Meet Andrea Doss | Elopement Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Andrea Doss and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Andrea, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
Outdoor elopements are a way for couples to embrace the freedom of a fulfilling wedding day experience in natural landscapes, and that freedom comes with a responsibility to take care of the earth. Traditional weddings produce an average of 400 pounds of trash, so eloping is already a step in the right direction in terms of reducing impact. But, I’m so glad to say we don’t just stop there. All of my elopement packages include a 10% donation to organizations working to further environmental sustainability efforts, and I have a very candid and open conversation with couples who work with me about the importance of the 7 Leave No Trace Principles. It’s one of the biggest parts of my business, because if we don’t take care of the landscape we recreate in, those places are at a grave risk of losing what makes them special. Eloping outdoors is such an incredible thing we have the choice to do, and I never want to forget just how lucky we are to have access to these beautiful spaces. The landscapes my couples elope in are home to rushing rivers, wide open meadows, towering mountains, quiet wildlife, and an atmosphere that just can’t be replicated. If these lands get destroyed because people disrespect them over time, that damage will be irreparable. I’m so proud to be an advocate of Leave No Trace, and I get to work with some of the most amazing couples who truly do care about keeping these outdoor spaces pristine and beautiful for years to come. Some of the practical ways we work together to make sure that happens is by staying on trail and durable surfaces while hiking, keeping our distance from wildlife, and never doing anything that emulates destructive activity just for the sake of a cool photo such as standing in a wildflower field or using a confetti canon. For couples who invite guests to celebrate with them, I provide copy and paste email templates for them to share that help explain why Leave No Trace is so important. I’ve spent many hours preparing free resources for couples that want to have an elopement that’s as eco-friendly as possible by compiling a list of my favorite ethical and sustainable wedding dress brands, providing alternative ideas on how to have a fun elopement without the traditional wastefulness, and suggesting sustainability-focused accommodation options.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Getting where I am today was certainly challenging, but it’s been very fulfilling. I started my business because I really enjoyed the process of creating something, and I wanted creativity to be my profession. Finding my niche within elopement photography didn’t come right away and it was really difficult at times, especially because I was really young when I first started and it took me a while to really settle into what felt the most fulfilling for me. Once I did, I couldn’t imagine doing anything else. Whenever I have difficult moments running my business, I get to look forward to those times where I’m standing on top of a mountain with a couple on their wedding day, sunset bathing everything in fiery orange light, wind wrapping around them and they’re just having the best time, and I get to take photos of that whole setting unfolding. The fact that that is what I get to do for work is absolutely amazing and something I truly can’t fathom some days. I think that feeling of being blown away by what I get to do is what influences my work the most and helps me capture people’s memories in a different way. I never want to take what I do for granted or lose that sense of inspiration from it, and while I don’t always succeed at that especially when most of my work involves sitting at the computer when I really just want to be adventuring outside with couples, I have those moments to look forward to and it makes the mundane parts of running a business worth it. Mindset has been the biggest thing that has helped me look at what I do in a way that stays curious and inspired, and coming to that point wasn’t easily achieved. I had to strip away a lot of bad thought processes and work through a lot of things that were keeping me stuck in a loop of seeing myself and my work as less than, because that wasn’t the frame of mind I needed to be in to be trusted by couples on their wedding day. It was a really long process of unlearning and digging up uncomfortable thought patterns, but working through that has been the most pivotal experience so far since starting my business in that it finally led me to a place where I felt like I could understand what my couples needed from me to help them have an unforgettable day and follow through on making that happen. I see it as a collaboration with my couples and when we’re operating on the same wavelength, it leaves everyone feeling so fulfilled and understood at the end of the day, and there’s no better feeling than that.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Right now my husband and I are living in southern Wisconsin since he’s working in northern Illinois, so we really enjoy spending time in Madison. We’ve found some really cool places that I’d definitely take my best friend to! We’d go to Lake City Books to find our next reads and say hi to the owner’s humongous dog, Wonderstate Coffee for lattes, Marigold Cafe for some lemon ricotta buckwheat pancakes, browse through the all the mid century modern furniture at Atomic Antiques, and do a little hiking next to Lake Mendota.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My husband has always been my biggest support and I’m so grateful for his encouragement in every part of my business. He’s always there to help me hash out ideas and come up with ways to provide an even better experience to my couples. The two of us love spending time together outdoors, so he really understands why I love what I do, and that helps so much when I need a fresh perspective or a second set of eyes. Any time I doubt myself or what I’m doing, he’s always there to remind me how amazing it is to do what I do and that gives me so much confidence.

Website: https://andreadossphoto.com

Instagram: @andreadossphoto