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WHERE TO ELOPE

Where Should we Elope?

If you don’t have a location in mind for your elopement, trying to think of a place can sometimes feel a little overwhelming! With the world at your fingertips, you have an endless amount of options on where to elope.

Finding the perfect location may take a few brainstorming sessions – and that’s okay! I’ve traveled all over and having planned my own elopement know what a challenge it can be to figure out exactly what you want! I recommend picking up a pencil and some paper, and start writing some ideas down as we go. Let’s go into some steps to help you narrow down to your perfect location!

Think about a place that makes you excited!

Where to elope

Where you choose to commit your lives to each other should be somewhere special to you, that you feel excited to explore! This could be somewhere that already holds a special meaning, like where you spent your summers together or a place you took a really amazing trip. Or, think about places that you two have always wanted to explore together! Have you always wanted to visit the UP? Do you want to go explore the mountains of southwest Colorado? Visit Acadia National Park? It’s your wedding day, and you get to do it however you want!

Consider The Details

Activities

You can incorporate anything you want into your elopement day! Most elopement days consist at least some sort of ceremony, but the rest of the day is truly yours. But depending on what you’d like to do, some locations would be better than others! Some activities like kayaking, swimming, four wheeling, boating, etc require specific locations. So considering some activities you might like to incorporate into your wedding day can help you think about what locations would be a good fit! If you’re not sure of what kind of activities you might like to do on your elopement day, check out this post on my blog here!

Seasonality

Of course what also comes with choosing a location is thinking about the seasonality of that location! Some locations thrive in some seasons, and may be closed in others. Here in Michigan, each season has it’s own amount of beauty to offer! Other locations might only be open seasonally, or may have specific restrictions. It’s also good to consider temperatures and what you’re comfortable when it comes to choosing a specific season to elope in. If you know you hate being hot, maybe choosing to elope in Arizona in June isn’t the best move hahah. Or if you know you hate winter, don’t go to Telluride in January!

Traveling

How far you’re willing to travel can be a huge factor in choosing a location! Are you up for a roadtrip? Or maybe ready to fly halfway around the world? It’s good to consider the travel you’re willing to do and the transportation you might need to line up to get there! Either way, considering how you would get to you destination plays a huge factor in choosing a location.

Scenery

This one feels obvious, but thinking about what kind of scenery you like really helps narrow down a location! Do you picture yourself somewhere in the mountains? In the moody forests of the PNW? Along a rocky beach on Lake Superior? You can even keep it a little broader – like knowing you love forests, sand dunes, lakes, etc! Think of the main kind of scenery you envision yourself in, and we can find other secondary locations from there!

Thinking of eloping at an AirBnb?

An AirBnB or VRBO or rental home can be an amazing way to elope. They can be a great home base for you, or any loved ones you may be inviting! Some rental properties will even let you elope right on the property. Here are a few resources with some of my favorite AirBnBs in Michigan!

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12 Unique West Michigan AirBnbs For Your Elopement

10 AirBnbs For Your Marquette Elopement in the Upper Peninsula

15 Michigan Air BnBs Perfect For Your Elopement or Intimate Wedding

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Other Cool Locations

Smoky Mountains National Park
Olympic National Park
Colorado Paint Mines
Adironadak Mountains
Bar Harbor, Maine
Catskill Mountain Range
White Mountain National Forest

LOCATION IDEAS

One of my FAVORITE parts of what I do is helping couples to find a location that will make their vision a reality! I love finding hidden gems in different areas and exploring new places. I wanted to share a list of some of my favorite general areas for elopements to help provide some inspiration! I’m including some of my favorite areas in Michigan, as well as a list of some other really cool spots in case you’re thinking of something even more adventurous. Each of these areas has it’s own list of unique places within them – so think of these as an inspirational kickoff point for your location brainstorming!

Complete Upper Peninsula Elopement Guide: How to Elope in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

Sleeping Bear Dunes
Nordhouse Dunes
Mackinac Island
Silver Lake Sand Dunes
Traverse City
Manitou Islands

Upper Peninsula

Pictured Rocks
Marquette
Copper Harbor
Isle Royale
Porcupine Mountains
Tahquamenon Falls

If you’re looking for step-by-step guide on eloping in specific locations, you can check out these complete planning guides!

Lower Peninsula

Complete Porcupine Mountains Elopement Guide: How to Elope in the Porcupine Mountains

If you’re feeling stuck and want a more in-depth checklist to helping you plan your elopement, I’ve got you! You can download my free elopement planning checklist here!

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Let's Go!

NOW THAT YOU KNOW WHERE TO ELOPE – LET’S START PLANNING!

Choosing a location takes thought, but it’s such an exciting step towards bringing your vision for your elopement together! If you’re still feeling stuck on a location, get in touch with me! Helping with locations is a big part of what I do, along with working to create an experience focusing on authenticity and intention. Together we’ll walk you through the steps to create your ideal elopement, where we get photos that feel like you! Whatever your vision may look like, or if you need help figuring it out, I’m here to help make it happen! 

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