Why Liberty Bell Mountain is One of Washington’s Best Climbs

Rising tall within Washington State’s North Cascades, Liberty Bell Mountain is an alpine climber’s dream. With solid granite walls, sweeping summit views, and an approach that is just the right distance from the parking lot, it’s no surprise that Liberty Bell attracts climbers in droves during the summer season.

One of the most popular climbs up Liberty Bell is the Beckey Route, a 4-pitch trad route that follows cracks, slabs, and an exposed boulder problem to the summit. For many, it’s the perfect intro to alpine trad climbing with a massively stunning view to reward climbers at the top. For Skye & Garrett, it became more than just another summit—it became the backdrop to their wedding.

Planning an Elopement on Liberty Bell Mountain

When Skye & Garrett connected with us about their rock climbing elopement, we were immediately excited. The Beckey Route is one they climbed together early on in their relationship and provided a fundamental bond for their relationship. Since we had a location, it was time for the planning:

The Challenge of a Same-Day Ascent & Wedding

The Original Plan:

• Climb & descend in one evening
• Hold the ceremony at the summit after the climb, midday

Why This Wouldn’t Work Well:

• Climbing midday = harsh, unflattering light for photography
• Crowded route = pressure to climb fast & no room for slower groups or anything to slow us down
• Wouldn’t have time for the prime lighting conditions

The plan we moved forward with: An Overnight Climb & Cowboy Camping at the Summit

This was an important moment for our couple and not just another climb, so Instead of rushing, we made the decision to:

• Climb later in the day to avoid crowds and bottlenecks
• Stay overnight at the summit for both sunset & sunrise photography
• Give Skye & Garrett more time to experience their elopement fully

This decision would completely change the experience for the better.

The Ascent – Climbing Liberty Bell’s Beckey Route

The Approach to Liberty Bell Mountain

Our team met Skye & Garrett in the parking lot on this early August morning. The plan was to gear up and wait for their two friends—one of whom would officiate their wedding at the summit the following morning.

The Gear We Carried:

• Trad racks & ropes for climbing
• Sleeping gear for cowboy camping
• Camp meals and water for the overnight
• Wedding attire & personal items for the couple
• Camera equipment & a drone for capturing the experience

We set off along the Blue Lake Trail, heading toward the climber’s approach. The first part of the approach was easy-going, but as we left the main trail, things quickly got steep.

The Final Approach: A Loose & Steep Gully

• This steep, rocky approach is the most dangerous part of the climb
• Loose scree & rockfall risk made every step an important consideration

Once at the base of the route, we took our gear bags off and reassembled everything for the climb. All of the gear we were bringing up with us meant that each party of the six of us had to carry our own bags for certain items. Nearly all the sleeping gear was placed in a large haul bag that the couples friends took charge to pull up the route so that we could enjoy the night in comfort.

Pitch-by-Pitch Breakdown of the Beckey Route and our climb

Pitch 1 5.3: The Chimney Start

• Moderate chimney climbing with solid gear placements
• Rob and Jessica started, with Garrett and Skye following with Bill and Traci coming up in the last pair
• Belay station at the top with enough space for the whole team

This pitch was very easy going and everyone made quick work up to the next belay station. The chimney was wide enough to ascend with gear bags on without a problem and most of this pitch resembles scrambling rather than 5th class climbing.

Pitch 2 5.5: An Awkward Start Into a Blocky Crack System

• More technical than the first pitch, but it has great gear placement and follows a straightforward path up the obvious crack system
• We continued in the same order as previously, however due to the awkward start, Bill and Traci tagged a line to Skye to avoid taking a fall on lead with the gear bags on their backs.

The second pitch is considered the most challenging for some, potentially due to the awkward off-width/chimney start required to gain the chock stone-filled crack and slab above. Once the first ledge is gained about ten feet up, the pitch is easy 5th class up to the next belay.

Due to the awkward start however, Bill and Traci opted to tag a line to Garrett’s party to ensure their safety while hauling their equipment up rather than taking the risk on lead.

Pitch 3 5.5: The Traverse Pitch

In our opinion, this is the most challenging pitch on the route. The traverse is committing and somewhat airy and coming up the slab and around the corner to the next belay station can certainly be intimidating for a new leader.

Pitch 4 5.6: The Boulder Problem & Summit Arrival

• The final crux (for some) of the climb
• Many consider this the most technical part, but for us, Pitch 3 had been the biggest challenge
• We arrived at the summit just as the sun began to set over the North Cascades

The idea of a 10 foot, unprotected slab problem at the very top of an alpine climb sounds intimidating, but let me assure you that if you’re a competent climber this should pose no serious risk. The slab problem is very wide, and while falling while unprotected is always to be avoided, it is most likely that you’d slide down the slab and back on to the nearby ledge from where you started.

With that said however, you must be very mindful here as the far left and right side of the boulder problem are no fall zones.

The Summit Experience – Sunset, Wildlife & Wedding Prep

Golden Hour Photography & Drone Footage

We arrived, settled in, and enjoyed dinner, all in enough time to capture the perfect colorful sunset. Skye changed into her dress, and Garrett into his groom’s attire. They shared a first look overlooking all of the North Cascades. Then we gleefully explored the summit for sunset portraits, of course, some had to include a bouquet of cams

Sleeping Under the Stars

• Some of us slept well, others were kept up by the woodrat’s antics
• Smoke from wildfires rolled in overnight, creating a surreal morning atmosphere

While it was the plan already, we could see the smoke building and knew it might be worse in the morning. So it was crucially important to capture some of the experience while we had the sunset in the moment.

This was the first time anyone in our group had cowboy camped at the top of the route. Liberty Bell Mountain is immensely stunning at sunset and has plenty of room to accommodate setting up camp at the summit.

Throughout the night almost everyone was visited by, at the time an unknown, rodent sniffing shoes, our bags, and sleeping bags. Later we found out we were visited by a Bushy-Tailed Woodrat. Even with his curiosity, it was the perfect temperature for camping and a lovely night in the open air.

The Wedding Morning – Sunrise Ceremony & Descent

A Ceremony at 7,720 Feet

• Skye & Garrett woke up to crisp alpine air and a dreamy even though smoky sunrise
• Their friend Rob officiated their wedding, weaving in their love for climbing & the outdoors

Final Portraits & Breakfast at the Summit

• The couple shared a quiet moment before heading down
• More portraits & final moments before breaking camp

In the morning, as soon as headlamps were no longer required, we all rose from bed and broke down our camps. We moved into the couples ceremony where the two shared the summit with nobody but the 6 in our group, enjoying this private moment in such an iconic location. Rob read the ceremony from a home made Mountaineers booklet. Skye and Garrett also shared private vows during their ceremony touching on the adventures that brought them together and how full their life will be as they continue those adventures.

After Rob had pronounced the couple married, some additional portraits ensued, followed by socializing and celebrating over our Mountain House camp meals. After finishing eating and fully breaking down camp, we began our descent from the summit.

The Descent – Rappels, Rockfall & A Wild Drive Home

Smooth rappels… until the rope got stuck

• All six members of our party safely + smoothly rapped down the 3 rappels
• Rob lead climbed an unknown route to retrieve one of our ropes that got stuck
• Meanwhile, Bill triggered a rockfall in the gulley, A stark reminder of alpine dangers

The Road Was Closed Due to Wildfires

• Instead of a 2.5-hour drive to the Bellingham area, Traci & Bill had to take a 7-hour detour through Leavenworth.
• Skye + Garret spent a few days relaxing and climbing in Mazama to kick off their honeymoon.

The rockfall danger is no joke! Even though Bill was mindful and careful with his steps, the chossy nature of the gulley has a concerning amount of opportunities for serious danger. Half of the group was already down the gulley when the rockfall was triggered, and thankfully, they had enough time to get against the wall on the sides of the canyon. Otherwise, it could have quickly become an emergency scenario.

The last piece of excitement was that the fire, which was rolling smoke in the night before, had created a situation where the road cutting through North Cascade National Park was now closed, causing those not staying in Mazama to drive all the way around the mountain to drive home. Thankfully it was a really pretty drive!

Why Climb Liberty Bell Mountain? Our Final Thoughts

• A perfect climb for first-time trad multipitch climbers
• An incredible summit view & climbing experience
• An jaw-dropping location for an adventure elopement

Things to Watch For:

• Steep, loose approach → Most dangerous part of the climb
• Rockfall risk → Essential to stay aware
• Crowds → Best climbed in the evening if you’re group moves quickly, otherwise, show up prepared for a queue.

Planning Your Own Liberty Bell Mountain Climb or Adventure Elopement?

• Best Time to Climb: July–September
• Gear Must-Haves: Trad rack, approach shoes, a 70m climbing rope, find all the important climbing beta here.

If you’re looking for either an exciting day out in the mountains or a wedding complete with one heck of a true adventure, then the Beckey Route on Liberty Bell Mountain in Washington will not fail to deliver. From the quality of the climb to the stunning summit views, this is definitely a route to check off the list!

Want an elopement like this? Let’s make it happen!

We’re a team dedicated to helping couples pursue their true dream wedding day while sharing in activities that are the most important and impactful within a couple’s relationship. That means none of the fluff others tell you is important and all of the true heart and passion that you know the day should be made from.

If you’re looking to get married in an unforgettable way, or the idea of an elopement on Liberty Bell Mountain is your kind of dream day, we are here to help you bring that dream into reality and to provide award-winning photography coverage along the journey. We can’t wait to hear more about your day.

Contact Us Here!

I wish I could give more than 5 stars…

I was blown away by their professionalism and the way they helped us pose, figured out where to do our actual ceremony, and dealt with smoke rolling in the morning of. Not only were they amazing to work with, but they are so much fun to be around and really made us feel special on the most important days of our lives. Our elopement was not an easy one, it included a hike plus scramble approach, technical rock climbing with heavy packs, and a bivy on the summit, but they were excited about it all. They are honestly probably one of only a couple photographers who could pull it all off, and they were so much fun to spend the weekend with. If you are looking for photographers for a technical elopement, look no farther! I would hire them again and again.

The couple

Skye + Garrett

Tell Us More About Your Rock Climbing Elopement Plans!

Epic Alaska Helicopter Elopements: Your Ultimate Adventure Wedding Guide

Picture this – exchanging vows while standing on a massive glacier, surrounded by towering peaks that stretch endlessly into the horizon. This isn’t just another wedding venue – this is Alaska, home to 664 glaciers and endless possibilities for couples ready to embrace the ultimate adventure elopement!

When to Plan Your Helicopter Elopement in Alaska

Let’s get real about timing your epic day! June may be the very best month to consider for your Alaska helicopter elopement. Helicopters can not fly in wind over 45 miles per hour and must have visibility. So when deciding when to elope via helicopter anywhere, weather matters. According to Outbound Heli, in Palmer, Alaska, they have to reschedule the most during late August and early September. However, that does not mean you can not fly then or that it is a bad time for a flight – most of the photos in this blog were captured the first week of September!!

Finding the Perfect Helicopter Company

We’ve explored Alaska’s vast wilderness and connected with the very best helicopter operators who truly understand the magic of elopement adventures. We have flown in Juneau, Seward and Palmer with various pilots and this is who we would recommend:

• Outbound Heli (Palmer) – Masters of the stunning Knik Glacier
• Seward Helicopters (Seward) – Your gateway to mountain and glacier magic
• Coastal Helicopters (Juneau) – Perfect for wild coastal adventures

You do not want to work with just any heli company, you want to work with companies that fly often in the are you are visiting with good reviews and the best pilots! Not only will picking the right team keep you safe, but they can take you to the best locations as glaciers change every day, week and month so you want someone that has eyes on the glacier often.

Alaska Helicopter Mountain Elopement

The Chugach Mountains stand out as one of our absolute favorite spots for helicopter elopements, especially to see the fall colors. Within this area you are overlooking the Knik glacier. Just imagine sharing your vows in complete privacy surrounded by vibrant glacier pools, ice walls and mountains. These peaks will give 360 glacier, lake and mountain views. Using a helicopter to get to the top of a mountain for your elopement saves you so much time and energy, especially in Alaska, as the trails there can be quite steep.

Coastal Mountain Elopement in Alaska

For couples craving that perfect blend of sea and sky, Juneau and Seward offer something truly special. What sets these coastal elopements apart? Picture this – one moment you’re soaring over lush rainforests, the next you’re spotting whales breaching below, and finally, you’re landing on an ancient glacier.

Our absolutely favorite place for a coastal elopement is off of the Bear Glacier in Seward, Alaska. Here, you can kayak around the massive glaciers that have fallen off and are making their way to sea. Not only can you stay for a quick visit, you can stay overnight in a yurt here watching sunrise and sunset. Or you could go to a second location high up in the mountains or to your own private beach where waterfalls meet the sea.

