Thinking about eloping in the Dolomites? You’re in for something incredible. The Dolomites are seriously one of the most breathtaking mountain ranges in the world, and the perfect location for your elopement. With huge mountains in every direction, crystal clear alpine lakes, and peaceful rolling meadows, every corner of the Dolomites is overflowing with breathtaking scenery for your elopement! 

We’ve been all around the world but when we visited the Dolomites in Italy for the first time, we immediately decided it was one of our favorite places on Earth!

In this guide, you will learn everything you need to know about how to elope in the Dolomites: The best locations, time of year, expert tips, Dolomites elopement packages, where to stay, and more. We’ve consolidated all our knowledge on the topic onto this one page!

So if you love the mountains and you’re considering eloping in the Dolomites, this one’s for you!

Locations to Elope in the Dolomites

Because you deserve an elopement location as beautiful as your love story.

Cadini di Misurina

A breathtaking sight to behold, these jagged peaks rise out of the ground to form a range of mountains that looks like something from a fantasy book. With a perfectly placed viewpoint allowing you to soak in the view and take the most unforgettable elopement photos, it’s easy to see why this is one of the best places for elopements in the Dolomites. With great beauty comes popularity, so make sure you work with an experienced Dolomites Elopement Photographer who knows how to avoid the crowds!

• 2-mile round-trip hike
• Accessible Early June through Mid-October (Accessible year-round with an additional 9-mile hike.)

Tre Cime di Lavaredo

“Tre Cime” means “Three Peaks”, and these mountains are some of the most famous in all of the Dolomites! You can hike a trail to enjoy these majestic peaks from almost every angle, or simply walk a few minutes and still have an incredible view. These peaks tower above the landscape and provide a unique mountain view you won’t find anywhere else. Locations like this make it clear why the Dolomites have been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site!

• Short walk or 6-mile hike.
• Accessible Early June through Mid-October (Accessible year-round with an additional 9-mile hike.)

Lago di Braies 

This is the crown jewel of alpine lakes! Crystal blue waters surrounded on three sides by towering mountains and evergreen trees, we guarantee it will take your breath away. This lake is extremely popular but here comes our favorite part: You can rent out the only boat dock on the lake before it opens to the public and have the most stunning lake in the Alps practically all to yourself. During the day the lake is covered in dozens of rowboats, but in the morning you two will be the only ones floating on the serene waters and soaking in the view.

• No hike 
• Accessible all year round (Boat dock rental is Summer/Fall only)

Giau Pass

Rolling green hills stretch on for miles to your left and right, and in front of you is the awe-inspiring Ra Gusela, a nearly symmetrical mountain that forms a massive wall above the green hills and gives an incredible sense of scale to the landscape around you. You can also explore more of these mountains by hiking up to the towers of Cinque Torri. This is a lesser-known location and one of our favorite places for elopement ceremonies in the Dolomites.

• 1-mile hike 
• Accessible All Year-Round

These are just a few of our favorite spots but we know of even more Dolomites elopement locations for you to explore!

No matter what location you choose, your elopement in the Dolomites is going to be incredible! If you’d like our help planning the perfect Dolomites elopement experience, reach out and let’s chat! 

When to Elope in the Dolomites 

When you’re planning your Dolomites elopement, one of the most important decisions to make is what time of year you’ll have your adventure. Every month is beautiful in the Dolomites, but we’ve got a couple of favorites we’ll share with you!

Summer

This is when the Dolomites show their full beauty, making Summer the best time of year for your Dolomites elopement. The snow-capped mountains and lush, green meadows make the perfect backdrop for your elopement! Many of the best locations are only accessible during summer due to snow covering the roads in winter and spring. We specifically recommend the month of June because there are fewer people than in July and August! Daytime highs of 45-60°F mean that the air is normally chill, but not unpleasant. 

Pro Tip: The mountain roads don’t open the same day every year so make sure you have your Dolomites elopement photographers help you choose a date that’s early enough to avoid the crowds, but late enough to make sure the roads are open!

Fall

Fall in the Dolomites is a wonderful time of year to elope. All the mountain roads are open and the alpine meadows turn orange and brown with a unique beauty, the snow will have melted off the mountain peaks but they’ll still look beautiful. If you want to experience all the best locations but aren’t able to hold your elopement in June or July, this is your best choice!

