Where the Fog meets the Heart
The mountains didn’t want to be seen that day. They cloaked themselves in thick, endless fog, leaving only whispers of their peaks in the distance. For most people, that would have been disappointing—a hike without the view. But for Jana and Steffen, it couldn’t have been more perfect.
They didn’t come here for the postcard moment. They came for the stillness, the quiet, the kind of solitude that only the mountains could offer. This wasn’t about the peaks—it was about something deeper.
Bolzano, Dolomites - Italy
Where the Fog Meets the Heart: A Dolomites Elopement Story
We never intended to end up here. Not like this, anyway.
Jana and Steffen first reached out about standard wedding photography in Bolzano—civil ceremony, a few friends, nothing revolutionary. But the more we talked, the more something else surfaced. They kept mentioning the mountains. How they felt more like themselves up there. How the Dolomites had been calling them.
So I asked a question that changed everything: What if we don't do this on your wedding day at all? What if we do something a few days later, just for the two of you?
The plan became epic: meet in Bolzano, morning photos in the city, then venture to a mountain hut for overnight vows at sunrise.
That was the plan.
But life had other ideas. The morning of our mountain adventure, I woke up with COVID. I was devastated—I'd wanted to give them that cinematic sunrise experience we'd dreamed of.
Here's the thing about Jana and Steffen being doctors: they understand adaptation. Instead of canceling, we pivoted. Seiser Alm instead of the remote hut. Day trip instead of overnight. Masks in enclosed spaces, open air for everything else.
We connected over bikes (Steffen rides too), music, and the fact that Jana shares her name with my wife. They weren't just clients—they became friends who took care of me when I was supposed to be taking care of them.
The drive to Seiser Alm felt like traveling between worlds. The gondola lifted us through clouds, and then: fog. Thick, cinematic, all-consuming fog that erased the famous Dolomites views.
But Jana and Steffen found their magic in the mist. She kept saying "Dolomiti!" with such love, trying to call cows with words that didn't work but made us all laugh.
And then, during their vows—just for those five sacred minutes—the fog lifted. The peaks revealed themselves like they were listening. After their promises were spoken, the clouds rolled back in.
Sometimes the best stories happen when everything goes wrong.
this is a STORY BY HAFENLIEBE
From the very first conversations to the promptly delivered results, Björn managed to create such a personal and trusting atmosphere. During the shoot, it truly felt like we were out with a friend. The photos are pure art — they far exceed what we imagined, bring back all the emotions from those intimate moments, and will forever be a worthy memory of this highlight in our lives.
Jana + Steffen
LOCATION(S)
Bolzano, Dolomites - Italy
GUESTS
No one, but a few cows
SHOT IN
October
TYPE
Elopement
TIME ON SET
1 Day
DIRECTED BY
BJØRN
This wasn't the epic mountain hut adventure we'd imagined. There was no sunrise on a dramatic peak. No overnight bonding in some remote cabin.
It was something quieter, more intimate, more real.
I watched two people adapt with grace, care for someone who was supposed to be caring for them, and find magic in the mist. They turned a pandemic pivot into poetry. That moment when I lowered my camera to let them have their fog-lifting vows? That's when I remembered that sometimes witnessing is enough.
The images you just saw range from sweeping landscapes with two small humans claiming their space in the vastness, to close-up tears and quiet smiles. But more than anything, they're about what we felt when everything went sideways and somehow became perfect.
If you're reading this thinking, "God, I wish that were us"—maybe it can be.
Your story doesn't have to be perfect to be everything. Sometimes you just need to listen to your gut, make space for different kinds of magic, and trust that the right people will help you find your way through the fog.
If the Dolomites are calling you too:
Best times: Late spring or early fall for fewer crowds and moody weather that becomes part of the story. Seiser Alm is accessible via gondola, perfect for mountain magic without extreme hiking. Weather changes fast—let it be part of your story.
Most important: You don't need a perfect plan. You need presence, openness, and someone to document it with care.
I'm here for the quiet rebels, the tender hearts, the ones who want something real over something perfect. No performance required—just you, your love, and whatever magic shows up in the mist.
Ready to let the mountains write your story?