So you’re thinking about eloping? Congratulations!! The beauty of an elopement is that you can have it in some of the most beautiful places in the world! That same freedom can also make narrowing down your choices a daunting task. So today we’ll go over everything you need to know about how to choose the perfect elopement location!

You’ve bravely chosen to elope and have a wedding that’s authentic to who you are, and your elopement deserves a location that’s as beautiful as your relationship. So we’ll walk you through all the important things to consider when choosing where to elope, and the best part? Our biggest piece of advice requires almost no effort from you at all!

(Bonus: We’ve also included an organized list of some of the best elopement locations in the world at the bottom!)

First Step: Dream About Your Location

The perfect elopement location is different for every couple and for different reasons! So take a deep breath, relax, and remain true to who you are. 

The first thing to do is to just dream. Sit down with your partner and imagine your dream elopement, don’t think about logistics or what’s possible, just let your imaginations go wild! Think about everything you want: scenery, activities, guests, details, sounds, smells, and emotions.

Don’t overthink it, just let the ideas flow into your mind and then talk about what you thought of! 

Having this dream vision of your elopement will help so much when choosing where to elope. With that vision in mind, look over the following list of examples and narrow it down to at least 3 or 4 potential options, then keep reading with those potential options in mind.

Want Some Help?

Feeling a bit overwhelmed about choosing an elopement location? Do you wish you could talk to a couple who had not only eloped themselves but traveled all around the world other couples plan their elopements? Well, you’re in luck! 

Because the truth is: You already know everything you need to know before reaching out to us! As elopement photographers and planning experts, we’ll help you find a location that’s perfect for your elopement with a personalized location recommendation list, and answers to your questions along the way! So save yourself the trouble of doing this on your own and let us help you find the location of your dreams! 

Step-By-Step Guide: How To Choose An Elopement Location

1. Think About What You Find Beautiful 

There are so many beautiful places where you can have your elopement that it’s very important to stop and think: What do YOU find beautiful? There is no factor in this decision that’s more important than your own personal taste. 

Choose a location that makes YOUR heart sing. A location that goes beyond simple beauty, somewhere that’s romantic, enchanting, and strikes a sense of wonder within your soul. It’s not just about a location that looks incredible in photos, it’s about how it makes you feel. 

Ask yourselves the following questions:

• Where have you felt the most alive or at peace?
• What type of scenery did you love as a child?
• Where are some places you’ve always wanted to travel to?
• Are there any photos you’ve seen that have captivated you?
• If you could only travel to three places for the rest of your entire life, where would you choose? 

Your elopement day is all about celebrating your authentic love, so do it somewhere that feels authentic to you.

2. Consider the Weather & Time of Year

We often undervalue just how much weather and temperature play a role in how we feel. So ask yourself: In what type of weather do you thrive? Are you a lover of moody clouds and not afraid to dance in a bit of rain, or does a bright blue sky and warm golden sunshine make your heart sing more? A location might be beautiful, but if you hate being hot and it tends to be above 85F it might not be the one for you.

Remember that you can’t control the weather if you’re eloping outdoors. Our advice? Choose the location that you love the most and gives you the best chance of your ideal weather, but always be ready to just embrace whatever comes your way! 

Time of year plays a big role in the weather, accessibility, and crowd levels of any location. Many amazing trails and views are only open for certain parts of the year, and lots of locations are open year-round but look vastly different depending on the season. This information isn’t always easy to find, so having elopement photographers who will help you with this process can save you a lot of stress.

3. Think About Where is Meaningful To You

We talked about how beauty is more than just what you see, which is why it’s a great idea to consider if there are any meaningful locations you could choose for your elopement. This can add a personal touch and give an even deeper level of romance to your experience. 

It could be a place that holds special memories for you like the mountains where you first hiked together or your favorite country you’ve ever visited. 

Another option would be to choose a location you’ve never been to before, but you’ve always wanted to go. (If you love travel like us, you probably have a lot of places like that!)

Finally, there’s nothing wrong with choosing a location that doesn’t hold special meaning for you two, finding it beautiful is as special as it needs to be because once you elope there it will become a meaningful place for the rest of your lives!

4. Factor In Travel Distance

Your elopement location options will vary depending on how far you’re willing to travel to get there. Are you willing to fly across the ocean, or is a few hours road trip your max?

Traveling to another state or country for your elopement can be a magical way to embrace what you love most. If open roads call your name and your heart comes alive when you explore new places, you should definitely consider incorporating travel into your elopement day.

You may not be very into travel, or want to make it might be easier for your local guests to join you, in which case elopements closer to home are just as meaningful and beautiful! 

Pro Tip: Don’t count out the idea of an international elopement! You’ll probably be surprised how simple it can be to elope in some of the most beautiful places in the world. Plus, as seasoned travelers and elopement experts, we’re here to help you make your dream destination elopement a reality.

