Ambre Peyrotty left big weddings behind to specialize in elopements, those intimate weddings for just the two of you or a handful of loved ones, often on a mountaintop. She explains who these couples are, how Americans find a French photographer on Google, and why she created The Roots workshop.

In short:

For Ambre Peyrotty, elopement photographer, intimate weddings are a market of their own:

• A mostly American clientele: in France and Belgium, elopements are still little known; couples come from the United States to get married in Europe

• Couples who are often introverts: being the center of attention in front of 100 guests makes them anxious; getting married just the two of them by a lake, much less so

• An all-inclusive rate: travel, location scouting, travel advice and vendor suggestions are included in a single price, whether the wedding takes place in Paris or in the Pyrenees

• SEO first: one blog post a week, automated Pinterest and keywords that start from what couples are searching for

• The Roots: a small, French-speaking workshop, created in 2017, to help photographers find their purpose and set sustainable prices

A couple, a landscape, a few loved ones at most: an elopement is an intimate wedding, the opposite of a 125-guest reception in a château. Very common in the United States, it is still rare in France. Yet Ambre Peyrotty, a photographer since 2013, has made it her specialty, to the point of no longer photographing any weddings in her own region.

Talking with Anthony Heukmes, founder of Fotostudio, she explains how her background as a travel agent shapes her offer, why so many of her couples are introverts, how she attracts international clients through SEO, and what led her to launch The Roots, a workshop for photographers. A useful episode for any wedding photographer who dreams of specializing or of working with couples from abroad.

Who is Ambre Peyrotty?

Ambre Peyrotty is a French elopement photographer, in business since 2013. At the time of recording, in early 2021, she lived in the Dordogne region and mostly photographed couples from abroad, in France and elsewhere in Europe. Her background goes a long way toward explaining her offer:

  • Two vocational degrees before photography (two-year French BTS diplomas): one in graphic design, one in tourism. The second led to her first job as a travel agent, and travel remains, she says, a "much bigger" passion than photography.
  • Three years in Canada, which made her fluent in English.
  • A bachelor's degree in photography earned at 27, then setting up in 2013 as a "classic" wedding photographer.
  • A shift toward elopements, chosen for her own well-being, and the creation in 2017 of The Roots, a French-speaking workshop for photographers.

According to her website today, zephyr-et-luna.com, Ambre runs Zephyr & Luna, a business that designs and photographs multi-day elopements all over the world (Scotland, Iceland, Switzerland, New Zealand, Japan, Patagonia...). She plans each itinerary, personally photographs a small number of elopements a year and works with associate photographers. Her approach focuses on pressure-free experiences designed for low-key couples, and on respect for natural places.

1. What is an elopement?

An elopement is an intimate wedding: the couple exchange vows alone or with a few loved ones, often in a spectacular natural setting, rather than throwing a big reception. Ambre sums it up simply: they are "small, intimate weddings."

A concept still little known in France and Belgium

Anthony asks her whether elopements account for a significant share of weddings in France or Belgium. Ambre has no figures, but she has an observation: these are very traditional countries when it comes to weddings. Even couples who skip the church usually choose a non-religious ceremony that follows the usual codes. The result: most of her clients come from the United States, where elopements are an established market. Even in England, they are still not widespread.

Dream destinations

What some French people imagine for themselves ("getting married on a beach, on an island"), Americans imagine in Europe. France and Italy draw couples with their châteaux, their wine and their food. More adventurous couples look to Switzerland, Norway or Scotland, ideal for an adventure elopement in the mountains. Ambre's favorite destination? Scotland, "by far," where she has done two month-long solo road trips: the mist brushing the peaks of the Highlands creates, in her view, a unique atmosphere.

"I absolutely love being on top of a mountain with a couple. For me, that's really the ultimate."

Ambre Peyrotty

The consequence for her work: Ambre photographs almost no weddings in her own region. Her car becomes "a second home." With a three-year-old daughter, breastfed for a long time, she used to travel with the dad at first, who looked after their little girl during the shoots; multi-day trips get easier as the child grows up.

Key takeaway: an elopement isn't a "cut-price small wedding," it's a travel experience built around the exchange of vows. For the photographer, that means a lot of time on the road and an often international clientele.

