What Is An Adventure Elopement?

Simply put, an adventure elopement is all about exploration and intimacy with the outdoors. It’s about choosing to have an experience to start your journey together as a married couple–a meaningful experience that brings the focus back to YOU. 

It is love with and in nature.

It is love for each other and life. 

Is An Adventure Elopement Right For You?

Do you prioritize experiences over materialistic things? 

Do you prefer intimacy and privacy over big parties with lots of people?

How about quality time over being the center of attention?

Do you and your partner like exploring and trying new things? 

Do you prefer spontanteity or loose timelines over rigid schedules?

If you said yes to those questions, then an adventure elopement might be the perfect option for you! Keep in mind, though, that there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to have a large wedding or a traditional wedding. We just want to bring to light that there are options for you. Your day is supposed to be whatever you want it to be!

Also, adventure looks different for everyone. Some people are seasoned backpackers who live for the outdoors! That’s where they’re the most comfortable, so it makes sense for them to have a backpacking elopement. Some people love the idea of eloping, but have never really been hiking before or aren’t super familiar with the outdoors. Both of those situations–and everything in between–is perfectly fine! Adventure is about trying new things, maybe getting out of your comfort zone, exploring a little, and just truly enjoying your life and the experiences you create for yourself. And maybe that just means having an awesome picnic on the beach or booking an Airbnb in a new location. 

Now that you’ve chosen to adventure for your special day, here are the next steps!

Step 1: Photography + Videography

The first step is to pick a photo + video team to capture your day… *HINT HINT* We’re always down for an adventure! Plus, we can sign as your witnesses, too! 

This step is important because you really want to find a team who is going to help you with every step! And you want to make sure that you connect with them and feel comfortable to be 100% yourself around them. You also want to make sure to do both photo + video because they are completely different ways of documenting your special moments. If you want to learn more about the importance of photo and video, check out our experience page!

Another important piece about picking an elopement photo + video team is that they are experienced in adventures and are able to help you plan. This is where we come in! We help all of our couples plan their adventures, whatever they may be. We’re here to help you find an awesome Airbnb and plan a stay at home adventure or pick the perfect backpacking trail for your overnight adventure. We have packing lists and we do the research to help you prepare for your big day!

Step 2: Choose A Date

The second step is choosing a date. That’s ALL you need to have figured out when you book us! Of course, it’s nice to know a general area for your elopement as well so we can send you the right pricing information. But you don’t need to have a specific spot chosen already, just the date that you’re hoping to elope on! If you’re having trouble picking a date, think about the type of location you might like to get married at. For example, if it’s a National Park that is visited a lot during the summer, consider eloping in the off season (fall, winter, or early spring). And another tip is to consider picking a weekday! Weekdays are typically always going to be less busy than weekends, so you have a better chance that your location will be a bit more private.

To summarize… (1) Choose a season (2) Consider a weekday (3) Pick a date

Step 3: Pick a Location

After that, let’s pick your dream location! Here’s how to go about narrowing down your search:

1. Choose a region or a general area (aka do you want to elope in your home state, do you want to travel to another state, or do you want to travel internationally)
2. Think about the kind of views you want. What do you envision for your day? Do you picture sunrise or sunset? Mountains or sand dunes? Forest or waterfalls? The ocean or the desert?
3. After you’ve thought about that, think about some adventures that would be fun. Do you enjoy hiking, off-roading, kayaking, riding ATVs, cliff jumping, or backpacking? Think about the vision for your day and think about something you and your partner would enjoy doing together. 
4. Narrow down your location based on the views you want and the adventures you’d like to have! If you need more help, we send location ideas to all of our booked couples! We’re more than happy to help find the perfect spot for the both of you.

Some of our favorite PNW locations are: Mount Rainier National Park, Southern Oregon Coast, Columbia River Gorge, North Cascades National Park, Olympic National Park

Some of our other favorite destinations are: Glacier National Park, anywhere in southern Utah, Yosemite National Park, Ireland, Switzerland, Thailand, Patagonia.

Step 4: Permits + Marriage License

The next step is making sure you secure the correct permits, passes, and that you get your marriage license! We are more than happy to help you do research and make sure you know exactly what permits/passes you will need for your location. We’ll let you know about deadlines, but it’s up to you to make sure that all permits and passes are properly purchased in time! You might need a wedding permit and/or a special use permit (SUP) for photography and videography. And when it comes to locations, you might need a National Park Pass, Discover Pass, or Forest Pass.

Make sure you also know when to get a marriage license in your area. Each county/location is different! We’ll help you figure out how to get a marriage license if you need, but often times, your officiant will also help with this.

Step 5: Guests

We have this step last because it’s YOUR elopement. The focus should be 100% on what YOU want to do, not anyone else. For some people, they don’t feel super connected to their family or it would be way too stressful to include family on their wedding day. And that is totally fine! It’s not about your family anyway! It’s your wedding. But if you do want to include family or friends, think about how. Do you want to include them in the planning process? They could help you pick out your attire or help you get ready. Do you want to have them be a part of your ceremony? You could have a close family member be your officiant for example. Make sure to consider your dream location, and see what the limit is for the number of guests that are allowed. Or do you want them to celebrate with you afterwards? Think bonfire with s’mores and fireworks or a dinner party at an Airbnb! It’s totally up to you, but those are just some things to consider. 

Check out this blog we wrote on How To Include Family and Friends In Your Elopement!

Remember…

An adventure elopement is not necessarily less expensive than a traditional wedding. It’s more about prioritizing how you spend your money. So instead of buying meals for 200+ people (some of which you haven’t seen or talked to since you were a baby), you’re spending that money on an experience-centered day. Or you could use some of your budget to have an epic honeymoon!

Anyone can choose to have an adventurous elopement, no matter what your skill level is in the outdoors. You just have to be open to having an incredible experience! And you can totally include traditions if you want to! An adventure elopement doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re skipping everything, you’re just skipping all of the things that aren’t meaningful to you. 

Your adventure elopement can be however long you want, and in whatever order you want! We offer packages for Washington State and our travel schedule locations that start at 4 hours and go up to 16 hours (you can add more if you want!). But we also travel and offer destination packages that start at 8 hours and go up to a 2 day event. Check out our pricing information here!

If you want all day or overnight coverage, just know that your day will NOT be an all day photoshoot. You won’t have cameras in your face the whole day. We are your friends and we’re here to document all of the special moments. We’ll be capturing your candid movement throughout your adventure! And when you’re ready, we’ll give you prompts to accurately showcase your relationship! If you feel like this is right for you, don’t hesitate to contact us!