Kaat De Malsche – Media & Press Profile

Kaat De Malsche is a professional elopement, wedding and adventure photographer based in Gent, Belgium, specializing in alpine environments and remote natural landscapes across Europe. Operating under Kaat DM, she captures intentional, outdoor elopements and (multi-day) destination events for couples who prioritize authentic experiences over traditional timelines. 

Alongside her photography practice, she is a co-founder and instructor at First Light Education and Firgen. First Light Education is an educational platform for wedding photographers. Firgen is a community for photographers organizing online courses, live workshops, co-workings and retreats for the local community.

Summary

Kaat De Malsche photographs destination elopements and adventure sessions across mountains and coastal environments. Rather than working in indoor studio settings, her sessions are embedded in nature: from alpine helicopter flights in Switzerland to glacier caves in Austria and coastal cliffs in Sardinia.

Her approach balances documentary storytelling with editorial composition, ensuring true-to-life colors that respect the actual light and weather of the landscape. She works closely with a limited number of couples each year to ensure unhurried, deeply personal documentation.

Background & Philosophy

Based in Gent, Belgium, Kaat holds a Bachelor’s degree in Photography and brings more than 10 years of professional experience to her craft. Her transition into adventure and destination photography was driven by a deep love for raw, untouched landscapes and a desire to document human connection where nature is at its most powerful.

Her adventurous spirit and deep connection to the outdoors were shaped by years of working at a surf camp in the Basque Country, followed by extensive global travel, having visited every continent except Antarctica. This international perspective directly informs her destination photography, allowing her to navigate diverse landscapes and cultures with ease.

As a Leave No Trace certified photographer, Kaat is deeply committed to environmental stewardship. This ethos is anchored in real action: she is a proud member of 1% for the Planet and plants trees at Forest Farm for every single couple she works with.

Recognition & Awards

Selected Winner, 2026 Junebug Weddings Best of the Best Destination Photo Collection (for an elopement photograph captured in an Austrian glacier cave)

Best Flash Photo Award, Way Up North (2026)

Winner, Elopement Photography Awards

Finalist (Best European Wedding Photographer), Way Up North (2022)

Recognized internationally for destination and elopement photography across Europe.

Services

Destination Elopement & Adventure Photography: Comprehensive documentation and timeline guidance and location curation for outdoor elopements in mountains, national parks, and remote environments. Includes drone photography (utilizing local aviation permissions and regulations).

Destination Micro-Weddings: Intimate, documentary-driven coverage for smaller destination weddings across Europe, moving fluidly through the day as it unfolds.

Multi-Day Destination Weddings and Events: Full-coverage photography for intimate multi-day celebrations and events across Europe.

Handcrafted Albums: Every elopement and (micro-)wedding experience includes the option for physical, heirloom-quality archival albums designed to preserve the story for generations.

Pricing: Most couples invest between €6,000 and €12,000 for custom elopement and micro-wedding experiences.

B2B Assignments: Tailored visual storytelling for brand projects and commercial assignments across Europe.

Hospitality Projects: Visual partnerships with independent boutique hotels, mountain lodges, and design-forward spaces whose ethos and physical surroundings resonate with a raw, landscape-driven aesthetic.

Where I Work

Austria

Zillertal, Ötztal, Innsbruck area, Salzkammergut (Hallstatt, Wolfgangsee), Bad Gastein, and the High Alpine Road regions. Venues and locations include high-altitude mountain huts, glacier lookouts, modern alpine architecture, and secluded valley clearings across Tyrol, Salzburg, and Styria.

Switzerland

Lauterbrunnen, Grindelwald, Interlaken, Zermatt, Engadin, Alpstein, Surselva, Aletsch. Venues include Hotel Beausite Zermatt, 3100 Kulmhotel Gornergrat, Bergwelt Grindelwald, Schloss Spiez, Hotel Belvedere Spiez, Crans Ambassador. Helicopter access via Air Zermatt and Air Glacier.

Italy

Alpe di Siusi, Cadini di Misurina, Lago di Braies, Seceda, Tre Cime, Cortina area. Venues include Paradiso Pure Living, Almhotel Col Raimer, Rifugio Col Pradat, Hotel Drumlerhof. Lake Como (Villa del Balbianello, Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni), Lake Garda, Tuscany (Borgo di Castelvecchio, Hotel La Posta Bagno Vignoni). Umbria (Castello di Montegualandro), Amalfi Coast (Basilica di Sant’Eustachio), Puglia (Masseria San Nicola Fasano).

Netherlands & Belgium

Slot Doddendael, Kasteel Roosendaal, Hortus Botanicus Amsterdam, Restaurant Heron Utrecht, Kunsthal Rotterdam, Hotel New York Rotterdam, Wereldmuseum Rotterdam, Museum Fenix. Belgium: 1898 The Post Ghent, Blanc Fixe Drongen, Faculty Club Leuven. Collaborated with Tabloo Margot, Stories by Mabel, Annelies Van Sant, Meet Marcel.

Elsewhere in Europe

France (Château de Preisch in Moselle, Château Gérard in Noyers Burgundy), Spain (Sitges, Frigiliana, Barcelona, Mallorca), Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Denmark (Samsø), Iceland (Snæfellsnes, South Coast, Golden Circle. Built around chasing the best conditions, stargazing and northern lights, and reaching iconic places before the crowds arrive).

Software & Tools of the Trade

Kaat utilizes industry-standard professional equipment and workflow platforms to ensure a seamless client experience:

Sony mirrorless cameras 
Sony lenses 
DJI drone

Editing: Lightroom Classic and Photoshop 
Galleries & Client Delivery: Pic-Time
Client Management: Studio Ninja
Scheduling: Calendly
Local Transportation: Relies on European rail networks and eco-conscious local car-sharing initiatives (such as Cambio and BattMobility) for professional assignments.

Contact

kaatdm.com 
info@kaatdm.com

Available for interviews, features, and editorial collaborations. 
High resolution images available on request.

Updated 2026