Elopement Hidden Valley Forest Retreat

Hidden Valley Forest retreat is an awesome elopement venue in Margaret River. Tucked away between Bussell Highway and Caves Road just twenty minutes drive from Margaret River town.

The Hidden Valley Forest Retreat elopement package includes a bright modern chalet with an outdoor spa and bbq to unwind and take in the beautiful forest views.

A two minute walk from your chalet and your ceremony is all set up for you on a decked ceremony island with enough space for an intimate wedding. Surrounded by water and forest this is an epic setting to exchange your vows.

It was so relaxing, everyone was totally in the moment and enjoying the experience and I was lucky enough to be there to capture all the joy.

Cake and champagne, what better way to kick off your celebrations. It was a really nice way to continue enjoying the moment with great friends and family without needing to rush for photos.

The property at Hidden Valley has beautiful natural bush areas for photos and you could very easily have all of your photos there at the venue.

I helped Sophie & Ash with the timings on their wedding day to work in with sunset, everything flowed so easily and after their little beach shoot they headed to a local restaurant in Yallingup to continue celebrating through the night.

Epic elopement in Boranup Forest Margaret River

Aaron & Amalia love getting out in nature, camping in their swag and taking their Ranger ute on some awesome trips throughout Australia. They have a motto that they follow which is to never waste a weekend. I love these guys.

Originally Aaron & Amalia were planning to elope overseas but they had to change their plans with Covid-19. They were then considering Exmouth but I chatted to them about the insane amount of flies and hot winds at this time of year up there and Margaret River became their preferred location.

Boranup Forest is an incredibly beautiful place with some fantastic clearings for a small or large wedding.

An Emu dropped in to check out what all the fuss was about.

Amalia’s family couldn’t travel over from Queensland so Aaron & Amalia organised a video camera on a tripod with an external microphone to capture all the atmosphere.

I love looking out for moments of emotion. A wedding is a significant highlight in our life story and I love to give my clients photos that will remind them of how amazing they felt and how special their day was together.

Aaron & Amalia love adventures together outdoors in nature, camping in their swag and finding hidden away camping spots to enjoy together.

There is some beautiful natural light to find in the forest, the really flattering light that takes away any skin blemishes or wrinkles. It’s how professional photographers photographed people before there was photoshop retouching. I use these traditional skills in camera all the time, it gives a really beautiful natural look.

I love this curvy section of Caves Road running through the forest.

Finding locations that have heaps of variety for photos in a close area really improves my clients experience. They want amazing photos but I feel that making the experience easy for them, so we have fun together and it’s relaxing is the so important. It does reflect in their photos.

Beer is one of many passions in Aaron & Amalia’s life, they love sampling and discovering new craft beers together.

After an adventure in the forest we headed to the beach for a champagne spray and watch the sunset.

Aaron & Amalia texted me after receiving their link to their personal wedding webpage.

“OMG John, the photos are absolutely AMAZING. We're on our drive home at the moment and Amalia's sitting in the passengers seat smiling from ear to ear and crying at how beautiful the photos are - thank you so much. Super keen to have a proper look on the computer when we get home later today, thanks again!”

What is included in my Perth elopement packages

Eloping in Perth and you need help with what elopement package to get?

Ok, first up, your elopement package needs some essential services to make it happen.

1. You need two witnesses to sign your marriage certificate.

2. Celebrant to make your wedding legal, help calm your nerves and personalise your service.

3. Elopement photographer helps you design your day, create a kick ass plan and capture everything as it happens naturally, so you can always look back and enjoy the memories.

That’s it! An example of a real basic elopement package for you. As you can see you can wear whatever you want and get married practically anywhere you want. I do love how couples can choose to make their elopement really simple or as extravagant as they wish.

Whats included in a basic elope package Perth costing $2150-$2550

I have added the flowers into this basic package but you can BYO flowers and remove them from this package no worries.

Note that photography is for two hours, any shorter than two hours and I feel your experience and resulting memories captured will be poor quality.

• $1100 Elopement photographer 2 hours, help designing your elopement experience, planning including timings and vendor intro’s and capturing your special memories.

• $750-$950 Elopement Celebrant. Helping you in personalising your marriage vowels and making it all legal.

• $300-$500 Brides bouquet and grooms button hole. $300 would be more off the rack, custom options are slightly more but worth treating yourself.

Awesome extras to add to your Perth elope package

I photograph elopements every week and I get to see some really nice ways to make your elopement experience unforgettable.

