How to Choose the Best Location For Your Elopement

November 1, 2022
Elopement Planning, Location Guidance

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New Hampshire elopement location in mountains

Why Location is Important to your Elopement

Elopement planning is such a fun process, and something I’m super passionate about! Choosing to go the untraditional route and plan a wedding that is personal to you and your partner is SO special. Elopements now are so flexible; you get to completely customize an experience that best suits YOU and your dream. Picking where you want to elope can be a unique challenge though. The options for an outdoor adventure elopement are limitless. Trying to find the perfect spot to get married can really be a daunting task for some couples when they realize they’re not tied to down to a guest list, venue restrictions, or the expectations of traditional weddings.

The place you get married should be where you feel most at peace, most alive, and most present with your partner. For some that is on the coast by the water, for others that might be in the town where they grew up, or in a bucket list location that is completely new to them! It is unique to each and every couple. And that’s why I love elopements.

How to Choose the Best Location for an Elopement

When planning your elopement there are a few things to consider in regard to where to elope. Logistically the options are endless! However, realistically determining where to have your elopement will come down to a few key things. Here are some questions to ask when planning your elopement location.

What’s your vision?

Before choosing your location, set aside the time to dream out the perfect day for you and your partner. Brainstorm, write it out, and create a vision board (Pinterest is great for that!) Do you want an adventure elopement? A day full of activities outdoors? How about getting married in a new destination, maybe somewhere abroad? Or a relaxed day in a place familiar and personal to you with a few of your loved ones? Establish first how you want your day to feel more broadly, and then narrow down into the specifics.

Will there be guests?

Have you considered who will be attending? If your vision is an extended hike in the mountains, but you were planning on having your great-grandma at your wedding; you might need to reconsider. Adding in family and friends to your elopement is a wonderful normality now, so you don’t have to do it in private if that’s what you want! But determining who will be at what portion of your elopement, and considering the level of accessibility is a necessary step in the planning process. A really rad elopement option is to have small private ceremony and then a reception later on! That way you get the best of both worlds!

How far do you want to travel?

It’s important to consider how far you want to go to elope. Destination weddings are absolutely incredible (check out this Sicily, Italy Elopement!) However, some couples might not want to have to deal with the extra hassle that international or long-distant travel weddings can bring. Similarly, others might choose to elope in their bucket list location and extend it into their honeymoon so they have more time to explore the area. But you can also elope locally, without traveling more than an hour depending on where you live!

What does it look like?

Once you’ve gotten past some of the broader questions, it’s time to narrow down to the specifics of where you want to elope. What does the area look like? What kind of landscape do you love the most? Are you in love with mountain landscapes? Or maybe the coast is your favorite place to be? Having a general idea of what scenery you love can even spark inspiration in your photographer, and they might have a list of options for you to consider locally (or abroad!) Location scouting, on Google earth, or in my home state of New Hampshire is a favorite past time. I have a long list of elopement location options for my clients and am SO happy to help offer input when picking the spot!