February 13th. A Friday. A cemetery. Maybe not what you would expect for an elopement.

When they reached out about their elopement, we originally planned for city hall but switched last minute to Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta. This is a place with real history, real architecture, and a quiet beauty that most people drive past without ever thinking twice. They weren't trying to be spooky about it. But they wanted to lean into Friday the 13th and go somewhere a little unexpected.

The one thing they were clear on: they didn't want every photo to be graves. Which made for a fun challenge.

Oakland has so much more going on than most people realize. It hosts an Oakland after Dark lights event, Day of the Dead festival, and people come from all over to walk and picnic in this historic park. It features iron gates, marble, worn brick columns, overgrown greenery, incredible mausoleums, and beautiful green patches with tree that give it a southern charm. So instead of leaning into the graveyard aesthetic from the start, I spent the morning finding the edges of the space: the architectural details, the texture, the places where it just looks like a beautiful old garden.

The day started with family arriving and a first look. The ceremony itself was short and personal with their dog hopping up and interrupting to steal the show. After, we took family photos and then transitioned into the couples session. That's when we let the setting do a little more of the talking.

For the couples session, we did lean into the cemetery aspect — but gently. It matched who they are. There's nothing gothic or heavy about these two; they're warm and loving and not trying to perform anything. So the images reflect that. The wide shots, the brick paths, the bare winter trees catching afternoon light — it all felt fitting rather than forced. Something they can always look back on and be transported back into the day.

I shot the day with a bright, natural edit. No moody desaturation, no heavy processing. Just light, and them, and a place that turned out to be a lot more beautiful than the name lets on.

Happy Friday the 13th, lovebirds

Straight from the source:

We are SO glad and lucky to have found Hannah for our elopement day. From the initial contact, she was professional, flexible, and very helpful. It's important to have a photographer who makes you feel comfortable, and she did that every step of the way. We ultimately picked a very non-traditional venue: Oakland Cemetery. Thanks to Hannah and her assistant, we have an album full of very beautiful memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life. She captured some beautiful portraits, as well as a ton of candid, cinematography-style shots that really highlight all the joy and love of the day. We highly recommend working with her!

Venue: Oakland Cemetery, Atlanta, GA

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