Snowy Marquette Winter Elopement at Little Presque Isle

Many people don’t think of winter as an ideal time to get married, especially up north where it gets cold and snowy!! But there is truly nothing like a winter wedding day. These two wanted a celebration where they could be somewhere beautiful they loved while prioritizing time with their parents. While the wind and snow may have moved the ceremony indoors, the snow didn’t hold them back from their own adventure into the woods. Let’s dive in to this gorgeous snowy Marquette winter elopement!

What To Know about Getting Married In The Winter

One of the most important things to these two was intentional time with their families. To them, that looked like sharing a ceremony with readings from parents. They followed their ceremony with beautiful champagne toasts to the newlyweds! And then cozying up in the living room before heading out on their own adventure.

Planning a snowy Marquette winter elopement like this can take a little extra planning, but there are so many amazing aspects that make it worth it! If you are thinking of a winter elopement, here are some things to consider.

Less Crowds, More Private

Your favorite summer spots still exist in the winter, and are still so gorgeous with much less crowds! Eloping in the winter is an easy way to ensure you won’t be dealing with nearly as many people at whatever spots you explore.

Come Prepared!

Nothing will take you out of the moment like being freezing cold! Make sure you pack warm jackets, gloves, ear muffs, and handwarmers to keep yourself comfy. Adding toe warmers in your boots and wearing layers under your clothes is great, too! Other items like snowshoes and ice crampons will also make your life so much easier on a snowy hike.

Plan for Chilly and Cozy Activities

For every outdoor activity, consider an indoor option to warm up! Maybe your hike up Hogback is followed by a bonfire beer at Blackrocks Brewing. Or, your photos along Lake Superior are bookended by a sauna session and snuggling in matching pajamas. It’s so fun to lean into the cold AND the cozy!

Best Places in Michigan for a Winter Elopement

Michigan has no shortages of places that would be beautiful for a winter elopement. Marquette was where these two decided to elope, and it’s truly one of the best areas! Little Presque Isle is an area that was meaningful to them, so they wanted to share private vows there in the woods. Let’s talk about some other areas that would be amazing for a winter elopement!

Marquette

A Marquette winter elopement is perfect because the town is home to some of the most beautiful scenery in Michigan year-round. You could elope on a snowy mountaintop, along the icy shoreline, get a drink at a cozy spot in town, or hit the slopes Mt. Marquette!

Munising

While the main access road to Pictured Rocks is not plowed in the winter, the Munising area is home to some incredible ice formations. You can find ice caves along the shoreline, at the Eben Ice Caves, or go big and snowmobile to Grand Island!

Traverse City

The Sleeping Bear Dunes are gorgeous year round. The dunes covered in snow is like a different planet! And there are gorgeous spots to visit in nearby Leland and Old Mission as well!

Harbor Springs

Downtown Harbor Springs is home to some of the coziest shops and restaurants around. It also isn’t far from Boyne Highlands or Boyne Mountain for a fun aprés ski vibe!

Winter Elopement Activity Ideas

One of the best parts about eloping is that you can truly make your day your own! And one of the best ways to do that is incorporating things you love into your celebration. That could be something as simple as sharing a glass of your favorite wine, to hiking out to a bucket list destination! To these two, that meant following their snowy lakeside adventure with a cocktail at a gorgeous rooftop cocktail bar in town. Here are some ideas for your own winter elopement activities!

Grab your Skis or Snowboard!

If you like any sort of winter sport, why not incorporate it into your wedding day?! Riding up a lift in your wedding outfits to hit a couple of runs would be so cool. Depending on your location, you could even consider saying your vows somewhere on the mountain!

Go for a Snowy Hike to Somewhere Cool (pun intended)

Many of your favorite summer spots are really beautiful to explore in the winter! You could snowshoe a trail to a beautiful winter overlook, snowmobile out to your favorite clearing in the woods, or maybe even explore some frozen waterfalls and ice caves.

Hit the Ice!

Maybe your dream winter destination includes a frozen lake, so why not go ice skating! There is even an outdoor ice track loop in Muskegon through the woods that would be beautiful to visit all dressed up.

Rent a Cozy Cabin with a hot tub

Aside from the beautiful outdoor adventures, one of the best parts of a winter elopement is being cozy. If you find somewhere with a hot tub or a sauna, part of your day could include time cozied up with each other somewhere warm surrounded by snow. Picture this: spending time snuggled up in the sauna in matching robes, then running back to the house for charcuterie and champagne around the fire. So cute!!

Michigan Winter Elopement Photographer

This snowy Marquette winter elopement at Little Presque Isle was just the most beautiful day! Being able to help them create their dream wedding and photograph them experiencing it is the best feeling in the world! Days like this are so special and I always feel so lucky to have been able to photograph this part of their journey together!

I have plenty of helpful resources and inspiration on my blog if you are looking to plan your own micro wedding or elopement!

If you are feeling ready to talk about your winter elopement or micro wedding, contact me!