Best Destination Weddings - Africa Safari Wedding

As a destination wedding photographer, Brittany & Ray’s initial email to me was what dreams are made of. “Looking to do something adventurous but haven’t nailed it quite yet. -Here are some things we are thinking about – safari, Thailand, Italy – all over the map.” That first one. Safari. As soon as I saw that, I immediately thought this could be one of the best destination weddings possible. Having been to Africa a few times already, it holds a special place in my heart and shooting an adventurous wedding there would be the perfect way to combine my passion for Africa with my passion for capturing the best places to elope. I wrote back my elopement ideas centered around the Masai Mara in Kenya and they were in.

Lets fast forward a few months, a few flights and lots of travel time. Brittany & Ray traveled from Seattle for their destination elopement so the first time we met was in Africa, the day before their wedding. Having helped plan their day in terms of when and where to shoot, they went along for the ride with every idea I threw at them. I planned for us to head out on safari before the sun came up the morning of their wedding to take advantage of that incredible, early morning African light. On the bumpy drive out, I spotted my lone tree and had Ole Kakui, our driver and guide stop the truck and we hopped out. It all felt too good to be true. Shooting destination wedding photos in my favorite place on Earth. But, it was very true.

They also allowed me to have serious input on where their ceremony would be held later that day. We scouted a few locations and settled upon a ridgeline overlooking the plains of the Masai Mara. Joined by Maasai warriors from neighboring villages, their elopement ceremony was a mix of local culture and emotion. Minutes after their nuptials, the storms rolled in. And the clouds. It was otherworldly as we shot more photos with the sweet, sweet lyrics of Toto playing in my head. You nailed it, Toto.

Later, that very same day…