The Ultimate (but concise) Adventure Elopement Planning Guide
wedding planning be stressful—which is why here at Adventure Pact WE ARE HERE TO HELP
Say goodbye to pulling your hair out stressing about the when, the where, the deets…Check out this guide to help you decide:
1. Whether eloping is right for you
2. Other rad options that AREN’T eloping but less stressful than a traditional wedding + How to decide how much time is right for you
3. Where to say ‘I do’
4. Fun activities to incorporate in your day
and MORE
Is eloping the right choice for me?
Maybe this is blaspehmous to say as an elopement, micro wedding and epic honeymoon planner and photog and I can tell you right now…
for as popular and trendy as eloping is right now, it’s just not for everyone (and thats OKAY!)
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I ONLY recommend elopements if:
You are shy or don’t like the idea of having too many people around (if any) for when you share personal vows with your future spouse
You prioritize quality time and don’t want to be distracted by loads of people greeting you and congratulating you
You want to be fully present on your wedding day and distractions, chaos and loads of logisitcs will distract you from being full in-the-moment
Having an adventurous or unique experience on your wedding day would be more meaningful for you then a big party
You like the idea of a big wedding but its just not in the budget right now —-Many people are buying homes, starting families, going back to school, etc so this is a BIG reason to do a “split day” which I will go into more below
2. other unique wedding ideas that aren’t eloping + Deciding how much time you need
As I mentioned above one great idea is a SPLIT DAY. Simply put this IS an elopement but with a reception, party or wedding at a later date. This option has become increasingly popular with my couples as a best-of-both-worlds way to have your intimate elopement and party too. This can look like:
A 2 hour courthouse elopement followed by a large reception at your favorite rooftop bar with jsut drinks and like snacks a month later
A week long adventure honeymoon + elopement with a “thanks for supporting our love story” dinner in your backyard the day you get back
A 6 hour adventure elopement doing your favorite adventure activity together with a big blow-out wedding abroad on your one year
Not into this vibe? Here are some other great otpions to say I do in a different way:
The microwedding: 10-30 People
A traditional wedding (over 75 people) with non tradtional events such as games, dance offs, horseback riding, canoeing and more
The adult summer camp wedding
The week abroad family wed-cation
The wedding scavenger hunt
But Kayla, How do I decide?
So if your having a hard time choosing what is the best route for you check out this blog I wrote about deciding on the best fit for your day OR feel free to schedule a free consultation and bounce some ideas off of me!
Typically I have my badass couples break down what they want into categories:
Where do you want to elope (think mountains, desert, beach, a specific country, etc)
What time of year/date do you want to get married?
What adventure activities do you want to include, if any? Much of this will be dependant on the time of year.
Do you want to include friends and family?
What is your budget?
What traditional wedding elements (if you are going the elopement route) do you want to include such as first look, first dance, champagne toast, vow exchange, cake cutting, etc
With this iformation I am able to direct couples not only to what type of wedding would be a good fit but also direct on how many coverage hours are best.
Typically for traditional wedding 6-10 hours is recommended but for adventure elopements most couples end up choosing 10+ hours so they really can soak in the time with their partner without feeling rushed.
3. Where to say I do
(based on your interest, personality, time of year and more)
International
If youve been dreaming about exploring, immersing yourself in a new culture, and getting a little more bang for your buck, international elopements and micro weddings are the way to go. From remote jungle elopements to incredible multi-day adventure elopements with an adventure honeymoon for less than half of what you would pay for a traditional wedding, there really isn’t a way to go wrong here.
DISCLAIMER: The majority of the following locations are for commitment ceremonies only unless noted. This means you will need to be legally married before or after in your home country. The countries where you can legally get married in-coutnry without an on-ground requirement (period of time where you are required to reside before being allowed to wed regardless of immigration or residency status) are marked by an asterisk*
ECUADOR
Best for: The couple that wants to get out of their comfort zone and try new things together. The mountaineer couple. The couple that wants a lot of bang for their buck.
Why we love it: There is a reason they call it the land of All in One Place. High alpine glaciers, lush Amazonian rainforest, white sand beaches and multi-sport activities for all skill levels.
Activities to do: Trekking, rock climbing, mountaineering, canyoneering, backpacking, paddleboarding, kayaking, cultural experiences, speed flying, food tours, cooking classes, helicopter rides.
PERU
Best for: The spontaneous couple. The mountaineer couple (or couple who wants to try mountaineering for the first time). The couple that enjoys learning about other cultures
Why we love it: Other-wordly landscapes, budget friendly, escaping the norm, alpacas.
