Table of Contents
Table of ContentsWOW. 2018.
We are at a loss for words really.
In just one year, this business has gone from being one single photographer (Maddie Mae), to a 3-person strong adventure elopement team.
Before we write any further, we first want to say a deep and heartfelt THANK YOU to every incredible couple who invited us to be a part of their elopement story this year. You truly are the HEROS here — and none of the accomplishments we’re celebrating today would be possible without YOU having made the brave choice to rage against the traditional wedding industry — and to have the intentional & meaningful elopement of your dreams — to “adventure instead.” 😉
We (Maddie Mae, Amber, and Tori) are absolutely inspired by you, and so value the amazing friendships we have created with couples this year.
From Maddie Mae:
I remember writing the end of year blog post for 2017 (when this business was still really just me), and being amazed at what I had accomplished, and anxious about 2018. I had just joined forces with Amber a few months earlier, and was embarking on the new journey of running a team of people, instead of just being a solo photographer (like I had done for 8 years). I wanted so deeply to be able to serve more couples, and enable more people to be able to make the brave choice to elope — and after photographing over 55 adventure elopements by myself last year (and ending the season very tired) I knew it was the right choice to build a team.
But creating an elopement photography collective was a whole new adventure — and not one that there were many successful examples around the industry to look up to. Creating a new business & brand that was bigger than myself felt very risky, unknown, and yeah a bit terrifying. So now, looking back on how this year has shaped, I couldn’t be happier that I took the risk of turning “Maddie Mae Photography” into the top-notch team of elopement photographers & guides that is “Adventure Instead.” It is a scary thing inviting people to be a part of your business (one that I have spent almost 10 years building), but I can say for certain that Amber & Tori are the absolute BEST decisions I made for this business. I feel so incredibly lucky that they were willing to give up their own personal businesses and join forces with me to create this powerful collective — centered around our mutual belief in the power of elopements. The number of couples that we were able to help create their dream elopement days this year, would never have been possible on my own. I’m so excited for where “Adventure Instead” is headed, and continuing to be a resource for couples who want to elope, and an elopement-positive force in the world.
So before we get to a selection of our favorite images from the year, here’s some numbers of what 2018 ended up looking like for us.
2018 at a Glance
- 87 Adventure Elopements & Intimate Weddings
- 5 Adventure Sessions
- 9 States: Colorado, Alaska, Hawaii, California, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, Wyoming, Pennsylvania
- 6 Countries: U.S.A., Iceland, Switzerland, Scotland, Namibia, Argentina
- 300+ miles hiked (We lost track)
- 300,000+ photos taken
Some big business goals we accomplished
- Creating an entirely new brand (new business name, new logo, new branding, new website)
- 2018 Winner of Rangefinder’s 30 Rising Stars of Wedding Photography (We are the very first elopement photographers to win this award)
- Published in Rangefinder’s Business Issue about how to build a niche brand
- 2018 Winner of Junebug’s Best of the Best Wedding Photos Competition
- Spotlight Interview by Photobug Community
- Launched Maddie Mae Presets & Editing Course
- Taught the first Adventurers Workshop & Sold out 2 more (in less than 30 min each)
Maddie Mae
Bought a house
First Skydive
Did Keto for 6 months
Amber
First Scuba Dive & got scuba certified
Got Married
Learned Spanish
Tori
Learned to lead climb.
Shot medium format film after a long hiatus.
Dipped my toes in the Pacific Ocean for the first time
Wow — what an incredible year! We truly can’t thank our couples enough for all of the laughs and adventures.
Below are some highlights of just a handful of our favorite moments of 2018. With over 90 incredible couples we worked with this year, we couldn’t possibly share everything, but here are a few selected highlights.
And….. Scroll down for a special super secret announcement. 😉
Wow…If you made it all the way to the bottom of this post, please comment below so that we can THANK YOU for your support.
Seriously, we will reply to every comment — and we truly want to thank you for being a part of our lives, and supporting us on this journey.
We (Maddie Mae, Amber, & Tori) are so incredibly grateful for all of the friendships we have made this year (with our couples, with other photographers, and with supporters along the way) — and all of these things mean so much more to us than anything. We are elopement photographers because we believe in intentional and meaningful experiences — and we are always striving to strip away the “fluff” the “stuff” and focus on the things that truly matter.
xx Maddie Mae, Amber, & Tori
P.S.
Super secret announcement from Maddie Mae:
Everything we’ve ever done is because we truly believe in it — and I believe in eloping.
As someone who has never connected to the idea of a big family-oriented wedding… I always knew that when it came time for me to commit the rest of my life to my partner, that I would elope. From having photographed big weddings for 5 years prior to photographing elopements… I can truly 100% say that eloping is definitely the most meaningful, intentional way to get married.
So… 6 weeks ago, my Scottish fiancé & I decided to go ahead and elope on this South America trip I had planned over the holidays (to photograph 3 other couples elopements), and I couldn’t think of a more fitting time to say our vows than the morning of New Year’s Day.
So we did it. On 12/31/18, we hiked up 5 miles, to over 13,500 feet in the mountains of Peru. We camped overnight, I got ready in a tent, and had the entire place to ourselves at sunrise. I sobbed my eyes out as we said our vows overlooking an Incan temple fortress at sunrise on New Years Day — with a cloud inversion filling the canyon below us.
It was absolutely everything I ever dreamed of — and I’m still really soaking in how incredible it was. I know what it means when our couples say that they wish they could re-live their elopements over and over again — as that’s exactly how I feel.
I wanted to start my 2019, by getting married to the love of my life. I’ll obviously have more to share on this — but if you made it to the bottom of this post, there ya go, that’s my special announcement. Happy New Year!
xx Maddie
About us
Adventure Instead
Your Elopement Photographers & Planning Consultants. We are Maddie Mae, Amber, and Tori. We're your photographers, your elopement consultants, your cheerleaders, and your go-to adventure buddy on the day you say your vows.
