A Look Back at the Love Stories That Defined the Year
2025 was a year filled with love, laughter, and unforgettable moments. As a destination wedding photographer, I had the joy of capturing everything from intimate elopements tucked into breathtaking landscapes to joyful celebrations surrounded by family and friends. Each wedding told a story uniquely its own, and I feel so honored to have witnessed these meaningful days—capturing not just the images, but the emotions, connections, and little moments that make every celebration memorable. In this recap, I’m excited to share some of my favorite memories from the year—each one a reflection of love in its most authentic and beautiful form.
INDEX
Looking Back on 2025
What Shaped Weddings & Elopements This Year
Weddings & Elopements of 2025
Couple Sessions & In-Between Stories
What This Year Reinforced
Looking Ahead
Portfolio & Contact
Weddings & Elopements in 2025: Reflections from a Destination Wedding Photographer
Every year brings its own rhythm. In 2025, that rhythm felt steady, thoughtful, and grounded.
As a destination wedding photographer, I spent this year documenting celebrations that prioritized presence over performance. From quiet sunrise elopements to full wedding weekends with family and friends, each story unfolded in its own way — without rushing, without forcing moments, and without trying to fit into a mold.
Ultimately, this post serves as a reflection on the year as a whole — a place to gather the work and share what these celebrations looked like side by side.
What Shaped Weddings & Elopements in 2025
Across locations, guest counts, and formats, a few things consistently showed up:
Slower timelines with intentional pacing
Private vows or quiet moments built into the day
Meaningful heirlooms and personal details
Desserts that felt personal (pie, doughnuts, key lime pie)
Multi-day wedding experiences rather than single events
While styles and settings varied, the common thread wasn’t scale or aesthetic — it was care. Couples chose what mattered most to them, and as a result, everything else naturally fell into place.
Weddings & Elopements of 2025
Full Wedding Weekends & Intentional Celebrations
Florida Wedding Weekends
The Knies — Key West, Florida Sunset cruises, heartfelt speeches, key lime pie desserts, and moments of pure fun. Their wedding weekend leaned into joy without taking itself too seriously — and it showed in every part of the day.
“Hiring Audrey was one of the best decisions we made for our wedding weekend. From the very beginning, she made us feel completely at ease, and it never felt like we were posing — just spending time with a friend who happened to capture everything beautifully. We were blown away by her photography; the gallery perfectly preserves the energy, emotion, and personality of our day.” – C.K.
The Millers — St. Augustine, Florida Set inside the Lightner Museum, this wedding was full of emotion and movement. Heirloom details, a joyful dance floor, and a bubble exit in a golf cart made the day feel equal parts meaningful and lighthearted.
The Roys — Florida Keys A beach bonfire welcome party, an oceanfront ceremony, and a reception filled with energy — complete with a champagne tower and live saxophone. This weekend, the celebration and connection felt balanced and natural.
The Ernests — Sarasota & Powell Crosley Estate, Florida A wedding weekend that felt warm and familiar from start to finish. From a tiki-bar welcome party to a breezy waterfront ceremony, H + K’s day centered around family, history, and ease. Pie replaced cake, heartfelt first looks took priority, and the entire weekend felt relaxed and personal.
Rosemary Beach, The Henderson Resort, and Supposey
In addition to leading my own weddings, 2025 also included second-shooting opportunities alongside Alyssa Forbes Photography for celebrations in Rosemary Beach, The Henderson Resort, and Supposey in Pensacola. These weekends were thoughtfully designed, coastal, and collaborative — offering a behind-the-scenes perspective on large-scale destination weddings and refined beachside celebrations.
Colorado Weddings
The Cliftons — Denver, Colorado A fall wedding at Blanc filled with intentional moments — private vows, doughnut holes instead of cake, and a salsa dance practiced years earlier at home.
New Mexico Celebrations
The Beals — Albuquerque, New Mexico Simple and steady. Overcast skies, homemade dessert, and a day that reflected the quiet joy of the life they’re building together.
The Schoens — Northern California A fog-filled sunrise elopement that felt calm and deeply personal. A thrifted dress, handmade veil, letters from loved ones, and a first look lit by Jeep headlights created a morning that felt entirely their own.
“Audrey was amazing — we were blown away by how she captured both the scenery and our day. Everyone who has seen our pictures has complimented her craft!” – C.S.
Natasha + Natalie — Southern New Mexico Natalie and Natasha renewed their vows in the desert — a grounding, meaningful moment that honored both their past and what’s ahead.
“Audrey made my wife and I feel completely comfortable and confident, something no other photographer has ever done. When we received our gallery, we were blown away — every single image was stunning and full of care and talent.” – N.A.
European Destination Elopements
Alex + Hannah — Milos, Greece A coastal elopement surrounded by dramatic landscapes and quiet moments. Associate shot for Shaina Sterrett.
TheReda-Kehres — Hvar Island, Croatia Planned in a short window, this elopement unfolded slowly and intentionally. Family heirlooms, handwritten gifts, wine tasting, and a sunset boat ride framed a day that felt both grounded and adventurous.
“Working with Audrey to plan our Hvar, Croatia elopement was incredible — she helped with locations, accommodations, and a day-of timeline, making the months-long process feel easy and personal. By our wedding day, she already felt like a good friend, and her photography beautifully captured our day on both digital and Super 8 film. Audrey’s work truly made the experience unforgettable, and we couldn’t be happier with the results.” – E.R.K.
Alongside weddings and elopements, the year also held space for smaller, quieter stories — couple sessions and proposals across New Orleans, Albuquerque, Golden, Nashville, New York City, Santa Rosa Beach, Charleston, and beyond.
In many ways, these sessions reflected the same values as the weddings themselves. Without rigid timelines or large audiences, they allowed room for presence, connection, and ease.
“Audrey helped capture my proposal to the love of my life and made the whole experience easy and calm.” – C’s proposal to G
“I was nervous about looking awkward since I’ve never had my photo taken, but Audrey quickly calmed my nerves and guided us through the shoot. She gave helpful prompts for posing, tips on where to look, and even helped with hair when needed. All of our photos look so organic and beautiful — I am beyond grateful we had her as our photographer!” – V.B.
Lessons from 2025 Weddings & Elopements: Wisdom from a Destination Wedding Photographer
Rather than introducing something new, 2025 clarified what already felt true:
Slower days create more honest photographs
Trust matters more than control
Experience shapes memory more than perfection
Adventure is about intention, not intensity
Because of this, these values continue to guide every celebration I photograph — regardless of size, location, or format.
Planning Future Weddings & Elopements
As 2025 comes to a close, I’m grateful for the people who trusted me with their stories and the places that held them.
Looking forward to 2026 and 2027, if you’re planning a wedding or elopement in the coming seasons and want to explore what’s possible, resources like Junebug Weddings can be helpful — and this space will continue to hold stories as they unfold.
Wedding & Elopement Portfolio and Contact
If you’d like to see more from this year or explore past work, you can view the full portfolio or reach out anytime.