5. Consider Accessibility 

Whether you’re looking at the ocean cliffs of Big Sur, or mountain peaks in the Dolomites – ask yourself how far you and your guests are willing and able to walk, hike, or drive on your elopement day(s). 

Consider your own physical ability and limitations, and remember that your elopement day is not the time you want to push yourself. While a longer walk/hike will most often result in fewer people around, there are still so many ways to avoid crowds if you’re not looking to hike on your elopement day. Short trails, 4×4 drives, sunset, hidden gems, and helicopter rides to name just a few! 

Remember that the journey of getting to your location is a wonderful part of the experience. When you give yourself plenty of time to take it slow, you get to embrace the journey AND the destination. 

6. Plan for Guests & Permits

Many elopement locations place a limit on the number of guests you can have at your ceremony. You can also be restricted to specific location options, like eloping in Yosemite National Park for example.

If it looks like your dream location won’t work with your guest count, don’t worry! 

• Have your ceremony at another location nearby, and then private vows at your dream location.
• Have an elopement reception, this is a great way to celebrate your marriage with the people you want to, without compromising on your elopement experience.
• Our Favorite: Have a 2-day elopement! Celebrate with guests on day one, then adventure with just you two on day two! (Over half of our couples choose to have 2-day elopements!)

Most locations will require you to file a permit in order to hold your elopement there, so be sure to research potential locations to see if elopements are allowed, determine what the permit process looks like, and how many guests are allowed.

7. Prioritize Activities & Adventures

Do you dream of hiking through a forest on your wedding day? Or hovering over mountains in a helicopter? Maybe you’d love nothing more than to just lay out a blanket and have a picnic on the beach, or have a private chef cook you a meal as you sip wine on the balcony. 

You can and should fill your elopement with doing things that you absolutely love! This is why you need to consider the activities you want to do when choosing where to elope. When considering your location options, think about the activities you two love doing together and whether or not they’re possible in the location you’re considering.

8. How Intimate Is the Location

One of the main reasons you’re probably choosing to elope is that you want a small, intimate wedding rather than the attention of hundreds of guests. So for your elopement location, would you be comfortable with people walking past you every few minutes? Or do you want it to be just you two, completely alone together?

After you’ve thought about that, you’ll need to consider the level of privacy that you’ll be able to have at each potential elopement location. Try to find reviews of a location on Google Maps or AllTrails and see what people have said about it. Keep in mind that locations that are beautiful and easy to access will normally be pretty popular, but “hidden gems” do exist. Also, any location will almost always be less crowded in the off-season and on a weekday.

Good news: We love helping all our couples find breathtaking locations that will fit their vision! We’ve got a few tricks up our sleeves to find beautiful places and still avoid the crowds. If you’d rather go through this process with the help of people who’ve done it many times before, reach out to us!

The Next Step:

After considering all of these factors you should start to have a pretty good idea about where you’ll want to elope! If you’re ready to take the next step, reach out to us so we can help make your dream elopement a reality! 

We’re Sammie and Micah!

We’ve picked up a few tricks over the years of photographing elopements and traveling to 25 different countries + 20 states. We’ll provide you with a personalized list of locations that will match the vision you have for your wedding day. 

We’ve photographed a lot of elopements and we eloped ourselves, so we know how important your elopement location is, and it’s not something we take lightly. We care deeply about your elopement location because we care deeply about your elopement, your marriage, and ultimately: you! 

You’ll get a lot more than just elopement locations when you book us, you also get:

• 90+ page “Ultimate Elopement Guide” with tips for every step of the process
• Assistance with wedding permits and marriage licenses
• Custom Yosemite elopement day-of timeline
• Photo coverage from 8 hours to 2 days
• High-res photos in a private online gallery with unlimited downloads
• No added travel fees
• Free Custom Elopement Album Design

BONUS: Pro Tips for a Destination Elopement:

Whether it’s the next state over, or a country you’ve never been to before, if you want to embrace your wanderlust and have a destination elopement, here are a few quick tips we’ve learned that will help your experience be as smooth as possible! 

• Give yourself a day off before you leave to double-check everything.
• Arrive a couple of days early, especially for changing time zones.
• Research marriage license requirements for your location because every state and country operates differently
• Pack intentionally, but bring extra and backups for pretty much everything within reason. 
• Research the logistics. Make sure you know the distances from the airport to your accommodation, your elopement location, etc. 
• For international elopements: Consider signing your marriage license beforehand in your own country and having a symbolic ceremony to celebrate your wedding – We are firm believers that the day you sign the legal papers does not have to be the day you choose to be your wedding! 
• Lean into the adventure and embrace the unexpected! 

Having a destination elopement is an out-of-this-world, once-in-a-lifetime experience, and we’re here to document your adventure with beautiful images that will transport you back to that day for the rest of your life. Even more than that: We’re here to help you plan and execute every step of the process!

So pack your bags. It’s time to start your marriage in the most incredible way.

Best Elopement Locations by Category:

Now that we’re done nerding out about how much we love travel, here’s a list of the best elopement locations, categorized by type of scenery: