Northeast Ohio Elopement at the Deep Springs Trout Club
This past October, I had the pleasure of photographing the elopement of Audrey and Jaret at the Deep Springs Trout Club in Charon, Ohio. They were wed by their Aunt Lisa just outside of Cleveland on a warm early fall day, and their day couldn’t have been more perfect and true to them.
I am so incredibly blessed to have connected with Audrey through a previous couple (Faith and Youssef) that I had taken engagement photos for. Funnily enough, Audrey and Faith went to elementary school together, and Audrey saw Faith’s photos I had taken and decided to reach out to me about photographing her and Jaret’s elopement. It warms my heart so much when clients recommend me to their friends, family and on social media - the feeling is almost indescribable how special it is.
Audrey and Jaret were my first out-of-state ceremony, so I am incredibly thankful for the experience I received in meeting them, connecting with them and the fun, three hour road trip down to the Cleveland, Ohio area from Detroit.
Leading up to their big day, we met three times over video chat to talk over the specifics and ensure that the timeline was in place. It is during these calls that I got to know Audrey well and bond over our mutual appreciation for the vintage/antique aesthetic! I love video calls with my couples for the friendship building reason so much, but these calls are also vital in ensuring I am able to provide an exceptional client experience to you and your future spouse.
The Venue
The Deep Springs Trout Club was an amazing, intimate venue for Audrey and Jaret’s ceremony. They were connected with the venue through their Uncle, who is a member of the trout club. Lush green grass, tall trees of various types, a large pond, a beautiful glass dining room, and golf carts - who could ask for more. Audrey explained she loved their venue because it was nature-focused, meaning the landscape spoke for itself and very little decor was needed. The beauty was already there. I appreciated their venue from a photographer’s standpoint because the backdrop, no matter which direction you faced, was a beautiful canvas ready for me to paint.
While our elopement day timeline was short & sweet, it was very efficient and it went a little something like this:
SAMPLE 3 HOUR WEDDING TIMELINE
4:30pm - Begin Coverage. Scout the ceremony location
5:00pm - Ceremony starts. Dip kiss at exit.
5:20pm - Family photos (25 minutes)
5:45pm - Bridal Portraits (~30 minutes)
6:15pm - Bride + Groom arrive for dinner
6:45pm - Flat lay/detail shots (20 mins)
7:05pm - Marriage license photos/cake cutting
7:10pm - Bride + Groom flash portraits (~5 minutes)
7:25pm - First dance “You” by Miley Cyrus under the ceremony trees
7:30pm - End Coverage
Audrey and Jaret recited their vows in front of their closest 23 family members and their two year old daughter.
Vows are one of my favorite parts of a wedding. I never take it for granted that you have invited me into your lives to witness the love that you share. To be present for the most open and intimate words to be shared between you and your husband or wife - that is an honor of most high to me.
After their ceremony, we went right into family portraits. Their daughter loved trying on her Aunt’s sunglasses, making for the most precious and memorable photos ever. I’d love to give a big shoutout to my second shooter, Kali, for capturing these photos of Audrey and Jaret’s daughter behind me while I captured traditional family portraits.
My couple also decided to add 35mm film onto their elopement package, which I was so excited about. There is something about film that will always be so nostalgic and timeless. It’s also such a fun surprise when a roll of film comes back in, to look through it. Due to the nature of film and the chemical processes required to develop it, not every photo turns out the way it was originally intended, but even in these cases, there is always an air of perfectly imperfect art and beauty. Having a second shooter present for A+J’s elopement allowed for so many alternate perspectives to be captured as well as similar moments to be captured on both film and digital, such as their first kiss, details, and unprompted/candid moments.
All film was developed locally by Woodward Camera in Birmingham, MI.
We got a beautiful golden hour during their bridal portraits and I opted to shoot a few photos with A+J facing the sun because it created such a high-contrast yet upscale look to their photos. The direct-sun portraits of A+J are some of my favorite photos in their whole gallery! Bridal portraits don’t have to take up a large portion of your day if you don’t want them to. We spent about 40 minutes in the open areas of the trout club capturing these bride and groom portraits. Your photographer is there to assist your day and capture it honestly, not turn it into a day-long photoshoot.
After portraits, we rode golf carts back to the dining area for the reception where delicious chicken, trout, potatoes and vegetables were served in celebration. I used part of this dining time to capture flat lay photos of Audrey and Jaret’s elopement details. Details are another one of my favorite parts of a wedding day to capture.
Upon booking, and over the course of months leading up to your wedding day, I share a guide on everything you could possibly want to know about flat lays/details to include for photos, if those are important photos to you to have. I could spend hours capturing different types of detail shots or flat lays of your details that you so carefully selected to represent your love and celebration, but realistically, 30 minutes is a good time to be allocated in your timeline for your photographer to capture these types of photos.
Audrey and Jaret closed out their elopement with a first dance under the trees to “You” by Miley Cyrus. Family and friends watched all around. After the dance, everyone gathered around for the most fun and joyous group shot of any wedding or elopement.
Being part of Audrey and Jaret’s marriage announcement to their loved ones not present at the celebration was the icing on the cake. Audrey made up a newspaper-like flyer to mail out to others, announcing their official union. Seeing photos I took printed and used in such a creative way made my heart so happy!
“Alaina is absolutely amazing to work with. From beginning to end, she provided the best customer experience and delivered quality photos. Alaina is clearly passionate about capturing life’s precious moments, and this is evident in her process and communication throughout. We would highly recommend Alaina Miller Photography for any of your photography needs!”
I will always be so grateful to play my part in each and every love story I touch. Photos are some of the only items from your wedding that last over the years, aside from your love. Being a photographer and connecting with couples who choose and trust me to document their stories is the best job in the world.
Thank you Audrey and Jaret for bringing me to Chardon, OH and being such a kind, fun, and perfect couple. My 2024 wedding season has officially come to a close, but I cannot wait to start next season refreshed after the holidays, ready to freeze those moments of elation, tenderness, adventure, stillness and love.
If your wedding is already booked, we will be in contact leading up to your celebration & just know that I am incredibly excited and honored that you both chose to trust me and my art for your big day! If you haven’t reached out to get on my wedding books, I am currently booking for 2025 and 2026 dates! I cannot wait to get to know you and witness your incredible love story. It’s going to be so perfect.
Vendors:
Venue - Deep Springs Trout Club
Photographer - Alaina Miller Photography
Second Shooter - Kali Steenbergh (222 Photography)
Dress - Lulu’s Weddings
Suit - Men’s Wearhouse
Hair - Megan Straz
Makeup - Dez Straz
Pres-er-va-tion-ist (noun)
A supporter or advocate of the preservation of something, especially of [history] and artifacts.
A photographer.