Pro Tip: Early fall is still a very popular time for the Dolomites so we recommend having your elopement in early October to try to minimize the crowds.

Winter

The Dolomites in Winter gives you a totally different picture of the landscape and a unique Dolomites elopement experience. A beautiful blanket of snow covers the mountains and lots of people visit to ski on the world-famous slopes. Many mountain roads and trails are closed, but you can still access a lot of gorgeous locations. With average daytime temperatures below freezing, a winter elopement in Dolomites means you’re in for a thrilling and frosty adventure! If that sounds like your vibe, we’ll pack the hand warmers (and toe warmers and body warmers) and meet you there! 

Pro Tip: You can wear skin-colored fleece-lined leggings underneath your dress and a white shawl or earmuffs help stay warm! 

Spring

Spring in the Dolomites is beautiful but your location options are limited. The snow will have melted at lower altitudes and the weather will be warmer so you’ll be able to explore with more ease than in winter. The mountain roads leading to many locations will still be covered in snow, and some stores and restaurants will close down for the season, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t still lots of beauty to explore.

Pro Tip: Due to the Dolomites being so high altitude, the spring months are not like spring in most places, if you want green grass and wildflowers, you’ll actually want to elope in early-mid summer.

Choosing Your Dolomites Elopement Photographer 

The only two things from your elopement that will last forever are your love and your photos. Investing in a quality Dolomites elopement photographer is one of the most important things you can do for your elopement. Here are the main things to keep in mind when looking for your photographer:

• Find a photographer that specializes in elopements and intimate weddings.
• Someone that can help you plan, choose locations, create timelines, research permits, etc. To make your elopement as stress-free as possible.
• Choose a photographer who you connect with. This person will be one of the few there on your special day so you want someone who understands the importance of such an intimate form of getting married.
• Someone who is invested in accurately documenting the spirit of your day and will make sure to take photos that capture your unique personalities. 

What’s better than one photographer that meets all of these criteria? 

How to Legally Get Married in the Dolomites as a Foreigner

Foreigners are allowed to legally get married in Italy, but the process can be very complex. Because of this, most couples choose to take care of the legal paperwork in their home country before having a symbolic ceremony in Italy! Here is what both of those options look like:

1. Symbolic Ceremony – In this option, you would file all of the marriage paperwork with the United States before your ceremony in Italy. This would get the legal paperwork out of the way, but the symbolic ceremony in the Dolomites would be the day you truly enter into marriage! 

2. Legal Ceremony – In this option, you would file the marriage paperwork with Italy, getting legally married while you’re in the Dolomites. The ceremony normally needs to be performed by the mayor, mayor’s deputy, or civil registrar of the area in Italy, which restricts your location options for the legal ceremony. Getting legally married in Italy will typically involve going to, or mailing documents to, an Italian Consulate in your home country, your country’s embassy in Italy, the local Italian prefecture office in the area where you’ll be getting married, and the local Italian town hall.

Our Recommendation – We highly recommend Option 1 because it’s much less complex than filing to be legally married in Italy. We firmly believe that the day you sign your legal paperwork does not have to be the day you choose to celebrate as your wedding! 

Regardless of which option you choose, we’re here to help you through the process of filing your marriage license to get legally married wherever you want!

Dolomites Wedding Permit

• Most locations in the world require you to get a permit to hold an elopement or take photos in a location – the Dolomites are unique because almost none of the locations require any permits at all! 
• This will vary depending on location and your elopement normally needs to be low impact without any decorations or chairs. If your Dolomites elopement vision includes chairs and decorations don’t worry, we’ll help you find the perfect location that suits your needs!

Where to Stay for Your Dolomites Elopement

The Dolomites cover a large area with dozens of beautiful mountain villages, but we’ve narrowed it down to our two favorites. Where you stay for your elopement is a huge part of your experience and we encourage you to invest in accommodations that you’ll love! 

(Fun fact – Most towns in the Dolomites have two names, one Italian and one German, because this region used to be a part of Austria, and now is an autonomous region of Italy)

Dobbiaco / Toblach

A charming small town in the heart of the mountains, Dobbiaco and all of the surrounding area is our personal favorite place to stay in the Dolomites. It’s close to the best elopement locations, and it’s perfect if you want to experience the stunning countryside but still have access to some shops and restaurants. 

