the elopement experience
destination wedding & elopement photographer, videographer & planner
a truly laid-back & honest wedding experience
Welcome all,
I'm Austin Francis Sylvest - a Destination Wedding & Elopement Photographer, Videographer & Planner Specializing in Iceland, New Zealand and Colorado Elopements & Small Weddings.
For me, isn't about adventure, it's about the belief that love, stories, & legacies are worth telling. I greatly value the power & life changing effect stories and experiences can have on our lives.
Iceland, New Zealand and Colorado Elopements
i whole heartedly believe
that the legacy we leave has the power to live & inspire for generations to come. This value was passed on to me via my grandparents, who told these very stories through their travels & photos of their lives, love, & legacy in their 50 years of marriage.
In this life, we have a choice. We can choose to compare & devalue our path with the ones we love & look up to, or we can forge a giving legacy of our own in their memory & honor. That's why I tell stories, and would be honored to tell yours.
there's so much more to your wedding day than a beautiful location
the real, the honest,
I love capturing all the real, little details that have shaped you into who you are today. I want to focus on capturing the memories, the experience, and this once in a lifetime adventure you’re embarking on. I’ve found that while a stunning location & your wedding day are going to be incredible, they’re just a building block of your story.
the truth is
I’ve found that while a stunning location & your wedding day are going to be incredible, they’re just a building block of your story. This is really just where the journey begins, and capturing who you are as people & how deeply you feel for one another speaks much louder than a location or just a single day.
this is the goal
For your photos & films to bring you back to the moment and feel those same feelings you did on the day you married your best friend, in addition to capturing the essence of who you two are in everyday life - a feeling & visual work of art that you’ll be able to share for generations to come.
This Is An Empowering, Freeing & Once-In-A-Lifetime Experience.
This is not about beautiful locations, films & photographs.
This not about a performance or trendy narrative.
This is about celebrating you for you.
Don't get me wrong - I get stoked while shooting, but I'm a very laid back personality and not a hype person. I shoot in a documentary style - placing you in a setting & experience familiar and honest to you, then capturing all the real moments as they unfold.
I don't expect you to have all the answers - just a simple idea of what you're looking for and I'll do my best to get you there. From your first contact, all the way through this process - I'll have you covered.
I only shoot in three locations - Colorado, Iceland & New Zealand. With 7+ years of wedding & elopement experience, I've found it's best to only a few things extremely well - as the results are more tailored & thorough.
my philosophy
It all starts with everyday moments we commonly overlook, the mundane. Captured as they unfold in the very moment without pause. Shot on analog, crafted with intentionality & the purpose of creating legacy.
my interest in photographs & film started with everyday moments.
Moments where for a sliver of time, the right light would breathe life into the ordinary, the mundane. Something as simple as a plant cascading over a table, veins and new leaflets exposed in the sun, or capturing a photo of loved ones exchanging laughter and the subtle clasping of their hands together that signifies their connection.
we often overlook these insignificant moments
in everyday life but the truth is, they become the triumphs of our journeys, substantial moments overshadowed in the business of life.
It’s not until we cut through the noise do we expose the work of art that’s been there all along. Your story is already there, and I want to help you bring it to light.
goal isn’t to create a trendy narrative or portray you in a way that misrepresents you
Instead, I want to understand your journey and what you’re looking for, so I can capture the intricate details that no one else sees and bring them to the surface through film. Those moments of shadows, lights, and everything in between, those details already exist; they are yours, and they give life to your masterpiece.
music, cinema, art.
All of these mediums shape the way I view film. But Sculpture best captures my approach. Like a work of art unveiled from a single block of stone, your story already exists.
It’s just a matter of trimming away the excess and getting to the core of what brought you both together.
Planning
the
experience
here's what you'll experience when collaborating with me
a collaborative experience that's tailored to you
01
This isn't about what I want, it's all about you. Just come with an idea or feeling of what you want and I'll help you get there. Your journey is unique and deserves to be told in it's truest form.
confidence in your plans & decisions
02
Just know - going into your day we'll have covered every detail and aspect of your day so all you have to do is live out your incredible wedding day - living & feeling the real moments as they unfold.
a planned out - yet free flowing day
03
We'll have an incredible plan for your wedding day, but go into your day with a free flowing mentality - allowing space for real moments to happen & be lived out in real-time, without a strict timeline.
an artistic focus on who you are, not just locations
04
It's really easy to put you in a location & pose you - but that doesn't translate to who you are. Instead, we'll allow space for you to live out an experience & setting you're fully comfortable in.
full support and transparency - from start to finish
05
From the moment you reach out until the last roll of film I'm here to help and support. I know planning a wedding isn't an everyday occurrence, so no question is a bad question & no idea is a bad idea.
Let's get started
here's how we'll plan your wedding experience - from start to finish
Step 01
reach out & let's hop on a consultation call
To start, head over to the 'contact' page, fill out the from & I'll be in touch within 24-hours, oftentimes sooner.
I'll then reach out to introduce myself & schedule a time for us to hop on call where we can talk in more detail about your day & how I can collaborate with you to get you there!
Step 02
what to expect on your consultation call
First off - it's 100% free, very laid back, and there's no obligation to book on the spot.
This is a time for you to freely ask me any questions you'd like about this process & myself. Hiring someone you are confident you can collaborate with to create your elopement, but also mesh with on a personal level is key to having an incredible experience.
This space is for you to do just that.
Step 03
review your customized proposal
After our call, I'll take every aspect & need you described & build out a few custom options for you to review.
These are built out to match the day that you described, in addition to another option if you're looking to dream even bigger.
Everything is 100% customizable - so you can either book one of the collections, or we can edit it to further match your needs.
Step 04
locking in your date & getting started
To officially lock in your date, I require a signed contract agreement, in addition to a 30% retainer + travel costs (if applicable).
Once taken care of, I'll get you set up with an in-depth questionnaire where you can go into detail about your wedding day, needs, preferences, & who you are as people.
I'll then take all your details and start to compile the research into your very own planning suite.
Step 05
the planning suite & ironing out all the details
The planning suite is your one-stop-location for everything related to your elopement day. I'll place all your information there: vendor recs, timeline, location scouting reports, travel info, etc.
After completing the questionnaire, I'll create multiple timeline options for your day & will present it to you on our first planning call.
This is 100% about you - so you will make all final decisions & you can customize things much as you'd like.
Step 06
final planning & your wedding day!
We'll hop on as many planning calls as you need to feel confident about your day. Once you feel 100% stoked about your plans & it's all in line, all you'll have left to do is sit back, relax, and then live out your wedding day without any distractions.
On your wedding day, we'll take things as they come at your own speed & on your own terms & it will be a truly freeing day that's 100% authentic to the both of you.
Step 07
teasers + final delivery of films & photographs
I'll have teaser photos to you within 72-hours, and if you chose to add-on a teaser film, it will be delivered within 30-days.
Edited photographs will be delivered within 4-months of your wedding day.
Edited films will be delivered within 6-months of your wedding day.
Expedited delivery is available (a-la-carte) on a limited basis.
interested in working together? let's get started
Reach out to me via the button and I'll be in touch within 24-hours to set up a time for us to talk. I'm really looking forward to hearing from you!
CONTACT ME HERE