Maggie & Justin
An intimate French Alps elopement
Itinerary of their French alps elopement
Due to Leave No Trace policy, the exact location names have to stay undisclosed
12.00pm noon : getting ready in Chamonix
12.30pm: meeting with Amber, getting ready photos, ambiance photos
2.00pm: first look
2.30pm: leaving the accommodation for the train station
3.00pm: train ride to the mountaintop (30mn long)
3.30pm: check-in at the hotel
4.00-5.00pm: break
5.00pm: we leave the hotel and start the photoshoot while we scout for the best ceremony location
6.15-6.45pm: ceremony
6.45pm: ceremony wraps up and start of the sunset photo session
6.45-7.45pm: couple photoshoot
8.00pm : dinner at the restaurant
8.00-10.00pm: Break
10-11.30pm: photoshoot under the stars
11.30pm: Photo coverage wraps up
OR
6.45am-8.15am: sunrise photoshoot
8.15am : photo coverage wraps up
What they have to say about their adventure
We had the absolute pleasure of having Ambre as our elopement photographer in the French Alps. We planned the trip fairly quickly and she was so helpful in navigating the stresses of a foreign country where we don’t speak the language during COVID.
She answered all our questions and thought of things we wouldn’t have otherwise. She truly went above and beyond to make us feel special and to make our big day as special as possible. She provided us so many different location options and had so much patience and wanted it to be exactly what we imagined and it was that and more!
She was so excited for us and having had so many conversations and zoom calls and she even recorded videos to explain in more detail our different options, when we finally met her in person it felt like we were old friends. She has such an eye for capturing the moments we will cherish forever. I can’t wait to see our photos!
I would recommend her to anyone, she is so talented and professional and I wish we could do it again and again, our experience was so wonderful!
Reflections on the day
It was the end of Summer, and the air was starting to get crisp. We were in the middle of the French Alps, in Chamonix, enjoying the view on the beautiful Mont Blanc. Maggie & Justin told their family they were eloping, but they decided to have a ceremony and a celebration with just them two. And it was such a beautiful day.
I met Maggie in the Grand Hotel des Alpes, a majestic 5-stars hotel in the middle of Chamonix, with an incredible view on the Mont Blanc. It was such a serene moment, being with Maggie in this room with little to no light, looking from time to time at the snowy peaks by the little windows cut in the wood of the room.
We then headed downstairs for a first look, with the Mont Blanc in the background. Chamonix is a very special place with amazing views on this iconic mountain, and I was so happy to be able to plan a first look in the garden of the hotel. It was such a special moment!
After the first look, we took the red train to Montenvers, a beautiful spot nestled in the arms of a glacier, overlooking the Sea of Ice, a glacier part of the Mont Blanc. After a short pause in our room at the Refuge du Montenvers, we hiked up the mountain to find a secluded place, and Maggie and Justin exchange their vows, surrounded by only larches, snowy peaks, and the serene embrace of an evening mist. It was such a peaceful moment, being there with them, witnessing their beautiful vows, capturing every moment. And hearing the mountain breathe by our sides. Feeling the little droplets of water in our face.
After an absolutely delicious meal at the chalet, we headed back outside to enjoy the stars on the mountains, and we were offered an out-of-this world experience as we watched the moon rise from behind the snowy peaks, inundating the valley of ice with a radiant, full-moon light.
Behind the scenes of their French Alps elopement
A short anecdote: While enjoying dessert at the restaurant, I was eagerly checking the weather every few minutes, hoping for a clear sky to capture the Milky Way. The night was cloudy, obscuring the stars, dampening our hopes. Suddenly, during one of my frequent checks, I spotted stars through the window. Disbelieving, I stepped outside only to find the wind had swept the clouds into the valley, revealing a clear, star-studded sky. Excitedly, I rushed back to fetch the couple. Together, we ventured out and, under a moon rising over a sea of ice, we captured magical images, all while a beautifully peaceful song played in the background, enhancing the surreal experience.
Photos of this French Alps elopement
