Wild Connections Photography

Austria Elopement Photographer

Guided Adventure Elopements in the Austrian Alps

Tirol, Austria

Since 2015

About PRICING PORTFOLIO Enquire

Why Choose Austria for Your Elopement?

When it comes to epic mountain backdrops and off-the-beaten-path adventures, it doesn’t get better than Austria!

The Austrian Alps offer some of the most breathtaking yet accessible mountain landscapes in Europe, without the crowds you’ll find in many other alpine destinations. Think dramatic peaks, hanging glaciers, crystal clear lakes, lush alpine meadows, and cozy mountain huts – it has it all!

Whether you picture yourselves exchanging vows at sunrise on a secluded summit or snowshoeing through a winter wonderland, Austria offers year-round adventures for couples who want to elope in the raw natural beauty of the Alps.

VIEW Austria Elopement packages
be inspired by real elopements
Image of Austria Elopement Photographer Cat Ekkelboom-White. She has blonde hair and is wearing a blue jacket and holding. acamera. She is standing in front of a turquise blue mountain lake with mountains in the background.

The OG Adventure elopement photographer in Austria

Hi, I’m Cat – Your Austrian Alps Elopement Photographer & local guide

Based in Innsbruck, Austria

I’m Cat, a British-born elopement photographer living in the Austrian Alps, who believes your wedding day should feel like you — wild, free, and deeply meaningful. When I got married, I didn’t realize there was another way. We followed the traditional path, spent money on things we didn’t care about, and tried to keep everyone else happy. But deep down, all we really wanted was to escape into the mountains and share that moment alone.

That experience lit a fire in me. I created Wild Connections Photography for couples who want something different — something real. No staged perfection, no pressure to perform, no fake influencer vibes. Just you, your love, and the raw, breathtaking beauty of the Austrian Alps.

I’ve called Austria home since 2011. I’ve been photographing elopements since 2015, and before that, I was a ski and snowboard instructor. I’m also a certified mountain hiking guide. So whether you’re dreaming of sunrise vows on one of Tirol’s breathtaking peaks or cruising the ski slopes on your wedding day, I’ll help you craft an unforgettable, personalized elopement experience.

This is more than photography. It’s about creating space for you and your love to feel connected to nature, and to one another, on the first day of this exciting new chapter in your lives.

MORE ABOUT ME

What makes me different?

Austrian Alps Local

I know the best trails, the places away from the tourist hotspots, and understand the challenges of eloping in this beautiful corner of the world. Plus, you shrink your elopement’s carbon footprint by requiring one less flight!

Environmentally responsible

You’ve decided to elope, which is already a sustainability win. Nice! As a sustainability expert, I’ll guide you as you plan your elopement to make responsible choices so that you can enjoy your elopement day knowing you are also looking out for the planet.

Certified & qualified

I’ve been photographing elopements in Tirol since 2015, winning multiple awards for my images. I’m also a certified local hiking guide and former ski instructor, enabling me to help you choose the perfect alpine location for your adventure wedding.

Austria Elopement Planning Guide

Want to know more about how to plan your elopement in Austria?

Check out my comprehensive Austrian Alps elopement planning guide.

View The Guide

More Austria Planning Guides

Austrian Alps Elopements

PRICING & INFORMATION

I offer tailor-made guided adventure elopements and couple shoots in the Tirol region of the Austrian Alps.

view Austria Elopement pricing
view Austria couple shoot pricing

Read My

Testimonials

What are couples really saying?

View my

Portfolio

Be inspired by real elopement stories

“If you’re in the market for an elopement photographer — end your search now and book Cat. She is, without a doubt, the best in the game at what she does. If we could describe our experience with her in one word, it would be PHENOMENAL.”
Kandi & Jack
Tirol Elopement
Cat was… WOW. Just wow. We were totally blown away by the experience of working with her from start to finish. She was key in planning our elopement – after listening to what we were trying to do and why, she suggested a route that we ended up doing, and it was perfect.
Michelle & Adam
3-Day Hiking Elopement

See some real elopements in Austria

Are you a hell yes?

The process

01.

Say Hello!

Fill out my contact form and let’s set up our first Zoom date. Call it our meet-cute.

This initial call helps me to learn all about your ideas and for us both to see if we’re going to make a great team.

02.

Save the date

Choose the week you want to elope and get booked in.

To reserve your date, you’ll sign a contract and pay a retainer.

Then we can get to the good stuff…

03.

The Fun Begins

As soon as you’re officially booked in, you’ll receive your location guide where you can choose your dream mountain adventure.

We’ll have a call to talk through the options together, and tailor the day to your needs.

04.

alpine start

Enjoy every moment of your one-of-a-kind wedding and re-live the memories with breathtaking photos that capture your incredible adventure.

