STOKED - The Adventure Elopement Photographer Podcast - Build a Six Figure Elopement Photography Business

STOKED - The Adventure Elopement Photographer Podcast - Build a Six Figure Elopement Photography Business

Do you dream of having a successful elopement photography business but don’t know where to start? Welcome to STOKED, the go-to podcast for adventure elopement photographers at every stage—whether you're looking to book your first elopement or take your business to the next level. Imagine confidently raising your prices, filling your calendar with dream couples in breathtaking locations, and feeling truly stoked about your business, your life, and your bank account! I'm your host, Megan MacPhail. After photographing over 200+ elopements worldwide, I can tell you with certainty that your dream elopement photography business is 100% possible. Tune in every Thursday as my elopement videographer husband, Todd, and I share our experiences, strategies, and lessons learned. We also bring in successful elopement photographers and industry experts for fluff-free, actionable interviews that will help you book more elopements and grow a thriving business. We’re the only podcast specifically for elopement photographers, making STOKED your go-to resource in this niche. Not sure where to begin? Start with Episode 82: "The Secret to Booking and Planning All-Day Elopements " Get ready to be STOKED about your elopement photography business, life, and bank account! Cover photo by the amazing Henry Tieu → https://www.henry-tieu.com/ Check us out at → https://www.meganmacphail.com

Episodes

September 11, 2025 23 mins
So, you want to charge at least $5k for your elopements, but you’re not sure what a $5k client experience looks like? Don’t worry, because we break down exactly what it should look like and why having high-quality photos isn’t the only thing that you should be focusing on. 

 

.css-1t8gq41{border:none;background-image:none;background-color:transparent;box-shadow:none;color:#2F3133;cursor:pointer;font-size:inherit;padding:0;-webkit-text-decoration:inherit;text-decoration:inherit;width:-webkit-max-content;width:-moz-max-content;width:max-content;}.css-1t8gq41:hover,.css-1t8gq41:focus{-webkit-text-decoration:inherit;text-decoration:inherit;}
Mark as Played
Are you still charging the same prices that elopement photographers charged years ago? If you are, it’s more than likely holding you back from creating a profitable and sustainable elopement photography business. 

 

In this episode, we talk about why $5,000 should ...
Mark as Played
Inclusivity in elopement photography isn’t optional; it’s an absolute must. And with LGBTQ+ rights being under attack, it’s more important than ever to step up. This is why I decided to bring on Virginia elopement photographer, Cameron Warren, to share how allies can create safer, more affirming spaces for LGBTQ+ couples.

 

Mark as Played
It's been two and a half years since we released our very first podcast episode, which is crazy to think about, and a lot has changed since then. If you haven’t gone all the way back to the first episode, you may not know our story, so we figured it was the perfect time to reintroduce ourselves and share where life has taken us. 

 

Read more
Mark as Played
When you’re hiking in a remote location or shooting in unpredictable weather, the equipment you have can make or break the elopement day.  

 

In this episode, I share the must-have elopement photography gear I rely on, including what’s in my bag, why I chose each p...

Mark as Played

If you have a question about elopement photography, chances are we have the answer. In this episode, Todd puts me in the hot seat with some of the most common questions we hear from photographers, like how often you should follow up with inquiries, how to price for travel, whether your Instagram follower count really matters, and how to know when it’s time to raise your prices.

 

We’re diving ...

Mark as Played
Are you setting goals in your elopement photography business that are fueled by purpose or by pressure? If your only goal right now is to book enough elopements to pay the bills, then we need to talk. I have actually been struggling a lot with my motivation lately, and I haven’t been able to figure out why, until now. 

 

Mark as Played

Think making money from elopements is impossible? My guest today is here to bust that myth. Vanessa Halliday is an elopement photographer based in the white mountains of New Hampshire. She went from studying kinesiology to being a struggling wedding photographer to having a thriving elopement photography business on the East Coast, and she is sharing her story of how she did it.

 

During the c...

Mark as Played
Have you heard of an artist statement? Basically, it’s a written statement that drives your work, and something that represents you as a photographer. If you don’t have one, it can definitely change the game for your elopement photography business. 