If you have opted to change your wedding plans to eloping you might have some budget to play with.

Here are some cool ideas in no particular order off importance.

• Hire a local private chef to come to your property and cook for you and your guests. Choose from a menu and create a beautiful dining experience, perhaps snag a few cooking tips along the way.

• Book to travel to and from your elopement in style, remember if you keep to a midweek elopement, preferable Monday to Thursday, lots of opportunities open up for you. Pricing rates come down and availability opens up. Choose a VW Split Screen Kombi or one of these awesome classic cars.

• Treat yourself to booking your elopement with a week or so away at a luxury resort destination like Pullman Bunker Bay Resort or have a look at these five best luxury resorts in Western Australia They include swimming pools, day spa, gyms, restaurants and bars to enjoy.

• Plan an adventure experience in the beautiful outdoor surroundings we have here in Western Australia. This could be connected to something you both love to do. The beauty of elopements is that they can be incredibly personal. Remember the experience could be the day after or the morning of your elopement. Your photographer could document your experience together naturally, so you have that memory, the story to relive.

  Examples could be trekking together, a small mountain trail down south, sailing, an epic helicopter ride, surfing, Rottnest Island trip.

• Book a small bar space to celebrate with close family and friends later that evening.

Check out my elopements page for lots of helpful advice about planning elopements

Margaret River Elopements

Another epic elopement in Margaret River

It was awesome to meet Michael & Sammy for their Margaret River elopement. We got a massive helping of good fortune with the weather, it had been chucking it down all day but everything went to plan in our little spot on the beach.

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Experience is everything…

Wed, Sep 2, 3:46 PM (2 days ago)to me

Hi John Mike and Sammy here,

Just wanted to say thanks so much even without seeing the photos you were a fantastic you did an amazing job we were so happy to have you there and to guide us.

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Natural, fun stress free experience = epic pics!

11:12 AM (3 hours ago)to me

OMG thank you so much! The photos are amazing!!!!!

Sent from my iPhone

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6 Ways that eloping reduces your stress

Being an elopement photographer in Western Australia I am always asked, why elope?

Weddings can burn you out. I have seen many couples reach the most exciting day in their lives and want it “over with” so they can go and relax together on honeymoon. These are very big weddings with a ton of financial and emotional investment.

I have always felt sorry for these people. Somewhere during the planning, their ideas and dreams have been compromised to keep everyone happy and it’s ended up being a thing they have to get done.

Of course not all weddings are like that. The majority of my couples are itching to “get their party started!” and wouldn’t allow for someone to dictate how their special day should be.

1. Eloping is guaranteed to be about your ideas and dreams

Eloping is simple and stress free, it’s an intimate day of pure celebration and fun. It can involve many awesome experiences and can include an epic adventure if you feel up for it.

2. Elope Packages reduce stress and make life easy for you

Investing in an elope package with an expert in elopements is going to be the best decision you can make. Especially if you are already leading a full and busy life.

It’s a bit like contemplating using a builder or owner building your house without any handy person skills or experience, unless you have a ton of spare time to skill up and research why would you do it to yourself.

My elopement package starts off with a bare essential marriage celebrant, two hours photography and planning. The last part is massive, it’s where I listen to your thoughts and ideas and then create an epic elopement experience for you. There will be some tweaks and adjustments here and there to fit in with what you’d love and your budget but ultimately I put together an team of vendors and experiences so you have the best elopement day ever!

3. Expert advice on tap to make your life easy

When you book me as your elopement photographer only or you book an elope package with me I will set up an easy channel of communication for us. If you love email, phone, WhatsApp chat group, zoom or Skype I can have that set up so you can ask me any question during business hours and I will be ready to help.

4. Local vendor contacts for emergency changes of plan

Whether you are eloping in Perth or the Margaret River Wine region I have highly experienced, trustworthy, genuine and creative wedding vendors to join my elopement team. I have been lucky to work in the wedding industry in Perth and also Margaret River and you get to know who really cares.

5. Eloping saves you financial stress compared to weddings

Even the most luxurious, extravagant and adventure packed elopement is not going to get near the cost of a wedding in Western Australia. Just look at the number of people involved, typically just the two of you, possibly you may go up to a dozen people but you are no where near eighty to one hundred and fifty people to look after.