Book a call

FAQS

Still have some questions? Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about my elopement services in the Austrian Alps:

Yes. I believe in transparency and hate hidden fees. Because I only work locally, I don’t need to charge travel fees. Even for multi-day elopements in a mountain hut, the rates advertised include my overnight costs.

I’m a certified hiking guide (Tiroler Bergwanderführerin). That means I can officially guide you in mountain hiking terrain that’s classified as “moderately difficult (red)” across Austria. I can’t guide you climbing or into technical terrain, such as on glaciers, via ferratas or scrambling.

If you want to explore more technical terrain or try your first via ferrata for your elopement, I recommend hiring a local IFMGA/UIAGM mountain guide. Just because I can’t guide you for these activities, I can still come along to photograph it!

For boring legal reasons, I’m not allowed to act as a wedding planner, which means I can’t book anything for you.

In all of my packages, I will assist you with the planning of your elopement, which includes the following: assistance finding a location for your ceremony/photos, planning and guiding hikes, creating a timeline, planning advice around what to wear, how to prepare, how to make more sustainable choices, and sharing my contact list of other vendors you might need, such as wedding planners, florists, hair & makeup artists, videographers etc.

If you want a planner who can assist you with booking your wedding and travel arrangements, I can connect you with fantastic local planners who I’ve worked with for many years.

No matter if you book me for one day or multiple days, I always keep the days either side of your elopement available for you so that we have the flexibility to work around the weather if needed.

I’ll always be prepared to shoot in any conditions, as long as it is safe to do so. If it’s just a bit of wind, rain, or fog, don’t let that put a downer on your day. Some of my favorite wedding days were bad weather ones, and most of the couples wouldn’t have changed it for the world.

If we need to create an alternative plan for your elopement due to weather conditions, I’ll do this in the days leading up to your elopement, based on the actual trail conditions and satellite weather data. Usually, I have a selection of backup options, and you can choose which one you like the best.

Don’t worry – this is completely normal. Many couples have never even considered that their elopement could last multiple days, and until you know what options are open to you, it’s hard to make a decision.

I create bespoke itinerary suggestions for every couple and can include some options for additional days if you’d like to know what’s possible. If you’re on the fence, I recommend booking half-day coverage which saves your date, and letting me know if you’re open to longer itineraries.

Unlike many photographers, I don’t charge you a higher rate if you upgrade at a later date.

Yes, but because my calendar has limited availability, and priority is given to elopement bookings, I only take requests for couple shoots within 2 months of the shoot date.

You can find my pricing for couple shoots and proposals here.

Ok, now stop putting yourselves down!

I’ve never worked with a couple who hasn’t said this to me before. It’s completely natural to be a little apprehensive about having someone with a camera hanging out with you all day, but honestly, after a while, you’ll forget the camera is there. Plus, my focus is always on making sure you’re just having a great time, and when you are, the photos are always banging!

This is also why I make sure to speak to you over a video call right from the first enquiry, and have regular check-ins. By the time your elopement comes around, you’ll feel like I’m an old friend, which means you’ll feel so much more relaxed. While most of the pictures I take are unposed, I’ll still be there to guide you and bring the cringy jokes so that you don’t feel awkward or uncomfortable.

Enter some confusing & pretentious photographer jargon…

Essentially, I try to shoot everything as true to life as possible and create a gallery that is a true representation of your day. If it’s bright and sunny on your wedding day, your pictures will be brighter than if it was dark and cloudy.

I work primarily in a documentary style, which means I try to capture things honestly and let as much unfold in front of me as possible. In other words, I’m there to capture your day as it happens. I’ll only give you some direction if it means placing you in better light or if something doesn’t quite work for the camera.

My priority is always to give you space to have the experience and the adventure that you want to have, without feeling like you’re on a photoshoot.

Great question! And the answer is: it depends. The number of images in your final gallery depends a lot on the timings of your day as well as the number of people attending, and how much time is spent traveling between locations (either by foot or in the car). I don’t have a minimum number of images I deliver, but it averages around 500 for a single day and around 800 for 2-day coverage.

You’ll get a small preview of your pictures no later than 1 week after your wedding day and the full edited gallery delivered to your inbox within 60 days from your wedding date.

All photos that are selected for the final gallery will be post-processed to show them in their best form. This includes color correction, and optimizing brightness and contrast in line with the style of images you see in my portfolio. I do not use Photoshop to alter images. I believe that there is nothing more beautiful than two people in love. I am there to capture your day as it happens, in an honest and real way. Of course, if you woke up with a red spot on your chin, I will take that out for you.

I don’t give out unedited images. I have a legal obligation to deliver a final gallery that is representative of the work you see on my website (and unedited images look rubbish!). So much of the magic that makes up an image happens in post-processing and it’s also how I will create images that match my signature style.

I don’t take bookings more than 18 months in advance, however, as soon as you know that you want to plan your elopement in this magical corner of the world, then get in touch.