Alaska Glacier Helicopter Elopement

There are so many glaciers you can visit in Alaska via a helicopter. So far our favorites have been the Knik Glacier (dating all the way back to the Pleistocene Ice age) and Herbert glacier (just a young 3000 years old!). Glacier elopements offer a lot of diversity with the ability to land near glacier pools, glacier walls, caves and mountain top overviews. You can do a cold plunge into the glacier, drink the glacier water or kayak within the pools. Oh wait, did I mention Ice Climbing!!???!

Recommended Glaciers in Alaska to visit via helicopter:

• Knik
• Herbert
• Mendenhall
• Bear Glacier
• Matanuska

Your Guide to Planning an Epic Helicopter Elopement

After capturing countless couples saying “I do” from various aircrafts and remote locations, we know exactly what makes helicopter elopements truly unforgettable. Time to dive into the nitty-gritty details that will make your day absolutely perfect!

Real talk – timing is everything with helicopter elopements! While some adventurous souls book their elopements just weeks ahead, for a flight tour we recommend booking earlier than that. Helicopter tours, especially in Alaska, are popular and can book out in advance.

How much time do you need for a helicopter elopement?

When booking your flight tour it is important to know the tour time includes the time to fly, so you need to calculate flight time there and back to know how much time you’re giving on the glacier or at the landing location.

We recommend no less than a 2 hour helicopter tour for your elopement if you are booking photo + video. If you are doing the ceremony you will want even longer. Truly, this is not an experience you want to rush. Every couple we photographed on a helicopter glacier elopement has said “this was the best day of their lives,” you do not want to rush that….

The longest flight tour we have done with a couple was a 7 hour tour, with 4 landings and honestly, it flew by. It was the perfect amount of time for them to share vows and do a few other activities while enjoying the locations we landed at. During the planning process we will help you decide how many hours to book with the heli company based on several planning factors.

For more information on elopement planning timelines check out these real examples.

Weather and Helicopter Tours

Helicopters need visibility, so that means they have to be back by sunset or won’t fly out until sunrise. This is something to consider when coming up with your entire elopement day plan.

Mountain weather loves to keep us on our toes. We spend a lot of time virtually and in person scouting locations that are close by the helicopter companies take-off points to always have a plan b + c in the back of our minds and ready if needed. This is also why we block off additional time for each elopement to ensure flexibility if your flight tour needs to be/can be rescheduled.

What to bring with you for a helicopter elopement

Prepping properly for your adventure ensures a good time! Fun fact: for every 1,000 feet up we go, the temperature drops 3-4 degrees Fahrenheit. Time to channel your inner mountain goat and pack smart!

Essential gear for your epic day:

• The Official Stuff: Marriage license, permits, ID and payment method for your tour
• Comfort is Key: Layers on layers, cozy socks, solid boots so you can easily attach and walk around in your provided crampons
• Emergency Essentials: hand warmers and clear umbrellas in case of rain
• Celebration Must-Haves: Vows, rings and champagne
• Looking Fresh Kit: Touch-up makeup kit, tissues and hair touch up items

Epic Helicopter Elopement Destinations Beyond Alaska

Ready to explore some seriously jaw-dropping alternatives to Alaska? Let’s dive into locations that make our adventure-loving hearts skip a beat! After photographing elopements across these incredible spots, we can’t wait to share why each one holds a special place in our hearts.

Grand Canyon Helicopter Tours

Helicopter tours for the Grand Canyon mostly fly out of Vegas and most of them are simply fly over tours, but there are some landing locations. Elopement permits for the Grand Canyon are also quite challenging to pair with the Grand Canyon special use permits.

If you do want to elope and include a Grand Canyon helicopter tour I would recommend eloping in Las Vegas and then exploring after.

Instead of the Grand Canyon I would really recommend considering a helicopter elopement from the Page, Arizona area. Did you know you can elope at the top of a butte towering in the middle of Lake Powell!?

Moab Helicopter Elopement

Let us tell you about Moab – this place is pure magic for couples seeking big adventures among the red rocks! We’ve fallen head over hiking boots for the canyons, slots, and mesas here. Taking a helicopter out in Moab is sure to be an incredible experience seeing everything from above and landing at your own private desert oasis to share vows. Driving to various locations in Moab can often take hours because of how vast the land is, but via helicopter – more places in less time means more epic adventures to experience! We would recommend working with locals, Pinncale Helicopters. Trust us, your photos will look like they’re straight out of another planet!

New Zealand Helicopter Elopements

New Zealand is quite literally one of the most magical places to visit! It is a great place to elope abroad as planning travel there is quite easy, being there is easy AND their Summer is in our Winter.

New Zealand offers a lot of great opportunity for helicopter elopements. You can take a helicopter from the Mt Cook area to visit the mountains glaciers and remote landings. You can also visit the ever famous Fox Glacier on South Island. Or you could head to the Milford Sound area and take a helicopter to the top of Mitre Peak, the famous peak center of attention in the Sound!!

There are also various options on the North Island for helicopter tours that land at the top of volcanoes or that do sight seeing tours.

Finding Your Perfect Helicopter Elopement Photographer

We love helicopter elopements! Each we have gotten to capture has been such a special experience.

What Makes Helicopter Photography Different?

Photographing elopements from the sky requires a totally unique skillset. Working with someone with prior experience is important to knowing what lenses to bring and what rules there are for photographing in and around helicopter. Even more so glacier travel etiquette if you are flying to a glacier landing.

What sets the true adventure helicopter/mountains photographers apart from a general wedding photographer:

• We understand mountains and weather so you do not have to solely rely on the tour company to provide you information.
• We’ve built solid relationships with multiple heli companies and tour guides.
• We are not afraid to do what it takes to get the right angle. We have our own experience on glaciers and with ropes giving us extra abilities to get the shot.
• We know mountain safety like the back of our hands and are WFR-certified. We come prepared to all elopements with first aid.
• We understand how light plays differently at 9,000 feet and are comfortable photographing in any and all lighting conditions.

Alaskan Helicopter Elopement Photographers

The team here at Adventure and Vow are all outdoor enthusiasts who have been photographers for a combined 30+ years. We are based in WA state, just a short flight away from Alaska.

We love capturing helicopter elopements and the incredible remote locations that open up to you when using them as transit to your elopement location.

A helicopter flight is definitely an out of the norm experience, but it is a unique and memorable activity to include on your wedding day. We 10/10 recommend and are stoked to assist you in planning + capturing the magic!

Get in touch!!

Check out this incredible 3-day helicopter elopement video

FAQs

How much does a helicopter elopement in Alaska typically cost?

The cost of a helicopter elopement in Alaska can vary widely. Base pricing for a private helicopter elopement experience typically starts at $3,000 and can range up to $15,000, depending on the chosen package and additional services. Prices for a helicopter rental for your elopement depends on the hours needed, amount of landings and how many people will be in the helicopter.

Are there good alternatives to Helicopters?

Helicopters can be a really great for accessing glaciers and remotes areas. The helicopter experience is also a lot of fun and unique. However, they can be expensive and the fewer people the better. Good alternatives depending on the location could be a Seaplane, small crop plane, taking the Alaskan train to a glacier or a small private boat ride. You can find more ideas specific to Alaska here.

We’d Love To Hear More About Your Helicopter Elopement Plans!

Elopement Wedding Dresses + Shopping Tips

I am SO excited you are here, because that means you are eloping!! I am so happy for you.

Now you are wondering, how do I select a wedding dress for an adventure elopement???

In this blog post I will share with you all the secrets I have gained from previously being an adventure bride myself, photographing over a hundred elopements in different locations! When I was shopping for gowns I found that I have a huge love for wedding dresses. All of their textures, colors and fabrics always catch my eye. I hope this elopement dress guide helps you in finding the perfect gown!

If you have any questions at the end please drop them in the comments!!

Or feel free to reach out to us about your elopement, I would love to capture your day and help with the planning along the way!

What makes a great Adventure Wedding Dress?

Adventure elopements often involve hiking, kayaking, getting in and out of helicopters, off roading, climbing and beyond. When shopping for a wedding dress in general you may consider:

• Is the dress comfortable
• Does the dress go with my venue/vibe of wedding
• Can you dance in it??

These are all things you may still consider when shopping for an elopement dress.

However, these are the important factors specific to what makes a great elopement dress:

Is the dress practical for the type of adventure you are going to be doing?

For example, if you are going to be hiking is the dress comfortable with a pack on? Can you pick up the skirt easily if needed?

If you are rock climbing consider how it fits with a harness on and will it make climbing harder?

If you are kayaking, riding in a helicopter or anything that involves big movements, can you do those things?

The biggest mistake you could make is buying an elopement dress that holds you back from the adventure you plan for your wedding. You want to have fun, be relaxed and feel beautiful. Not be worried about logistics!

Dress Fabrics

Fabric is really important for an elopement wedding dress. You want something comfortable to wear, light weight for mobility and you may want a fabric that is flowy for those awesome dress in the wind shots.

Some of the best fabrics for an elopement wedding dress are:

• Tulle
• Chiffon
• Crepe
• Types of Silk

The dress below is a great example of an elopement dress as it is easy to hike in due to how light it was and how easy the fabric was to move around. This dress is a hand painted silk gown by House of Savin.

A dress that is secure

Considering that you will be adventuring around all day in your beautiful elopement dress. You really want to be comfortable and able to move around! We recommend getting a dress with some sort of strap or sleeve unless you have a strapless wedding dress that is really secure and that will work with your elopement plans. If you get a dress with long sleeves be sure to purchase it with enough time to get it altered, as most sleeves will need to be fitted to your arm/shoulder to not restrict your arm mobility.

Elopement Wedding Dress Cost

You purchase an elopement wedding dress anywhere from $75 to $10k+ it just depends your budget + where you shopping/the brand. My advice is to spend what you are comfortable spending on a dress they may get dirty or get a rip in it. You do not want to be worried on your elopement day about keeping the dress perfect because of what you paid for it. That number will vary from bride to bride.

Top 10 Elopement Wedding Dress Designers

There are so many incredible designers out there! Below is a list of our favorite designers specifically in regards to designing elopement dresses that bring all the elopement dreams to life! Be sure to check out their websites to see their dresses + learn where to shop for their gowns.

Daci Gowns – perfect boho elopement dress!

Daci gowns are all custom made, extremely flowy with unique texture and they are stunning. The designer is based in Idaho, but you can also connect with her online. You can also consider renting one of her gowns for a cheaper option.

Daci Gowns

Instagram – Daci Gowns

Jenny Yoo Elopement Dress

Jenny Yoo is a long standing name in the bridal industry for tradional wedding and elopement dresses. Her dresses are minimalist and classic. This is a great designer to consider if you are doing a hybrid of an intimate wedding with an adventure!

Jenny Yoo

Instagram – Jenny Yoo Nyc

Rue De Seine – another epic boho elopement dress option!

Another absolute favorite for eloping brides, especially for our desert brides! The colors, textures and boho fit are so amazing!! This brand has long been associated with elopements and for good reason. You may also know them for their iconic, unique, detailed veils. Some of their dresses have color, but not all of them!

Rue De Seine

Instagram – Rue De Seine Bridal

Watters Elopement Dress

Watters or even more specifically Wtoo or Willowby by Watters is another excellent and popular choice among eloping brides. We love this brand because they have a large array in pricing, but also in styles. There is something here for almost any bride! You can also shop for this brand in a lot of place!

Watters

Instagram – Watters

Leanne Marshall – love these for a mountain elopement dress!

This one might be my personal biased favorite as this was the designer of my own elopement dress! Leanne Marshall stopped producing wedding dresses last year, however, you can still buy her wedding dresses at used shops. Also, she still creates AMAZING gowns – though they might have some color, which isn’t a bad thing. These wedding dresses are the queens of flow.

Leanne Marshall

Instagram – Leanne Marshall Official

Grace Loves Lace – beautiful simple elopement dresses!

This Australia based brand focuses on comfort and sustainability, however, that does not mean their wedding dresses are not absolutely gorgeous. And yes, you can still shop the designer here in the States

Grace Loves Lace

Instagram – Grace Loves Lace

Lillian West

Lillian West by Justin Alexander has a lot of different styles making it a perfect brand to shop for no matter your elopement. A lot of our brides that have worn Lillian West get a dress with some detail to the top and a flowy skirt from the waist down – the perfect in between of detail + functionality.

Lillian West Website

Instagram

Calla Blanche Elopement Dress

If you are looking for a luxury look and brand that ha elopement friendly options – this is it! Choosing one of these dresses would be a unique elopement dress option! Be careful which dress you choose as some of them can be very tight around the legs, loosing mobility to hike.

Calla blanche Bridal Gowns

Instagram – Calla Blanche Dress

All Who Wander Elopement Dress

All Who Wander is a fitting name for an elopement wedding dress, don’t you agree!? We love their unique sleeve options on some of their wedding dresses, making a bold statement and still being easy to move in! Lots of variety here!