The average cost of a wedding in Australia is $65,000 check this out

The average elopement package is $2000-$3000 my basic one with the bare essentials is $1850. If you add on accomodation, experiences epic adventures etc you will be anywhere between $4000 and $10,000. If you go all out with what is essentially a honeymoon thrown into the mix you can be spending $6000-$15,000 plus. Read this helpful article on elopement budgeting.

6. Elopements make getting married about having and intimate fun experience together

You must have chatted together about experiences, destinations or adventures that you’d love to do. Elopements let you incorporate that into your wedding.

Have you always wanted to walk a section of the Cape to Cape through Margaret River? What about taking a ride in a helicopter?Perhaps you love the ocean and you’d love to get married together at Rottnest? Or get married and then climb Bluff Knoll together? Or maybe you love the idea of spending a week at a luxury resort and spoiling yourself with relaxing experiences like massages and walks along the beach.

I have tons of fantastic ideas for you whatever experience you fancy I can help you to create an awesome stress free and fun elopement.

Elope Packages Perth

Awesome Elopement Packages in Perth

Why choose my elopement packages?

Eloping has a freedom and creativity that allows you to make your special day as intimate, adventurous, simple or unique as you want.

Eloping

made easy…

FUN, AFFORDABLE & STRESS FREE.

It’s an exciting and special way to make your commitment to one another. By stripping back on the distractions of a wedding you can enjoy making this about you and your love for one another.

Celebrating the beginning of our journey together, I’d love to help you to personalise your day. Naturally this starts with a simple chat.

Perth Elopement Packages Start At

My Perth elopement packages start at $1950 for a weekday elopement with the essentials. Planning, amazing celebrant to personalise your ceremony with you, 2 hours photography, edited photos to print small or large, your beautiful elopement album is easy to share with friends around the world.

All you have to do is show up & have an awesome time

My elopement packages are personalised to suit your individual needs, nothing is too hard to organise for you, I want your day to be perfect and your elopement to be stress free. Everything is taken care of for you, all you guys have to do is show up, get hitched and have an epic time together.

Perth Elopement Package Add Ons

Our starting package gives you the essentials to get hitched and have some beautiful photo memories of your day. You can then add onto that anything you would love to personalise your elopement. Perhaps something extravagant, or an awesome experience, an adventure together or keep things simple and beautiful. If you are not sure what is possible, just get in touch and I can help you with some fantastic suggestions.

The team behind my Perth Elopement Packages

I am very lucky to have worked in the Perth wedding industry for twenty years photographing hundreds of awesome weddings and elopements. During that journey I have worked with some special talented, creative and genuine wedding professionals.

This pool of talent is where I create each of my clients perfect elopement experience. Nothing is too hard for my team.

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Perth Elopement Package Inclusions

The package pricing is for Perth elopements, including the CBD, Fremantle, Perth Hills and Swan Valley. For areas outside Perth I can adjust your elopement package price accordingly.

If you wish to Elope in Western Australia’s South West, I have Margaret River Elopement Packages and an awesome dedicated South West team of vendors for you. The mind boggles with the endless possibilities to create a truly unique elopement experience for you in the Margaret River Wine Region.

My starting elopement package has everything you need, to get hitched and have memories to look back on and enjoy together.

Perth Elopement Package Inclusions $1950

• Comprehensive planning

• Marriage celebrant

• Personalised ceremony service

• Legal witnesses

• 2 hours elopement photography

• Elopement album to share online with friends and family

• Edited elopement photos supplied to print large or small

Perth Elopement Package Add Ons:

• Adventure experience

• Flowers, Bouquets, Boutonnieres, flower pins etc.

• Hair stylist

• Makeup artist

• Additional celebrant services

• Additional photography services

• Videography

• Ceremony furniture

• Decor

• Transport

• Dining experience

• Perth accomodation

Your Perth Elopement starts here

Lets start chatting about your Perth elopement, drop me a line now info@johnricepohotographer.com.au

Or click the button below, share a few ideas and I’ll make this the easiest, fun and enjoyable experience you could have hoped for

Coffee, beer wine?

I love all these, so whatever suits your schedule, lets meet up and plan an epic elopement for you both.

Elopement planning via Zoom, Skype, Phone, Email or Whats app elope group

Again, whatever suits you best is the go! You might have guessed already that I am pretty chilled and super flexible to work with. I want this to be easy and fun, I want this to be exciting and memorable. We can plan on any of the various methods we are lucky to have.

If you are feeling overwhelmed about planning your elopement, perhaps you are way too busy. I can help you with an elopement planning package