How to Pick Your Elopement Location
Where and how you get married is an important chapter in your story and there’s so much joy, freedom, and beauty in getting to write that segment of your lives together. There are many amazing places in the world that would serve as a beautiful elopement location and while the options are abundant, there are some important aspects to consider when choosing where to elope. Taking the time to examine some of these facets is conducive to having a wonderful elopement.
Environment
Chances are if you’re planning an adventure elopement this will be one of the first places you start when thinking about your ceremony location. It’s highly constructive to consider not just what a location looks like but also what it feels like. Project yourself there. What does the environment feel like both emotionally and physically? Is it warm or cold? Is it quiet and still like a desert, or are there sounds of nature such as the ocean or a waterfall? The environment helps foster the experience and taking the time to consider these factors helps you formulate a plan for the most perfect experience.
Before you tackle the logistical side of things, take a moment for you to each consider what your favorite types of scenery are. Is it mountains, lakes, oceans, meadows, forests, deserts, canyons, or even jungles? If you’re drawn to multiple scenery types, go further and brainstorm what kind of combinations could exist together. For example, if you like the idea of being near both water but also having mountain views a location like an alpine lake could be a suitable location. Including even more aspects, if you were drawn towards the idea of water, mountains, and jungle then a Hawaii elopement could easily check all of those.
What is going to add to the experience vs. take away? This is such an important question to ask. Here are a few examples. If you want mountains and lakes but have an aversion towards cold weather, then you may want to consider either a location or season that will help mitigate the chances of cold weather. Would find excess wind disruptive during your ceremony? If so, that’s something to be mindful of when planning. Wind, like all weather elements, can’t always be avoided but there are certainly places which are more prone than others (mountaintops for example). Do you like the idea of being near a waterfall? While they are incredibly beautiful, they can sometimes be noisy. In a scenario such as this you could elect to do photos there, but not necessarily read your vows so close if that makes it difficult to hear each other.
Privacy
Whether you’re planning on eloping with just yourselves or having an intimate wedding with a select group of people this is a critical aspect to consider when putting together your possibilities for elopement locations. Is privacy important to the two of you during your first look, vows, ceremony, or the entire experience? If so, you may want to consider locations which are further off the beaten path and have less chance of hikers, tourists, etc.
Accessibility
In addition to privacy, accessibility is important to have a clear picture of. Do you mind hiking to reach your elopement location or do you prefer a location that can be reached with a short walk or rather an area accessible by car to accommodate guests? Is the location influenced by season weather? With snowfall or other seasonal factors varying year by year these types of locations warrant adequate research and planning to ensure your elopement day comes to fruition smoothly.
Meaning
You will always remember your elopement experience and the place where that takes place plays a tremendous role in that. This is something to keep mindful of throughout the entire planning process. Is there a place that holds special meaning to you guys? Do you want to visit somewhere new or return to a familiar place? Do you want to pick your exact ceremony location prior to your elopement day, or go with the flow and say your vows where it just feels right in the moment?
Opportunities
If you’re planning a destination elopement, or a local one for that matter, what other activities would you like to include on your elopement day or throughout the trip? Imagine how you could include your passions and hobbies into your experience, whether that’s rock climbing, mountain biking, kayaking, etc. What type of locations will help facilitate opportunities?
Always remember, you are free to get married your own way! I hope these help guide you along the way to an amazing experience, as I am always happy to do as well.
Hey, I’m Warren and this is my why behind everything I do!
I believe this is where it all starts and is at the heart of everything, so let me tell you. I have a soft spot for sentimentality and I think love is awesome. I’m so grateful that I discovered photography early in life because I’ve been able to document my own journey in a creative fashion. For that reason, I have a strong passion for giving that same experience to others and take great pride in getting the responsibility of documenting their stories. Each picture has a story or feeling behind it and I love to capture that novelty. Arresting those moments in time allows us to remember and feel more intensely. I know how much I value that and enjoy passing that along to others through photography. I would love to be a part of telling your story.