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If I’m being honest, I haven’t met too many children that enjoy sitting still and smiling at the camera for 60 minutes. Who can blame them?! It’s perfectly normal for kiddos to be distracted or wanting to move around. Plus, they’re probably a bit skeptical of someone new trying to take their photo. This summer vacation family session in Acadia National Park was filled with lots of giggles and a little bribery. Maybe even some gross noises and silly jokes!

When the little ones aren’t loving the session, don’t sweat it too much. I don’t want you feeling or looking stressed because, I promise you, it happens!! Upon booking your session with me, I include a PDF to help you style and prepare for your portrait session. It includes tips and tricks that help our session go a little more smoothly. Here’s a few of my favorite things to keep in mind when it comes to little kids at family sessions:

1. If little ones are in tow, bring snacks! It helps to have a few treats like goldfish or fruit snacks on hand to keep them occupied or for bribery purposes!
2. Don’t sweat the small stuff! I work quickly to ensure the best possible results. Don’t worry about getting little ones to look at the camera. You just keep smiling at me, and I will handle the rest!
3. Expect to take breaks. With little ones, it’s common to need to stop and play. We will plan to let them stop and explore as the session goes on.

Honestly, just looking through these photos, you can see their silly personalities and all the fun that we had during our short time together! Enjoy this family session in Acadia on the blog today.

Brianne and Mark thought they could escape September hurricane weather in Florida. Believe it or not, our scheduled elopement day was a complete wash. Even in Maine we still get effects from the hurricanes down south. But we still managed to get their Acadia National Park adventure elopement in the following day!

Since it was just the two of them, they had the flexibility to reschedule to a new day. Fortunately, I had availability in my schedule to make that happen before another elopement later that afternoon. That is a big perk of elopements! You have flexibility for your timing, activities that you want, and a day tailored to your wants. 

Jordan Pond Elopement

We all met at Jordan Pond in Acadia National Park. They led us to a spot they had picked out for their ceremony. It was tucked off of the walking path to provide a little more privacy and better views of Bubble Rocks. Fortunately the rain had passed, but the extreme winds stuck around. The gale force winds ripping off of Jordan Pond created white caps on the water. It was cold and windy, but it was spectacular. Mother Nature’s forceful surprises truly added to the adventure. 

In true elopement fashion, their officiant Rev. Erika Hewitt, stopped two hikers to ask if they would be witnesses. They graciously agreed, and we got started with their meaning ceremony. 

In lieu of their family being present, they wrote letters for Bri and Mark to read to each other. Their eyes filled with tears hearing the kind words their family had for them. I personally loved this idea so much. I think it’s an incredible way to include loved ones and add even more sentiment to your elopement experience. 

Prior to their trip to Maine, Rev. Erika suggested they fill a jar with mementos from their trip. The jar was filled with stones from the shore, leaves from their walks, and blooms from her bouquet. Best of all, they included a whisker from their beloved kitty who didn’t make the trip from Florida. This one pulled at my cat mama heart strings! Now, in addition to their photographs and heirloom albums, they have this little jar to help remember their elopement. 

What ways will you add sentiment into your special day? Scroll through the photos for some inspiration! 

Did you enjoy this Acadia National Park adventure elopement? If so, you will love this Coastal Wedding in Maine.

Luxury meets adventure here in Bar Harbor, Maine. This glamorous couple chose outfits that were still similar to traditional wedding attire. Nick was in a full suit and tie with a boutonniere, and Amber wore a long sleeve white gown that flowed so perfectly in the wind. Being a professional cosmetologist in Clearwater Florida, Amber did all of her own hair and makeup flawlessly. Her simple jewelry paired so perfectly with the elegant glam and bridal bouquet that complimented the colors of the cold Atlantic ocean. It was the perfect luxury elopement in Acadia National Park!

