“ It was one of the best weeks of my entire life ,” Michelle says . “ That ’ s when I had a big push to get into elopement photography because I couldn ’ t imagine getting married any other way . I wanted to be able to encourage other couples to ditch the pressure and get married however they want . That ’ s kind of our tagline .”
Besides the necessity of going small or eloping during the pandemic , many couples Michelle works with are also turned off by the expense and hassle of traditional weddings .
“ COVID was actually not only a blessing in disguise for us but also for couples because it gave them the excuse not to have a traditional wedding ,” Michelle says . “ Couples want to elope anyway , but they don ’ t really know how to tell their families , so they just end up going with the traditional wedding . COVID gave a lot of people the excuse , ‘ It ’ s not safe for us to gather right now but we still want to get married .’ We heard a lot of that .”
According to an annual survey by The Knot , a wedding planning website , the average cost of a wedding in the U . S . in 2019 , before the COVID-19 pandemic , was $ 28,000 , though the number dropped to $ 19,000 in 2020 , most likely because couples were downsizing their guest lists as a result of the virus .
Traditional weddings are often costly celebrations , but with the collective , a base package starts at $ 5,800 . This includes a custom ceremony with an officiant , four hours of photography and videography and a reception-style picnic . The base package includes up to five people , but more people can attend with an additional fee .
“ They still get some traditional aspects of a wedding , just in their own way , up on a mountain and by themselves ,” Michelle says . “ They ’ ll get something yummy to eat , have a dessert , do a first dance and then stay warm by the fire .”
The collective provides couples the opportunity to enjoy and appreciate their wedding day , oftentimes in an outdoor spot that is special or sentimental to the couple .
“ Their special day is all-inclusive , so all they do is show up and get married . There is no sweat off their back , they just get to enjoy it ,” Maddox says . “ There is a lot of planning and things to think about that go into a wedding . Sometimes I see my couples get lost in the busyness of the day .”
Dolly Sods is a popular destination for elopements , especially with more people opting for outdoor events during the pandemic .
“ We love Spruce Knob ,” Michelle says . “ Spruce Knob is really beautiful , and we also do some elopements at the New River Gorge area .”
While the collective currently operates in West Virginia , the owners plan to expand their service to more states . They recently booked a wedding in Charleston , SC .
“ We wanted to perfect it and offer it to West Virginia residents first . We serve our state and our community that way ,” Michelle says .
Photo by Michelle Breiter . www . wvexecutive . com 35