Average Drive Time to Elopement Locations: 

• Cadini di Misurina & Tre Cime – 45min
• Lago di Braies – 25min
• Giau Pass – 1hr

Places to stay around Dobbiaco:

Hotels & Resorts: 

• Hotel Patris 
• Hotel Lago di Braies 
• Hotel Simpaty
• Emma Historic Hotel
• Post Hotel
• Alpine Nature Hotel Stoll

Cortina d’Ampezzo

Called “The Queen of the Dolomites”, Cortina is one of the most popular towns in the Dolomites, known for a more upscale ambiance with lots of nice shops and restaurants. This high-end town nestled in a beautiful mountain valley is perfect if you’re looking for a bit more city vibes during your time in the Dolomites.

Average Drive Time to Elopement Locations: 

• Cadini di Misurina & Tre Cime – 45min
• Lago di Braies – 1 hour
• Giau Pass – 30min

Places to stay around Cortina d’Ampezzo:

How to get to the Dolomites

Which Airport should I fly into to visit the Dolomites?

There are no major airports within the Dolomites themselves, the closest are Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) which is a 2-3 hour drive, and Milan Malpensa Airport (MXP) which is a 4-5 hour drive. Be sure to use Google Flights to compare flights to both airports to make sure you find the best fit for you.

Booking Your Rental Car in Italy

Make sure you choose the transmission type you prefer since most rental cars will be manual, and keep in mind cars in Europe will be a bit smaller on average than in the USA. 

Driving Directions to the Dolomites:

To drive from Venice Airport to the Dolomites you will take highway A27 and then SS51 or SS48. To drive from Milan Airport to the Dolomites you will take highway A4 to A8 to A22 then SS242 or SS49.

Pro-Tips for traveling to the Dolomites: 

• You won’t have great cell coverage in the Dolomites, so make sure you download the entire area in Google Maps. (Tutorial)
• If you’re flying from the USA remember to account for the fact that you will most likely be landing in Italy the calendar day after you take off, don’t accidentally book your accommodations a day early!
• You can use public transport to get to and around the Dolomites, but since it is a very rural area your options are far more limited and we recommend renting a car.
• Booking your flights directly with the airline will almost always give you the best price, and allow you to deal directly with their customer service rather than a 3rd party travel company like Expedia, etc.

Unique Dolomites Elopement Activity Suggestions 

The Most Important Thing To Remember For Your Dolomites Elopement:

Be yourself. – The best thing about elopements is that you get to craft a 100% you experience. There are no rules and no boundaries to your elopement, so think outside of the box, and embrace what you love! Whatever things fill you with joy that you two love to do together, you can make THAT a part of your wedding day. Also, you can use your elopement as the opportunity to try something you’ve always wanted to! Maybe you’ve dreamed of a helicopter tour or hiring a private chef, well maybe now is the time! Whatever you do, remember to be true to who you are, and what you love. Your Dolomites elopement is going to be AMAZING!

Booking Your Dolomites Elopement Photographers!

Ready to start planning your Dolomites Elopement? The very next step you should take is reaching out to your Dolomites Elopement Photographers:

We’re Sammie and Micah! A married team of Dolomites Elopement Photographers who know how deeply important your elopement photography is because we ourselves eloped on the California coast in 2019. 

We’re travel-obsessed, in love with the outdoors, and above all else: We love people. This is why we’re passionate about helping you have a stress-free adventure for your elopement. We’ve been in your shoes before and we know what goes into making an elopement an unforgettable experience. We’re here to help you plan every step of the way, so don’t worry about figuring things out before you contact us! 

Dolomites Elopement Packages

• Free Custom Elopement Album Design
• Our 90+ page “Ultimate Elopement Guide” with tips for every step of the process
• Personalized Dolomites location & activity recommendations
• Assistance with Dolomites permits and USA or Italy marriage licenses
• Custom Dolomites elopement day-of timeline
• Photo coverage of your entire elopement 
• High-res photos in a private online gallery with unlimited downloads
• No added travel fees