Intimate and Romantic Mountain Elopement in Switzerland at Schloss Spiez and Wengen – Elopement Photography Switzerland.

1 year ago today Christina and Hamilton came over from New Orleans to for their mountain elopement in Switzerland. 

On the day of the elopement it was just the two of them, me and the celebrant (Andrés).  Oh my goodness it was perfect.  Andrés was wonderful too, highly recommend him if you are looking for a Secular Celebrant for your mountain elopement in Switzerland.

The Chapel at Schloss Spiez

Christina and Hamilton chose to have their elopement ceremony in the tiny beautiful old chapel at Schloss Spiez which overlooks Lake Thun, in Switzerland.  It was such a perfect location the chapel is gorgeous with the best light inside.  Huge big windows right at the front.  It was a bit of a wedding photographers dream to be honest.  The view of the lake is stunning too.  I know that it took them a little while to find the perfect spot but they nailed it with this one!

Lighting the Unity Candle

They opted for a humanist ceremony in which they performed the ritual: Lighting the Unity Candle.  Both were handed their own small individual candle.  Together they lit a larger “unity” candle.  The separate smaller candles each represent the two individual people that they are now and will continue to be.  By lighting the larger candle together it signified the unifying and joining together of their lives and their new journey forward.  It was beautiful.*

There were tears!

When they read their vows that they had written to each other, there were tears.  They cried, I cried (to be honest though I’m such a soft touch this often happens – especially when couples write their own vows.  It gets me every time!!!)   Messages from their friends and family back home were also read out to them which was utterly wonderful to bring loved ones into the elopement as well.   

Champagne from the Schloss Vineyards

Then there was champagne and some photos by the chapel and in the museum.  Schloss Spiez itself was undergoing renovations but thats OK, we worked around the scaffolding.  I’m adaptable!

Up the mountain to enjoy the view over Lauterbrunnen valley for the end of the elopement.

We then headed off down the valley to Lauterbrunnen to catch the mountain train up to Wengen for some portraits to finish off their mountain elopement in Switzerland with one of my favourite views, looking all the way down the Lauterbrunnen valley to the Staubbach Falls (Staubbachfall).  It was beautiful, romantic, chilly and a bit rainy but that didn’t matter in the slightest.  I’m not sure these two even noticed the weather.  Well, maybe just a bit at the end, it was pretty freezing for May!

Thanks for having me along you two.  Happy Anniversary!!!

Why all the Back and White?

Good question!  Although all of these images are in Black and White.  I didn’t just deliver the images in Black and White to the lovely couple.  I usually do around 20% of the images in Black and White and the rest in Colour.  Personally, I’m just a bit of a sucker for the simplicity and timelessness of Black and White so I wanted to share with you what a whole elopement would look like if it was just shot in Black and White.  No tother reason, I just fancied doing it this way to see.  Hope you enjoy!  Let me know what you think.

*Before the ceremony there was a tiny moment of mild panic as there was nowhere to actually place the candle to be able to light it!  The table was old and precious so we had to run around to try and find something to put it on.  Of course it was all OK in the end but there is often something minor like this that happens on a wedding day, usually no-one knows its even happening!  I remember once a groom left his phone on the tram and had to run down the main shopping in street in Basel to catch up with it – he was so sweaty when he got back but he made it and giggled about it afterwards – that is a story for another blog post though!

You can see another mountain elopement in Wengen over here.

Details
Dress: Lazaro Bridal
Suit: Armani
Celebrant:  Andrés The Celebrant
Flowers: Gosteli Gartenbau AG
Make-up: Carmen Roy
Location:  Schloss Spiez & Wengen Village

Elopement Photographer Switzerland and Europe. Mountain Elopement in Switzerland. Hochzeitsfotograf Basel.