Instagram – All Who Wander

Dreamers and Lovers Elopement Dress

Romantic and Boho is exactly this brand to a T. Their elopement dresses are also quite affordable, most of them ranging between $2,000-3,500. You can easily shop online or find a store!

Instagram – Dreamers and Lovers

5 More Designers you Should Consider

These designers may not be as well known, but we are obsessed with the flowy fabrics they use, modern designs and simple perfection. They are definitely worth considering!

• Nordeen Bridal
• Truvelle Bridal
• Mywony Atelier
• Rish Bridal
• Sarah Seven

Where to Buy an Elopement Dress?

If you are shopping for a dress in person our personal favorite shop is Brides for a Cause. They are based in Seattle, Tacoma, Portland, San Deigo and Sacramento. We love this shop because dresses are donated by past brides, other shops and designers and all profits are donated to women causes. We also love that their dresses are affordable and that you get to shop at your own speed without pressure from a sales person.

Research online first the styles you like and shops that carry those dresses through Pinterest or Instagram. See if the bridal stores you are considering carry the designers you are drawn to. Then consider the shopping experience they offer. Is it what you want? Some stores are pushy with sales, some stores are extremely hands off. Some stores have limitations on how many people you can bring with you so just do your research by calling or reading previous brides reviews. I personally found that I prefer stores that are super hands off and give you space.

No matter where you shop, before booking an appointment check out:

• What brands they carry
• Reviews
• How long they require for you to order a dress ahead of time

Where to shop online for an elopement dress?

Since a lot of eloping brides plan their wedding on a much shorter timeframe than traditional brides you may need to consider shopping online. These are the best places we have found for shopping online:

• Anthropologie’s BHDLN – a must option among elopement brides!
• Lulu’s – this is actually one of our top recommendations if you need a second dress for climbing elopements.
• Azazie’s – we see our brides wearing these dressings a lot!
• Still White – resale
• ASOS
• Reformation
• Shop Gossamer – vintage elopement dress options

Elopement Dress Shopping Tips

• When you shop bring with you any undergarments you think you may want to wear day of and if you already them, the shoes you plan to wear. This is very important for fittings, but can be helpful when shopping too.

• If you need to order a dress for your elopement day then you want to shop at a minimum 5 months beforehand as you need time for it to get in and alterations. If you are shopping off the rack you can go whenever, but do keep some wiggle room for alterations if needed with your timing.

• Be prepared for alterations, especially if your dress has sleeves. You can ask your shop where they recommend to go. A tip someone shared with me that I have personal experience with is I looked for someone on Facebook. I made a post and a wonderful lady on a local Facebook group replied and she altered my dress in only three days for $75! I’m not saying you’ll find a deal quite that good, but be mindful that it is an option.

• Date the dress. Do not feel like you have to buy something while shopping. Spend some time in it to make sure its comfortable, envision wearing it on your day.

• 100% you need to make sure that your elopement dress is wear-able for the adventure you plan to have on your elopement day.

Elopement Accessories

While accessories are never required to be a part of your elopement look, they can for sure be fun to play with. Below are some of our tips on where to shop, what to purchase and more!

Elopement Bridal Shoes

For sure your most important accessory is your shoes for an adventure elopement! You want to be the most comfortable and prepared you can be on this day. Always pick a shoe that is safe for what you are doing, you like the look of and is comfortable. Remember, you can always change into a different shoe for the ceremony or some portraits. For hiking shoes specifically our recommendation is to shop online or go to REI and try on shoes in person. Personally, I LOVE Blundstones for hikes under 5 miles. Be sure you can get them broken in before the elopement day. You may also even consider getting them embroidered!

Elopement Veil

Veils are a great touch for windy shots, to add something special to the ceremony or for those dreamy under the veil photos. The trick with veils is to purchase one that is either Chapel or Cathedral length. If you purchase a veil, remember you make the rules in elopements. You can wear it all day or for just part of the day.

Don’t be afraid to pair your veil with another accessory like a hat, a flower crown or another head piece. Or you can skip the veil for one of these options. One of our favorite alternatives is a cape or wings. This gives you a very similar look to a veil, but you avoid something flowing in the wind coming from your head.

Places to shop for a veil:

• BHLDN
• Lamnhi Studio (Etsy)
• Grace Loves Lace
• David’s Bridal
• Amazon
• Twigs and Honey
• Rue De Seine

Bonus: Consider getting your veil personalized.

In the horizontal photos below one bride added to her veil their first date day at a coffee shop +their wedding date. The bride in the second image had “veil wings” with each one being a unique tribute to her father who was no longer with us as away for him to still walk her down the aisle.

Bridal Jacket

Often for elopements we are starting before sunrise or ending after dark which means it can get chilly. Even so, we are out in the elements and having a jacket on hand is crucial because you want to be comfortable for your wedding day.

We recommend a practical jacket that will keep you warm and that is a good fit for the adventure you have planned and that you are happy to be photographed in. A lot of our brides simply bring and wear their puffy jacket which you can purchase at an REI or through any outdoor gear store. We have also seen brides choose something made from wool like Abby’s Pendleton Jacket – perfect for a very cold elopement day.

Otherwise you can totally have a “bride” jacket for your day! We have seen these as something that is just white or something that you get bride painted/printed on. Here are some of our favorite places to shop for a bridal jacket:

• Rue De Seine for something unique
• Heirloom Bridal Company
• Etsy

Elopement Wedding Dress FAQ

Will my dress get dirty during my elopement?

Most likely, yes! This is not a huge deal because after a dry cleaning it will be back to normal in most elopement locations! Now, if you are eloping in Sedona or Moab it could stain depending on the fabric of your dress. There is a chance of your dress getting torn, getting sticks or cacti in it so be mindful of that potential.

If you are eloping somewhere like Alaska or other wet mountain regions your dress could get wet or dirty from the dirt on the trail or the melting ice on the glaciers. This type of dirty is usually pretty easy to clean, but it is avoidable depending how much you pick up your dress.

A lot of our Olympic Coast brides truly go for it on the shore getting their dresses quite wet + dirty from the ocean water. It is important to know the dress will get heavier when wet and some fabrics can stretch or tear when wet. Others that are made out of things like tulle are perfect for this. The trick to cleaning it is soak it in the tub with water, dry and repeat as needed. It takes a lot to ruin a dress, good care after your adventure can do wonders.

These are just risks you take when choosing to have the most epic wedding day possible. If you are concerned with your wedding dress getting dirty it is best to change into the dress after the hike and carry the bottom of the dress as much as possible.

Where will I change into my Wedding Dress during my elopement?

This really depends on a lot of things like, where are you eloping? What are you doing as far as an adventure? Do you want to get the dress dirty? Can you adventure in your dress? Some couples change at their Airbnb and hike in the dress. Some change at the top of the location where they plan to get married via a changing tent or hiding behind a tree or bush. Some brides change at the trail head in the car or bathroom. It all really depends on what you’re envisioning, but be assured there is no shortage of possibility here!

Can I do a first look in my dress if I am eloping?

Of course!!! First looks are not just for the big traditional weddings. You can share a first look on the top of any mountain peak. The great thing about elopements is that the day is truly all about what you two want to do and the experience you want to have. If you want your partner to help you get ready, great! If you want to get ready separately and have that surprise moment together, great! We can make it happen.

Are there tips for hiking in a wedding dress?

Hiking in your dress can be easy, can be hard – depends on the dress. You can carry you dresses extra layers, but that is only ideal for a short distance. We like to utilize our bride’s packs when helping them hike in their dress. You can also make modifications to your dress on the inside layer to create a way to pick it all up and carry it. More tips for hiking on your elopement day can be found here.

Can a wear an alternative to an elopement dress?

Nope, not one bit!!! You do not have to wear a white dress if you do not want to. We have had brides wear pink dress, blue, yellow and black dresses! Some of the designers we mentioned above offer elopement dresses that are not white!

To be even more specific, you do not even have to wear just one dress! We have had brides that had 2 dresses and we have even had a couple brides with 3 or 4. This is your day, do it your way. You also. do not even have to wear a dress, you can wear a bridal romper/jumpsuit!

How do I fly with my dress?

Yes, you can 100% fly with your dress and we recommend you fly with it as a carry on. For more information about flying with your dress please review this guide – it details carry on sizes for each airline, pro tips and more.

Hey there! Traci here – owner, marketing agent + lead photographer for the Adventure and Vow team.

Bill + I hiked 74 miles for our backpacking elopement and then some a couple of days later to backpack with our cat, Indy! I have been in your shoes as an adventure elopement bride + photographed over 100 brides in various locations + dresses. We are here to help, we want you to have the best elopement day imaginable.

Part of that is feeling your best in what you are wearing.

Our team is with you every step of the way when it comes to planning your elopement, even helping you decide on a dress and helping you on the elopement day with your dress! We would love to connect with you + hear about the adventure you have in mind!

Get in Touch!

We’d Love To Bring Your Elopement Dreams To Life!

Rich + Paige’s Fall Adventure Elopement

From Colorado to Utah

Colorado | Wedding Day

Rich + Paige’s day started out at their stay in Telluride where they exchanged gifts and got ready for most of the morning together. Paige gifted Rich socks with their kids faces on it since they could not be with them for the elopement. Rich gifted Paige a beautiful leather book filled with their adventures and travels together.

Once it was time to put the dress on, Rich set out for the Gondola to the first look location. Once Paige was in her dress, hair and make up complete, her and I set out up the mountain as the full moon was starting to fade away, dawn starting to bring light to the day.

Rich + Paige shared their first look overlooking the stunning mountain range where we would soon be heading into in total privacy, sharing a moment between themselves to soak it in – the day is here.

From there the day was in full swing! We headed down the gondola to our next location. After a little bit of off roading through the colorful aspens we arrived at a beautiful lake surrounded by massive mountains. This location was one that Paige was most excited about for their Colorado portion of the elopement! Rich and Paige laid out a blanket, poured themselves some hot chocolate and started writing their vows. This is always a favorite as an elopement photographer. Starting with writing vows or simply re-reading your vows before starting your wedding day can feel so grounding, bringing the intention of the day front of mind.

Up next we ventured off to one of the prettiest, most private waterfalls I have ever seen! We were so excited to show this location to Rich + Paige! Rich had another surprise for Paige – he gifted her a book by their kids of which they had colored and drawn in it all about their lives together and Rich + Paige on their wedding day. It was the perfect place for such a special gift! From the bottom of the falls, to the top! It was the perfect lunch spot and make up touch up before heading out for the ceremony.

From Telluride, to Ouray we went!! We set out for an off road adventure, this time much deeper into the mountains. We stopped along our way to the lake where they’d share their ceremony at various view points, forests and lakes. Eventually, making our way to the main event and ceremony location. The ceremony was lakeside and we had the entire mountain range to ourselves it seemed. They started their ceremony off with a wine ceremony, shared prayers, exchanged rings and becoming officially Mr + Mrs. It was a beautiful ceremony from the view, the feeling and the words.

After the ceremony we headed up to the top of the pass to look down on the lake they had gotten married at. Another beautiful view point and perfect place for a little celebratory joy + of course a champagne spray!!

Before the night ended, we headed back out towards the main road, stopping along the way to enjoy cake + sign the marriage license in the beautiful blue hour light a little lower in elevation for slightly warmer temps! We also got to enjoy the stars on our way under the dark mountain skies – a perfect ending to day one!

Day 2 Adventure + Celebration | Moab, Utah

We took a one day break for everyone to drive from Telluride to Moab, which is about 3.5 hour drive. This way everyone could be rested for the full day of adventure ahead. We kicked off day two under the stars again, but this time for a sunrise hike to one of the most magnificent natural arches in the Southwest. We arrived as blue hour started to bring color to the beautiful sandstone. They started their day intentionally by joining each other in prayer. This was followed by the first of their two first dances as husband and wife. They each picked a first dance song, surprising each other with the song they had picked during the dance!

As we made our way back to Moab, we stopped for breakfast to go and headed to a beach side location along the Colorado River. As they ate their bagels + drank coffee they read letters of congrats and advice from their community within their church. As the desert sun started to warm us they decided to get into the river for some fun and rock skipping before heading out.

For the second half of the day we went for even more off roading! We had several stops planned – sand dunes for some quick fun, a riverside look out for a pizza picnic, overlooks and of course the back country Canyonlands National Park sign. We eventually reached our main overlook where the day was going to slow down and we were gonna spend the rest of the evening. After exploring the massive ledges we found the perfect spot for Paige + Rich to share their personal vows with each other as the sun slowly start to set behind them. Another magical moment together, this time just them and the massive red rock canyon walls as they shared their love with each other privately.

