Maine is one of the most beautiful places in New England, especially if you love the ocean! I may be biased, but being a New England elopement photographer, I’ve seen a lot of coastal regions around the East Coast, and Maine is easily my favorite.
It’s no secret that Maine is one of the best locations to elope on the East Coast. It has it all: mountains, the ocean, waterfalls, lakes, National Forests, adorable cities (hello Portland and Kennebunkport), and my fave National Park for elopements – Acadia! As a local photographer in New England, I have a list of the best places to elope in Maine – a location for everyone! While I include a lot of those top locations here in this blog, I also keep some secret spots exclusively for my KCP clients!
In this guide, I’ll go over the basics of how to pick your elopement location and some of my favorite places that I recommend! This is perfect if you’re looking for an adventure elopement or even something less strenuous for your Maine wedding. OH – and did I mention that most of these locations you can elope for free?!
Choosing your Maine Elopement Location
While Maine is a very small state compared to those out west, it has so many epic locations to elope! One thing to understand about Maine is that it is HUGE. It can take 6-8 hours to get from the North to the South. So when planning your elopement in Maine, we will need to consider travel times between locations and also the varying weather between them!
From North to South, you may come across mountain ranges, waterfalls, lakes, and of course… the ocean coast. There are plenty of places that can give you the best of all worlds in terms of scenery, but also towns and things to do.
When it comes to choosing your Maine elopement location, you’ll have to ask yourself a few things.
- Are you looking for an adventure elopement?
- Do you want something simple and low-key?
- Do you want a venue or somewhere special, like a family backyard?
- What type of scenery do you want? Mountains, lake, waterfalls, ocean, field?
- What type of adventures or activities are you hoping to incorporate?
Your adventure elopement photographer (aka ME!) can always help you figure out how to make your day special and feel ‘you’. In our elopement planning calls, we will go over all of the key details that will make your day look and feel just how you want it to!
Seasons in Maine
Maine is one of those places that is honestly beautiful all year round. No matter when you elope, you can find a stunning location, but the weather can dictate the experience, especially near the coast. However, if you need to narrow it down, I highly recommend having your elopement between May and October.
In Maine (or anywhere in New England, really!), the seasons have drastic changes. Between the months, the weather is changing, and sometimes it can be good or really bad. While. you can elope in any season in Maine, there are a few factors to consider. Let’s go over the seasons real quick:
Eloping in Maine in the Summer: June-August
The summer in Maine is beautiful, but once you get to July and August, it gets extremely hot and humid. Maine is also a popular vacation location, especially when the kids are out of school. There is so much to do throughout the state that it’s a perfect location for families. If you are planning a Summer elopement, I’d recommend June. That’s when everything will start to blossom and become vibrant again. The weather is perfect, and the kids are still in school!
Activities: Coastal exploring, hiking, boating, swimming, bike-riding
Eloping in Maine in the Fall: September-October
The Fall is my number one recommendation on when to elope. It is absolutely perfect – the weather is cool, the Fall colors are stunning, and generally on the week days, you can still find secluded areas. The only drawback is there are the leaf peepers – so if you do plan to elope, I would highly recommend not making it on a weekend.
Activities: Hiking, apple picking, leaf peeping, kayaking, stargazing
Eloping in Maine in the Winter: November-March
The winter in Maine can be long and very cold. However, if you elope somewhere on the coast or amongst the woods, it can be really beautiful. Winter is also pretty inconsistent when it comes to the snow. So if you’re hoping for a winter wonderland, you can definitely take a chance, but you have to keep your expectations low. I would say the end of January into early February would be your best chance of eloping with snow. The other thing to note about eloping in the winter in Maine is that most of the towns close down. So make sure to find a place such as Portland that continues to be open all year round. If you just make sure to mix in a few indoor activities, then you’ll be totally fine eloping in the winter!
Activities: Snowshoeing, skiing, ice skating
Eloping in Maine in the Spring: April-May
The springtime is the season that could go either way. The weather is so unpredictable, so you could get snow, or you could get a beautiful spring day! As long as you are prepared for both, then you’ll be fine. But also keep in mind that the snow is starting to melt, depending on the month. Therefore, everything is brown, muddy, and not in bloom yet. However, once you do get closer to May/June, there are many more wild flowers, and everything starts to get greener. The benefits of the Spring is on a weekday, you will probably get the location to yourself!
Activities: Hiking, dog-walks, picnics, wildflower trails,
Best Places to Elope in Maine: in the Mountains
If you’re an outdoorsy and adventurous soul, eloping in the mountains (or by the mountains) could be your ideal scenario. With a larger wedding, this isn’t possible (unless you have an epic venue in the mountains!). But because you are eloping with either just the two of you or your closest people, then of course we can make it happen!
Maine has a few different key mountain ranges, with smaller individual mountains around the state. Some hikes range from just a mile to 15+ miles. As you can see, your elopement day could easily turn into an all-day event by just adding in a hike to it. Below are some of the key mountain ranges that you can look into for your elopement in Maine.
Acadia National Park
Acadia National Park could be on both the Mountain and the Coast, because truly, this place has the best of both worlds. Whenever I have a couple who says they want to be by the ocean, but also in the mountains, this is pretty much the only place in New England that will give you both. Acadia has beautiful mountains and hiking, with some popular locations being Cadillac Mountains, Bubble Rock, and even Gorham Mountain Trail. But don’t forget that it also has the coast and tons of beautiful cliff areas.
