How to Plan an Adventure Elopement

So firstly, some of us might be wondering, “what the heck is an adventure elopement?” We define an adventure elopement as anything outside of the traditional wedding setting that is well…. outside! Part of the adventure is the journey in getting to the epic place where you will be saying “I do” in the most beautiful place you’ve ever seen. We’re here to help you plan your adventure elopement.

We love planning and documenting the most epic adventure elopements for our couples because we believe in starting their marriage off right – with nature, each other, and maybe a few family and friends to share it with.

where and when to go

The first and most fun question is, where do you want to go? There’s a whole world out there worth exploring and finding the perfect place for your elopement is kind of a big deal. All of your plans will revolve around where you go so it’s worth doing your research and vet a lot of options before you settle on a place. When you plan an adventure elopement, you’ll want to find somewhere that really feels like your place.

Seasonality plays a BIG part of how your plans will unfold. Are you thinking of a winter elopement with epic mountains in the background, or would you like something on the beach instead? Typically, summer months are tougher to plan and more expensive due to the increase in tourism. Consider this as you’re planning.

questions to ask to help the brainstorming process

1. What is the overall meaning of your day? Is this day just for the two of you? Do others play a role in your day?
2. What does the scenery look like? Are you in the mountains, by a lake, on a cliff, in a forest, or in front of a waterfall?
3. How much time are you able to use for the trip? Is the elopement part of a larger trip or combined with your honeymoon? How much time are you able to take off work?
4. Will it just be the two of you or will you include others? The will help determine any permits you will need or accessibility concerns?
5. What does the ceremony look like? Are there important cultural or religious traditions you’d like to incorporate into the ceremony?
6. What do you want to wear? A dress or a suit? Something more casual? Are you wearing shoes – or not? If it’s cold, will you need to wear extra layers? What footwear do you need?
7. What activities do you see yourself doing? These can be activities that you enjoy doing together or ones that you’ve never tried before, hiking, stargazing, stand-up paddle boarding? Your options are endless!

All the Logistics

Just like every wedding, you’ll need to set a budget that you’re comfortable with. Instead of putting a lot of money into catering or venues, you’ll be able to splurge (yes, splurge) on other things. Photography, videography and an activity budget are your most important and likely where a lot of your money will be going. Important vendors you should book ASAP. You should ask your photographer/videographer team what dates they have open before you book your trip.

Decide how involved you want to be with the planning. Think about if it’s worth the time you’ll save to invest in an elopement planner who knows the area well and is experienced in elopements. You can even hire a day of coordinator to make sure things go smoothly. If you’re hoping to have a beautiful arch setup or even a picture perfect picnic on the mountain, you’ll want to hire someone who can make all of those details come to life.

Make your travel arrangements and be sure to know the local events that will affect hotel accommodations, flights, availability of restaurants, etc. An important detail not to skip are your shots and your passport. Marriage licensing and laws differ from country to country, so be sure to read up on those as well.

Purchase wedding attire and be sure to book all of your other vendors (officiant, hair/makeup, florist, baker, musicians, etc.)

Book your honeymoon accommodations.

If you’re ready to plan your adventure elopement, here some epic location ideas

Ireland

From this Ireland Adventure Session

Arch Cape, Oregon

Moab, Utah

Bigfork, Montana Mountain Summit

Columbia River Gorge, Oregon

San Diego, California

Arches National Park

Glacier National Park – Logan Pass

Cannon Beach, Oregon

Lake Tahoe

Sand Flats, Moab

Glacier National Park – Many Glacier

Big Sky, Montana

Yellowstone National Park

From this Yellowstone National Park Wedding

Olympic National Park

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