Elopement at the Tall Grass Prairies near Pawhuska, Oklahoma

A backyard ceremony in Tulsa, Oklahoma, followed by portraits in the Tall Grass Prairies near Pawhuska. Lauren and Shawn dreamt up the most beautiful and intimate day. They said their vows in a gorgeous and whimsical backyard of some friendly neighbors, witnessed by a few handfuls of people (their closest ones), and then we took a rainy drive to the Tall Grass Prairies for an extended portrait session until the sun set, where everything felt holy and peaceful and wild.

These are some of my favorite couple’s photos I’ve ever taken on a wedding day, and I think that has a lot to do with our ability to slow down, take our time, and chase our curiosity and play instead of rushing around, trying to cram everything into a block of 20ish minutes. I look back on this day with a lot of fondness in my heart–an awakening for a desire to photograph smaller days and a desire to take a bit more time and slowing down when photographing instead of rushing through a timeline or a set of shots. There’s a beautiful slowness that can be found in intimate weddings or elopements–something a larger wedding rarely gets to experience–and that slowness can make for even sharper memories. When we are attuned to the present instead of focusing on “what should be happening” a lot of wonder shows up. Everything feels more alive.

s t r a w b e r r i e s   a n d   w i l d f l o w e r s

They packed a picnic basket and some strawberries and we spent the afternoon and early evening feeling like the only people in the universe–stomping (gently) (and sometimes barefooted) through the greenest of grasses, and some dew and wildflowers and the muddy earth.  Passing through canopies of trees and spotting deer grazing. This was a day that I will remember for a very long time.

If you’re interested in eloping in Oklahoma or at the Tall Grass Prairies, holler at me. Let’s plan up something dreamy together.

Thanks for being here and thanks for reading/viewing.

Love y’all,
Rachel