Just because the sun went down, did not mean the fun was over! First, they shared their second, first dance together in front of the 4Runner’s headlights. Then we built a fire where they sat and shared left over cake together from the night before. Then we waited, watching the night sky growing darker and darker. Eventually seeing the Milky Way in all of its glory until the beautiful, bright full moon rose over the La Sal mountain range in the distance (you have to see the last photo of the blog!). It was the most relaxing, peaceful way to end the wedding celebration – slowly soaking it in, no rush, no where to go – just enjoying the moment.

Truly, none of us wanted it to end.

Rich + Paige’s elopement is a beautiful example of going on a new adventure together, but also building a lot of intention into the various locations and activities. From special surprises, to memorable words and incredibly moving views. We are so happy for these two and thankful to have been a long for the epic journey from the Mountains to the Desert.

Dreaming up your own adventure elopement experience?! We’d love to hear more!

Vendors a part of this Elopement:

Photographer + Officiant: @adventureandvow

Floral: @flowersbyellatelluride
Cake: @figandbloomcake
Food: @telluridechef
Dress(long): @bridaloutletjax designer: @pronovias
Hmua: @wild_brides_backcountry @kendralisestylist

Ready to start planning your own elopement day!? We got you covered….

Planning a wedding can be an exciting yet daunting task. With so many details to consider, it’s no wonder that many couples find the process to be stressful. From table layouts, linen colors, catering for all of your guests, the list of “must-do’s” seems to have no end in sight! However, if you’re an adventurous, outdoorsy couple who wants to escape the traditional wedding experience and would much rather spend time making unforgettable memories with your forever partner than debating what color your napkins should be, then an adventure elopement might be the perfect stress-free solution. In this article, we’ll discuss why planning a wedding can be stressful and offer tips on how to plan a stress-free adventure elopement that’s perfect for you and your partner.

The Stress of Traditional Weddings

Traditional weddings often come with a long list of expectations and requirements, leading many couples to feel overwhelmed and stressed. From choosing the perfect venue, coordinating with various vendors, managing a tight budget and accommodating the needs of family and friends, it’s easy to see why planning a traditional wedding can be a challenging experience. The high that comes from the beginning of your journey as an engaged couple can come quickly crashing down when faced with the daunting task of trying to make everyone else happy because, well that’s what your “supposed to do”. Here at Adventure and Vow, we’re so excited to tell you that 100% does not and should not be the emotional process when it comes to your wedding planning.

What to Do Instead of a Traditional Wedding

While the thought of planning a traditional wedding is causing you stress and anxiety, once you start to plan for the alternative, an adventure elopement, it quickly goes from stressful to inspiring and exciting. Adventure elopements combine the thrill of an outdoor adventure with the intimacy and romance of a wedding ceremony. This choice allows you and your partner to focus on what truly matters—your love and commitment to each other—without getting bogged down by the details of a traditional wedding. At the end of the day, that is the most important part of your marriage after all. Each other!

Elopement vs. Traditional Wedding

The idea of an adventure elopement might be completely new to you, and if it’s the first time you’ve come across this idea then your first impression could be running away to Vegas and jumping into an Elvis church at midnight. We promise the modern term of eloping is very far from that old idea. Eloping is a smaller, more intimate and purpose driven wedding experience typically involving just the couple and perhaps a few close friends or family members. Elopements often take place in unique or adventurous locations, such as on mountaintops, in forests, or on remote beaches. This type of wedding allows you to focus on your love, commitment, and the experience itself, rather than the expectations and pressures of a traditional wedding.

Should I Feel Guilty for Wanting to Elope?

Absolutely not! Your wedding day should be a reflection of your relationship and what matters most to you as a couple. If a traditional wedding doesn’t align with your values or interests, there’s no reason to feel guilty for choosing an alternative path. In fact, many couples who choose to elope find that the experience is more meaningful and memorable than a traditional wedding could ever be.

Eloping is becoming an increasingly popular option for couples who want to get married without the stress of a traditional wedding. While eloping, you can focus on the most important parts of your relationship—your love and commitment to each other—without worrying about elaborate decorations, seating arrangements, or other details. Plus, you can enjoy the freedom and excitement of exploring a new location together with just your partner or a few close friends and family members.

The best part about eloping is that it’s completely customizable. You can choose any location that speaks to you as a couple, whether that’s the wild desert of Moab or a the snow capped mountains of the North Cascades. You can also create the perfect elopement ceremony for your big day incorporating meaningful rituals, or bringing along special items from home. We’ve had one couple roll their own burrito during their elopement ceremony, so while we’re not saying that is for most couples, we are emphasizing here the only limit is your own imagination. Whatever you decide to do, an adventure elopement will be an unforgettable experience that you’ll cherish for a lifetime.

How to Plan a Stress-Free Adventure Elopement

Set Your Priorities

Before diving into planning your adventure elopement, take some time to discuss your priorities and goals with your partner. When we collaborate with our couples, we send an exciting date night prompt with questions to engage with so that the elopement experience is exactly what you’ve been dreaming of. What elements of your relationship are most important to you? What kind of adventure do you want to incorporate into your day? Do you plan on hiking during your elopement? How do you envision the experience to feel? By establishing your priorities from the start, you can make sure your elopement is a true reflection of your relationship and values.

Choose the Right Location

The location of your adventure elopement should be a place that holds special meaning to you and your partner, or a destination that you’ve always dreamed of exploring together. Consider factors such as accessibility, weather, and the level of adventure you’re seeking. Research permits and regulations for your chosen location, and make sure to follow Leave No Trace principles to minimize your impact on the environment. Those last few details might sound like stressful barriers, but we capture love stories on public lands all the time! We’re here to help you pick the perfect locations and to acquire any permits if needed (we promise, it’s an easy process)!

Hire an Experienced Elopement Photographer and Planner

An experienced elopement photographer and planner team (Meet us!) can help bring your vision to life while reducing the stress of planning and logistics. We assist with location scouting, permits, timeline creation, and vendor recommendations taking the logistics load off your shoulders and of course we capture all of those intimate moments and everything in between resulting in a gorgeous set of photos of your special day.

Be Prepared for the Outdoors

A key aspect of planning a stress-free adventure elopement is being prepared for the elements. We know it sounds a bit obvious, but being comfortable while enjoying the outdoors goes a long way to enhancing the experience. This includes having appropriate clothing and gear, such as hiking boots, rain jackets, and possibly warm layers. Make sure to check the average weather for that area during the time that you’ll be there to know what is important to have with you.

Keep it Simple

As I’m sure you’ve picked up on by now, one of the main benefits of an adventure elopement is the opportunity to focus on what truly matters. By simplifying things down to what’s fundamentally important and letting go of the elaborate decorations you maximize the space for intentionality. Remember that the most important aspect of your day is you and your partners love and commitment to each other. Building your wedding day around that first will result in the most incredible elopement experience.

Make Time for Yourselves

Amidst the excitement and adventure of your elopement, it’s essential to carve out time for just the two of you. Whether it’s a quiet moment together before the ceremony, a private first look, or a romantic picnic after exchanging vows, make sure to prioritize quality time with your partner. We always try to find a moment during the day to take a step back from our couples to let them really embrace the, “we really just got married!” vibe. 

Stress-Free Wedding Ideas for Your Adventure Elopement

Incorporate Personal Touches

While simplicity is key for a stress-free adventure elopement, that doesn’t mean you can’t add personal touches to your day. Consider cooking a favorite meal together, incorporating a meaningful ritual into your ceremony, or including sentimental items in your attire or accessories. Really the door is wide open here because this day is a reflection of your love story, so take the time to envision what’s important to you and your partner and add those details to your day.

Create a Stress-Free Timeline

Creating a timeline for your elopement can help keep the day running smoothly and reduce stress. We build the timelines for all of our couples, and we always aim to give you some extra time to account for any unexpected delays or mishaps. We’ll be playing in nature after all so we want to be sure a 15 minute traffic delay doesn’t get in the way of those stunning sunset photos. We make sure to plan breaks throughout the day so you can take a few moments to relax and enjoy the moment together.

Inform Your Closest Friends and Family, or don’t!

If you would like your closest friends and family members to be part of your special day, consider creating an online invitation or sending out postcards with information about your elopement. Let them know when and where you’ll be eloping. An element many of our couples include when family and friends can’t come along (or the couple doesn’t want them to) is to have their closest loved ones write letters of advice and love to be read during the elopement. This is a great way to celebrate with loved ones even from afar.

Make it an Unforgettable Experience

Your adventure elopement is the perfect opportunity to create lasting memories through unique experiences. Whether it’s rock climbing, hiking, kayaking, or backpacking, choose activities that you and your partner love and that will make your day truly unforgettable.

Embrace the Unexpected

While thorough planning is essential, it’s important to remember that not everything will go exactly as planned. Embrace the unexpected and be willing to adapt to changing circumstances. This flexibility will help keep your day stress-free and enjoyable. When your love story is the focus of the day, a bit of rain, some extra wind, or a trail that might have some excess mud on it become an opportunity to embrace the true nature of the world. Your marriage is sure to face some trials and while we aim for sunshine, one of the beautiful aspects of an outdoor wedding is it’s just as authentic as the love you share.

How to Plan a Wedding Without Stress: Final Thoughts

By choosing an adventure elopement over a traditional wedding, you can focus on what truly matters: your love and commitment to one another. With the right planning, preparation, and mindset, you can create a stress-free, unforgettable experience that will truly reflect your values and interests as a couple. So go ahead, embrace the adventure, and embark on the journey of a lifetime together!

Meet your Stress-Free Adventure Elopement Photographer Team!

Hey there! We’re Traci and Bill! Adventure elopements resonate so true to who we are because authentic experiences are what inspire us to get up every morning. We connect so much with intentional choices and intimate spaces.

No strangers to skipping the traditional route ourselves, while we initially started planning a wedding day to include our closest family and friends, we opted to skip the stress and do what was the most true to ourselves. We planned our own backpacking elopement in Mt. Rainier National Park! Just us two, the solitude of nature and of course the cat. We can not wait to hear what you’ve envisioned for your very own stress free wedding day!

Let’s Hit the Trails!

What is an Elopement Ceremony?

An elopement ceremony is when a couple gets legally married on their elopement day, it is the time the vows are shared and the couple is pronounced married. An elopement ceremony meets all of the same requirements as a traditional wedding ceremony, the day just often looks vastly different. The elopement ceremony may contain all of the traditional formalities that take place during a regular wedding, or it can be as unique as the couple holding one.

To fully answer what an elopement ceremony is and what it looks like, we are going to dive into every aspect of planning your elopement ceremony in this blog and answer commonly asked questions.

What should be included in an elopement ceremony?

While it is very common for couples to share personal vows with one another and there is almost always a ring exchange, these components aren’t actually required. In fact, the great majority of what is in a wedding ceremony doesn’t really “need” to be there. Most importantly in your elopement ceremony, you need to include the legally required pieces. This may very per state, but generally this is what the legal aspect of the ceremony is:

The officiant must ask, “Do you take your person’s full name… ?”

Each party each responds in some form or another, “I do.”

Also, The officiant must announce the couple “by the power vested in my by the, insert state name here, I now pronounce you married!

Outside of these two important pieces, truly you can include anything you want! The beauty of eloping is that YOU get to craft the wedding day you want and what connects the most to your values.

Elopement Ceremony Ideas

While the above verbiage is all that has to be included, there are plenty of things you can include! Here are some of the things we see most commonly included in an elopement ceremony with or without guests:

• Personal vows (These are vows written by the couple and shared by them)
• Saging ceremony
• Unity Cocktail
• Toasts/speeches
• Ring exchange
• Tying the knot

How do you Structure an Elopement Ceremony?

Elopement Ceremony Script

You can use this as an example of what an elopement ceremony can include and how it can be structured. Keep in mind, every elopement ceremony is different from the next. In the example provided, this is what the officiant would be reading during the ceremony. This ceremony example is from an elopement that took place in Sedona, Arizona.

The love a parent has for their child is one that is boundless and ever-lasting, and as such the significance of this moment can not be over stated. From the first day you held her and all of the precious memories in-between, you have stood there as her guide and protector, wishing her all the best in life. So now, here where you stand I ask,

“Who gives this bride away”?

Father replies “I do”

Bride and Groom, please face each other, hold hands, and take this in. Take a moment here, look into each others eyes. Your day has arrived. As we have gathered here with loved ones, it is important to state that love is the force that brings us all here today. Whenever there is doubt in which action we should choose on any given day, love always serves as true north, leading us towards our greater purpose. Whether making a meal for our family, taking time to teach our children, or lending a listening ear to a friend, love is always the reason.

While love is the important binding factor in our joining today, the meaning of this location for our couple serves to enrich their union to an even greater extent. Among the beautiful and diverse landscape of Sedona, we share space surrounded by the red rock cliffs and all that their canyon walls hold. Here, in a place that is held sacred for many people and for many reasons, you look to grow your own connection even deeper, ready to make outward the commitment you share between each other through the ceremony of marriage.