Many couples don’t have a date in mind when they contact me. Together we’ll work out the best time of year for you to come based on the type of adventure you want to have.

The booking process starts as soon as you fill out my contact form. Once I’ve got your enquiry, you’ll receive an email from me with my full pricing guide, as well as an invitation for a Zoom call. When you are ready to book your date, I’ll send you a contract to sign as well as an invoice for a €1500 booking fee. Once both of these are completed, your date is reserved and we’ll start the planning process.

Take the first step of your grand adventure

Contact me

If you’ve not heard back from me in 48 hours Monday – Thursday, don’t panic! I’m probably up a mountain somewhere. Emails sent between Friday and Sunday will be responded to on Mondays or Tuesdays.

If you’ve still not heard back after this, please drop me a message to cat@wildconnectionsphotography.com

Humble Brags

boho weddings featured badge
Rock my wedding featured on
Festival brides featured badge
Wandering weddings elopement photo contest winners badge
Bloved Dolomites Travel Feature
Featured on Offbeat Bride
Featured on Way Out Wedding
Featured on Magnolia Rouge
Mountainside Bride Featured Badge
Featured on Catalyst Wedding
the knot logo

The Benefits of working with a

local photographer
& guide

When I first visited Austria, I instantly fell in love. Having Tirol as my home fills me with everlasting gratitude. My affection for this region runs deep. It’s why I became a local guide. I consider it a great honor to share this love with couples who decide to elope in this corner of the Alps. While many areas of the Austrian Alps still manage to fly relatively under the radar of mass tourism, there are a few locations are becoming more popular. And this doesn’t come without consequences.

Because the Alps are such a desirable elopement location, there are a lot of people who:

  • Advertise themselves as local photographers through deceptive web pages, despite not being genuinely connected to the region
  • Have never actually set foot in this area and rely solely on second-hand (often incorrect) information from the internet (or ChatGPT)
  • May have visited the region a few times but are primarily motivated by receiving a “free holiday” or using your wedding day to enhance their portfolios. Unfortunately, this approach is not only detrimental to your experience but it also exploits the region

Supporting local photographers, who live and breathe life in these mountains, is crucial. By doing so, you can help contribute to the well-being and preservation of the area and the local communities, rather than simply exploiting its beauty.

This is my biggest priority, always. I hate seeing other photographers put couples in potentially dangerous situations because it looks good on a photo, or because of their lack of education in safe travel in alpine environments.

Part of being a certified guide is doing a risk assessment for every elopement I do. I evaluate aspects such as the conditions of the trails, any potential hazards and the weather, to make the final decisions of whether the route is safe. Trail conditions can change a lot throughout the year, and some are simply not safe if the conditions aren’t right (such as if there’s been heavy rain or there is still snow on the trails).

Working with a local photographer is the most sustainable option for a number of reasons. Firstly, you’re not flying someone in, so the carbon footprint of your elopement is much smaller. Then there’s the fact that locals pay local taxes, and these contribute to really important things like road and trail maintenance.

Over-tourism is also becoming a huge problem, and to help reduce your impact (and make your day more enjoyable), I’ll help plan an itinerary and give you suggestions that help us minimize our impact.

Many photographers try to give the impression that they are local to get a free holiday by creating pages on their sites with guides to eloping in the Dolomites (thankfully Tirol/Austria is less well known). Much of this information comes from travel blogs and Google, or from a couple of short trips to the area, and it’s sadly often incorrect. The risks are that they may have visited in the off-season, or on a day when the weather wasn’t great and they just got lucky that it wasn’t busy.

I’ve seen a number of posts describing “secret locations” or “hidden gems” that were actually anything but! Locals will know which locations are busy, and will be able to give you realistic advice on what to expect if you want to go there, and plenty of other equally epic options, should you decide you’d rather visit somewhere more quiet to enjoy some peace and quiet.

Not all locations are accessible all year round. Many locations don’t become accessible in the summer until the snow has melted, and this can be different every year depending on how the winter was (some locations aren’t accessible into late June).

A local will know how the conditions were over the winter, and what times of year different locations become accessible, and will have a number of safe backup options in the bag in case you need to revert to plan B.

One of my biggest pet peeves with non-local photographers is the illegal flying of drones in protected areas, climbing over fences to get better photos and general disregard for nature, private property and the local inhabitants. They see these places as just pretty backdrops to be used and abused.

Locals will never support this kind of behaviour, because the consequences hurt us, our home and potentially you too, as locations we love get closed off, bigger fences get put up and areas become irreparably damaged.

Take the first step of your grand adventure

Contact me

If you’ve not heard back from me in 48 hours Monday – Thursday, don’t panic! I’m probably up a mountain somewhere. Emails sent between Friday and Sunday will be responded to on Mondays or Tuesdays.

If you’ve still not heard back after this, please drop me a message to cat@wildconnectionsphotography.com