 

Writing an ar...

Mark as Played

Does booking your first $5K elopement feel impossible? Well, what if I told you it’s totally doable? In fact, the photographers I work with have been doing it even faster than I was able to do it on my own! Today, Todd and I are revealing the 5 steps - align, attract, convert, funnel, and plan - to successfully book your first $5K elopement.

 

You will learn how to know...

Mark as Played
Are you debating whether you should be using AI for your elopement photography business? Here’s something you may not realize: if you’re using Instagram, Facebook, or Lightroom, you are already using AI. So, this episode isn’t about whether you should be using AI or not, but how you can use it strategically to save you time and energy. 

 

Mark as Played
As elopement photographers, our job is more important than you may think. Yes, we are taking beautiful photos, but it’s so much more than that. It’s about preserving memories, telling stories, and capturing emotions that couples will hold onto for the rest of their lives.

 

Read more
Mark as Played

Do you dream of booking beautiful destination elopements, but not quite sure how to make that happen? My guest, Gina Mangiante, a San Francisco-based elopement photographer, opens up about how she first fell in love with photography when she picked up a camera in college, and how that turned into her booking $10K elopements in Italy! In fact, she just got back from shooting not one, not two, but thre...

Mark as Played

Does being an elopement photographer sound like a dream, but you’re feeling stuck where you are, and have no idea where to start? Today, I chat with Amanda Kluesner about how she completely changed her life after a tough divorce, moving across the country, and following her heart to go all in on elopements in Lake Tahoe.

 

Amanda talk...

Mark as Played

Do you feel like there are way too many elopement photographers out there for you to thrive in your business? We’re calling total BS on that! Todd and I are revisiting one of our favorite episodes, which is all about the myth of market saturation. While the original episode covered a range of online careers, we want you to look at it through the lens of an elopement photographer.

Mark as Played

What is a wedding content creator? And should you consider adding one to your elopement day team? Content creation for elopements is a growing service that not many couples, or even elopement photographers, know exists. However, my guest, Joy Sheehan, an elopement and wedding content creator based in the Smoky Mountains of East Tennessee, is here to change all of that for you.

Mark as Played

Going to an elopement photography workshop can be an amazing way to build your portfolio—but not all workshops are created equal. The right one, with multiple styled shoots, solid education, and real access to the host for questions and mentorship, can seriously shift the trajectory of your business in ways you might not expect.

 

Bef...

Mark as Played

Are you tired of relying on referrals and trying to post on social media 24/7 just to stay visible, and you’re still not booking enough elopement couples? If that’s the case, you don’t have a booking problem, you have a marketing problem. But I promise there’s a better way to show up that doesn’t lead to burnout, and that’s omnipresent marketing - a smarter and more sustainable way to show up across ...

Mark as Played

Does it feel like you're doing everything right in your elopement photography business, but you're still not seeing the results you’ve been hoping for? You’re showing up, posting blogs, and even running some ads, but nothing seems to be working. If so, you’re probably in the “messy middle” phase of your business. This isn’t a time to quit. In fact, it’s actually the time to keep pushing through!

Mark as Played

Do you feel like you’re constantly overwhelmed, forgetting things, or like you’re starting every single elopement from scratch? If so, it’s not a time management problem, but a systems problem. In this episode, we break down why creating standard operating procedures, otherwise known as SOPs, can transform the way you run your elopement photography business. We are talking about simple, repeatable wo...

Mark as Played

Popular Podcasts

    The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.

    Dateline NBC

    Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com

    The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

    The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.

    Stuff You Should Know

    If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.

    The Charlie Kirk Show

    Charlie is America's hardest working grassroots activist who has your inside scoop on the biggest news of the day and what's really going on behind the headlines. The founder of Turning Point USA and one of social media's most engaged personalities, Charlie is on the front lines of America’s culture war, mobilizing hundreds of thousands of students on over 3,500 college and high school campuses across the country, bringing you your daily dose of clarity in a sea of chaos all from his signature no-holds-barred, unapologetically conservative, freedom-loving point of view. You can also watch Charlie Kirk on Salem News Channel

Advertise With Us
Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.