An Inspired Chat with Cat Ekkelboom-White

We’re looking forward to introducing you to Cat Ekkelboom-White. Check out our conversation below.

Cat, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
Integrity is hugely important to me. In the photography industry, as in much of modern society, it feels like personal gain and success, no matter the cost, are what many people aspire to. But for me, that doesn’t feel like it sits in integrity with me.

I firmly believe that all of our actions are part of our legacy, both in business and in life. The way we conduct ourselves in the world speaks for a lot. It’s our professional reputation, even long after we stop working. I want my legacy to leave a positive impact in my industry, and in the world.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Cat, and I’m an elopement photographer and hiking guide based in the Alps. I live close to the Austrian-Italian border, and spend my days taking clients into the mountains to celebrate their marriage in a way that allows them to connect with nature and spend intentional time together as a couple, rather than feeling pressured to have a big wedding. 2025 marked my 10th year in business which feels absolutely wild to me.

I’m also the founder of the European Elopement Guide, which is a wedding blog that highlights the amazing talent that the European wedding industry has. The blog features real wedding and elopement stories from across the continent, and helps couples who are looking to plan a destination wedding in Europe.

Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What did you believe about yourself as a child that you no longer believe?
I was brought up to believe that more work & more money = more success & happiness. However, I do not believe this anymore.

Whilst I fully acknowledge that it takes a certain amount of privilege and comfort to be able to say this, I really don’t see how much I earn as being a sign of success, despite being brought up to believe that. Sure, we’d all like to have more money. But over the last 10 years of being in business, I’ve learned the hard way that I’m so much happier now working less. Many people I speak to are pretty shocked when I tell them that I only photograph 10 weddings a year. Some can’t imagine that’s enough to make a living from (although when you price your services right, it absolutely can be), and others don’t understand why I don’t want to take on more work and earn even more.

But the truth is, 10 weddings allows me to earn more than enough to sustain my lifestyle, without it getting in the way of how I want to live. I enjoy my freedom, and whilst I could work more and earn more, that would take away from the free time I have to go on my own adventures and adventures with my husband. And for me, my happiness and satisfaction come from those personal adventures. I’m happy with everything I’ve achieved in my business, but now it should support me to live the life I want to live.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Spending a lot of time in the mountains, suffering is something that you learn to accept as part of the adventure. It’s a cliche, but it’s true. But it has taught me so much. I think the most important thing it has taught me is that my limits are often in my head, and that my body is capable of so much more than I ever thought it could be. It’s taught me to get comfortable with being uncomfortable, and that while it feels like suffering in the moment, that suffering will end. And when it does, you’ll have learned so much more about yourself than any success.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
Lie #1: That it’s OK to break the rules because it’s a wedding day.

I guess this goes back to my thoughts on integrity and why that’s so important to me. And why I’m so angered by the state of the industry, especially in the elopement space. One of the biggest lies the industry tells itself, especially in the elopement and destination wedding space, is that it’s OK to bend or break the rules because it’s a wedding day.

I hear this all the time from photographers and planners working in outdoor locations. People justify walking onto private property, crossing barriers, setting up elaborate ceremonies in protected areas, or flying drones where they’re prohibited. The logic is always, ‘But it’s their wedding day, it’s special, people will understand.’

The problem is, these spaces aren’t private venues designed to be used however we like. They’re natural, shared environments that are already under immense pressure from tourism and social media exposure. In places like the Dolomites in Italy, where I work, elopements and photoshoots happen daily, sometimes multiple times a day in the same locations. It only takes a few people deciding the rules don’t apply to them for real, lasting damage to happen, and once an area is closed or restricted, nobody can enjoy it anymore.

For me, integrity means respecting the places we work in and the communities that host us. The goal shouldn’t just be to get the most dramatic photo. It should be to create experiences that leave no trace, so that when we return to that same spot in 10 years, it’s still as beautiful as the first time. If the wedding industry truly values love and celebration, then it also needs to value respect – for people, for land, and for the privilege of using these places as “wedding venues”.

Lie #2: That the industry is inclusive and welcoming for all

The wedding industry likes to believe it’s become inclusive, and on the surface, there’s definitely more visible diversity than before. But I think the industry is still lying to itself about being truly inclusive or accessible to everyone.

If you look closely, especially at the biggest media outlets, the most celebrated photographers, or even the major wedding photography awards, the same patterns emerge. The couples being platformed still fit a very narrow idea of beauty and perfection, or the weddings themselves are still highly curated and not something achievable for many couples. We still rarely see trans, gender-queer, plus-size, disabled, or older couples, or intersections of these things. The industry’s version of inclusivity still has to fit inside a very aesthetic box. It’s often tokenistic diversity that photographs well, not diversity that reflects the real spectrum of love and humanity.

Ultimately, the wedding industry still centers aspiration and marketability over authenticity. Those who don’t conform to this polished ideal are pushed to the margins and labeled as ‘alternative,’ rather than simply part of the mainstream wedding narrative. True inclusivity would mean expanding who gets to be seen as beautiful, who gets to be celebrated – and making sure that representation isn’t just about visibility, but about belonging.

Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. Have you ever gotten what you wanted, and found it did not satisfy you?
Hell yes! When I was first starting out, I chased industry recognition. I wanted to be published in the top wedding publications and win the major wedding photography awards. I thought that being able to achieve those “success milestones” would make me feel like I deserved to be charging the prices I was charging (which were above industry average for my area) and make me feel like I was a legitimate photographer. Shockingly, getting those publications and winning those awards changed absolutely NOTHING!

I still felt the same feelings of imposter syndrome I always had, and I had to accept that no external validation was going to make me feel good enough. Not only that, but I realized that awards don’t equal a successful business. You can win all the awards in the world, but if people aren’t booking you, then you might be an amazing photographer, but you’re not running a successful photography business.

What helped me to gain more belief in myself wasn’t the awards. It was going back to all the amazing things my clients were saying. Even when I felt like my work was average, getting glowing 5* reviews and messages from my couples about how much they love their photos, that helped me realize that’s what matters most.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://wildconnectionsphotography.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/wildconnectionsphoto
• Other: https://europeanelopementguide.com

Image Credits
Image of Cat by https://www.madeinthemountainsphoto.com/
Wedding images by https://wildconnectionsphotography.com/