2. Why do elopements appeal to introverted couples?

This is the most striking observation in the episode. Talking with her couples over the years, Ambre realized that a large share of those who choose to elope are introverts. She points out that around half the population is introverted, and that the difference lies in how you "recharge your batteries": alone for introverts, with other people for extroverts.

For these couples, getting married in front of 100 people, or even 50, is a source of anxiety. They don't want to be the center of attention for a whole day, or to choose the color of the napkins and the decoration of a venue. Ambre has seen many couples suffer from that stress at traditional weddings: family drama, tension with loved ones, and a day that turns into "a show" where the couple is no longer really at the center.

"If you say: I want to exchange my vows on top of a mountain in Scotland, then go dancing with a band in a little barn, people look at you like you're crazy. When in reality, it's the absolute dream."

Ambre Peyrotty

A well-being choice for the photographer too

Ambre didn't start out as an elopement photographer. She first photographed traditional weddings, with clients she adored and still follows. But she felt more and more anxious at the thought of very large events. Turning to elopements was, she says, an act of self-care. She still keeps a few classic weddings a year, for variety.

Talking about psychology in your marketing

Anthony highlights how clever her approach is: rather than talking only about locations and services, Ambre writes articles about introversion to reassure couples about their choice. That's the basic principle of marketing: know your audience well so you can create content that truly speaks to them. She makes it clear she doesn't judge anyone: extroverts love big weddings, and that's great. The tricky situation is the couple where one partner is an introvert and the other isn't; then you have to find a compromise, or organize two events.

Key takeaway: understanding why your clients choose you (here, the need for intimacy) is more powerful than listing your locations and packages. It's what lets you write content that reassures and converts.

Anthony expected budget to be a major motivation: avoiding spending 15,000 to 30,000 euros on a reception. Ambre rarely sees it. Couples who choose to elope invest heavily in their trip, which becomes the experience itself. Getting married on a beach in Mauritius is expensive too; the difference lies in how the money is spent.

"Psychologically, people who choose to elope have far fewer problems spending money on an experience they'll remember for the rest of their lives."

Ambre Peyrotty

Rather than 5,000 or 10,000 euros on a caterer, they would rather have a high-end hotel with a stunning view, and the memory of climbing to the top of a mountain together.

Town hall, symbolic ceremony, then the party

Getting legally married abroad is still complicated (it's possible in Hawaii, for example, but "it's a real hassle"). For French couples, the most common solution is to get married at the town hall, then have a symbolic ceremony during the elopement, which psychologically becomes "the real" wedding date. Six months or a year later, the couple throw a party with their loved ones and show them the printed photos. That's often how couples who don't agree with each other find common ground.

Key takeaway: an elopement isn't primarily a money-saving option. It's a trade-off: fewer guests and less reception, more travel and experience. The big party can come later.

4. How does an elopement photographer set their prices?

Ambre's experience as a travel agent is at the heart of what she offers. When a couple wants to get married in France, she doesn't just ask them where they'd like to elope. She suggests a hotel, a summit to reach, the hiking time needed, the departure time based on the sunset and the mountain the sun disappears behind. "It's an enormous amount of research."

A single, all-inclusive price

This work isn't free, but it isn't billed separately either. Ambre works with an all-inclusive rate: one price to get married in France, whether in Paris or in the heart of the Pyrenees. Travel expenses, help planning the trip and vendor suggestions (makeup, flowers, officiant) are included. In practice, her package includes hours of advice and planning on top of the shoot and the editing. With such a complete package, it's best to have everything that's included (and what isn't) spelled out in black and white in your contracts.

"In practice, it's not free, but it's not added on. It's like travel expenses: I include them in an all-inclusive rate."

Ambre Peyrotty

Her legal status has also changed: she started out in 2013 as an auto-entrepreneur (France's simplified self-employed status), like many others, then switched structures when organizing The Roots generated too many deductible expenses.

Key takeaway: an all-inclusive rate reassures international clients, who know right away how much they'll pay. It's up to you to build in the planning time and travel, rather than giving them away without realizing it.

