What eloping REALLY means (and ten common elopement lies)

Eloping is a trending topic with a hazy, vague definition - so I’m defining exactly what IS an elopement in this post (and sharing 10 elopement lies you may have heard). The original form of the word elope is derived from the word “aloper,” an Anglo-French word that means to “run away, escape, flee.” Around the 17th century, it took a romantic turn, defined as “running away to marry without parental approval,” Let’s be honest, the word elope has had the glow-up of the century. No longer does eloping mean a secret, unapproved wedding between star-crossed lovers! In this article, Merriam-Webster even takes a jab at the “big wedding” industry, saying “Elope appears to have become shorthand for "small destination wedding," (or) "wedding that is not financially insane." Other words used interchangeably with the term elopement are small wedding, private wedding, wedding for two, and micro wedding.

Elopements, Portfolio, Life, FeaturedMorgan PirkleMay 4, 2020Elopement, weddings Comment

What I love MOST about photographing desert weddings:

What I love most about weddings in the desert is the way everything sort of feels like it’s been put under a microscope. This weekend, I shot two (yup, you heard me, TWO) desert weddings + they were absolutely magical.

Don’t get me wrong - I LOVE a good cityscape, escaping to the mountains, and part of the reason I moved to California was to be closer to the Pacific Ocean… But the desert? There’s something a little untamed, unruly, and imperfect. You’ll never stay perfectly clean in the desert - the dust will find its way into your socks and your hair in this gentle, windblown way, as if to say “don’t forget where you’ve been.”

Elopements, Weddings, Portfolio, LifeMorgan PirkleMarch 12, 2020desert weddings Comment

Planning a Baker Beach Elopement - San Francisco, CA - Stephanie + Sara

Baker Beach in San Francisco is an absolutely epic, yet convenient, elopement location if you’re considering eloping in Northern California! Whether you’re San Francisco locals, or a couple seeking a destination wedding experience, this easily accessible beach has so much to offer. Baker Beach is about 45 minutes from SFO Airport, and just about 20 minutes away from downtown San Francisco. The mile-long strip of Baker Beach has the perfect backdrop of the Golden Gate bridge, gorgeous California coastline, and massive waves. The serpentinite cliffside meanders above with trails through the trees, shifting to huge boulders closer to the shore. Baker Beach is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, which encompasses 80,000 acres across San Francisco, Marin, and San Mateo counties. More specifically, this gorgeous beach is part of The Presidio in San Francisco, which became a National Historic Landmark in 1962 and part of the Golden Gate Recreation Area in 1994. The only thing more beautiful than this gorgeous setting? This gorgeous setting WITH an amazing couple, like Stephanie and Sara.

Elopements, Portfolio, Weddings, FeaturedMorgan PirkleMarch 11, 2020san francisco, beach elopement, beach engagementComment

5 Things You Need to Know About Eloping in the Redwoods:

5 Tips for Eloping in the Redwoods! These tips are great for anyone planning a small wedding or elopement in the Redwoods state parks, or in the Redwoods in San Francisco, California. There are also super cute pictures of a dog wearing a flower crown, if that’s what you’re here for!

Weddings, Elopements, Portfolio, FeaturedMorgan PirkleFebruary 19, 2020elopements, redwoods, northern california, californiaComment

Glacier Point, Yosemite Elopement - Adam + Megan | Yosemite Elopement Photographer

Glacier Point is a sight in Yosemite that will leave you absolutely wonderstruck. From Glacier Point, visitors can take in a panoramic view of Yosemite Valley, Half Dome, Yosemite Falls, and Yosemite’s high country from an elevation of 7,214 feet. Needless to say, it’s a pretty epic location to commit your life to your partner. The National Park System Yosemite page says it best: “Not just a great valley, but a shrine to human foresight, the strength of granite, the power of glaciers, the persistence of life, and the tranquility of the High Sierra.”