If an outdoor elopement is how you choose to get married, we want you to have the best experience possible. An outdoor elopement takes a plan, and we are here to offer you some ways to fully embrace nature for your day!
As a husband-and-wife photo and video team who thrive in nature, we are always excited when our couples decide to have an outdoor elopement. Embracing all that Mother Nature has to offer is magical, calming, and full of authenticity—we love getting to document it!
Benefits of Eloping in the Outdoors
We know firsthand how stressful a large, traditional wedding can be because we experienced it. When we renewed our vows for our 10-year anniversary, we knew we would do things differently–a day spent outdoors, just the two of us (or a very small guest list), and simple.
^^ Shoutout to Made in the Mountains Photo for taking our vow renewal images shown above! ^^
Eloping used to be cloaked in shame and done secretly. That’s not the vibe of elopements anymore! Eloping has transformed to embrace the non-traditional with an air of fun and adventure. Most importantly, it’s about embracing the day you want to create. We talk about this in depth in our blog, “What’s It Mean to Elope” if you want to read more!
The benefits of eloping in the outdoors involve a calm, peaceful, intentional day spent together surrounded by natural beauty. It’s a chapter in your love story that makes sense for the two of you with each element of your day chosen to bring you joy.
Here are 5 Ways to Embrace Nature at Your Outdoor Elopement
- Leave No Trace
- Welcome the Weather Mother Nature Gives You
- Choose Sustainability
- Plan Outdoorsy Activities
- Be Present
Let’s dive into each of these and explore all your options!
Leave No Trace
When planning an outdoor elopement, follow Leave No Trace (LNT) principles to protect those spaces. We are LNT certified photographers and videographers and take this very seriously. By doing this, it will allow all of us to return to these beautiful outdoor spaces for years to come.
If you’re wondering what LNT is, we will cover the highlights here, but our blog, “Leave No Trace Aware Photographer—What Does That Mean?” talks about this in detail.
The 7 Principles of Leave No Trace:
- Plan ahead and prepare.
- Hike + camp on durable surfaces.
- Leave what you find.
- Get rid of waste properly.
- Minimize fire impact.
- Respect wildlife.
- Be considerate of others.
As they say: “Take nothing but pictures; leave nothing but footprints; kill nothing but time.”
Welcome the Weather Mother Nature Gives You
It goes without saying that you should do this safely, of course. Should weather be dangerous, you will need to pivot. Thankfully, we are here to work with you and help you navigate it. We monitor the weather leading up to your day and keep in touch if anything needs to be adjusted.
Be prepared for different types of weather and know that you’ll be making memories you will never forget—rain or shine.
Here are some items to have with you for your outdoor elopement:
- For cool weather elopements, bring hand/foot/body warmers, dress in warm layers (fleece tights are excellent), jackets/gloves, cozy blankets, and warm drinks.
- For warm weather elopements, be sure to have umbrellas (we have clear ones!), towels, sunscreen, bug spray, deodorant, hand fans, and lots of water.
Choose Sustainability at Your Outdoor Elopement
Making a sustainable choice draws you closer to nature because you are helping to protect the outdoors. We wrote an entire blog full of sustainable ideas in our blog, “How to Have an Eco Friendly Wedding in Indiana” if you want to check it out.
To get started, here are some ideas for how you can be sustainable at your outdoor elopement:
- Sustainable Outfits—secondhand, rented, or something you already have
- Intentional Guest List—focus on who means the most to you and your partner
- Aim for Reusable Décor—avoid single-use items that will go to the landfill
- Reducing Food Waste + Local Food—enjoy leftovers and support a local vendor with in-season foods
- Sustainable + In-Season Florals—aim for local in-season florals or grow your own
- Finding an Eco-Friendly Venue or Park—focus on places that practice sustainability + use nature as your backdrop
- Hire a Leave No Trace Photo + Video Team—they will be with you all day and can help to navigate you through LNT principles
- Plan a Slow-Paced Day—sustainability is a mindset + sustainable options require a slower pace and intentionality
Plan Outdoorsy Activities
This is the best part: you don’t just have to have a ceremony and call it done. Your outdoor elopement can include whatever fun activities the two of you love doing together! Here are a few ideas.
- Picnic
- Hiking
- Horseback riding
- Skiing/sledding
- Star gazing
- Build a campfire with s’mores
- Bouldering/rock climbing
- Watch the sunrise or sunset
- Snowball fight/build a snowman
- Dance together
- Visit a winery/brewery/distillery
- Pick apples or pumpkins
- Kayaking/canoeing/paddle boarding
- Bird watching
- Biking
- Walking your dog together
- Hammocking
- Hot air balloon ride
- Lakeside/beach walk or swim
- Camping
Be Present During Your Outdoor Elopement
Plan ahead so you can be present and take your time when it comes to your outdoor elopement. Let the sun warm your skin and the breeze blow your hair. Take time to close your eyes and breathe the fresh air in deeply.
We help with planning a full timeline for your day to allow you to relax on your wedding day. There is no need to be concerned about time or a schedule because we will help everything go smoothly for you.
Nature Elopement
So if you want to celebrate your love with an outdoor elopement, then that’s exactly what you should do! Don’t forget: no matter what kind of day you plan, make sure it brings you both peace and joy.
If you’d like us to document your day, you can contact Jonathan and I here. Then we can start talking about your day along with any photo or video needs you might have.
If you liked this post, then we think you would enjoy looking through these as well:
Incredible Places to Elope in Indiana
