Van Gachnang Photography

Van Gachnang Photography

Based In: Washington
Business Attributes: LGBTQ+ Owned, Woman Owned
Photographer: Van Gachnang Photography

Van Gachnang Photography

Based In: Washington
Business Attributes: LGBTQ+ Owned, Woman Owned

Hey, adventurer!

What would you say if I told you that your elopement can be literally anything you want it to be?

That might include your dog, a hike to a stunning summit, drinking beer at your favorite park, or anything else you can dream up.

You’re here because you need an elopement photographer – high five to you for putting in the work and finding someone you truly click with! And double high five for choosing to elope in the first place- sometimes it’s a brave decision that took a lot of guts, and sometimes it’s the easiest thing you’ve ever decided.

What you might not know you probably need is someone who can alleviate the stress that may come with planning an elopement. That’s where I come in, babyyyyyyy.

I’m Van.

I have a cuuuuuute as hell dog named Fern, I live in Seattle, Washington, and I’m pretty damn good at taking photos of people I love. I’m the girl who rollerskates to relieve stress, the girl who bakes vegan cookies for anyone and everyone, and the girl who feels every emotion incredibly deeply. I’m an extroverted introvert who is aaaaall about intrapersonal relationships and digging deep into love.

Some cool shit about me:
-Certified in NOLS Wilderness First Aid
-I moved to Washington from Wisconsin in 2018 and have spent eeeeeevery extra minute exploring the state
-Certified Leave No Trace aware photographer

Sound like we might be friends? Imagine what it might be like to have me along on your elopement day, hyping you up and documenting the small stuff AND the big stuff. Could be pretty cool, right?

What it’s like to be my client:

Aside from delivering some truly kickass photos from your elopement, I’m here to help you with a lot more: location planning, permit assistance, timeline arranging, hike recommending, sun and weather tracking, snack providing, and general good-time-having. I’m the photographer you’ll get more than just photos out of. I’m talking inappropriate jokes, mini dance sessions when a good song comes on, and someone who will send you memes that remind me of you. Yep, I’m here to give you one incredible elopement experience from start to finish.

Oh, and did I mention that I follow Leave No trace principles? AND I educate my clients on how to protect our Earth at their elopement? Cause I totally do because it’s important to me.

Ready to do this?

I know I’m super ready for what you have dreamed up for your elopement, so let’s grab a drink or some ice cream (or hop on a Zoom call!), get to know each other a little, and craft an experience that you won’t want to forget.

Peek at my pricing page for more information. Let’s do this.

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Finding a good photographer is hard. Sure, any photographer can give you beautiful photos, but can they curate your experience so you’ll never forget it? Very few can. Van is one of those few.

When searching for a photographer in the PNW for my husband and I’s one year anniversary trip, I looked at 10+ photographers and no ones work stood out like Van’s did. From our first phone call to the planning process to the actual session to gallery delivery, Van was kind, giving, and knowledgeable. She knows her stuff and brings you along to experience the beauty of the PNW as she captures life lasting images.

My husband and I have worked with countless photographers. After our adventure session, my husband looked at me and said he felt like he had made a new friend. I felt the same way.

Her images are stunning, her charisma during the session is gentle and uplifting, and her dedication to creating a magical experience is top notch.

If you’re looking for a photographer, you just found the best option in Van! 👏🏼

G+E

Van was more than just a photographer – she was our guide in planning our elopement too! She helped us have the most magical day we could have ever imagined. We changed our plans on her a few times, and Van worked with us the whole way. She was incredibly knowledgeable and gave us all the info we needed to make sure it went smoothly. Not only that, but she made our wedding day so much fun! My partner and I have always been uncomfortable taking photos, but Van managed to capture the true joy, beauty, and fun of the day. She was wonderful to have as part of the day and quickly getting our sneak peek photos also helped so much in breaking the news to our families as we could share the memory with them. Her excitement about the photos was infectious! Van did a fantastic job helping us plan and capture our elopement in a way that truly captured our love, while making it fun and way less stressful than it could have been. We are so grateful for the love you put into your photography!

L+B

Wow, I don’t even know where to start! Van was amazing from beginning to end 🤩 She was extremely clear with all communication, and super helpful with locations/weather/etc. Every time she emailed or texted us, she was so hyped about our session! It made me and Adam feel so dang excited to work with her and be in front of the camera! We shoot photo + video, so we had pretty high expectations going into the session (not on purpose, but just because we are creatives, too). VAN BLEW IT OUT OF THE WATER! 😍 We couldn’t be happier with our photos and the amazing GIFs she included! Our session was freezing, but she gave us so many great prompts and it felt amazing to be creative with her. If you’re wanting engagement/elopement photos, HIRE HER. You won’t regret it!

H+A

Van exceeded all my expectations. I e-mailed her less than 40 days from our instantaneously planned elopement with some real big military shenanigans peppered throughout. Van was not only responsive, but incredibly professional and authentic. The night before our Mt. Rainier elopement, we camped at White River. Didn't realize that we'd lose service before we could tell Van which campsite we were at for our ride up to the top (Didn't want to have to pack in our rooftop tent at 3am). We were trying to text, email, instagram, anything we could and Van was doing the same. We never got in touch that night, but right on time Van pulled up to our campsite lit up in her toasty prius like the angel she is! Van is the whole package deal. She's awesome, her photos are awesome. Hire her!

C+B

We had a lovely time with Van as our photographer! Our event was small and low-key, and Van matched that energy perfectly, giving us exactly what we were looking for. As a queer couple it felt very important to have a photographer who tried to understand who we were as people rather than trying to fit us into a hetero-normative model of what "wedding" photos should look like and Van did just that! As a bonus she took adorable and unsolicited photos of our pets during the day too :) Highly recommend for anyone interested in small outdoor gatherings, the way she captured us in our favorite national park was beyond special.

R+A

Hire Van!! I recommend Van often and enthusiastically - and I wish I could do it more. I'm someone who LOVES wedding photos, and when it was time for my own, I was thrilled to find someone who captured people stunningly as themselves.

Van was easily one of the best decisions we made for our wedding - especially in a year where everything was turned on its head several times. Van was flexible, reliable, and supportive, and ultimately captured our day beautifully.

K+P

So many favorite things! The photography of course is our favorite. We've already framed some of them and each time they give us so much joy. Beyond that, we really valued the communication especially with all the crazy changes and challenges this year.

It was a really stress-free experience with you. Like, out of all the vendors, we just felt like we could *trust* you. You knew where to be, what to do, what to say to us to make the photos easy. It was so nice.

Hire Van! She is so, so talented and easy to work with.

D+H
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Get ready for the adventure of a lifetime, babyyyyyy.

If you want to show off the beauty of your love AND our planet, then it's time to dive headfirst into eloping. If you also are looking for an experience filled with belly laughs and dad jokes, you just found your elopement photographer. Can I get a hell yeah?!

Wandering Since 2021
Van Gachnang Photography

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