I have always been fascinated by photographers capable of capturing love in an authentic and poetic way, and when I discovered the work of Sammie and Micah, founders of The Chaffins and two elopement wedding photographers, travellers, dreamers and free spirits, I was immediately captivated. These two professionals believe that “marriage itself is one of life’s greatest adventures.” For Le rose di zucchero filato Wedding Magazine, I had the pleasure of interviewing them personally, drawn to the elegance of their images and their ability to transform every celebration into a truly authentic experience.
Se vuoi, posso aggiornare l’intero articolo con questa versione, pronta da pubblicare con introduzione, corpo e chiusura ottimizzati SEO. Vuoi che lo faccia?
During our conversation, they explained how, as husband and wife with over seven years of experience and more than 25 countries visited, they have built their photographic journey around couples seeking more than just a simple ceremony. These elopement wedding photographers do not simply document a day: they guide couples in creating a tailor-made experience, helping to choose locations, timing, and atmosphere, allowing each couple to live a moment that feels “like the best date of your life.”
Meet The Chaffins: elopement wedding photographers who make every moment unforgettable
- Every wedding planner knows how essential the connection between photographer and couple is. How do you build that trust that allows you to capture truly authentic images — even when you meet a couple for the first time on their wedding day?
This is so important to us, we prioritize the couple’s connection with us throughout the entire process honestly. We start with sharing our faces and our story on our social media so they’re connected before they even book us. When we do a consultation call, we start by just connecting as humans, talking about what they love and hearing their story. In the planning process, we use questionnaires to invite them to share about themselves and their vision, then we respond and connect as we help them plan. All of that means that when we meet them on their wedding day, we truly already know each other and can engage with each other as friends.
- Your style is intimate, almost cinematic. When you meet a couple, where do you start to understand which visual language will best tell their story?
Cinematography is definitely a huge inspiration for our work, and just like in film there are different approaches depending on the type of story we’re telling. Everything we mentioned before that we do to connect with the couple really puts us in tune with who they are, so we base our prompts and poses off of that. On the day as we watch them interact, we subtly adjust our prompting and shooting to continually adapt to their unique love story, because no two couples are the same.
- In a world where wedding photography is increasingly “social-driven,” you seem to go in the opposite direction: intimacy, stillness, slow moments. Is that a conscious choice against the over-staging of weddings?
It’s a conscious choice, yes, and a lot of it has to do with the types of weddings we photograph, intimate elopements and adventure weddings. The very style of wedding is a choice to embrace intimate, meaningful moments, to separate from the hustle and hurry, and connect your partner and your closest loved ones. We absolutely love sharing beautiful intimate photos, as well as jaw-dropping landscape images on social media, but it’s never the number one goal. The first goal is always to create meaningful art for our couple that documents their real moments.
- Every wedding planner looks for photographers who can respect timing and the flow of the day. How do you balance your artistic vision with the need for coordination and smooth timing throughout a wedding?
Ultimately it comes down to the fact that we’re here to serve the couple, not ourselves. We’re here to provide beautiful images that capture their priorities. We always make it very clear what the best lighting and locations are, and we’re honest about how much time we recommend, but ultimately the couple’s vision is what we are there to create. Since we photograph more intimate weddings, there is often a lot more breathing room in our timelines, and we even help our couples create their timeline.
“Wedding photography is a collaboration.
When planners and photographers speak the same language, every moment finds its natural rhythm.”
- From your experience, what are the most common mistakes couples make when choosing their photographer, and how can they avoid them?
One of the most common mistakes is not investing enough into their photographer. It’s understandable because as humans we all can sometimes undervalue things we may not understand as much, in any area of life. The difference between a truly high-quality photographer is in the next-level beauty of their photos, but it’s also in the overall experience you have with them, the way you feel while they take your photos, the peaceful presence they bring to your wedding day. Photography is often very high on the budget for good reason, going with the person who is $1000 cheaper is tempting, but really take the time to consider what decision you’ll be happy with 10+ years from now.
Another common mistake is not taking the time to understand the photographer’s style. There’s thousands of amazing photographers that have very different styles of photos, editing, and shooting experience. Make sure to look through their website and talk to photographers about it.
The last common mistake is booking a photographer that you just don’t click with. Even if the price and style of photo is what you’re looking for, do you connect with this person on a truly human level? They’re going to play a huge role in one of the biggest days of your life, so you want someone that you genuinely like, who will be a presence of joy.