Amber and Nick traveled to Maine, fully trusted me (even before meeting me), to pick her up from her hotel in Downtown Bar Harbor. I drove her to meet Nick in the National Park so they could see each other for a first look. I prepped them in advance on where he should stand and face at Sand Beach. She walked down the stairs to reveal her gorgeous gown to him. After we spent a little bit of time at Sand Beach for some portraits, they followed me to our next spot. It was a little hidden gem I keep up my sleeve. They hadn’t seen before. I led them down a steep path through the evergreens where we landed at a small, secluded spot on the pink granite cliffs of Acadia. It towered over a pebble cove where you can hear the waves crashing and rolling the rocks against each other. The peaceful sounds of nature paired with the crisp salty air blowing across the water and onto your cheeks made for the most serene spot. Here they shared their beautiful handwritten vows.  

Bar Harbor Elopement

As Amber + Nick read from their custom vow books, I wasn’t able to hear what they were saying. But I could tell by their expressions that it was filled with lots of love, emotion, and happiness. They sealed the deal with the exchange of wedding bands and a first kiss. Then, we spent some more time rock hopping along the rugged coast of Maine. 

While they may live in Florida now, they chose Acadia because its scenery reminded them of Nick’s hometown in Alaska. During our few short hours together, they told me all about their love story, how they met, and the things they love the most. (Hearing about their travels and their trip to Alaska together, has me even more excited for my trip there in August of 2023!)

We finished up our time together back in Downtown Bar Harbor, at the hotel they were staying at. The architecture and grounds of The Bar Harbor Regency created a slight European with classic elegance. 

This is the perfect example of being able to have a luxury wedding experience with fun and adventure as well. From just a couple of phone calls, emails and questionnaires we had already got a sense of each other’s personalities so when we met for the first time on the day of their elopement, there was no feeling of awkwardness. There was an instant connection that made it so easy to talk to each other and learn more and more about them as we spent that time together. We created timeless photographs that are classy and packed with adventure, truly reflecting their love story and our full elopement experience that we created together. 

Who knew climbing through nature in wedding attire and hiking boots could look so fabulous?! 

Vendors

• Photography: Emily Brianne Photography
• Location: Acadia National Park
• Hotel: The Bar Harbor Regency
• Hair + Makeup: Amber Brockway
• Florals: Queen Anne’s
• Dress: Asos Bridal

Samantha and Daniel showed up to their session looking like they were straight out of an Eddie Bauer magazine, and I absolutely loved it!! I am all about choosing clothes that feel like YOU. They have a yearly tradition of having anniversary photos taken, and this year they were visiting Bar Harbor to celebrate their anniversary doing lots of hiking, so the outfits fit the occasion…and it’s a good thing too – it was quite windy & chilly for these Texans!

I just love the adventurous vibes of this session, scroll through and check out our fun session.

“We knew we wanted pictures in beautiful Acadia, but weren’t sure exactly where since we weren’t familiar with the area. Emily offered suggestions based on what scenery we were looking for in the photos and even gave some outfit tips (my husband and I actually changed outfits at the last minute due to windy/cold weather that we hadn’t quite anticipated). She did a great job before the shoot of trying to get a feel for our style, which I think really helped us feel comfortable during our shoot.

When we finally got to meet her the day of the shoot, she was friendly and provided great direction (especially to two awkward people who never quite know how to pose in photos). She made sure to ask our input about ideas/suggestions throughout the shoot, but honestly she was confident enough that we trusted her to make many of the calls (and we’re glad we did!).

The final photos were GORGEOUS. Overall we had a great experience with Emily and would highly recommend her to capture your special moments!”

Samantha & Daniel

I low-key squealed with excitement when I saw the Zimmerman family show up in these outfits. So many cute little details and accessories, yet still coordinating so perfectly!!! The weather, however, was not so perfect. There were off and on rain showers throughout the day, but this was the only day that our schedules lined up while they were vacationing in Bar Harbor. So, we waited out the rain a bit, and snuck in some INCREDIBLE family portraits in between rain showers. And it was soooo worth it. The fog and hazy sky made for some super cool photos on the rocky shoreline in Acadia National Park. This fam absolutely killed this session – check out their adorable outfits…oh, and the Bar Harbor Whale Watch boat appeared at just the right time to get in the back of a photo.

#emilybriannephotography #mainefamilyphotographer #mainephotographer #maineengagementphotographer #acadianationalpark #coastofmaine #visitbarharbor