Grafton Notch State Park
On the border of New Hampshire, Grafton Notch State Park is a hidden gem. Most people go to the White Mountains for their hiking and exploring, but Grafton Notch State Park has a variety of hikes and waterfalls that you could take advantage of. Some of my favorite hikes (long or short) for elopements are Screw Auger Falls and Table Rock.
Baxter State Park
Baxter State Park is a little more difficult to get to, which makes it that much more exciting for an elopement day. You are almost guaranteed to find some seclusion for your elopement in Baxter State Park. It’s the home of Mount Katahdin, one of the tallest mountains in New England. There are also quite a few rules to protect the park, including a limited number of hiking group members (12) and a need for reservations for camping. It is also out there, with limited access to towns once you are in the park. But boy oh boy, it can be so beautiful.
Best Places to Elope in Maine: on the coast
Maine’s coast is absolutely unreal. It scales from the south to the north, so there is a variety of cliffs, beaches, and rocky areas. If the ocean is where you feel alive, then Maine is definitely a perfect location for you. Along the coast, there are also a ton of adorable little towns. So if you are having guests, having an elopement on the coast will give everyone plenty of things to do and a new place to explore!
Alright, as I mentioned, Maine is huge. So I’m going to separate the coasts into sections and will include towns and specific locations you could look into.
The Southern Coast
On the Southern tip of Maine, this could include locations such as York, Kittery, Kennebunkport, and Cape Elizabeth/Portland. In each of these hot spots, there are beaches and cliff areas, as well as beautiful lighthouses for a New England Charm. Take a look at Portland Lighthouse, Nubble Lighthouse, Ogunquit Beach, and even Fort Foster.
Portland, Maine elopement:
Fort Foster, Maine elopement:
The Northern Coast
In the North, I would consider anything above Portland. Elopement locations such as Boothbay Harbor, Camden, Acadia National Park, and all the way up to Cutler. Of course, the further north you go, the less busy it may be (except Acadia of course!). There are beautiful towns along the coast, and what I recommend is looking into the popular towns and scouring Google Maps for beautiful spots.
Schoodic Peninsula Elopement
Best Places to Elope in Maine: Wedding Venues
If you are including guests, sometimes having your elopement at a venue can be less stressful. You know that everything will be in one place, and logistics don’t need to be as confusing. Again, look into activities you’d like to do or locations that have plenty of things to do. Below are some of my favorite unique small wedding venues in Maine.
Check out this blog on How to Prepare Your Guests for Your Elopement!
Bar Harbor Inn
Whether you elope with just the two of you or invite your nearest and dearest, the Bar Harbor Inn can give you intimacy and an elegant charm that highlights the coast of Maine! You can enjoy the views of the harbor while getting ready, adventure in Acadia during the day, and relax with a private reception in one of the beautiful rooms the Inn has to offer!
Topsl Farm
I’m obsessed with Topsl Farm. They’ve done such a great job making a unique space, but also having elopement-specific packages. They know how to take care of their couples and make sure they have a great experience. You can book a weekend, a night, or make it a fun elopement AND honeymoon here.
The Cliff House
The Cliff House is a magical resort-type feel with beautiful amenities and photography locations all around the property. They have full suites and cottages depending on what you’re hoping for, and a delicious restaurant right on site.
Under Canvas
Located right outside of Bar Harbor (home of Acadia NP), Under Canvas just opened a new location. While primarily they have locations out west, they are starting to make their new home over here on the East Coast. This gives a luxury glamping experience, and right along the ocean for everyone to enjoy. Plus, a quick drive over to Acadia gives plenty of things to do for your guests!
The Autumn Lane
The Autumn Lane is a beautiful wedding venue that also caters to smaller, intimate weddings and elopements. Located right by Sebago Lake, you’re in the center of Maine and can easily get to New Hampshire or other areas in Maine. They have a wide variety of photo locations on site, and cater to events, so you’ll be well taken care of.
Hidden Pond
Hidden Pond is such a cool spot located in Kennebunkport. They are a resort-type feel with a variety of things to do. They have a delicious on-site restaurant, bike paths, a spa, trips to book, and beautiful homes that feel like your home away from home. I was blown away when I visited this spot a few years ago.
What an elopement timeline can look like in Maine
A lot of people will look at an elopement and assume it’s just a couple of hours. But that is completely 100% incorrect. This is the day you are going to get married – the one day you’ll look back on for the rest of your lives. This is your time to make it epic. You can build this day out to be your favorite ever. You can include your favorite things (quite literally ANYTHING!) in your elopement day! Like eating at your fave lobster shack, taking a boat ride, stopping for ice cream, or even going fishing! YOUR elopement day is all yours to customize and make the BEST DAY EVER!
For inspiration, here are some real elopements to pull from:
- Otter Cliffs Elopement in the Fall
- Two-day Adventure Acadia National Park Elopement
- Otter Point Small Wedding
- Acadia Winter Elopement
- Fort Foster, Maine Elopement in the Spring
Most of my couples hire me for at least 6 hours. This makes time to document your entire experience. From getting ready, to a first look, to the ceremony and portraits, followed by a beautiful and fun dinner party. The day could truly last from sunrise to sunset if you really wanted it to!
Ready to plan your Maine elopement? Contact me to book your photographer or if you’re still on the fence, here are some more resources for eloping in Maine:
- Where to Elope in Acadia National Park
- Acadia National Park Elopement
- Portland Maine Elopement
- Paddle Boarding Shoot in Maine
- The Best Bar Harbor Small Wedding Venues
If you need help planning your elopement, check out my guide on how to plan the perfect elopement here!