We are all here to support Bride and Groom on their first day as husband and wife. As you begin your journey into married life, remember your reasons: the reason you get up each morning, get ready, and do your best in the world. Remember the reasons that you truly find a best friend in one another and why since the moment you’ve met that you have become inseparable. Remember the reasons you sacrifice, the reason you give, and the reason you laugh. Remember that over these deeply meaningful eight years how you have both grown as individuals and as a couple.

From concerts, dirt bikes, and drifting, together you face the world head on and look to capture every moment for what it’s worth. During this time, you’ve built a strong family and home. Whether it be a memorable proposal in the valley of fire complete with side by sides and a vista picnic or being the loving and supportive parents that you are, you have created a life around enjoying all of the ups whenever possible and being the pillars of strength for your children to learn from when life presents its hardships.

“The vows that you are about to make are a way of saying to one another, “You know all those things we’ve promised and hoped and dreamed—well, I meant it all, every word.” Look at one another and remember this moment in time. Before this moment you have been many things to one another—acquaintance, friend, companion, lover, dancing partner, and even teacher, for you have learned much from one another in these last few years. Now you shall say a few words that take you across a threshold of life, and things will never quite be the same between you. For after these vows, you shall say to the world, this—is my husband, this—is my wife.”

[LEGAL VOWS]

Groom, please repeat these vows:

I Groom

 do take you Bride 

to be your lawfully wedded husband, 

to have and to hold from this day forward, 

for better or for worse, 

for richer or for poorer,

 in sickness and in health,

 until death do us part. 

Groom, if these words speak the truth of your heart, now I must ask you, Do you without doubt, take Bride to be your wife?

Groom Replies “I do”

Bride, please repeat these vows:

I Bride

 do take you Groom 

to be your lawfully wedded bride, 

to have and to hold from this day forward, 

for better or for worse, 

for richer or for poorer,

 in sickness and in health,

 until death do us part. 

Bride, if these words speak the truth of your heart, now I must ask you, Do you without doubt, take Groom to be your husband?

Bride replies “I do”

[RING EXCHANGE]

And now we will exchange rings as a symbol of the promises made here today and of your on-going commitment to each other. This exchange is a timeless tradition that centers around the completeness of a circle. The rings are precious because you wear them with love, and they serve as a reflection of where you’ve been, where you are headed, and the reasons that we are here together today. Family, would you please bring forward the rings. (Family brings forward the rings, handing them to Bride and Groom)

Groom, if you would place the ring on Bride’s finger. (Pause as the ring is halfway on her finger) Please repeat after me:

I give you this ring

As a reminder

That I will love and honor you

Please wear it as a daily sign

Of my commitment to you

(Finish Placing the ring the rest of the way)

Bride, if you would place the ring on Groom’s finger. (Pause as the ring is halfway on his finger) Please repeat after me:

I give you this ring

As a reminder

That I will love and honor you

Please wear it as a daily sign

Of my commitment to you

(Finish Placing the ring the rest of the way)

[Closing Statement]

Bride and Groom, always remember that a successful marriage contains these three elements, memories of togetherness, forgiveness of mistakes, and promises to never give up on each other. To truly love, you must both enter your life together with vulnerability. To truly trust, you must, in good faith, allow for freedom and autonomy. To truly respect, you must consciously treat your partner with reverence. In marriage, the little things are the big things. It is speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways. It is having the capacity to forgive and forget. It is not only marrying the right person, but also being the right partner.

[PROCLAMATION]

And so now, with our vows made and rings exchanged, and now the moment you’ve been waiting for, by the power vested in me by the state of Arizona, I now pronounce you husband and wife!

You may kiss the bride!

[ANNOUNCEMENT]

Ladies and Gentlemen, it’s my honor to present to you for the first time as a married couple, Bride and Groom Last Name!]

What Happens at an elopement ceremony?

Outside of the officiant speaking during the ceremony, common elements of the ceremony can often be similar to a traditional wedding. While you will have plenty of conversations with your officiant to go over any questions or concerns, it is important to note that there is rarely ever a trial run, so anything that you wish to included in the ceremony outside of the officiant speaking his parts also needs to be structured into the event so that things happen smoothly. These are some items that may happen during your ceremony + how to structure that!

• Walking down the “aisle”

It is important to discuss what you want to do for all of these items before the elopement day so you two, your officiant and your photographer have a clear vision for how the ceremony will flow. When it comes to elopements, usually the aisle is actually the trail. The options here would be: walk down the aisle separately, walk down the aisle with a parent/loved one that is present, walk down the aisle together into your ceremony or you can simple decide to casually gather.

• Leaving the ceremony/after the kiss

After you are pronounced married and share your first kiss, what do you do?! This is most commonly for us the one that seems to be tricky for couples that are eloping. My personal advice, if you do have guests, is to walk back down the trail/aisle while everyone claps and is excited and show your stoke too! This is often when the couple will naturally start hugging all of their loved ones and take some time to share in the moment. Or you can let your guests know that you plan to walk out to share a moment alone before coming back in for all of the congrats. Remember to do what YOU want here! We had a couple once end their ceremony by going straight into their first dance, there are no wrong choices.

If you do not have guests after you are announced, we like to give our couples a second together, we simply hang back letting them share this moment alone and then once we can tell they are ready we join back in with congrats and what is next up for the day. Maybe that’s portraits, reading letters from family, a toast, etc.

• Ring Exchange

Typically, this happens within the ceremony, but it is important beforehand to discuss who will be holding the rings – each person getting married, one person within the couple, the officiant or a guests. If it is a guest, be sure you give them the ring before hand. Also, let them know to come up when asked in the ceremony to hand the rings to each of you.

• Unity Cocktails + Toasts/Speeches

Unity cocktails typically happen mid ceremony or later in the ceremony. However, we have seen them at the very start. In this case the couple made their unity cocktail to kick off the ceremony and then shared the cocktail with each person in attendance toasting to them for joining them in this moment.

We have also seen couples take the time to allow each of their guests or parents to come forward and give a speech in regards to the couple or even the couple share a toast for their guests. We have also had a couple have their entire ceremony be them giving surprise speeches to each person there and thanking them for being a part of their life, relationship and this moment. Just keep in mind there are no rules for when, where or how – just think about your vision and plan ahead.

How Long is an Elopement Ceremony?

An elopement ceremony typically can range from 10 minutes to 30 minutes. The shortest elopement ceremony we have been a part of was 5 minutes and the longest was a little bit over an hour. Consider the length of your personal vows, your actual ceremony verbiage and the additional things you plan to include to calculate how long your ceremony will be. It can be as long or short as you want it.

Most Special Use Permits ** allow a couple between 1-2 hours of time at the permitted location for their elopement ceremony. However, be sure you read the permit and know the rules before making a payment to make sure it works for your ceremony. For example, Arches + Canyonlands National Park only allow 10 minute ceremonies as of right now.

**A special use permit is the permit issued by the various land management agencies to hold a wedding on public land.

The elopement ceremony is only a portion of the elopement day. We recommend reading our Elopement Timeline Samples blog to get a better idea of how to structure your entire elopement experience!

Elopement Ceremony Locations

We have a list of the Best Elopement Locations in the United States and beyond, but your ceremony location is a bit specific. If you are eloping in a National Park, there will be a list on their websites of specific locations you can hold a ceremony + with how many people are allowed there. In many public land areas you can elope *almost* anywhere if it is just you two. Special use permits and rules vary greatly so it is important once you have picked where you want to elope to look into the rules for that are for your ceremony.

These are our top things to consider for your elopement ceremony location:

(Some of these questions may or may not matter to you, but they are all thoughts to consider and to decide how much the answers would matter to you!)

• How private is the location?
• Is there enough room to hold your ceremony here and still follow Leave No Trace?
• How is the lighting at this location at this time?
• How accessible is the location for yourselves and/or anyone else in attendance?
• Can you have the ceremony you envision here in relation to the Special use permit or rules for this location?

Who can Officiate an Elopement Ceremony?

Really, anyone ordained can officiate your elopement ceremony. Typically, 9 out of 10 times we are officiating for our couples, but this is not the only option! Here are the most common things we see as far as who is officiating an elopement ceremony:

• Us (Your elopement photographer! Yes – we are both ordained)
• A guest – a parent, sibling, the friend that introduced you, etc
• A pastor/spiritual officiant

For the majority of the lower 48 states, the only requirement here is that they are ordained. You can get ordained online at the University of Life Church.

Can you have a Religious Elopement Ceremony?

Yes, you can have a religious elopement ceremony! To have a religious elopement ceremony you may consider your pastor or a local pastor from the area to perform your ceremony. We have performed religious ceremonies as well, including biblical readings and prayers. You can for sure include as much of your religious traditions into your ceremony as you wish! When working with your officiant to write out your ceremony, be sure to share your ideas!

Self Solemnization Ceremony

You can legally self solemnize at your elopement ceremony in Colorado, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Washington D.C. and Nevada. This is where you and your partner would hold your own ceremony without an officiant and become legally married this way!

However, if you and your partner are having a just you two elopement somewhere that self solemnization isn’t legal but are really dreaming of the intimacy of a just you two ceremony, you still can! How we typically do this is allow the couple to have their own space, and to hold their own symbolic ceremony. Then once the couple has sealed their vows, once it is time to sign the marriage paperwork we perform the legal requirements of a ceremony together and everyone signs – couple, officiant, and the required witnesses.

Who Witnesses an Elopement Ceremony?

In most states you will need two witnesses who are 18 years of age or older. To be a witness, these people must have witnessed the legally binding ceremony as performed by your officiant. Typically, if one of us is officiating the other one of us is a witness. If you have one person with you that is officiating then we can both act as witnesses. If you have guests at your elopement two of them can sign as witnesses. If this is the case, we typically advise our couples to decide before the elopement day which two people you want to sign for you.

In the event that we do need one more witness we will find someone that was a bystander during the actually ceremony or if we are somewhere super private that may not be possible. Alternatively we find someone on the trail, in the parking lot or where you are staying and we will recite the legal portion again and have them sign, completing the marriage paperwork!

Elopement Ceremony Invitations

So, by now you have probably picked up that an adventure elopement wedding sometimes has guests! To us, an elopement is 15 guests or less. Anything higher than that we typically recommend couples to book some sort of venue or private space for the sake of their experience and following Leave No Trace. While many public lands may allow groups larger than this, depending on where you are envisioning the ceremony to take place, the logistics can often become more difficult than a couple initially realizes.

So if you have guests at your elopement here are a few ideas for how you can invite them:

• Call them! (Eloping is unique in the sense that there are not a lot of guests so it is easier to do more personable invites!)
• In person invites over dinner, brunch or just hanging out!
• Virtual invite w/ virtual RSVP
• A wedding website through Zola, The Knot, etc.
• Mail an invite
• You can also send a card to your loved ones that state something like: “We are eloping! We invite you to watch our elopement ceremony virtually on LoveStream” If you can stream your elopement ceremony, pending cell range.
• Or if you do not plan on having guests you can always send a card to let people know you are getting married, or wait and send a We Eloped card with images from your elopement on it!

No matter if you are eloping with guests or not, we think when sending a card to someone, it is really special to share a little bit about why you chose to elope or why this is special for you two!

Your Elopement Officiant!

Hiya, we are Traci + Bill, a husband and wife elopement photography team. You guessed it, we are both ordained! We include officiating into our packages because we know how hard it can be to find someone to hike twenty miles, kayak overnight, or off road for hours out to your dream elopement location. That’s how it started anyways. Turns out we really love offering this for our couples! We love helping our couples have a *THEM* wedding day!

We work with our couples every step of the way to help co-create an epic adventure to start off your marriage!

Let’s Connect!

Throughout our entire planning process we were so impressed by their knowledge of Sedona AZ. Traci & Bill really listened to our wishes and were able to lead us to our beautiful ceremony location that could also accommodate family members including my elderly grandparents…We are so thankful for them, especially their reminders of how our special day is really what we make of it by being in the moment and remembering how we got there. Our photos are breathtaking, a dream come true and we’re so stoked to have these memories captured so beautifully.

– Amanda + Matt | Eloped in Sedona, AZ 2022

Your Guide to Planning a Rock Climbing Wedding

We get it. You’ve decided you want to get married in a way that is true to you and incorporates what makes your relationship feel alive. That looks different for every couple and that’s the beauty of deciding on an elopement style wedding. Whether you and your partner have escaped the rat race and chase good weather year round to the best crags across the country or if you two take every possible weekend to visit your favorite crag, we’re here to tell you that heck yes you can and should have a rock climbing wedding day!

What is a Rock Climbing Wedding?