Activities to do: Trekking, rock climbing, mountaineering, camping, backpacking, cultural tours.
PATAGONIA (Chile-Argentina)
Best for: The hike-centric couple. The bucket list couple. Those who are willign to splurge a little on their day
Why we love it: World class treks, amazing tourism infrastructure, wine
Activities to do: Trekking, mountaineering, camping, backpacking, paddling, glacier walks
DOMESTICS - Stateside Elopements
As much as we love a good international elopement there are tons of jaw-dropping locations stateside that truly are one-of-a-kind. From the ease of paperwork to increased access for friends and familly to attend, here is our list of some of our favorite spots to exchange vows in the USA
UTAH
Best for: The couple that wants to do it all. The couple that wants to go truly off-grid
Why we love it: endless canyons and hidden spots, extreme sports mecca, next level sunsets
Activities to do: Trekking, rock climbing, canyoneering, kayak, atv, base jumping, camping, mountain biking
Washington
Best for: Mountain and temperate rainforest lovers. Mountaineers who dont want to go international. East-coasters looking to escape (yep, we said it)
Why we love it: The HOH. Mt Rainier. Being able to go from snow to green forests, ferns and waterfalls within one hour. Pristine blue alpine lake hikes, ring-making classes.
Activities to do: Ring making, hiking, backcountry camping, alpine climbing, sea plane tours, ocean kayaking, canoeing, roasting marshmallows
COLORADO
Best for: The mountain couple. Those want beautiful scenery thats not too far from a town.
Why we love it: Stunning 14ers, mountain towns, family friendly activities, incredible backcountry hiking
Activities to do: Trekking, rock climbing, rafting, mountain biking, via ferrata, Jeep off-roading, backpacking, sandboarding
HAWAII
Best for: The couple seeking a balance of local culture, adventure, and luxury
Why we love it: local food, waterfalls, rainforest hikes, incredibly clear waters watersports, mars- like volcanic landscapes
Activities to do: Trekking, freediving, scuba/snorkle, boat tours/sailing, zip-lines, manta ray excursions, road-biking, heli-tours, waterfall rappelling
4. An adventure elopement isn’t one with the >>ADVENTURE<<
When we say you should live your love story loudly we mean it. Throw out the rule book, have some fun, and get WILD
A lot of people wonder—how the hell can I actually incorporate adventures into my wedding day?
Its easier than you might think.
Most of our rad couples choose to do their activities pre or post ceremony to set the tone for their upcoming forever adventure. That being said, there are ways to safely incorporate certain activities (in your wedding attire) into the actual day of…and TBH they make for some pretty rad and hilarioius photo ops.
Here are some of our favorites:
Mountaineering- summit ceremony for just the couple or as a pre or post wedding activity. Can be good as a group activity pre wedding (like Emily Harrington and Adrian Ballinger did)
Hiking- The most popular elopement activity option as most couples choose to hike in to their ceremony location…this also opens up possibilities for locations as many of the most stunning you have to work to get to
Pack-rafting- This one can be one of the most fun, especially post-elope. Imagine saying I do, packing uo your raft and heading down some rad rapids to your camping or glamping site for your “reception”
Rock climbing- Tie-in for life. A favorite for those already experiences climber couples to “handfast” with a figure 8 —cute AF I KNOW- but can also be a great way to bond as a newlywed couple and one of our most booked activities for couples that adventuremoon (adventure elopement + honeymoon) with us
Cycling- Although this is mostly chosen by regular cycling enthusiast we love the idea of incorporating this as a group activity or as a unique way to get from a ceremony site to a reception site
Backpacking - If youre trying to do our split day coverage with a sunset and sunrise this may be the activity for you. Hike in, roast marshmallows and sleep under the stars and wake up for sunrise vows with your adventure-companion-for-life
Heli-tours- Another amazing option to find seclusion and take in amazing views without the hike in.
Dog sledding - Heading to Colorado or Alaska? Say I do and then ride to your picnic or reception site by the aid of the cutest little sled dog team you’ve ever seen.
Stargazing/Aurora Chasing- Milky way and Aurora season are other wordly ways to take your breath away next to the person who takes your breath away.
Camping/glamping- Great as a group activity or just you two, we highly recommend post elope roasting marshmallows, singing songs and just relaxing by a camp fire.
Skydive/base jump - One of our dream elopes is getting a rad skydiving couple to send it for their ceremony—that being said, there are laods of tandem options to take a real leap of faith on your wedding day.
