go for a longer hike? We’re in! If you want to include your pups, we’re in!

The day is what you want it to be. You are ready to go with the flow for whatever may happen and we adventure to some beautiful spots so you will have photos to last a lifetime.

Intimate wedding couple hugging near the falls at blackwater falls, wv

ELOPEMENTS+INTIMATE WEDDINGS

THE INVESTMENT

We know it’s a big decision to choose the photographer you want on your day.
We want to always make sure we are a great fit…all of our personalities, your wants and needs, etc. We are always able to customize our packages to better suit your day too and offer multi-day packages if that’s what you need.

Included in all of our packages:
Assisting with location ideas/options/permits
Suggesting other vendors if needed
Gear + activity suggestions
Custom Timelines
Custom Coverage with multi-day options available
Unlimited guidance + video/phone consultations
All edited high resolution images with some creative edits (gifs/double exposures)
2 photographers (you get both of us which is perfect if you’re getting ready in separate places but also for different views.)

NO TRAVEL FEES (travel is always included in our pricing)

Local

elopements + Intimate weddings

Who says you have to be out west to have an adventurous elopement or intimate wedding. We love the Appalachian Mountains and love adventuring through all the state + national parks around us.

You can have a day that is what you want with just you two or up to 40 of your closest friends and family. When you invite others, there are so many activities and fun ways to include them in your day and make it a memorable day for everyone.

There are so many amazing places to create some magical moments together.

LOCAL TO US: Blackwater Falls, Canaan Valley, Dolly Sods, Seneca Rocks, Smoke Hole, Spruce Knob, Monongahela Forest + Deep Creek the surrounding areas.

Coverage starts at 4 hours

Starts at: 4900

Get more info

Destination

ELOPEMENTS + INTIMATE WEDDINGS

We travel a lot + we know tons of beautiful places that we can show you to create an epic experience for you.

We have a special place in our hearts for lots of the national parks and other gorgeous places including:

The Great Sand Dunes, Glacier National Park, Grand Canyon, Estes Park, Rocky Mountain National Park, Crested Butte, Zion, Moab, Yosemite, Redwood National Forest, Bryce, Canyonlands, PNW, Alaska, Denali + so many more places.

We have traveled all over + back country camped in some pretty amazing places + know some pretty epic spots. If you are up for adventure, so are we!

Full day coverage for contiguous USA locations. (*other locations are definitely available)
All travel included.

Starts at: 8300

GET MORE INFO

faq

QUESTIONS

We feel like we have a mix of editorial and journalistic styles. We love capturing the in-the-moment photos. We don’t do a ton of posing unless there are group shots and sometimes with the couples alone. We love the in-between moments too so we always keep shooting. It’s a great mix we think!

PLEASE DO! We love when our couples include their sweet pets on their day. As long as the location allows it, we’re 100% in! If the location doesn’t, we can always do photos at the getting ready location too.

There are so many options for your elopement/intimate wedding! We can always help you choose an amazing location if you don’t know where you want to be! We can chat about your interests and things you love to do and help with a few different ideas. We love traveling and can help create a day you will always remember.

During our calls/emails we can chat about your needs and help you figure out what works best. You can always book less time and add more when you know more details and get closer to your day. We also share sample timelines to help you decide and try to make it as easy as possible.

Of course we will if you have guests! We think these are really important to have and understand the importance of them to you.

While we have always loved our larger weddings over the years, we are only focusing on elopements, intimate/micro weddings (with a guest count of up to 40) and adventure sessions now.

Part of the fun of the day is just going with the flow. We have had lots of crazy weather happen on wedding days. Rain/Snow always makes for some pretty images, so don’t worry. It will all be amazing, no matter what!

All collections come with an online gallery to download the images and also options for purchasing prints, albums, canvas, etc.

Of course we can! We typically talk to all of our couples via phone/zoom/facetime. We know how everyone’s schedules are and the majority of our clients are at least 2-3 hours away (and sometimes across the US/World). When you book us, we are available for unlimited chats too. Prior to the elopement/wedding day, we can schedule a time to chat so we can go over the timeline. We are always here if you need us to go over anything. We can help with locations, vendors, timelines, etc. We are here for you!

Most of the time, our couples book us anywhere from 2-12 months ahead of time. Of course we get some shorter timeframes and also longer bookings too, but that’s just the common timing for booking us. We typically won’t book more than 1 year in advance.

When you book us and upon signing the contract, you are required to pay the retainer (50% of the total). The rest of the payment is due 30 days prior to the wedding/elopement day. For adventure engagements/portrait sessions, 50% is due upon signature of contract and the rest is due 14 days prior to your scheduled session date.

We are able to take payments via cash, credit card and check. We also have payment plans available.

We work on a first-come, first-served basis. Once we chat and know we are a perfect fit together, we will send you the contract and invoice. Once the contract is signed and the retainer is paid, your date is firmly secured. We cannot hold dates without the retainer and signing the contract.

(We know that elopements and adventure sessions are a bit different, so locations don’t need to be nailed down (just a general area is needed to book). We can chat about the perfect location/date and will help you along the way.)

FEATURED IN

“If you are looking for amazing, passionate, fun, talented and simply the BEST photographers, The Grays are it.”

– Haily+Mauricio

LOVE NOTES

MORE TESTIMONIALS

“We will never forget this adventure together & will cherish our photos for years to come.”