To state it plainly, a rock climbing wedding is simply an adventurous wedding where a couple chooses to climb a route to their ceremony location or a day that includes rock climbing as a part of their day. With the rise of elopements and adventurous weddings, more couples who are climbers are choosing to include this in their day! Why? Well, if you are a couple that climbs together you know it takes trust, communication, pushing each other and celebrating together. For the adventurous couple, a strong belay-tionship can be such a powerful element to a romantic relationship. Rock climbing is truly a bonding experience.

Choosing to have a rock climbing wedding does not mean your entire wedding experience has to be based on or around rock climbing. Most of our couples that choose to include rock climbing as apart of their union spend half the day climbing and half the day adventuring somewhere else for their ceremony. Or we have had couples spend one day out at the crag together and another day at an intimate venue with their guests. 

There is no right or wrong way to get married. You get to do what speaks to your hearts. You get to celebrate in a way that makes sense to your story. 

Can I have guests at a Rock Climbing Wedding?

Yes of course you can have guests at a rock climbing elopement! How you may ask?! Welp, if your guests are also climbers than they can also get to the location the same way you do! If you they are not climbers here are a few options:

• Pick a location you can climb up to that also has a way to hike up to! This way your guests can meet you up there for your ceremony. 
• Climb before or after the ceremony! A lot of our couples do full day elopements sunrise to sunset so they spend half of the day just them two and the other half with their family. Other couples choose to spend one day adventuring together and one day more formally with their family – if you like this idea check out the intimate venues we recommend near “adventure hubs.”
• Rappel down into your ceremony! There are canyons you can rap into but also hike into. This could be a good middle ground and a freaking epic way to enter your ceremony space. Several great examples of this exist in Moab.

What to Wear for a Rock Climbing Wedding?

For a bride there are two great options for attire for a rock climbing elopement: a bridal jumpsuit or a flowy lightweight dress with a large slit and a pair of white biker shorts underneath. The reason we recommend this is you need to keep the type of climbing you’ll be doing in mind. If it’s relatively straight forward sport climbing, then a flowy dress may not get in the way while leading your way up the route. If you’re getting up some slick and technical slab, then a jumpsuit can bring the bridal vibes without you getting gripped trying to find your feet among the layers of dress.

For a groom things are a lot simpler. You can wear a suite, a tux, or “fancy” outdoors/climbing attire. This is basically up to you! It is just important to make sure that your pants allow you to be mobile. Being mindful of the weather during the time of year you’ll be climbing is a must. You probably won’t want to be wearing a suit jacket while making your way up a full sun multi-pitch on a late spring day in the desert.

No matter your attire you want to make sure you have mobility in your arms and legs. To state it again, it is important to keep in mind temperatures because you want to be comfortable.

Pro Tip: When shopping for wedding attire do not be shy to bring your harness and try it on with the dress!

Learn more about good attire for adventure weddings!

What makes a good location for a Rock Climbing Wedding?

When it comes to just going out for a climb, the general list you likely go through when choosing a route will have a little more behind it when you’re looking to have some great photos captured of you and your partner. The best locations for a climbing wedding will have the route you want to climb with a climb near it/beside for the photographer to climb that has beautiful views around it. That is the most ideal. So because of this we love places that are more crag like, but multi-pitches can certainly work. We’ve captured a handful of climbing weddings on multi-pitch climbs and we can say it does greatly increase the logistics behind capturing it well. But hey! We love the adventure and we’re down for whatever is calling your hearts.

The best way to pick an elopement or wedding location for a rock climbing would be based on these three things:

• It’s a climbing area that means a lot to you. This could be your favorite place to climb together, where you have climbed the most together, where you first started climbing together, anything like that.
• You pick your wedding location based on the climbing location. In this case I would do one of the locations listed above.
• The last option would be to pick where you want to get married and find climbing near by that you can add as an activity to your day. A great example for this would be Olympic National Park and the nearby National Forest area.

Top 10 Rock Climbing Wedding Locations

There are countless elopement locations you could choose for a rock climbing wedding! Below are what we consider to be the best 10 in the regions we capture elopements! Part of choosing these locations is also based around the idea of what the rest of your wedding day or days may look like if you climb in this area. All of these places are beautiful beyond climbing, but also have epic routes! 

#1 Moab, Utah

Moab in general is an epic place to elope! Moab also is a huge adventure and climbing mecca. You can hop on Wall Street to stay in town, go to Indian Creek for some splitters, climb spires, jump on some big multi-pitches or even take a day off and jump into some canyoneering here. No matter what you are thinking, it is here! We love Moab in general as an elopement location for it’s fun town, dining, stay options and never ending beautiful vistas. A climbing elopement here would be good March-May and September-November.

#2 Joshua Tree National Park, CA

Another world class climbing area that folks have been climbing in with so much history! There are SO many climbs in Joshua Tree that it seems endless. We love that there are many different areas in the park for climbing so you do not have to be in the busy spaces. The lighting + color of the rocks here is also perfect for taking photographs of people up against them. If you haven’t climbed this granite before, you won’t regret taking a special trip to hop on these routes. A climbing wedding here would be good March-April and October-November.

#3 Alabama Hills, CA // Bishop, CA

Within the Sierra Nevadas of Southern California you will find a place with history in the climbing world. From epic bouldering, amazing climbing and hiking it is here. We love the small town feel within the area, camping areas and views. The river gorge is a stunning, peaceful place to climb with hundreds of routes to explore. After a day of climbing or bouldering you can find yourself in the natural hot springs near by or enjoying the stars at camp. The best time to come here would be May-June and September-November.

#4 Smith Rock State Park, OR

Smith Rock is a known climbing area from all over the world! There is the famous Monkey Face route you could summit and say I do on or you can climb in the many other areas of the park. This location is SO beautiful and offers a desert vibe, but don’t worry those snow capped mountains are not far away. The State Park does allow wedding ceremonies to at their amphitheater so you can get married and go straight to climbing. Stay here and watch the eagles nest or stay in the quaint wonderful town. 

#5 Yosemite National Park, CA

Yosemite has been a long admired place by the climbing community and after ‘Free Solo’ everyone knew this was a climbing mecca. Climbing El Cap would be a fleet, but possible for your wedding day! However, there are many other routes you can consider. The National Park has a pretty flushed out system when it comes to getting married. You are allowed to hold a ceremony in specific locations, but then you can take photos and do other actives anywhere in the park. 

#6 Sedona, Arizona // Flagstaff, AZ

Believe it or not there are actually tons of climbs in the Sedona area! We like to call these adventure climbs because there is usually quite the approach to hike to them and almost always some bushwacking. The bonus? Not many people are out climbing in Sedona so you get more privacy than you would on the trails! Not far outside of Sedona you’ll find Flagstaff which also has some awesome crag in the pines. Don’t sleep on the waterfall climbing area with long routes and rows of moderate routes!

#7 Tucson, AZ

Mt Lemmon is a great place to climb in the Santa Catalina Mountains. There are over 3000 routes here with great views. Be careful to avoid getting caught in a monsoon and be sure you plan around that. Also near this area is cochise stronghold which is very similar to the granite you find in Joshua Tree, but the area is way less busy due to it being pretty remote. Spring and Fall would be best here as in the Winter it snows and the Summers are hot.

#8 Leavenworth, WA

Leavenworth is home to a lot of big awesome hikes that are perfect for getting married on. From the Enchantments to the Larches full of yellow in the fall, this slice of the state is so stunning. However, it is also a great climbing area in Washington state. There are routes in the mountains and routes near by town from bouldering to trad! This is a great place for a multi-day wedding between the stunning hikes and alpine lakes, fun German inspired town and climbs. 

#9 Index, WA

Index is known for it’s more harder climbing, but there are still some routes below 5.9. The high walls here give you a great view of the mountains and many climbing blogs have named it the best crag in the US. Think Squamish, Canada vibes but here in the states! The best time to get married while climbing here would be Summer into early Fall. 

#10 Mt Erie, WA

We love this spot for a sunset rock climbing wedding because it overlooks the bay near Anacortes. There are many routes which are good for photography. This area is busy on the weekends due to it’s route range, views and closeness to Seattle so be sure to plan a weekday! Beautiful place, fun climbing! The best time to get married while climbing here would be Summer into early Fall. 

When is the best time to have a Rock Climbing Wedding?

When is very dependent on WHERE. Each location will have a best season based on temperatures, rainfall and closures due to wildlife. These are all things you want to consider when picking a location and/or date. 

I also recommend considering a shoulder season/date to avoid over crowding on the selected route or crag. So let’s say prime season in Moab is April through early October, then maybe consider eloping in late March or early November. 

Do I need a Climbing Guide for my Wedding?

his answer depends on your experience and comfort with your chosen route. If you are not comfortable leading the route or do not have climbing and rappelling experience than 100% yes. For some quick knowledge when it comes to being a working professional on public lands, It is important to note that we are not climbing guides. The permit officers on public lands require different commercial use permits for different things, like guiding a climbing route. This would be quite the logistical nightmare as your professional photography team to balance all of the permits in all of the areas we capture love stories in. We love climbing and have all of our own gear and can climb right along side of you without a guide. However, we can not be your guide. So be sure to keep this info in mind when selecting your route!

What type of Climbing Wedding can we do?

So as you may know within rock climbing you have Trad and Sport. You can do either of those for sure for a rock climbing wedding! Outside of the traditional rock climbing options for your wedding day you can: Canyoneer (highly recommend Moab, Page or Zion for this) Ice climb or canyoneer (highly recommend Alaska or Iceland for this) or you can do a via feratta (highly recommend Amangiri for this in Page, Arizona).

Can you have guests at a Rock Climbing Wedding?

Yes of course you can have guests at a rock climbing elopement! How you may ask?! Welp, if your guests are also climbers than they can also get to the location the same way you do! If you they are not climbers here are a few options:

• Pick a location you can climb up to that also has a way to hike up to!
• Climb before or after the ceremony! A lot of our couples do split days so they spend half of the day just them two and the other half with their family.
• Rappel down into your ceremony! There are canyons you can rap into but also hike into. This could be a good middle ground and a freaking epic way to enter your ceremony space. Several great examples of this exist in Moab.

How long should I book a photographer for?

We recommend booking us for a split day (which is a full 14 hours) or a two day package for a rock climbing wedding! You want time to enjoy, not feel rushed when climbing, but you also want to think about the overall experience as your wedding day and not rush that either.

Sample timelines from *real* rock climbing elopements:

Split day example from a rock climbing elopement in Joshua Tree

• Getting ready at Airbnb starting mid morning
• First look at Airbnb
• Couple goes for picnic brunch in the park and writes vows
• Leave the park to go to get tattoos together in Yucca Valley
• Break for late lunch
• Re-meet at Real Hidden Valley for climb
• Vow exchange/ceremony after rap down and sunset portraits
• Dinner at picnic table in Hidden valley (couple to cook)
• Star photos on the way out of the park

Two Day example for a rock climbing wedding in Sedona, AZ

• Meet early morning to hike out to climb
• Climb 7 pitches/600ft – alternating leads – photo team shooting from different areas and on diff pitches
• Portraits at the top at sunset as couple has a picnic dinner
• Rap down during blue hour for more portraits on rope
• Hike out + star photo

NEXT DAY

• Meet before dark to hike into location
• First look + private vow exchange
• Hike back out + Break (lunch)
• Meet back up with couple at separate locations for getting ready photos with family
• Leave and hike into ceremony
• Ceremony + group photos
• Couples sunset portraits
• Hike out + drive to reception space
• Reception

Your Rock Climbing Wedding Photographers!

Hi! We are Traci + Bill!! We totally relate to your love for climbing within your relationship. Our first real date was a multi-pitch spire – Traci’s first climb ever. Since then we love date nights in the boudlering gym, days at the crag and bill will always be in love with desert spires. 

We are here to help you plan + capture your dream climbing wedding day! We know the communication + connection it takes to be belay partners and it is a beautiful way to tie the know  

View our Packages!


Get in Touch!

I don’t know that Tucker and I can adequately put into words how wonderful, fun, and excellent Traci and Bill are at what they do or recommend them more!! Their overall professionalism and genuine personalities, their attention to detail and meticulous planning, the sheer amount of effort they put in behind the scenes to make everything flow perfectly on the day of, the extent they are willing to go to make your dreams come true on every level, their communication skills and timely responses to any and all questions, not to mention their actual talent level and ability to naturally take perfect photos throughout your entire session while making it feel so effortless and like you’re just outside having fun with a couple close friends, they nailed it all so perfectly They were the definition of under promise and over deliver on all levels, and what they promised already set the bar pretty high.
We wanted to have the best of both worlds with an adventure climbing day while also having private vows and a small ceremony with 30 of our closet family and friends and they made that happen! We never felt like we were doing a photo shoot, or had a camera in front of us – we felt completely comfortable as if we were around friends the whole time!
They went out of their way to scout and really LEARN a new climb they had never done before when we said that’s what we wanted to do! And then when bad weather rolled in on our scheduled day, they moved it earlier for us! During the whole process they made everything seamless and truly enjoyable! We never worried about a thing! Not only were they amazing to work with, but were so friendly! After spending 2 days with them, we cried having to say goodbye!
Bottom line – if you want to adventure and you want the best of the best in all respects DO NOT HESITATE TO BOOK ADVENTURE AND VOW! They are better than words can do justice in every regard.

