About Me & Why I Believe Elopements are the Best Way to Get Married…

Whether you want to hike to a remote location at sunrise or drive to an overlook in a Jeep at sunset, adventurous elopements can be anything you want them to be. Witnessing you both commit your lives to each other is such a huge privilege for me. Adventurous elopements aren’t something I just do, my life is an adventure.

You can find me hiking mountain passes, rock climbing, planning another trip to Mexico, nose buried in some travel guides, looking up cheap flights to Australia, or off on some crazy month-long road trip throughout the western US. I am here to help guide you through the entire process of planning an amazing elopement experience for your day!

Travel Dates & Locations

During the following dates, I’ll be at various locations. You can book me for a date when I’m in a location you’re interested in, but always feel free to reach out to talk about other locations & dates!

  • March 2024 – Moab, Flagstaff
  • April – May 2024 – Joshua Tree, Sierra Nevada Mountains, Oregon Coast
  • June – July 2024 – Colorado, Alaska
  • August – September 2024 – Olympic National Park, Seattle, Big Sur
  • October – November 2024 – Moab, Joshua Tree
  • December 2024 – Southern California, Mexico

Let my experience guide you to an epic wedding day!

From starting to learn film when I was about 5 years old, to photographing landscapes over the years, from all sorts of outdoor adventures to photographing over 300 weddings, I’m here to help you have a truly epic wedding day!

Photographed Over 300 Wedding Days

All Sorts of Outdoor Adventure Experience

Seasoned Traveler– U.S. & Beyond

Helping You Have a FUN Wedding Day

I’m Malachi & This is Kaleb

My name is Malachi Lewis & I’m an adventurous wedding & elopement photographer currently living right along the border of western Colorado & eastern Utah. I love traveling, birds, dogs, & pretty much anything adventurous that gets me outside, especially when I get to share those things with my boyfriend Kaleb!

I grew up outside around nature, & the natural world definitely inspires me. My style could be said to be nature-based. I love the warm, bright light of the sun & the vibrant colors of birds and flowers. The natural world around us is so beautiful, that’s why I have a natural & colorful style of photography.

Nature has always been a huge part of my life, & I currently share my space with my dog Bunji, my cat Asher, a handful of parrots, & 200+ plants!

AM I THE RIGHT FIT FOR YOU?

If you love an in-your-face & energetic photographer, I’m gonna be honest & say I’m not the right fit. But if you want someone with a documentary style & a chill, go with the flow attitude, I just might be the perfect fit for you! And ALL LOVE is welcome here regardless of your sexuality, religion, beliefs– just come as you are & get married in the way that is true to you!

Malachi Lewis, a destination wedding and elopement photographer, with fiancé Kaleb.

“Better Than We Could Have Imagined”

“Malachi made our elopement experience even better than we could have imagined. Like many, 2020 threw a wrench in our original wedding plans. We feel so lucky to have our ‘back up’ be an amazing Ouray sunrise hike with just the 2 of us, our pup and the support of Malachi. Not only are the pictures stunning, the entire day was filled with the adventure we craved. We were in trusting hands from the moment we described the ambiguous moment we hoped to experience. And Malachi took it from there and was able to capture in detail exactly what we did not even imagine for ourselves!”
Jolene & Adam

Some of My Skills & What I Will Help You With…

Location & Timeline Planning for Elopements

Helping you find the best locations, times of year, & times of day for your adventure elopement to make your elopement experience amazing!

Not Just a Photographer, I’m an Avid Outdoorsman

Photography is the easy part for me! I grew up with a camera in my hands but also grew up with a lot of outdoor experience & skills. I’m here to help with what to wear, how to prepare, & other helpful tips.

Getting Permits for Various Locations

Permits can be confusing if you don’t know what you’re doing or what kinds of questions to ask. I can help fill out the forms & guide you.

Wilderness First Aid & Outdoor Experience

Adventure elopements are a whole lot different than a wedding! I am NOT a paramedic but have some basic training & carry various equipment & supplies in case of an emergency while we are adventuring outdoors.

Marriage Licenses & Knowing Local Laws

If you need help with marriage licenses or how to get legally married, I’m here to help you navigate the process & answer your questions.

Outdoor, Landscape, Nature, & Wildlife Photography

Adventure elopement photography is more than just photographing a couple out in nature. Landscape photography taught me different photography skills from weddings that I apply to elopements.

IN A DIFFERENT LIFE I WOULD HAVE BEEN A PARK RANGER OR ADVENTURE GUIDE

I’m Always Down for A Little or A Lot of Adventuring!

I LOVE a good adventure & I’m not afraid of getting my feet wet or hands dirty. I’m ready for the heat or the cold. Whatever Mother Nature throws at me, I’m here for it!

Think of me as your personal park ranger or adventure guide on your day. I know not everyone has had the opportunities to get the same outdoor experience that I do, so I’m here to help you along the way however you need.

An outdoor wedding experience is often a bit different than a traditional wedding– let me guide you so you can have an incredible experience in the outdoors together!

A Few Fun Things About Me…

MEET MY BEST BUD, TRAVEL PARTNER, & “COWORKER”

About Bunji the Basenji

Bunji is both super chill but also so full of energy! With all the traveling I do, Bunji comes with me almost everywhere. He gets to come to elopements every once in awhile & is one of the most well traveled dogs you’ll ever meet!

His name “Bunji” is taken from an Australian Aboriginal word that means mate or friend.

As an adventure dog, he’s done hundreds of miles of hikes, has summited multiple 14ers, & has even done some canyoneering & rapelling!

“Malachi is a Cool, Easy to Talk to, Chill Guy”

“My fiancé & I got engaged in Rocky Mountain National Park & it has been such a big part of our story. I knew the moment we started planning I would love to have pictures that captured our joy of hiking & adventure but still wanted the nice dressed photos. Not knowing where to start, how we would get these great photos, or when the best time was to get the colors I wanted, I did some research. That’s when I found Malachi & I’m SO HAPPY I did! From the first time reaching out, he was quick at responses, clear about pricing, best times to go (for us it was sunrise, which I highly recommend), he allows as many changes as time permits, & asking us questions that would help him capture our personalities on camera. The day of, he picked us up promptly at 4am, when we got to the trailhead, he had headlamps, iced coffees, & snack bars (a thoughtful touch as we were consumed with remembering outfits), & guided us at our pace, while keeping an eye out for the sunrise & getting the photos we now LOVE! Malachi is a really cool, easy to talk to, chill guy which made the whole thing less awkward & more fun. He directed us when needed, laid in freezing snow to get the perfect shot, & provided us with pictures we will cherish forever. If you’re considering an adventure engagement shoot or adventure elopement, I could not recommend Malachi more. It was an experience we’ll never forget!”
SHelby & Zach

Elope for the Planet

Want another reason to elope? Not only are weddings expensive, but they also produce a lot of waste. Each wedding usually produces at least 400 pounds of trash! When you elope, you don’t spend a bunch of money on things you’ll later throw away, you’ll invest in a truly adventurous experience. And if you’re like me, you value experiences over things & want to elope because it just sounds like an amazing start to the new adventure of life that you are starting together.

Check Out my Print Shop!

Before I started photographing people, I was learning light, color, composition, & more by going out & photographing nature. Check out my print shop for a wide variety of my work with landscapes & nature!