There are not enough words to say thank you to Shannon & Jake! The Grays were so easy to work with and on top of that, they are so sweet and kind.

From the first time we contacted them, from our first zoom meeting, to the actual day, they were very communicative, attentive, and provided many awesome vendors and ideas. We wanted a snowy adventure elopement and they helped pick beautiful locations to hike to on our special day. They even visited the locations the day before to help us prepare for the weather conditions.

On our actual day, it snowed non-stop (unexpectedly), and Shannon & Jake were such troopers photographing our day in the freezing cold and ice. We all had such a fun time adventuring together in the snow, even with frozen hands, lips, and beards!

We are a shy couple, but Shannon and Jake managed to make us feel comfortable in front of the camera from the get-go. When we received our photos, we were blown away. Not only did they capture the landscape well, but captured the little moments beautifully. We will never forget this adventure together & will cherish our photos for years to come.

Thank you, thank you!! We highly recommend Shannon & Jake for any occasion!

RAYCHELLE+CHANNING

BLACKWATER FALLS ELOPEMENT

“We loved them to death, and their photography is just as beautiful as their hearts. ”

When we decided that West Virginia would be our elopement destination, I casually searched” West Virginia Elopement” on Google. “The Grays- Adventure Elopement & Intimate Wedding Photographers” was at the top of the list. I clicked the link, scrolled through their portfolio, and have been grateful for that Google search ever since.

Shannon & Jake just so happen to be WV locals, and made our entire elopement experience so special, and I will never find the words to describe the moments that they captured in our engagement session and on our wedding day. Aside from being a straight boss with a camera in her hand, Shannon is so kind and thoughtful. She ALWAYS responded to my emails/texts, even when they were long-winded and filled with questions/uncertainty.

They recommended locations, scouted for us to make sure it was perfect, recommended hair/makeup vendors, food, and places for our family to stay. Our initial video call with them felt like we were chatting with friends, and when we met them in person, the vibe was so warm and welcoming.

We knew the photos would be pretty from viewing their work online, but we never dreamed that The Grays would create such magic with their cameras. They told our story through images and we truly feel like we are reliving our wedding day when we look back at them. We certainly love each other and our family, and The Grays did such an incredible job capturing those genuine moments that displayed just that.

We consider them good friends and cannot recommend them enough. If you are considering eloping, and are in search of photographers that go above and beyond, these are THE ONES. We loved them to death, and their photography is just as beautiful as their hearts. Shannon and Jake- one million times…thank you.

LIZ+CHRIS

BLACKWATER FALLS ELOPEMENT

“If you’re questioning if they’re worth it — they are, every penny and every moment. Shannon creates pure magic with a camera.”

How do I give more than 5 stars? I could write paragraphs about how kind, thoughtful, talented and lovely Shannon and Jake are as human beings and as photographers.…Our engagement photos were perfection (even in a downpour of a rainstorm!), I couldn’t love our wedding photos more (Jake and Shannon traveled to photograph our wedding too) and a family shoot with our 2 month old daughter resulted in photos that I’ll cherish forever.

Whenever I share or post photos by Shannon, I can’t tell you how many people ask who the photographer was or RAVE about how good the photo is. And it’s because every photo is truly exceptional. Shannon’s talent is unmatched. If her work isn’t proof enough, a friend felt the need to caveat sharing her engagement photos with me saying “they aren’t as good as yours but I love them”.

Have Shannon shoot your engagement, your wedding, your family … and help with your albums. She is the most incredibly talented photographer with the kindest soul. Shannon and Jake have set the standard incredibly high and I’m forever grateful they captured some of our biggest days and life moments. If you’re questioning if they’re worth it — they are, every penny and every moment. Shannon creates pure magic with a camera.

Shannon and Jake — thank you for everything, every photo, laugh, piece of advice, and memory. You two are gold.

KATE+JAY

MARYLAND INTIMATE WEDDING

“They were hands-on for the wedding and totally gung-ho about hiking through mud to our chosen ceremony location on a cliff.”

Shannon and Jake are the absolute best!!! If you have fallen in love with their photography and are thinking of hiring them, you definitely should!! They did our micro-wedding last summer in a national forest in West Virginia and they blew us away.

The photos came out so beautiful, I can’t stop looking at them! They did our engagement shoot and our entire wedding, including drone photography and a video, and they did a wonderful job. They have excellent taste and knew some gorgeous locations to take us for our engagement photos.

They were hands-on for the wedding and totally gung-ho about hiking through mud to our chosen ceremony location on a cliff. They have a great eye for taking photos that feature not only the human subjects, but also the gorgeous surroundings. They were so passionate about making our wedding vision come to life and they captured the most amazing moments.

We wanted an untraditional, adventurous outdoor wedding and they were the perfect people to capture the memories. We had a very small wedding (under 25 total attendees) and they were 100% part of the party. They’re kind, gracious, fun, helpful, and just plain awesome people.

They go above-and-beyond for their customers. Seriously, they are the best and I’m so glad I found them for our event.

CATT+MIKE

WV CAMPING INTIMATE WEDDING

“I can’t say enough good things about them both. Genuinely kindhearted people.”

Thank you both so much for everything! They were so patient and accommodating with some last minute changes that we needed to make. I can’t say enough good things about them both. Genuinely kindhearted people. Would recommend them to anyone.

CASSIDY+COREY

BLACKWATER FALLS INTIMATE WEDDING