With the rise in popularity of elopements more & more people are getting creative & adventurous with their elopement plans & I am ALL for it. Elopements are truly unique compared to the more traditional wedding style as you can basically do anything you want. You have the freedom to decide who, if anyone, will be there for your elopement, what you’ll spend your day doing, & where it will take place. With that kind of freedom planning out an elopement can actually feel pretty overwhelming which is why I have a ton of resources on my blog page breaking down how to plan various parts of your elopement. Today though we’re covering one of my absolute favorite trends which is how to plan your elopement in a National Park!
Daydreaming
In the early stages of planning your National Park Elopement, you & your partner are going to want to take some time & just day dream about the experience you hope to have on your elopement day. There are 423 National Park Sites throughout the US, & within many national parks, there are endless beautiful views, hikes & overlooks. So when you begin your planning, start by dreaming about the experience you hope to have with your partner when planning your day.
Choosing an Experience
Every national park is different, & with that each national park comes with different views & experiences for you to enjoy. Talk things over with your partner in the early stages of planning, & answer some of these questions for yourselves when deciding on what experience you’re looking for for your national park elopement:
How much traveling do you want to do prior to your elopement day?
What kind of temperatures do you hope to get married in?
How much hiking do you want to do on your wedding day?
What kind of experience do you hope to have after your elopement?
All these questions will help you to start narrowing down your search for the perfect national park to elope in. Be open & honest with your partner when answering these questions so that you both can come up with a location that fits the experience you both envision.
Setting a Budget
Despite contrary beliefs, elopement budgets actually range just as much as wedding day budgets do. Unlike wedding day budgets though, elopement budgets are cool in that the funds you plan to spend on your wedding day all go towards your experience. When planning your budget you will want to plan to at least spend money on the following things on your day: Permits, travel, vendors, wedding attire, lodging, & hiking gear you might need. Some of these costs vary greatly depending on the location you decide on which we will cover in the next section. Choosing a budget will help make important decisions for you & your partner easier by narrowing down your options & helping your to prioritize the things that matter.
Choosing a Location
When choosing a location you will want to do some extensive research on said location & the specific trail or trails you hope to hike for your elopement. For most trails throughout the US there are off seasons, or at least seasons where the conditions are not ideal for hiking. Planning your elopement during peak season or another safe season is the best way to make sure your elopement goes off without a hitch. Though these are the more popular times of the year most parks are large enough to where you won’t notice it!
You will also want to note that some national parks have specific locations for you to hold ceremonies at. If you are planning on having a few guests, it is important to follow these guidelines & be sure to avoid fines. When you decide on which national park you plan to elope at, refer to their website for their event requirements/restrictions or reach out to them directly for more info.
Applying for Permits
Though not all National Parks require permits to get married, many of them do. On top of applying for your permit for your actual wedding ceremony, oftentimes you do also need to purchase a photography permit as well. For some national parks, you will want to start applying for your permits as early as one year out from your elopement day. National parks can be challenging to get a hold of at times, so be sure to plan on having some waiting time before hearing back from them regarding your permit.
Choosing Your Vendors
Choosing your vendors for a national park elopement can be challenging & exciting all at once. Most couples choose to have a handful of vendors involved in their elopement including a photographer, sometimes a videographer, an officiant (oftentimes a friend or family member), a florist & a hiking guide if you are planning on doing a more challenging hike for your elopement. There is a ton of flexibility when it comes to the vendors you can involve in your elopement, you can make things as simple as just a photographer & an officiant if you like. Plan out what you both want to include on your wedding day, include the vendors necessary to make it happen, & make sure you decide on a hike that is reasonable for the vendors you choose.
For more planning information & advice, check out the elopement page on my website to find more blog posts on how to plan an elopement, as well as a look at how I work with each of my couples to plan their elopements.
Nailing Down the Details
Choosing a Hiking Route
Once you have decided on the national park you plan to elope at it’s time to decide on the hiking trail & route you plan to take to your ceremony space. This depends entirely on the national park of your choosing as some have many trails while others only have a few. Some trails vary greatly in difficulty, & if your national park has a set space where your ceremony has to take place you’ll be limited to the trails that take you to said space. Plan out the route that has the right length & challenge for your group, & if you have a designated space for your ceremony be sure that your trail leads to it!
Making a Timeline
When putting together a timeline for your elopement day, there are a lot of various factors that you will want to look into. One of the biggest things you will want to check in on is when your National Park Opens. Though not all parks have official hours, some do, & it is important to plan your elopement accordingly. Next, you will want to be sure to work with your elopement photographer (me!) to do some research on the specific location for your elopement & how much time will be needed to hike to your desired elopement location.