- How important is the collaboration with the planner for you? How does working closely with a wedding planner affect the quality of your storytelling and the couple’s overall experience?
We sometimes shoot destination elopements without planners in places like Yosemite or Olympic National Park in the USA. This means it’s even more important to us when we photograph a wedding with a planner to be on the same page and working together with the planner to create the vision of the couple. The planner plays such an incredibly important role in the couple’s experience, so we always work with the planner and the couple to ensure that the couple’s priorities, including the quality of their photos, are honored.
- Your approach to destination weddings is very experiential. As a professional, I know how much logistics and natural light can change everything. What are your “non-negotiables” for creating truly iconic shots?
Our “non-negotiables” come down to two things: Significant planning and strategy going into the wedding day, and mastering our photography skills.
First is planning. Before a wedding day, we take time to scout the location either physically or virtually, and strategize where the best photos will be created. We use an app to show where the sun will be at certain times of day so we can know what the lighting will look like, and we plan out different prompts and poses that work well at the different locations: movement-based prompts for open areas, intimate prompts at end, etc.
Planning is a part of artistry, but being able to adapt is also incredibly important. Whether it’s filmmaking, painting, or photography, mastering the fundamentals of an art form are essential. Knowing the foundational concepts of photography extremely well allows us to adapt to whatever the lighting and logistics of the day through our way. It allows us to find the diamonds in the rough and create beautiful images out of unideal circumstances.
- Do you have a practical tip for couples dreaming of an elopement or an intimate destination wedding but don’t know where to start?
Truly, finding high-end elopement photographers that help you with the planning process is the most important thing you can do at that point. A good photographer will guide you through the planning process and give you resources and guides to help make your planning easy. For example, we have a 70+ page “How to Plan an Elopement or Adventure Wedding Guide” that we send to our couples as soon as they book us. We also create elopement planning guides for specifics locations we regularly photograph.
Here’s a good practical exercise couple’s can do to get their planning process started: Sit down with your partner and just make a big list of all the different ideas you have for your dream elopement. Don’t try to think about logistics, for now just allow yourself to dream. Writing all that stuff in a big list helps you clarify your vision, and now you can go back throught the list and talk about what is logistically reasonable.
- Photography can shape the way a couple remembers their wedding day. How do you make sure your work stays honest and doesn’t override the spontaneity of the event?
This is something we really pride ourselves in, and we do it in two main ways. First is that we have an in-depth process we go through with each couple to make sure we fully understand what their vision is, and what they want out of their elopement. Second is that we are extremely empathetic to the couple. This goes beyond photography and into our human experience, we’ve worked on improving our own emotional maturity, and because of that, we’re able to deeply empathize with the couple, and tap directly into what will make their elopement the best it can be.
Because at the end of that day, we’re there as elopement photographers to make sure the couple has the best experience possible, and beautiful photos that tell their love story in a unique and cinematic way.
- As a wedding planner, I know how vital it is to share a common vision with photographers. What’s the sign for you that you’re working with a team that truly “speaks the same language”?
If the whole team is clearly focused on uplifting the couple, and executing their vision. As wedding vendors, our goal is always whatever is best for the couple getting married, so if everyone else is on the same page, it will be amazing.
Elopement wedding photographers The Chaffins on capturing love and adventure
Interviewing The Chaffins was a true pleasure: they shared with me how important it is to combine preparation and freedom. As elopement wedding photographers, they take the time to study the light and plan the environment, yet leave room for spontaneity and the unexpected — because they believe the most authentic moments happen when you are free. Their philosophy includes concepts such as creating intentional timelines with the “Unhurried Adventure” experience.
I was also struck by their human approach: they describe sitting around a campfire, taking a walk, or simply laughing with a couple after the final part of the ceremony, almost like “two friends travelling” with the newlyweds. This approach allows couples to feel truly seen and not just photographed.
By the end of our meeting, I realised that Sammie and Micah perfectly embody what I look for in photographers for intimate weddings: sensitivity, empathy, and an eye that can transform every gesture into an eternal memory. These elopement wedding photographers have shown me how invaluable it is to have by your side someone who captures not just images, but emotions, creating an experience that is genuinely unforgettable.
Read also: 10 Ideas for a perfect wedding in Tuscany