Chelsee + Tucker
Sedona Rock Climbing Elopement

Read a Moab Rock Climbing Elopement Day Story!

See a Sedona Rock Climbing Elopement Day!

We Can’t Wait To Hear About Your Rock Climbing Elopement Plans!

Summer Elopement with Family at Lake Crescent

Rylan and Claire love traveling to different national parks together and exploring the outdoors. They even got engaged during a hiking trip to Zion National Park! When it came to planning a wedding they knew they wanted to be outdoors and somewhere beautiful with diverse landscapes. They love to hike, camp, kayak, drink coffee, spending time with family and check out different breweries – which was a perfect fit for Washington and even more specifically for the Olympic National Park area.

These two Texans drove to Washington state for their elopement celebration with their parents and siblings. It is always wonderful when the elopement becomes a whole trip, time for everyone to enjoy. The day before their elopement we met up with them at a coffee shop to meet over crepes. They told us their day plans of exploring the mountain and going to their “reception” location. We decided to go with them to scout the perfect spot on the beach for a picnic.

On the morning of the elopement they got ready separately with their loved ones. With it being such a smaller group it was nice to see everyone spending quality time together as they prepped for the day, without having to rush through the experience. The florist came to Claire’s Airbnb to prep all of the gorgeous florals for the day while Claire got ready with her mom and sisters. Rylan got ready in a separate Airbnb with his parents.

Once ready, we traveled to a waterfall for the first look. Rylan was most excited about seeing Claire for the first time in her dress for the elopement day. It was all smiles and laughter when they finally saw each other for the first time, their connection was apparent right away. Claire looked amazing in her dress. Getting to share their first look privately tucked away in the forest by a waterfall was so surreal and special, like they had their own little private nook in the park to just soak it all in. They shared their personal vows with each other with just the sound of the waterfall around them recalling their story that has lead them to this day together from meeting on a mission to road trips and visiting endless REIs together. Sharing their unique promises for the life they will build together throughout their marriage. It was a beautiful moment together in nature to kick of their day together.

Then we were off to the ceremony on the lake shores of Lake Crescent. Rylan, fell quite sick as the day went on and we changed the plans for the day. He was for sure going to marry Claire this day though no matter what though. The original plan was to elope on the shore of the lake. Instead we moved the arch and flowers to a meadow closer to the parking lot and held the ceremony! It was so beautiful with the tall green grass, giant evergreens and their family surrounding them. I think it also ended up being a bit more private. They signed the paperwork in their duo camp chair with their parents as witnesses, making it official! That was it for the day with how Rylan was feeling, we all agreed it was best for him to get some rest and relaxation. The rest of the day was supposed to be on the beach for sunset by a picnic. We decided to chat in the morning about the game plan to see if we could continue their celebration!

Luckily by the late evening after some naps and light food he was feeling much better! We planned a back up option that would be similar to their original plan. We met at sunrise at a local rocky beach side backed up by the mountains. We hiked out and explored the coast, looking for starfish and crabs as the sun came up through the coastal trees. It was an absolutely stunning morning, and we practically had the whole place to ourselves. They made morning coffee to share and take it all in and we even popped a bottle of champagne before heading back to the lake shores!

Their family had help them set up a beautiful picnic set up with florals, plate settings, pillows to sit on, candles and snacks with the stunning mountains and crystal clear blue water as their backdrop. They got to cut their cake and start the celebration with their families enjoying the place, some champagne, conversation and food together on a perfect sunny warm PNW day. Everyone even opted for a quick dip into the lake as the day warmed up. It was a perfect way to end their elopement – laughter, relaxing, quality time somewhere stunning.

While their elopement may not have gone as planned, it truly shows the beauty of elopements. We always say elopements are just like marriage, you never know what’s going to happen in life, it’s about being a team and navigating together for the best, sweetest outcome. Elopements keep you free of being tied to an event space, a plated dinner with timed events and tons of people to interact with. Giving you the freedom to do what you want and make it what you wish. The important thing is that the core values to their elopement day still happened. They got to share their love and explore this area together at such a special time together with those they love the most! They put so many special details into their elopement from the gifts Claire gave her mom and Rylan’s mom, to Rylan carrying the pack on the beach with them that he carried on the day of their engagement in Zion National Park and being with those they love the most sharing a new national park with them. It was truly so beautiful in every way, filled with so much love, compassion and joy and fun!

I think it is important to remember that you elopement is based on experience. You can plan your dream experience. The key is to enjoy the experience you have no matter what, immerse yourself into. I love so much that Claire and Rylan not only had their elopement day as an experience, but time with the family before and after the elopement. They also had planned for their road trip home to travel to many other National Parks in Canada, Montana, and more as they traveled back south to Texas. The entire thing was magical and I am sure a lifetime adventure they will never forget.

Meg + Alex’s Elopement day among the Oregon mountains

Meg and Alex decided to elope because they felt as though traditional weddings are more performative and impersonal, and invite a lot of unnecessary stress into what should be a happy and memorable event. It was important to them to be able to enjoy their day together and intimately celebrate their promises to each other. Keeping this in mind when planning how they envisioned their day and things they wanted in incorporate from their lives together, they did just that – shared a personal and calm day together celebrating their relationship. They traveled across the United States to Portland, Oregon where they would start the most epic week for their elopement!

Getting Ready + First Look in Welches, Oregon

Megan + Alex rented the cutest A Frame cabin you have ever seen tucked in the forest of a nearby town to Mt Hood. It was the perfect nook to spend the morning relaxing together, getting ready for the adventure and for sharing their first look. While they spent the morning together, the two brides got ready separately so they could still share that special, and emotional moment, of seeing each other for the first time as brides. It was just them two, in the privacy of the front yard of the cabin. All was still and quiet. It was a perfect moment filled with so much love to start off their elopement adventure together. There were tears shed of joy, laughter and smiles. During the first look Megan gifted Alex a beautiful bracelet. Once they were ready, we went back into the house to grab everything we needed for the day and headed out to explore everything Oregon has to offer!

Mt Hood Elopement Adventures

When I asked these two how they envisioned their elopement day being they said “We would love for our day to be a representation of the way we would spend a day together on a weekend getaway, just extra special. Peaceful, relaxing, low-key, Honeymoon vibes.” So we went with this idea and ran with it. They visited Portland before coming to the mountain trying all the amazing food and sight seeing. Once they got to the Mt Hood area for their elopement, we knew we still wanted to treat it as all the things you would do on an epic get away together, including all of their favorite things. So first we stopped at a great view point of Mt Hood where they got to check out the glaciers on the mountain, soak up some wonderful sunshine and check out the glacier river running off the mountain.

Our next stop was a beautiful waterfall! They got to walk around on a bridge to check out the bigger falls and smaller falls with no one else around, it was a prefect day of enjoying all the mountain had to offer like it was all theirs. Having never been to Oregon before Meg and Alex got to share all of these new places and new experiences together on such a special day, creating profound memories.

Mt View Brewing + Ice Cream in Hood River

After some sight seeing and exploring we started making our way towards Hood River. The thing with summer elopements in the Pacific Northwest is that sunset is pretty late and the small town dining options typically close pretty early. So our solution was an early dinner and snack, which worked out perfectly for their elopement day vision. We stopped at Mt View Brewing first to grab dinner and a couple of beers. This was super fun and special, because Meg and Alex’s first date was brewery hopping in Florida! It was a great first date that lasted longer than expected and kicked off their relationship. They enjoyed pizza and hummus as Mt Hood towered behind them and the vineyard bloomed with flowers. It was also just great to sit down together and soak in the day so far since elopement days can go so fast.

After the brewery we stopped in the cute small town of Hood River for Ice Cream at Mike’s Ice Cream. The cutest Ice Cream shop with it’s very own castle tree house which served as a fun and romantic spot for Meg and Alex to enjoy their cones. The town was having an event this day, so across the way they even got live music to listen to as they ate.

Hood River Elopement Ceremony

While Meg and Alex’s elopement day was filled with a lot of things that they usually do together when exploring a new place or even things they do back home, there were also lots of new things. For example, in order to get to their elopement ceremony location they would go on their first hike together! It was a beautiful trail passing another water fall, hiking through the tall golden grasses and wild flowers. It was like having the mountain all to ourselves as we did not pass a single soul on our way up, or down the hike. They hiked out to the edge together and started getting ready for their ceremony. Bill officiated for them, but they also shared their own personally hand written vows. Their ceremony was so beautiful, true and emotional. You could feel their love for each other and how present they were in this moment with each other as the sun was starting to set behind the mountain peaks surrounding the river. After their vows, they held a hand fasting and sealed the deal with a kiss. After their elopement ceremony was simply a true moment of bliss and taking it all in. After exploring more of the area up top and taking in the view Megan and Alex sat down together on a cool blanket they picked up at the REI in Portland showcasing many of the National Parks and pretty locations in the area. They sat and setup their doughnut picnic which they also got in Portland to enjoy instead of cake in celebration of their marriage. The top donut of the night was the pool boy from Mikiko Mochi Donuts. It was a fun way to end the evening after the ceremony. Once the sun was gone we packed up and started out hike back out. On our drive back to Welches we stopped at a very popular Mt Hood viewing location in hopes that we could see the milky way. Sure enough, there was the Milky Way in all of her beauty passing right over Mt Hood. Meg and Alex stood near the edge of the lake water holding each other as we took photos of them with the stars, it was the most relaxing way to end their elopement. Just them, the mountain and the stars. Surreal.

Your Oregon Elopement Photographer + Team!

Yep, that’s us, and our cat lol. We are a husband and wife photo/video elopement team! We are both ordained and here to help you create the most epic day you can envision to get married on anywhere in the Pacific Northwest. From the Mountains to the Ocean, we are here to help you plan a day that is authentic to who you are, in an incredible place and celebrate the way you want! We can not wait to connect with you about your own elopement day! <3

Let’s Chat About Your Elopement Day!

Why get married while backpacking?

Some of the reasons that we think backpacking elopements are one of the coolest ways to get married. If you’re a couple that enjoys the outdoors, traveling, hiking or maybe you already backpack together, then getting married in this way can create the atmosphere for a true adventure, strengthening your relationship and create an unforgettable experience for your wedding day. Choosing to do a backpacking elopement also opens up the opportunity to get married in an absolutely stunning place that has so much more privacy than many of the easily accessible elopement locations.

For example, Taft Point in Yosemite or Cathedral Rock in Sedona. Don’t get us wrong, we love those locations for many reasons, but we really cherish the intimate privacy that the extra miles by foot into the back country provides. Backpacking with your partner opens up the opportunity for a deeper connection with each other. Being in nature even for a single night out can totally center you with your dreams and your partner.

With this type of adventure elopement, you are getting away from the endless emails, the constant texting, the social media scrolling, and every other worry your typical day brings. This presents the opportunity to fully connect with each other and connect with the wilderness that you are exploring together. Being outdoors is so healthy for us and many people agree that it refreshes their body and mind. Deep connection with your partner, alone time at a dreamy destination, intimate cuddling up by the fire, sound like a recipe for a dream elopement to you? Perfect, because it does to us too!

We ourselves decided to backpack for our own wedding, hiking 74 miles into the wilderness around Mount Rainier National Park. We got married on the final day by a waterfall. Planning our own backpacking elopement was a challenge when thinking about the distance, the harsh weather that can happen in the mountains, and being out for almost a week. Having experienced it all ourselves has given us the experience to help other people plan their own backpacking elopement whether it’s in the desert or the mountains. I’m excited to help you see how to make this happen and what all the possibilities are.

What is the difference between a Hiking + Backpacking Elopement?

The biggest difference between a hiking and backpacking elopement is one is just for the day and the other is spent overnight. Backpacking means you are hiking somewhere then setting up camp and the next day hiking even further to a different camp or going back to the trailhead. Backpacking involves hiking – just usually more of it. For Backpacking you also typically need to carry a lot more than you would for a regular hiking elopement because you will need your camping supplies. In a lot of areas you will also need a permit to backpack where as most day hiking does not require a permit.

How long is a backpacking elopement?

We get asked often how many miles do people hike for elopements, including backpacking elopements. The answer is, there is no one size fits all answer. It could be less than one mile or it could be 100 miles+. This is up the the couple, the experience they’re looking for, and the location they want to be in. A backpacking elopement can be a one night trip or it could be much longer depending where we hike into.

How to plan for your backpacking wedding?