5. How do you attract international clients with SEO?

How do Americans find "a little French photographer," as Anthony puts it? Ambre's answer: a huge amount of work on Google SEO, carried out over years. At the time of the episode, she says she ranks first or second for "elopement in France" when searching from the United States.

Start from what couples are searching for

Ambre doesn't just target keywords about her job. She targets what couples search for upstream: specific regions associated with elopements, practical information, and topics like introversion. She deliberately gives little prominence to Paris, where most elopements in France take place, to showcase France's natural heritage, "incredibly varied" and too often overlooked by couples from abroad. Before specializing, she also wrote in-depth articles about wedding venues, an effective method for traditional weddings, but very time-consuming.

Consistency: one article a week

  • At least one blog post a week: "Google hates it when you take breaks."
  • Two separate websites: Zephyr & Luna for elopements, and Zephyr & Luna Kids, 100% local and dedicated to family photography.
  • An American copywriter for the English articles, an elopement specialist, found through a recommendation in an online group for photographers. Bilingual or not, Ambre prefers a text written by a native English speaker.
  • Automated Pinterest with Tailwind, which reposts every blog article at a rate of three or four pins a day.

This strategy requires a website built for SEO, with a blog that's easy to keep updated. If you're starting from scratch, see how to use a photography website builder that also serves as a foundation for your content.

Key takeaway: for an international niche, the blog is the main acquisition channel. Consistency, topics built around clients' questions and content in their language make the difference.

6. Why is being bilingual a decisive advantage?

In France, Ambre feels she is still something of an exception: a few photographers offer elopements, but few have made it their specialty. In the United States, by contrast, several thousand photographers do nothing but elopements, and even adventure elopements. Her strength comes down to three things: her experience in travel planning, being used to traveling alone, and truly fluent English.

When a couple invest thousands of euros in a service, you need to understand every detail of what they're asking for. Many couples from abroad getting married in France (in Paris, the Dordogne, Provence, the Alps) struggle to find a photographer who speaks good English. And "good," Ambre insists, doesn't mean schoolbook English. Anthony adds that the same logic applies to every language: a photographer who speaks fluent Italian could create content for Italians who want to get married in France. It's also the path taken by Thibault Chappe, a wedding photographer with an international clientele.

Key takeaway: if you truly master a second language, put it front and center. It's a major deciding factor for couples from abroad, who exchange a lot with their photographer before the big day. To stand out to couples looking for a wedding photographer, it's a concrete advantage.

7. Newsletters and free guides: useful for a wedding photographer?

Anthony brings up freebies: a free PDF guide (for example "The guide to eloping in France") downloadable in exchange for an email address, to build an audience. Ambre has mixed feelings.

  • For elopements, she sees little point: couples normally only get married once, and word of mouth works poorly in such a small niche.
  • For local family photography, on the other hand, she is setting it up: an audience to send newsletters to, so she is the first person people think of the day they want family photos.

Anthony adds a nuance: even for weddings, a newsletter sent twice a year, with a few images from your latest weddings, makes past clients dream and keeps you on their minds. A couple married six years ago who have forgotten their photographer's name won't recommend them anymore; a couple who still hear from them will. Ambre confirms this for traditional weddings, where she used to get a lot of referrals.

Key takeaway: a newsletter doesn't play the same role depending on your business. For family photography, it generates bookings; for weddings, it keeps word of mouth going.

8. The Roots: why create a workshop for photographers?

Ambre had been carrying the idea around for years. She had attended Snap two years in a row, a workshop in Wales that no longer exists: around a hundred photographers gathered at a campsite, talks under a tipi. An amazing experience, even if a hundred people was a lot for an introvert. There was no equivalent in French. The project took shape from 2016, and it was while stuck in a youth hostel in a small Irish village, her van broken down, that she put the website online. The first edition took place in 2017.

A close-knit community

The format: 25 participants maximum, four or five days together, and speakers who stay on site for the whole event, at meals as well as in the evenings. For Ambre, these informal moments are "the backbone" of the workshop: that's where the real exchanges happen. After the event, participants stay in touch in private groups, where they talk about everything from opening a studio to clients who want to postpone their date. The Roots is an accredited training center, which Ambre organizes on a volunteer basis.