Offroading- The best way to get to remote locations
Canyoneering- Canyoneering can vary from dry desert canyons in Utah to rappelling waterfalls in Costa Rica; this activity is best incorporated as a post elope or adventuremoon activity.
Ring making - A pre elopement through and through what is more special than making your wedding bands (avaialble in North Carolina and Washington by hand to exchange during your ceremony
Scuba diving- Whether your want to get SCUBA certified as a couple or incoporate this as a honeymoon activity these make for not only some epic photos but a fanstic start to exploration as a married pair.
Snowboard/ski- Dang do we really love a snow-lope. Grab your crew, your board and hit the slopes with the gang. This is prob our favorite photo-op and its hella fun for a winter wedding.
Scavenger hunts- So this is something we curate uniquely for our couples and can be incorporated day of as a “build your own elope” for those ballin-on-a-budget couples or the day after for those looking for a more themed day. This option is also great for multi day micro weddings to do a group bonding activity with friends and family (and can be color-war style)
5. Legalities, ceremony types and the nitty gritty
So this might be the most important section of this guide…
Eloping Domestically (state side)
Each state and country has their own rules and regulations regarding legally getting married. Typically this involves both partners being legally single, providing a valid form of identification, paying and fee and a waiting period. Each state and municipality has specific rules towards the needed documentation so we suggest visiting the country registrar and licensing office in the country in which you want to be wed.
Please note: Some counties require you to come in person to apply and other require a waiting period. Please take this into consideration when choosing your elopement location
Eloping Internationally
Contrary to what many elopement photographers say, you CAN NOT legally bring your stateside marriage certificate to a foreign country and get married, regardless of where the officiant legally resides.
The MAJORITY of eloping couples choose to do what is called a commitment ceremony where they get legally married in their home country at the courthouse before or after the spiritual ceremony and vow exchange. This option takes out the bureaucratic hassle of having documents translated, apostilled, etc. Many countries also require a substantial on-ground wait period (typically anywhere from 1-3 months) before you can get married legally within the country, even if your future spouse is from the same country as you.
Although this is the most popular route for eloping abroad, there are some countries where the process is relatively straightforward
Easiest countries to elope as a US or Canadian citizen: Denmark, Costa Rica, Mexico,Iceland, Italy, Panama
Ceremony Types
We’ve already mentioned Commitment ceremonies which are an incredible and fun way to say I DO (read more about that here) but there are so man other ways to get hitched.
Religious Ceremonies - tradtional ceremony foucsed on unitrd two people through a marriage focused on god or another relgious figure.
Non-denominational cermeonies- cermeonoes where the officiant directs their ceremony script on the story of the couples beginnings and the comittment they are making to one another.,
Courthouse quickies- The “old school” elopment. These ceremonies can be religious, non-denominational or sign and go
Unity ceremonies- Typically done with candle lighting or sand pouring, these ceremonies involve an activity that symbolizes the union made between two souls.
Handfasting- Routed in Paganism, Handfasting ceremonies are when the couples hands are tied together with ribbon rope or anotehr binding material. The colors of the bindings signify different facets of the couples union —most commonly respect, love, family, growth and joy. Although there are many ways to do handfasting our favorite allows the couple to pull the ribbons through each other hands to create a knot—hence the term “tying the knot”
The nitty gritty
“What the hell is the nitty gritty"?” you might ask. This is where we keep it real with you. Transaprency is imporant and we want to make sure youre ready for the best day ever
Come prepared not only for a good time but with the right attitude to your elopement. Things happen, weather happens…and as much as we try to mitigate undesirable thigns happening…sometimes it just does. Your attitude dicatestes if your going to have an amazing day or a “it couldve been better” day.
Trust us. This is easier said than donem, espeically in regards to a new adventuree sport. Our team is the best of the best. This doenst mean things cant happen but we do our best to have the best gear, the best team and to carry out all couples activities safely (no sketch ATC belays just for a photo). We also make sure that we have our network ready in the case of an accident.
Check your documentation. Especially in regards to family members and children in microweddings; please be through with checking the names, sigantures, validity, etc of documents.
Investing in us and we will invest in you. Our time, experience and expertise is worth a lot and we will make sure that is apparent during your day (s) We do our best to work with most budgets but this is a small business that supports community organizations. We hope to be around for a long time which means providing ourselves and our teams sustainable wages.
Get insurance. Wedding insurance, Spot insurance, travel insurance, health insurance…seriously. $hi% happens.
Read your contract. We are humans too, but the contract is in place to not only protect us but you.
Dont stress. We’ve got you