Best Elopement Wedding Dresses
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.
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!
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!
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!
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.
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 🙂
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.
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.
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!
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!
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:
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!
We’d Love To Bring Your Elopement Dreams To Life!
Meet your team!
Hi – it is Traci, Bill and Malachi
Over the years, we’ve helped hundreds of couples plan and document intentional, meaningful elopements in wild places.
Our blogs are where we share what we’ve learned—location guides, planning tips, real elopement stories, and advice to help you feel confident and inspired as you plan your own day.
Whether you’re just getting started or deep in the details, we’re here to support and inspire you. When you’re ready, reach out to book a free consult call and start planning your day with us.
