You want to have a wedding that is fun, takes place somewhere stunningly beautiful, and reflects your adventurous personalities. An adventure wedding sounds like the perfect fit!
An adventure wedding is exactly what it sounds like: getting married in an adventurous setting. That can look like hiking to an epic viewpoint or driving to a scenic location. There’s no expectations when eloping, which means you can choose an adventure that fits your abilities and interests.
Whether you are planning on an intimate elopement with just you and your partner, or you plan on bringing a few of your closest relationships along with you, having an adventure elopement will allow you celebrate your wedding day in a way that represents the two of you.
Here is my guide to planning an epic adventurous wedding experience.
What is an adventure wedding?
The term “adventure wedding” is a broad term and can be interpreted in many different ways ranging from an intimate elopement in the mountains to a wedding with 30+ guests at a scenic Airbnb.
Basically, an adventure wedding takes place in the beauty of nature. It can include a big hike to stunning views or it can take place where beautiful scenery is easily accessible by car.
What does an adventure wedding look like?
It depends! For some, it’s getting married in a state park with 20+ guests and dedicating time in their day to exploring and taking portraits together. For others, it looks like spending the entire day with just the two of them, hiking deep into the mountains, and spending the whole day doing adventurous activities like backpacking, horseback riding, renting a 4×4, or getting out on the water.
It’s all up to the couple and what they want their day to look like!
Should you have an adventure wedding?
An adventure wedding might be the perfect fit for you if:
- You love the outdoors, spending time in nature, and love adventure!
- You want to take full control of your wedding day to create a day that is customized to the two of you instead of conforming to traditions that don’t hold meaning to you.
- You value experiences over things.
- You want your wedding day to be solely about the two of you and what you want to do.
- You want a wedding celebration that lasts more than a few hours.
- Your dream venue is a stunning mountain range, not a golf course.
- You would rather spend your money making memories that will last a lifetime than on things.
- You want wedding photos that are epic and unlike anyone else’s wedding photos!
If any of those resonated with you, you won’t regret having an adventure wedding!
How to plan an adventure wedding
- Choose a Location
- Hire Your Photographer
- Plan Your Day
- Obtain your Marriage License and Permits
- Get Married!
Choose a location
The first thing is to narrow down the region you want to get married in. Imagine the kind of scenery you want to be surrounded by on your wedding day and start looking at locations that match what you’re dreaming of. You don’t have to figure out the exact location yet, but narrowing down to a state or region will help you move forward in planning.
Elope in Yellowstone at these epic wedding locations!
Hire your Photographer
Once you have chosen a general region, start looking for elopement photographs that serve your area. After you’ve booked your elopement photographer, they should be able to help you narrow down your locations and provide you with inside information on the best locations for your ceremony, portraits, and any other part of your day.
Need an elopement photographer that specializes in the Western U.S.? I help couples plan adventurous elopements and documenting them in Idaho, Wyoming, and the West. Contact me and let’s work together to plan your dream adventure wedding!
Plan Your Day
After you’ve decided on a location, you can start planning the rest of your day. Decide who you’ll be inviting (if anyone), where you’re going to stay, what activities you want to include in your day, and if you’ll need any other vendors for your adventurous wedding.
How to include family in your elopement experience
Obtain your Marriage License and Permits
You’ll need to obtain your marriage license from the county you’re getting married in. Sometimes this can be done remotely and sometimes you need to appear in person. If you have questions about this process, ask your elopement photographer for help.
You may also need to obtain special permits for your elopement. Ask your photographer if anything is needed for your chosen locations and apply for your permits.
Get Married!
All of your planning comes together and you get to have an epic adventure elopement! Congratulations, it’s going to be amazing! Don’t forget to follow Leave No Trace while celebrating your epic adventure wedding.
Adventure Wedding Ideas
Looking for ideas for your adventure wedding? I’ve got you covered! Here are some of the best elopement day ideas for couples seeking an adventurous experience.
- Get married in a National Park
National Parks are the perfect blend of stunning beauty with easy access, which is especially great if you want to bring family along with you. These are some of the top National Parks for adventurous weddings:
Check out my Yellowstone National Park Elopement Guide to plan an epic adventure wedding in the Worlds First National Park
- Have a sunrise first look
- Hike to an epic view in the mountains
- Get married on a glacier
- Rent a unique Airbnb for your wedding
- Go waterfall chasing
- Have a sunset ceremony
- Get married in a State Park with your family and friends by your side – check out this Idaho State Park elopement with family
- Go horseback riding
- Visit a natural hot spring
- Rent a campervan for your elopement
- Rent an Airbnb for your elopement – check out these North Idaho Airbnb’s for your elopement
- Take a hot air balloon tour
- Stargaze and take epic photos under the stars
- Have your ceremony on the shores of the Pacific Ocean
- Take a helicopter tour
- Rent a boat for the day
- Plan an all-day elopement or a multi-day experience
More elopement day activities to help you plan the perfect day
Adventure Wedding Packages
Looking for the perfect package for your adventure wedding? I offer photography and planning packages for adventure seeking couples. They start at 4 hours of coverage and go up to 16 hours split over 2 days, so you can find exactly what you’re looking for.
I hope you’re inspired to bring your love for adventure into your wedding experience! If you want help planning your adventure elopement, contact me to learn more about how I can help you not only plan an epic day but document it as well.
Happy eloping!
