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Maddie Mae of www.adventureinstead.com is a US-based elopement photographer... with a difference! She was one of the first, if not THE first, elopement photographers.

After shooting big weddings for 5 years, a couple booked her an elopement in the Rocky Mountains. She says this booking changed the course of her life and the trajectory of her business. It was elopements or bust from then on.

Fast forward to today, and she's photographed over 300 elopements in the last 10 years.

Has worked in over 40 countries, photographing weddings.

Take one look through her portfolio and you will die with envy... the locations, photography, couples and moments will blow you away.

In this interview, Maddie shares how to run a profitable destination elopement photography business.



Here's some more of what we covered in the interview:



How Maddie manages travel, seasonal shifts, and stacked shooting schedules while staying profitable
Why aligning client expectations with your creative goals sets you up for long-term success
The SEO, Pinterest, and Instagram strategies that bring a steady flow of high-value enquiries
Building a portfolio that sells — and how styled destination shoots can fast-track your bookings and brand positioning
The trust-building tactics that spark referrals and repeat clients
How Maddie books dream jobs in regions with strict photography rules
Humanising your brand online — why personal storytelling and behind-the-scenes content create stronger engagement
Futureproofing your marketing with AI, Google Ads, and a clear homepage message
How education and mentorship can expand both your influence and your income
Bringing your creative vision to every job while keeping the client experience front and centre








What’s on Offer for Premium Members
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A really unique thing about eloping couples is that most of the time when they reach out to elopement photographers, they are much earlier on in their planning process than the point at which clients typically reach out to traditional wedding photographers. They don't typically have a date, they don't typically have a venue. Eloping clients are usually quite open and quite flexible. - Maddie Mae
You'll also receive access to the members-only Secret Facebook Group, where you can connect with other Premium Members and interview guests to help, support and motivate you to take ideas you hear in each episode and put them into action. The group also has FB live video tutorials, role-play, and special live interviews. You will not find more friendly, motivated, caring and sharing photographers online. Seriously, that's not all.
I've learned over time, and especially the more that I charge and I'm working with higher end clients, they expect and crave and want my vision. That's what they're hiring me for. They're hiring someone who has that vision and has ideas, so that takes the burden off of them from coming up with all the ideas. - Maddie Mae
In addition to everything above, you'll get access to instructions on forming or joining a Mast...