When doing your research on your specific elopement location, you will want to reference sites like the National Parks websites, Alltrails & even scope out location beforehand if possible to see exactly how much time it will take you to get out & back to your elopement location. I work with each of my couples prior to their elopement day to create a timeline & experience that fits the vision they have. We will set a rough timeline, do a LOT of research on the area you hope to elope in & put together a plan that maps out your entire experience.
Meals
Nailing Down the Details
Choosing a Hiking Route
Once you have decided on the national park you plan to elope at it’s time to decide on the hiking trail & route you plan to take to your ceremony space. This depends entirely on the national park of your choosing as some have many trails while others only have a few. Some trails vary greatly in difficulty, & if your national park has a set space where your ceremony has to take place you’ll be limited to the trails that take you to said space. Plan out the route that has the right length & challenge for your group, & if you have a designated space for your ceremony be sure that your trail leads to it!
Making a Timeline
When putting together a timeline for your elopement day, there are a lot of various factors that you will want to look into. One of the biggest things you will want to check in on is when your National Park Opens. Though not all parks have official hours, some do, & it is important to plan your elopement accordingly. Next, you will want to be sure to work with your elopement photographer (me!) to do some research on the specific location for your elopement & how much time will be needed to hike to your desired elopement location.
When doing your research on your specific elopement location, you will want to reference sites like the National Parks websites, Alltrails & even scope out location beforehand if possible to see exactly how much time it will take you to get out & back to your elopement location. I work with each of my couples prior to their elopement day to create a timeline & experience that fits the vision they have. We will set a rough timeline, do a LOT of research on the area you hope to elope in & put together a plan that maps out your entire experience.
Meals
Keeping yourselves hydrated & fueled for your national park elopement is a MUST to make sure you both are in the right headspace & taking care of yourselves. Depending on how long the hike is you may not need to pack a full meal to bring along with you, but some snacks are always great to have on hand to keep your energy up. If you do have a longer & more challenging hike as part of your national park elopement consider bringing along some lunches to eat once you reach your ceremony location or a good rest spot.
Where to Stay
There are so many options of where to stay for your national park elopement depending on your location of choice. I recommend my couples choose somewhere close to the park so that they can minimize travel time & spend more of their day focusing on the experience rather than the drive. Airbnb’s & VRBO’s are great options as you get a ton of privacy & can make an entire weekend or trip out of your elopement!
Test Out Your Wedding Attire
If you plan to wear your wedding attire for your hike, be sure to test out the various aspects of your outfits prior. Make sure you can move safely & comfortably in the gear, & make sure the shoes you plan to wear are broken in & ready to go. If you have a more difficult hike ahead of you or you’d rather wear something else for the hike plan out a method of transport for your wedding attire so that you can change into it once we’re at the ceremony space.
The Week Before
Packing
The week prior to your elopement, plan out & pack everything you’ll need for your trip to the national park so that you’re not scrambling at the last minute. Make sure you have your hiking boots, spare clothes for hiking & any extra days you’re spending there, your wedding attire, water bottles or camelbacks, backpacks, & anything else you’ll need for your trip. Plan accordingly for the weather that your national park usually experiences for that time of year so that you’re ready no matter the conditions.
Double checking Permits
Make sure you have the permits required for photographing your national park elopement as well as for the ceremony itself if required. You should have already reached out to the park for the necessary permits by now so you’ll just have to double check to make sure they’re filled out & approved so you can get your elopement underway!
Checking the Weather
Take a look at the coming forecast for your day so you know what to expect. This will help guide you when it comes to packing as you can plan for any temperature & weather conditions you weren’t initially expecting. If the forecast shows a cloudy day but no chance of rain its still a good idea to pack along some raincoats or umbrellas to be safe, especially if your national park typically has rain during the season you’re elopement is in.
Checking Trail Conditions
Be sure to do your research prior to your elopement to check out the closure history of your specific trails, & bookmark the National Parks page that has information on your national park! As your elopement day gets closer you will want to be sure to keep tabs on the weather & trail conditions to be sure your wedding day can go off without a hitch!
Leave No Trace
Respecting the national park & its natural beauty is incredibly important. Bringing along a backpack to put trash into is a must if you plan to bring along snacks or drinks that will leave you with waste. Our national parks are some of the most beautiful spaces we have & it’s our responsibility to respect & care for them. We’re able to enjoy spaces like these for elopements, so it’s our job to keep them clean for the next couple to enjoy!
National Parks to Consider for Your Elopement
While there are over 400 national parks in the US that are all beautiful & great choices for your elopement locations, here are some of my absolute favorites:
Planning your elopement for one of the US’s national parks is one of the best experiences I can recommend. The natural beauty of the parks provides such an intimate & one of a kind experience. If you’re thinking of booking your own elopement for a national park & need a photographer for your session head to my contact page & we can start planning!
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