This session was shot by GMP founder and Principal Photographer Elizabeth Millar who also officiated their marriage ceremony
Eloping at Universal Studios Orlando couldn’t be easier once you’ve found a photographer who will also marry you during your session!
Table of contents
Wow. So much wow. I grew up in Orlando and my dad worked at Disney so I spent most of my childhood running around the Disney parks with my friends. Ironically, because dad worked there and we could get in for free, going to Disney is what we did when we couldn’t afford to do anything else. So I didn’t really go to Universal Studios until I was an adult. But…and it feels blasphemous to say this…I liked Universal a whole lot more.
That said, Universal still never had the reputation that Disney had for magic and a magical experience. We can all agree that although Disney has fallen off a lot in the last decade when it comes to guest experience, Universal still couldn’t get close. Until now.
My first Epic Universe elopement
Emily and Zach asked me to do their Orlando elopement at Universal’s new Epic Universe park and it just so happens we were there on the 1 year anniversary of the park opening. Everyone around here knows you let new attractions settle in and work out the kinks before visiting so the 1 year mark seemed like a safe bet.
And WOW. It’s by far the best, most magical, theme park experience I’ve ever had and the staff are how Disney used to be—joyful, accommodating, and just so happy to see you. For couples eloping, even moreso. We had staff giving them complementary fast passes just because and they are SO accommodating towards eloping and photography which of course Disney is not.
Wedding Photography at Universal Studios
It’s a well known fact that Disney is very unfriendly toward people rocking up with their own photographer and don’t even try wearing something that looks bridal. Getting married in the park? Fahgetaboutit.
Now, Universal is a different story. As long as everyone has paid to be there and it’s not for commercial use (ads, products, marketing, promotional materials) they allow you to have your own photographer.
And yes, you’re allowed to get married in the park!
Getting married in the Universal Studios parks
I happen to be a photographer who also marries people so it’s really easy to get married during your photo session with me at Universal Studios. That’s exactly what I did with Emily and Zach at Epic Universe!
I met them in the lobby of the Helios Hotel where they stayed and we went into the park together. I married them just outside the doors overlooking the whole park and then we ventured into Epic Universe for our 2 hour adventure around the park before other guests were allowed in.
Getting into the park an hour early is the key to a successful elopement
Let me talk about this hotel for just a sec. The Helios is a luxury hotel that’s IN the Epic Universe Park. Like literally, you just walk out of the hotel and you’re in the park. No parking. No City Walk security. No moving walkways. No tourists. Just step straight into the magic.
Staying at a Universal Hotel is the secret to a successful elopement because you get in an hour before everyone else and in that hour is when we get almost all of your photos in spots that will be packed with people by 10am.
Since a key guideline for professional photography is that we’re not allowed to block the flow of traffic or ask people to move, it’s vital that we get the bulk of our time together done in that first hour free from other guests.
Epic Universe is a visually stunning Orlando theme park
Yes, Epic Universe is truly epic. But it’s also epically beautiful in terms of architecture and landscaping. The beds of wildflowers were surprising and especially breathtaking—you don’t even look like you’re at a theme park in the middle of those stunning florals.
The architecture is otherworldly. Epic Universe trades in grandeur from the moment you arrive. The park carries a celestial, almost astrological aesthetic — mystical and entirely befitting a place meant to evoke adventure and exploration. Celestial Park, the central hub, pulls from Jules Verne, Art Nouveau, and exhibition-era architecture.
Celestial Park Elopement
Speaking of Celestial Park, it’s one of 4 worlds at Epic Universe and where we spent the most of our time together for this elopement. It’s a place built around the idea of portals to other worlds which felt like the perfect backdrop for two people stepping through one together.
Celestial Park is the hub you enter first upon entering the park. This astronomically-themed central hub is centered around a massive water fountain and filled with colorful flowers, it serves as an oasis between the sensory experiences of the other four worlds. I has that beautiful Beaux-Arts-meets-cosmos architecture and was a stunning backdrop for this elopement.
Frequently asked questions about photography and eloping inside Universal Studios parks
Surprisingly little is involved in being allowed to elope inside the parks. A standard park admission ticket is all you need to get in and get married — no special permits or advance reservations are required.
While they allow you to say “I do” inside the parks, this isn’t permission to stage a wedding. If people did that, they would probably stop allowing this. Can you have a couple friends who are also coming into the park with you for the day? Yes. Should you have 10 people standing there while you get married? Probably not.
Blocking or reserving any particular location for your ceremony isn’t permitted, which means other park guests may be passing through during your vows. And this is an important reason to gain early admission by staying at a Universal Orlando hotel.
I strongly recommend considering staying at a Universal hotel the night before. Hotel guests at Universal properties get early entry to the parks, which means quieter surroundings and beautiful morning light before the crowds arrive. For elopement photography especially, that window is invaluable. To get me in as your photographer officiant, you will add me to your room as a guest so I have a room key to flash and gain early entry with you.
Apart from considering the sometimes extreme heat of Orlando, it’s important to wear something appropriate for an elopement rathe than a wedding. Universal’s costume policy restricts guests from wearing veils or trains so a short elopement style dress would be best. If you’re wanting a themed elopement (i.e. Harry Potter, Super Heros, Horror, etc) you could absolutely come dressed in a costume so long as it adheres to their costumes policy!
Yes, you can bring your own photographer with you to Universal Studios Orlando parks. Universal Orlando confirmed this directly when I reached out to their guest services team. According to their response, couples and families are welcome to bring photographers into the parks on a standard admission ticket, with a few conditions: the shoot can’t obstruct pathways, any photographers or videographers need their own admission, and everyone is expected to follow Universal’s Conditions of Entry policies.
One thing worth knowing: Universal noted that due to the volume of requests they receive, they aren’t able to make special arrangements or accommodations for photoshoots. What this means in practice is that you’re working within the normal guest experience — no reserved spaces, no cleared areas, no special access. A photographer who knows the parks well and can work efficiently within those constraints is genuinely worth seeking out. I happen to be one of those photographers!
