So, you are thinking about planning an adventure wedding?!
We are so excited that you want to celebrate your wedding day with loved ones in the outdoors.
But, what is an adventure wedding exactly?
The biggest difference between an adventure wedding and elopement is that adventure weddings allow you to invite more guests but still keep the focus on the outdoors and the two of you.
Adventure weddings are gaining popularity because not every couple is ready to leave family behind and exchange vows with just the mountains as witnesses. Planning an adventure wedding means you get the best of both worlds – the serenity of nature and the warmth of family vibes! These weddings allow you to invite more guests to your outdoor celebration, offering ample family time while still keeping your relationship and nature at the heart of it all.
Picture this: Day 1, exchanging vows in your favorite national park. Then, on Day 2, go all out by securing an amphitheater for your ceremony with friends and family, topped off with a cozy reception. The possibilities are endless!
Reasons why an adventure wedding might be for you
Family
Don't want the mountains to be your only witness? Adventure weddings enable you to invite between 25 and up to 50 of your closest friends and family members to join the celebration
Escape the Stress
Don't want your day to be planned out by the minute? Adventure weddings allow couples to break all the rule books and have a more relaxed timeline compared to traditional weddings. On top of that, we will help you plan and coordinate the day(s).
Personalization
If you want to create a wedding day that uniquely reflects your journey as a couple, an adventure weddings allows for a highly personalized experience that incorporates all the things you love to do so much. Think about hiking, kayaking, off-roading, and boardgames. You name it! We are game!
Intimacy Matters
While adventure weddings may be a bit more hectic than elopements, we ensure that there is enough time for you to focus on what matters most: your connection.
Banger Shots
Your guest list shouldn't be the sole deciding factor in obtaining those epic landscape banger shots on your wedding day. However, with adventure weddings, you can enjoy the best of both worlds – capturing not only precious moments with your family but also the stunning beauty of the landscape.
Sounds a lot like you?
Curious to see what your adventure wedding could look like? Check out how these couples planned their wedding day(s).
Timeline Examples
Catherine & Kris
5:00 am — Meet at Bethel Ridge/Car Photos
6:25 am — First Look
6:30 am — Sunrise Wedding Portraits
7:30 am — Personal Vows
7:45 am — Picnic in Truck Bed
8:30 am — 4x4 car photos and drive down to Groves of Patriarchs
10:30 am —Arrive at Groves of Patriarchs for extra forest photos
11:15 am — BREAK
2:00 pm — Meet at Airbnb for getting ready photos
4:00 pm — Ceremony with friends and family
4:45 pm — Family Portraits
5:15 pm — Receptions (First Dance, Father Daugther Dance, Dinner
7:00 pm — End Coverage
Brieanna & Dorian
DAY 1
11:30 am — Meet at Airbnb for getting ready photos and first look
12:30 pm — Leave for Bagley Lakes
1:30 pm — Start hike down to Bagley Lakes for private vows and portraits
4:00 pm — Reach Picnic destination overlooking Bagley Lakes
5:00 pm — Drive to Artist Point
5:15 pm — Reach parking lot and start hike to Huntoon Point
6:00 pm —Sunset & Blue Hour Portraits
7:30 pm — Coverage Day 1 Ends
DAY 2
1:30 pm — Arrive at Hotel packwood for getting ready photos
3:30 pm — Leave for extra portraits by the river
4:30 pm — Leave for Ceremony
5:00 pm — Ceremony with 35 guests
5:30 pm — Group Photos
6:30 pm — Head back to hotel Packwood for reception. First Dance, Dinner, Speeches, and Cake Cutting
9:30 pm — Coverage Ends
Jen & Colin
8:30 am — Meet at Mineral Creek Waterfall for getting ready photos by car
9:30 am — First Look by Waterfall and Couples portraits
10:30 am — Drive to ceremony location
11:30 am — Ceremony at Lake with 35 guests
12:30 pm — Group Photos
1:15 ppm — Portraits in the Aspen tree forest
2:00 pm — 4x4 Off-road group leaves to Yankee Boy Basin OHV trail
5:15 pm — Reach top and have a break for food
5:45 pm — Sunset Wedding Portraits
7:15 pm — Drive back down to Telluride
8 pm — Arrive at town hall for reception
8:30 pm — First Dance, Mom/Daughter & Mom & Son dance
9:00 pm — End Coverage
While both elopements and adventure weddings share a focus on intimacy, personalization, and embracing the great outdoors, a significant distinction lies in the guest count. For elopements, we cap the guest list at 20, including the couple, ensuring a small and intimate affair. On the flip side, adventure weddings allow you to invite 25-50 of your closest friends and family members. However, there's a catch! The more guests, the trickier it becomes to secure an outdoor ceremony location, especially in popular spots like national parks and state parks. Larger parties might incur additional fees for outdoor-focused venues and have to sacrifice some of those epic views for a location that fits their party.
What is the difference between an elopement & adventure wedding?
ADVENTURE wedding FAQSFrequently asked questions about Adventure Weddings
-
Yes and no. A bit confusing, right? Let us explain! Our bread and butter are adventure elopements. We love everything about it—the nature aspect, intimacy, and flexibility. However, we also cherish celebrating with more family, which most elopements were missing. That's why we came up with the idea of adventure weddings. Sixty to seventy percent of your day(s) will be focused on the nature aspect, and the other 30-40% will involve a big celebration with family. This is where your more 'traditional' venue can come into play. What we don't shoot are 'normal' weddings that only take place at traditional wedding venues.
Here's a great example of a bigger adventure wedding: On Day 1, the couple explores Yosemite NP by themselves, hiking, picnicking, and having a first look. On Day 2, they rent out an amphitheater for their ceremony with 50 guests overlooking Half Dome, and also rent out an auto camp for their big reception.
-
No. We have a set limit of 50 guests with the couple included.
-
It all hinges on local laws and whether you want to handle the legalities on your big day. We'll assist you in finding all the necessary local marriage requirements to make your wedding legit.
-
It really depends on the couple's needs. Depending on your adventure plans, we can recommend a package that aligns with your day. With our experience, we know exactly how much time each part of your day takes, allowing us to suggest a package that best fits your needs.
-
Yes, we do! Check out our travel schedule page to see where we are heading next. Don’t see your favorite location? Inquire and let’s start dreaming up your dream day.
-
No, you are not required to hike a specific amount of miles to make it an adventure elopement. We will help you find easy accessible or drive up locations for your elopement.
-
No, we don’t reschedule your wedding day due to bad weather. In case of bad weather, we’ll be overly prepared and have multiple back-up plans in place.