So, maybe you want to elope on a specific trail in August, but the camping permits don’t become available until April and sell out within a week. If you managed to get the reservation through and book your camp sites, that is perfect. Now, you can book everything else you need to book. If you’re not able to get a reservation, many National Parks actually reserve a healthy number of camping spots for walk-ups only.

It’s important to have a back-up plan and know if the area saves any camping spots for walk-up permits. For example, when we eloped in Mount Rainier on our backpacking trip on the Wonderland Trail, We acquired a walk up permit. When we say get there early, knowing how popular of a trail the Wonderland was that time of the year and also knowing that Mt Rainier has four ranger stations that you compete for the camping spot with simultaneously, we arrived at 4am the day before we were going to start our hike to look over the book of available camp spots left outside of the ranger station, and after about two hours we were able to reroute our plan based on the campsites that were still available. It’s important to know that unless you already have dates picked out and secured, you need to be flexible.

That is step one of figuring out the plan. Then you need to figure out the logistics of your route. What are all of the details of the hike? If you’re camping for several days, it’s important to plan if your photographer is coming along for the whole experience or if they are meeting you on one of the days in particular somewhere along the trail. My biggest suggestion is that on your wedding day for you to have full coverage. This is a day that you’ll never be able to get back and you never know if the weather will be good for the full day. So if you have all day, there’s going to be a time and place that just feels right to get married and you’ll have the flexibility to do that.

For a quick + easy check list check out these steps in order of when to do them to plan your hiking wedding:

• Decide on the area you’d like to elope in
• Pick a specific trail
• Book any an all permits you need (for getting married + permits for camping)
• Put together a back up plan (for sure if plan A is a walk up, but also in case of weather)
• Create your specific Packing List
• Make sure to purchase all items you need
• Getting wedding things (dress, suit, marriage license, etc)
• Go for a practice overnight back packing trip if any of your gear is new to you.
• Meet up at the trial-head + have a freaking awesome elopement!

Where are good backpacking elopement locations?

Some of the best states that we recommend looking for a backpacking elopement are Washington, Alaska, Arizona, Colorado, Oregon, California, Utah, Montana and Wyoming. The list for where you could have your backpacking elopement could go on and on through National Parks, Forest Service Land, State parks, and beyond.

It’s important to note that when you’re planning a backpacking elopement you need to make sure that you can:

• Hike there (that it is an actual trail)
• Backpack/Camp there
• Legally get married there
• Have a photographer there

Backpacking elopements can vary in length. We know great trails from 6 miles to close to 100 miles long perfect for amazing views, privacy and of course getting married! Some areas take you into the front country and some into back country wilderness. It is also important to research the area you are considering and to talk to forest service rangers about your plans. For example, in Mt Rainier, if it is just the two of you there is a lot of flexibility where you can elope in the park. However, in Glacier National Park you can not elope, get married or have any sort of ceremony on any back country trails.

Some easy tips in finding great locations is pick a time of year you want to elope, look at what areas have the best weather in that time frame and start researching trail options. The other way would be to pick the area you are most drawn to, then check the weather conditions for the best time period and then start narrowing down trail options. Some of the best places to find hiking trail information is Gaia, All Trails, National Park websites and The Outboud.

Top 5 Backpacking Trails

We help our couples find the perfect backpacking trail for them during the planning process. However, here are 5 of our favorite trails to consider for a backpacking elopement. Will you be joining us on one of these for your wedding???

• Coyote Gulch Trail – This trail is located in Utah. The hike is only 10 miles making it easy to do in one night. The trail is moderate to hard pending your comfort with scrambling. We love this trail because it has arches + water. You can camp in shade if you want. It is located near many other awesome things to see in the Southwest as well!

• Hiking from Yosemite Valley to Taft Point to Glacier point and down 4 Mile – Yosemite National Park has many backpacking trails, but few places you can hold a ceremony – Glacier Point being one of them. I highly recommend doing this on the shoulder of when the road is closed to Glacier Point but the snow isn’t too bad up in the elevation. One word – Privacy. Taft Point is easily one of those places that could move anyone to tears, but to get to see if after you’ve hiked all that way and get it to yourselves is insane. If you aren’t worried about crowds what is unique about this is that your family/friends can meet up with you for your ceremony in the middle of your backpacking trip without having to hike!

• Shi Shi Beach – The first time Bill + I hiked this we were blown away. The coast line is stunning, the hike through the forest is easy and equally as beautiful. This is in Olympic National Park – so you may need a permit if you have more than 5 people total. This location can be quite busy on the weekend and around holidays – for good reason. Olympic as a whole has amazing backpacking hikes in the mountains too – but for a coastal option we think this is best!

• Park Butte Trail (Fire Towers) – Park Butte is located in the Mt Baker/North Cascades area of Washington. Honestly, this general area may be the best location in the US for backpacking elopement locations. It is also home to several Fire Towers that you can camp instead of using a tent. Tip for getting a spot in the first come first serve ones: GO EARLY and go on a weekday!! We love this trail specifically because of how close you feel to Mt Baker – all night you can hear the glaciers.

• The Wonder Land Trail – Yes, we are bias lol, but this trail gives you the chance to see Rainier from every single side. You get to see stunning areas of the park you can’t see on a day hike. You get totally away from people + up close to nature. We love that this is longer than a one night trip so you get a feel of being out for a week like a mini thru hiking trip!

Can you elope on a Thru Hike?

Yes, of course! With the proper permitting you can get married on most thru hikes. My tips for eloping on a thru hike would be these things:

• Plan to elope at the end of the thru hike trail so you can relax after OR pick a location along the thru hike that would be a good place to take your time, slow down, relax, etc
• Keep in touch with your photographer throughout your hike in case your elopement date needs to change or anything like that.
• Have guests or other people meet you with your attire so you do not have to hike with it on top of all of your other gear.

Example Timelines for a Backpacking Two Day Elopement

Timelines vary for elopements depending what trail you are doing, your backpacking experience, any other activities you plan to do and more! Below are two samples of two day backpacking trips that can give you an idea of the flow of the time.

Southern Utah Backpacking Itinerary

• Meet in Page, Arizona to pick up a Jeep rental
• Drive to the trailhead
• Arrive at the trailhead, hike in 8 miles
• Set up camp before sunset + have dinner
• Write vows by campfire together
• Starry night photos
• Sleep!
• Wake up for a Sunrise Ceremony overlooking Lake Powell
• Have breakfast at camp
• Hike Out
• Off Road back into town

Mt Baker Backpacking Itinerary

• Meet at sunrise to hike into the location
• Claim camping bunks in a fire tower or a tent camping spot outside of the tower
• Make lunch + eat
• Write vows by the lake
• Sunset ceremony among mountain views
• Camp under stars
• Morning camp fire + breakfast
• Hike out
• Dinner + a mini reception with Family at an Airbnb

Typically we plan for one hour per mile of up hill hiking for elopements. While your hiking pace may be faster we like to allow for extra time considering the gear you have + stopping for photos or breaks along the way. Plus, you never want to rush through your elopement experience. You never know if you may run into an animal you want to watch, a lake you want to jump in or another happy surprise.

How much does a backpacking elopement cost?

Because adventure elopements are so varied for so many reasons, it’s hard to pin down an average cost. Between permits, vendors, additional gear, travel and more, the average adventure elopement in the United States can range from $8500 – $20,000. Multi-day elopements can be on the higher end of average depending what all you need to purchase and book. One of the most important aspects as far as cost for a backpacking elopement is your backpacking gear + food. Now, if you are already experienced backpackers you may already have your gear. However, if you are not you may need to pick up a few things.

Items you need for BackPacking

Here is a list of things no matter what trail you are doing you will likely need for backpacking:

• Lightweight Tent (we recommend a two person)
• Pack
• Water bladder
• Water filter
• Hiking Poles
• Hiking Shoes (this is my current boot!)
• A way to cook (comes with matches)
• Fuel (this size is great for two people for a shorter trip)
• Sleeping Bag (note temperature matters when purchasing this!)
• Sleeping Pad (temperature matters for this too!)
• Hiking Clothes – (recommend something moisture wicking)
• Camp Clothes (something warm)
• Headlamp + extra batteries
• Knife
• A Source of ignition
• First Aid
• Navigation
• Emergency way to communicate (especially if your photographer is not hiking with you)
• Map of the area you are hiking

(Note the list above includes affiliate links, but all to products that we use + are in packs on a backpacking trip! Everything we linked is from Amazon as we have found that is the most affordable pricing on these products. However, if you plan on buying a lot over a long period of time and still recreating a lot you may want to consider REI. Their membership program allows for you to gain a percentage of your purchase back at the end of the year on anything that you bought that wasn’t used or on sale.)

Wedding Items you may need

• Suit
• Wedding dress for an adventure elopement
• A “we eloped” or “just married sign”
• Marriage License + Pen
• Hand Written Vows
• Make up
• Wedding Bells instead of Bear Bells for your pack!
• Permit (varies $50 to $350 typically)
• Officiant (we are both ordained – for backpacking elopements we highly recommend a photographer that is ordained!)
• Photographer

How much is a Backpacking Photographer?

An adventure elopement photographer that’s going backpacking with you is not just a photographer. While it isn’t true for every traditional wedding photographer, it is often the case that the job doesn’t require as much planning or isn’t physically demanding. Photographers that specialize in adventure weddings like backpacking have more variables on their plate.

• They must make sure they can carry both their camera gear and camping gear and be honest about their capacity to accompany you on your adventure.
• They must be aware of both the typical and possible weather conditions, the trail and its conditions, and have backup plans.
• They also must be aware of the permitting and ideally have a relationship with the permit officer to be able to pull information, and help you with obtaining your permit.
• They need to be able to help you have the experience that you are looking to have. It’s our job to enhance your experience and make sure that your wedding day goes as planned and is the unforgettable moment you’re looking to share.

When it comes to finding a photographer for a backpacking elopement, there are some really important questions that you want to ask them.

• A lot of national parks and forest service lands require photographers to be insured to be able to work there. You want to ask them if they have ever backpacked before.
• While backpacking experience is really great, what would be extra important and nice to know is has your photographer ever back packed with all of their camera gear?
• You should also ask them what is the longest hike they’ve done with their equipment.
• It may be important to know if your photographer has hiked in the region before or photographed there. Some areas of the world are bear country, some have rattlesnakes and scorpions some have things to think about like tide charts, snow on mountains, mudslides; the list goes on and on. Understanding wildlife in the area and the weather conditions is super important.

The great thing about being a two person team is it not only takes some of the weight off each others backs, but it goes a long way with helping our couples too.

Other types of camping elopements!

There are tons of options and there is an adventure out there for everyone. There are plenty of ways to get out there and camp with out backpacking! Don’t be afraid to talk to your photographer about your vision. Think about the experience that you want to have on your wedding. Here are some important questions to ask yourself:

• How do you want your wedding to start?
• What does it look like?
• How does everything feel?
• What’s around you?
• What do you hear?
• What do you see and smell?
• Is it a fast pace or slow?

You don’t have to have all the ideas or specifics right away. That’s what an adventure elopement photographer is here for. To help you bring your ideas to life. To help you plan. The most epic experience that you can imagine to start off this journey together with your partner. We’re always here to help and if you have any questions just drop them on the blog and we’ll do our best to answer them or feel free to reach out to us about planning your own adventure backpacking elopement. We’re a hundred percent here for it. Outside of back packing to your elopement location here are some other ideas for a multi-day back country elopements:

• Lake Powell house boat elopement or power boat while camping on the lake shores
• Kayaking the Colorado River
• Bike Touring
• Off roading deep into wilderness for an over night camp stay
• Horseback riding

Hey, that’s us, your backpacking elopement photographers!

Looking for a photographer that is also into backpacking?! Look no further! Adventure and Vow is a husband and wife team that eloped ourselves on a 74 mile hike and then did a separate 6 mile backpacking trip with our cat to celebrate our wedding! We love helping couples plan a wedding day that is authentic to them as a couple, connective to their love and the environment and that will be an experience of a lifetime. Our packages offer Photo + Video and we are both ordained. We know what it takes to plan a backpacking elopement and what is important in preserving the memory.

Lets Connect!

We’d Love To Hear More About Your Wedding Plans!

“Traci was super communicative about the process of eloping at Olympic National Park and is extremely knowledgeable. She is very organized and put together a perfect timeline for our big day. Not only is Traci a genuine person, she is also incredibly talented and knowledgeable at what she does. Traci and Bill helped us haul my dress and backpack during our entire hike and were super sweet about it! They were fun to talk to and really allowed John-Mark and I to soak up every minute of our day. It was one of the best experiences of our lives! I would absolutely do it all over again! And I can’t forget to include how amazing our pictures came out !! Even after our elopement, Traci has been super communicative with all of our questions/requests.”

America + John-Mark | Eloped in 2022 with us!