"There's no competition in photography. We all have a different purpose and a different way of doing things."

Ambre Peyrotty

Finding your roots, and sustainable prices

The name is no accident: The Roots aims to help each photographer find their roots, what truly inspires them (nature and forests for Ambre, parties for others), so they know what kind of photographer they want to be. And a second goal is close to her heart: helping those just starting out to set fair prices. Ambre went through burnout in 2015 and admits her first prices were "ridiculous." Charging 1,000 euros for a wedding is, in her view, an absurdity that dooms many photographers to quit because their business isn't profitable. To avoid that trap, start from your costs and the income you need, for example with the photography price calculator.

Key takeaway: learning alongside other photographers is as much about picking up a technique as finding what makes you unique and daring to charge prices that let you last.

Episode recorded in early 2021, during the pandemic. The editions of The Roots, the speakers and the projects mentioned relate to that period. Ambre now works under the name Zephyr & Luna.

Mistakes to avoid when getting into elopement photography

Based on Ambre Peyrotty's experience:

✗ Targeting only your home market: in France, elopements are still a niche, and demand comes mainly from abroad.

✗ Giving away planning time without counting it: location scouting, advice and vendor suggestions should be built into the all-inclusive rate.

✗ Only talking about locations instead of addressing couples' real concerns, like the fear of being the center of attention.

✗ Publishing in fits and starts: SEO demands consistency, at least one article a week.

✗ Underestimating the language barrier: approximate English isn't enough for clients who invest thousands of euros.

✗ Slashing your prices to get started: a 1,000-euro wedding isn't profitable and leads to burnout.

✗ Judging couples' choices: big wedding or elopement, everyone should be able to find what suits them.

FAQ: elopements and intimate weddings

What is an elopement?

An elopement is an intimate wedding: the couple exchange vows alone or with a few loved ones, often in a natural setting (mountain, lake, beach), instead of throwing a big reception. The concept is very common in the United States and still little known in France and Belgium.

Is an elopement legally binding?

Not always: getting legally married abroad is often complicated. In many countries, including France, the most common solution is to get married at the town hall, then have a symbolic ceremony during the elopement. Many couples then throw a party with their loved ones six months or a year later. Check the rules in your own country and at your destination.

How much does an elopement cost?

There's no typical price. An elopement avoids the cost of a big reception, but couples often invest a lot in the trip, accommodation and the experience. According to Ambre Peyrotty, it isn't primarily a money-saving choice: it's a different way of spending your wedding budget.

Where to elope in Europe?

France and Italy draw couples with their châteaux, vineyards and food. For an adventure elopement, Switzerland, Norway and Scotland are in high demand. Ambre Peyrotty's favorite destination is Scotland, especially the Highlands.

Why elope instead of having a traditional wedding?

Many couples who choose to elope are introverts: being the center of attention in front of dozens of guests makes them anxious. An elopement lets them share an intimate moment, without heavy planning or family tension, and turn their wedding into an unforgettable trip.

How do you become an elopement photographer?

Ambre Peyrotty recommends investing in SEO (one blog post a week, content in English), truly mastering English, and offering full support: location scouting, travel advice, vendor suggestions. She was a traditional wedding photographer before specializing.

How much does an elopement photographer charge?

Ambre Peyrotty uses an all-inclusive rate: a single price per country, which includes travel, help planning the trip and vendor suggestions. She warns against prices that are too low: a 1,000-euro wedding isn't profitable for a professional photographer.

Discover Ambre Peyrotty's work

Multi-day elopements, designed and photographed in some of the world's most beautiful landscapes, from Scotland to New Zealand: you can see the work of Ambre and her team on her website, zephyr-et-luna.com.

This article is based on episode #024 of the Fotostudio podcast (in French), hosted by Anthony Heukmes and recorded in early 2021. Ambre Peyrotty's quotes have been translated from French. Her advice is still relevant today.

Less admin, more time for your clients

Bookings, contracts, invoices, galleries: more than 3,000 photographers use Fotostudio to run their business day to day.

Try it for free

No credit card required • 2-month free trial