Michelle and Tim reached out to me with their plans for not just any Seneca Rocks Wedding.. But to make the 900ft vertical climb to the top for their adventure elopement. I initially thought to myself, "No way is this happening to me!" Their message was so filled with intention, a thirst for adventure and it sounded like a dream. Pinch me! But I would expect no less from two Navy helicopter pilots who devote their lives to search and rescue and bringing relief during disasters. So the fact I got to fly my own helicopter to capture their ceremony (my drone) was pretty fitting!

Having a climbing elopement documented is no easy feat, even if your photographer climbs, which I actually don’t!

Their ceremony took place on a narrow ridge of one of the East Coast’s most dangerous peaks.

So Michelle, Tim, and I spent the next year and a half planning how we would make this happen.
We planned the climb, the photography, the videography, possible weather challenges, and the logistics of me flying from Seattle.

This might be the coolest thing I have ever done in my entire fifteen-year wedding photography career.
I am so excited to finally share this journey and show you how we brought everything to life.

Although I was their photographer and videographer, this entire project became a true team effort.

Michelle and Tim's Wedding Video

How we photographed and filmed their Seneca Rocks wedding

Because I'm not a climber myself, Michelle and Tim's Seneca Rocks wedding had to be captured fully remotely. This meant a healthy mix of drone piloting and

The Insta360: A 360 degree action camera

I gave them my Insta360 on a selfie stick and instructed them how to to use it to record 360 degree video.

This would be how we safely filmed more intimate parts of their journey like the technical climb itself, and got some interesting POV angles that my drone couldn't quite capture.

DJI Mavic Air 2S: A consumer drone

Fortunately flying a drone at Seneca Rocks is allowed! Flying in certain areas can be very difficult due to airspace regulations, so this ended up being one of the biggest obstacles we would need to overcome.

I hiked to the top where the Seneca Rocks overlook was and lifted off from there.

It took Michelle, Tim and their officiant a couple of hours to complete the climb, so we kept in touch via our Rockie Talkie radios. This allowed us to communicate with one another about their whereabouts, whether or not my drone was in their sights, and helped me to give direction while I filmed and photographed.

Somehow everything cooperated from weather to technology, and we were able to create one of the coolest wedding galleries ever.

Day Two: Bear Rocks Reserve Wedding Photos

On day two, Michelle wore her grandmother's dress and we did a more personal photo shoot at Bear Rocks Reserve with her, Tim, and their two best friends as wedding party members.

Time, light and patience are key for getting the very best out of your adventure elopement photos. Michelle, Tim and their party devoted their time to getting to the location a little early, scouting out the prettiest spots, and waiting for the sunlight to get perfect and illuminate the crimson shrubs.

Planning a climbing elopement or Seneca Rocks Wedding?

If you're planning a climbing wedding or elopement anywhere in the United States, I would love to help you capture it on photo and video by drone and Insta360! Let's connect and talk about making your adventurous dreams come true for your wedding day.