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Tell us your story

Greetings! I’m Cat, and I’m the human behind Wild Connections Photography. I grew up in the UK, studied music at university, and worked in theatre after graduation. I discovered snowboarding in my 20s, and it changed my whole outlook on life. So decided to quit my job (sorry Mum), and head to the Alps. Long story short, that led to me training as a ski and snowboard instructor, meeting my husband, and moving to the Austrian Alps permanently.

I used to work the winter seasons as a ski & snowboard instructor, and in the summer I worked for a British travel agency as a rep and tour guide just outside Innsbruck. I also worked as a hotel receptionist for a few years before starting photography. Working in tourism certainly has influenced how I run my business these days. I don’t only want to create beautiful images for my couples, but I want them to enjoy every aspect of their trip. Once a tour guide, always a tour guide!

In 2022, I also got certified as a mountain hiking guide. I love these mountains that I call my home, and I love sharing them with others – but it’s my priority to make sure that I’m always doing that in the most responsible way. Becoming a guide not only heightened my awareness of many of the challenges facing alpine areas, but gave me a much deeper understanding of the history, geology, flora and fauna of the Alps – and that means if you come hiking with me you’ll be subject to hearing about all kinds of nerdy facts about the area!

With the exception of the odd disposable film camera on a school trip, I’d never owned a camera before. But during the process of planning our own micro-wedding in Austria, I fell in love with wedding photography and made it my goal to make a career out of it.

How long have you been working in the wedding industry?

I started my photography business in 2015. But I’m not only an elopement photographer. Yes, that’s my first love. I’m also the founder and editor-in-chief of this site, the European Elopement Guide. Over the last 10 years in the business, I’ve had the honor of meeting so many incredible people who work in the wedding industry all over Europe, and I really felt like there was nothing showcasing the homegrown talent that we have here. I believe in trying to fight for more sustainability in the industry and supporting local businesses. So that’s why this website was created.

What made you get into weddings & elopements?

At the beginning, I was mainly shooting weddings for local couples, which often involved churches and big loud parties – neither of which I particularly enjoy being around. But when a couple from the UK contacted me about having a skiing wedding in the town where I used to be a ski instructor, I had a massive lightbulb moment. I could shoot weddings in the mountains?! Heck yes!

After my first ski wedding, I started to focus more on adventurous weddings, and also captured my first elopement. Once I realized this was a legitimate alternative to the big weddings, I turned my full focus into building my business to do just that. Back in those days (wow, I sound old haha), elopements were almost unheard of. Most people thought I was mad for turning my back on traditional weddings. But I didn’t really care. I knew that I didn’t want to shoot big weddings, I wanted to help couples who wanted something different. That’s when I created “Wild Connections Photography” and really made a name for myself in the industry.

What do you love about intimate weddings and elopements?

I’m a massive introvert, so I completely understand the anxiety that comes with the idea of “being on show” for a whole day, let alone when that day is one of the most emotionally significant ones in your adult life. Intimate weddings and elopements are the best way for couples who don’t feel like a traditional wedding day is for them to celebrate in a meaningful way. For some couples, that’s with chosen family, and for others, it’s just them and nature.

With elopements, there’s zero pressure to perform. You can do what you want, wear what you want, and not worry about whether anyone else is happy with your decisions except you. Instead, you get to plan a whole day around how you and your partner want to feel and what you want to experience. It’s so freeing!

How would you describe your approach to your work?

I take my role as an elopement photographer seriously—not just in planning and photography, but in holding space for something real. Every couple I work with is different, and I believe their day should reflect who they are—not who the wedding industry tells them to be. I work closely with every couple to create an itinerary that’s entirely their own, blending their wishes with my local expertise to keep them away from tourist traps or anything that could disrupt the intimacy of their experience.

I’d describe myself as a no-fuss photographer. I love a solid plan, but I also know from experience that plans rarely unfold perfectly—and that’s okay. Because I only work in places I know deeply, pivoting when needed is second nature. Even if things go sideways—the weather changes, timelines shift—I stay calm and keep things running smoothly. That ease and flexibility help my couples stay present and enjoy the moment, even if it’s not exactly what they imagined.

That same grounded approach extends to my photography. I’m not in this for a perfectly curated portfolio or viral content. I’m not chasing destination elopements around the world or angling for a free holiday. I’ve intentionally chosen to stay local, because that allows me to be a true expert in the places I shoot and to give my couples the most authentic, thoughtful experience possible. This work isn’t about me—it’s about the two people getting married.

One of the reasons I was drawn to elopements in the first place is that I’ve always felt uneasy about the traditional wedding industry. So much of it is driven by unrealistic beauty standards, pressure to perform, and a focus on buying things you don’t need to prove your love is valid. Eloping offers an alternative—one that’s slower, more personal, and stripped of all that noise. I feel proud to be part of that shift.

Sustainability is also a core part of my work. From the locations I recommend to how I guide my couples throughout the day, I’m always conscious of protecting the natural spaces we visit and respecting the local communities that call these places home. Eloping in nature is such a privilege, and I see it as part of my job to make sure we leave these places as we found them—or better.

What’s your favourite part of a wedding day?

My favorite part of the day as an elopement photographer isn’t the ceremony or the first look—it’s that quiet, breathtaking moment when the couple first arrives at the location I’ve chosen for them. When they look around, fall silent, or simply whisper ‘Wow,’ I can feel everything settle. They chose to elope to step away from the noise and connect deeply—with each other and with nature. In that moment of awe, there’s not just wonder, but a sense of clarity, of this is exactly where we’re meant to be. It’s like all the planning, all the intention behind their decision to elope, is affirmed in a single glance. To witness that moment—and know I helped create it—is incredibly special.

What advice would you give couples who are in the process of planning a wedding or elopement?

Even though I’m a really visual person, I always recommend that couples prioritize how they want the day to feel rather than what it looks like. I know that it can be hard to picture how your elopement may look if you’ve not seen pictures of someone else there first, but focusing on how you want to feel and experience the day is really important. That way, if plans change (because they often do), you’ve not pinned all your hopes and dreams on one photo in one location, but rather on the day as a whole. And when you can approach things with this mindset, everything about the day will be unforgettable.

When you’re not guiding elopements in the mountains, what do you love doing?

If I’m not guiding an elopement (or a post-elopement hike) in the mountains, then I’m probably doing something else in the mountains, lol. I love hut-to-hut hiking, mountain sunrises, and multi-pitch climbing in the summer. I’ve even started trail running in the last year, but the only records I’ll be breaking are for slowest known times! In the winter, you’ll find me skiing, ski touring or ice climbing. And on those bad weather days, I’m usually at home with my husband, my house bunnies, and my rather large collection of houseplants.

Do you have a dream wedding or elopement you’d love to do?

I would love to bring more couples to some of the most beautiful locations I’ve come across around my home in Tirol in the Austrian Alps. Most of my couples come to me because they want to elope in the Dolomites, but Tirol has so much to offer, and it makes me sad that it’s often overlooked because it’s not as trendy. So if you want to elope with glaciers in the background or hike through some of Tirol’s most spectacular scenery, please feel free to slide into my DMs!

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