What is an Elopement? Let’s dive into modern day elopements vs the old definition. Elopements have changed a lot in the last ten years and they are one of my favorite ways to help couples celebrate their commitments to their partner.

Define: Elopement / Elope

An elopement is an intentionally intimate wedding celebration that prioritizes the couple’s authentic vision over traditional expectations. Unlike its historical meaning of “running away to get married in secret,” today’s elopements are thoughtfully planned celebrations that focus on creating a meaningful, personal experience.

Whether it’s just the two of you exchanging vows on a mountaintop (which is personally my speciality), or sharing the moment with a handful of your closest loved ones on a secluded beach, elopements strip away the pressures of a conventional wedding to emphasize what matters most: your commitment to each other.

To elope means to choose a wedding experience that puts your relationship at the center, whether that involves an outdoor adventure, a peaceful ceremony in nature, or an intimate celebration in a meaningful location. It’s about making intentional choices that reflect your values and relationship, rather than following traditional wedding expectations.

Modern elopements can span multiple days, incorporate luxury elements, and include a small group of loved ones while maintaining the core focus on the couple’s genuine connection and desires for their wedding day.

What is an Elopement.. Luxury style?

A luxury elopement artfully blends the intimate, adventurous spirit of eloping with premium experiences and refined comfort. It’s where barefoot mountain vows meet champagne toasts, and where helicopter arrivals lead to private chef celebrations.

This elevated approach to elopement maintains the focus on your genuine connection while wrapping it in layers of thoughtful luxury – think waking up in a boutique mountain lodge, having a personal styling team perfect your look, and celebrating with a candlelit dinner crafted by your private chef at sunset.

Unlike traditional luxury weddings that often focus on guest experience and elaborate decor, luxury elopements invest in creating extraordinary personal moments. Your day might include arriving at your ceremony location by helicopter, exchanging vows on a private mountaintop, enjoying a gourmet picnic styled with fine linens and crystal, and returning to a luxuriously appointed glamping site with butler service and sommelier-paired dining.

These celebrations can span multiple days, allowing you to fully immerse in experiences like sunrise yoga sessions, couple’s spa treatments, private cooking classes, and guided adventures – all while maintaining the intimate, authentic nature of an elopement.

This style of celebration is perfect for couples who want to honor their love for adventure and the outdoors without sacrificing comfort and refinement.

It’s about creating an experience that feels both wild and sophisticated, adventurous and elegant, intimate and extraordinary.

Hiking Elopements for the wanderlust couples

Let’s be real – you’re the kind of couple whose idea of a perfect date involves trail mix, switchbacks, and probably a few “are we there yet?” jokes.

Your love story isn’t meant for banquet halls and stuffy traditions; it belongs where the wifi doesn’t reach and the views will literally take your breath away (or maybe that’s just the elevation… we’ll never tell).

A hiking elopement is for those who think “something blue” should definitely be an alpine lake, and whose wedding shoes are more likely to be Gore-Tex than Gucci. Picture this: you’re lacing up those fancy hiking boots (you know, the ones that cost more than your first car), strapping your dreamy wedding attire to your backpack, and heading out to marry your best friend in a spot so gorgeous it doesn’t need a Pinterest board of decorations.

Along the way, we might stop for some champagne breaks (because who says adventure can’t be fancy?), enjoy a gourmet picnic that puts your regular trail mix to shame, or take some epic photos that’ll make your Instagram followers question their life choices.

As your photographer and fellow adventure enthusiast, I’ll be there capturing every moment – from the “oh wow” views to the “why did we choose to hike in wedding clothes?” giggles. I promise to document your love story in all its muddy, windswept, absolutely perfect glory.

We’ll chase that golden hour light like it owes us money, find the most epic spots for photos, and create memories that’ll have you looking at your hiking boots as fondly as your wedding rings. Because let’s face it – the best stories never started with pristine shoes and perfect hair anyway.

Can you Elope and still have guests?

Yes! You sure can! In my mind an elopement is between you both and up to 15 guests.

15 to 20 guests can be a bit of a grey area, but for sake of numbers lets go 16-50 guests would be an intimate or micro wedding. Then 51-100 I would call it a small wedding, and 101+ I think is a normal guest traditional size wedding.

When it comes to inviting guests to your elopement things to think about

Can your guests get to your elopement location without help or without any constraints to their own personal health. Not everyone is meant for a hiking adventure so sometimes we bring guests but then not spend the whole day with them so that you still get private moments along, and laughing moments with them without any awkward, I can’t physically hike that trail sad moments.

Is it in the budget to house + feed your guests? Some of my favorite elopements have had everyone on the same property but in their own cabins. This way everyone could share meals together, but yet were able to have their own decompress areas in their own a-frame cabin. It truly was the best of both worlds of being with people, yet alone to adventure.

Is it in your guests budget to come with you? Sometimes people can’t book the plane ticket, and that’s okay, but just questions to ask yourself when someone might say they can’t make it or if you’re choosing to elope without guests.

Ready to Elope instead? Let’s do this!

Whether you want a hiking elopement, or a micro wedding in a vineyard, I’m your photographer. I can’t wait to hear about your plans so make sure to reach out to me through my contact form here, or below. Talk soon!

Read Next: https://jamietobinphotography.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-multi-day-adventure-elopements/