Blog | Real Elopements | Adventure Instead Photographers & Guides

Where to Elope in Colorado

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Where to Elope in Oregon

How to Elope in Colorado

How to Elope in Washington

How to Elope in Oregon

Elopement Packages Colorado

Elopement Packages Washington

Elopement Packages Oregon

Adventure Elopements

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Colorado Elopements

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Elopement Planning

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Hiking Elopements

Iceland Elopements

Intimate Weddings

Mountain Elopements

National Park Elopements

Oregon Elopements

Planning Resources

Self-Solemnizing

Small Wedding Ideas

Washington Elopements

Weddings + Elopements

Winter Elopements

Oregon Elopements|December 1, 2020

Oregon Coast Elopement

Elopement Planning|November 24, 2020

How to Cancel a Wedding

Colorado Elopements|November 17, 2020

How to Plan a Rocky Mountain National Park Wedding

Elopement Planning|November 11, 2020

Small Wedding Venues in Oregon

Oregon Elopements|November 6, 2020

Umpqua National Forest Wedding

Adventure Elopements|October 28, 2020

Orcas Island Wedding

Oregon Elopements|October 25, 2020

Forest Park Portland Elopement

Adventure Elopements|October 19, 2020

How to Choose the Best Flowers for your Elopement

Adventure Elopements|October 8, 2020

Epic Elopement Ideas and Inspiration

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Who says you have to wear white on your wedding da

Who says you have to wear white on your wedding day?! 👇

Do what feels like you! You do not have to wear a white, champagne, or ivory dress just because it’s tradition. You can bet that we love when couples add a little color on their wedding day 🙌

Everything about Ashley & Bree’s elopement was unique and untraditional. We started their day at 3:30 in the morning with a 10 mile hike. It was such a perfect time of year—there were golden blankets of leaves on the ground from when the trees were changing and everything seemed like the perfect combination of orange, yellow, and red.

Ashley & Bree looked absolutely stunning in their nontraditional wedding attire! Ashley had this awesome suit that complimented Bree perfectly. Bree had on this golden, yellow skirt that truly matched all the aspen trees and the light that was hitting at alpenglow. It was also so flowy and perfect—it was neat to see this skirt rustling with the leaves blowing in the wind 😍

Both of them exuded such emotion and happiness throughout the whole day. They popped champagne (which they’ve never done before) and had a cute little picnic near a waterfall. Their ceremony was beautiful and I am so glad to have been a part of it!

I’m so glad that Ashley & Bree decided to break from the norms and wear something special for their elopement day ❤️

xx Amber

P.S. Tell us—what color would you wear on your wedding day?

IT’S A WINTER WONDERLAND! When Morgan & Luke p

IT’S A WINTER WONDERLAND!

When Morgan & Luke picked this gorgeous location in Wyoming, they expected to have a beautiful fall day with luscious forests and greenery. Instead, they got falling crystals and blankets of pure white snow throughout their whole day!

We started their elopement day at the hiking location. Although we left super early in the morning, we couldn’t even make out a sunrise because of all the snow! Nevertheless, Morgan & Luke shared such a sweet first look up in the snowy mountains. And let me tell you—Morgan was such a trooper for bracing the freezing cold weather! Her dress didn’t allow her to wear leggings, so she was a true badass for hiking in her thin white gown 👏

After exploring the snowy mountains, they had a little ceremony with their family and friends. During the ceremony, each person went around and said one word they thought described Morgan & Luke’s relationship. Everything that happened was so emotional and sweet (I think I cried more than Morgan that day). They also took tequila shots when they were pronounced husband and wife—what could be more awesome than that?

Morgan & Luke will always stand out as one of my favorite elopements. This couple is absolutely amazing. They constantly watched each other’s back, encouraged each other with such positive attitudes, and I could feel the strong love that they had just by spending the day with them. The whole day was filled with love, laughter, and a whole lot of snow—I could relive it over and over!

xx Amber

No dancefloor? No problem!👇 Brooke & Jake elop

No dancefloor? No problem!👇

Brooke & Jake eloped in Moab, Utah with incredible scenery of canyons and sandstone arches. I always feel like a kid on a giant playground whenever I visit Moab because everything seems so unreal—there are just so many places to explore! I met Brooke & Jake before dawn so we could barely see the outlines of the arches when we got there. We spent the day exploring and I was totally in awe of every rock that towered over us.

We scouted out the perfect ceremony spot—it was unbelievable! We drove our jeeps to the most beautiful spot overlooking the canyon. No one else was there and the sunset peeked over them as the sky turned from blue to orange. Brooke & Jake stood near the edge of the canyon and exchanged the most beautiful, heartfelt vows.

When it got dark, we headed back to the road where the jeeps were parked and Brooke & Jake turned on the headlights and started dancing to their favorite song. There they were dancing in the dark—the only thing I could see were their silhouettes and the dust they were kicking up from the road—it was totally magical! 😍

Brooke & Jake’s first dance was one of my all-time favorites!

xx Maddie Mae

How do you know when you’ve found the one? I al

How do you know when you’ve found the one?

I always like to say that I can sense a magical spark between a couple—a spark so undeniable that there is no question that they should be together. Well that was exactly the spark I felt between Sheila & Gary ✨

Sheila & Gary reached out to me only two weeks before their elopement date. They had been together for seven years and I could tell that they were ready to spend the rest of their lives together. They had this connection that radiated from the day I first met them. I was so excited to help them plan an adventure elopement full of hiking and exploring up in the Colorado mountains!

Every detail of their day seemed to fall right into place. The weather was the perfect fall day—probably the best weather that I’ve seen in a long time! Sheila also made her wedding dress by sewing two of her favorite dresses together and I helped her make a bouquet of flowers with a beautiful color scheme of red and turquoise. Everything about their elopement day was perfect!

Throughout their whole day, Sheila & Gary made sure the other was feeling safe and loved. Gary kept kissing Sheila’s hand, which was the most precious thing ever! They exchanged vows during their ceremony and walked around the shimmering blue lakes. Towards the end of the day, Gary played the sweetest song on his ukelele and they shared a first dance. ❤️

Sheila & Gary’s elopement was one of my favorites and I know that the magical spark they share will never go away 🙌

xx Maddie Mae

Whitney & Scott are proof that you can still inclu

Whitney & Scott are proof that you can still include family on your elopement day 👇

Whitney & Scott eloped on the Oregon coast after many challenges were thrown their way. When they found out their family couldn’t attend the ceremony because of COVID-19, they decided to be creative in finding different ways they could still involve their family 🙌

Our day began by hiking through a magical trail to access the most breathtaking beach with coves of waterfalls and rocky cliffs. When we adventures down to the shore, we dropped off their things and picked a spot for their ceremony.

Whitney & Scott set up their phone on a full body-length tripod so that their family could see their ceremony on the phone—it was such a creative idea! Before their ceremony, Whitney’s stepmom sent me a video of herself pronouncing them husband and wife. I surprised them by playing that video at the end of their ceremony! It was such a heartwarming thing to witness and it definitely made their day so special to hear from such a close family member ❤️

After their vows, we explored the beach and sat down to read letters from the family members that were supposed to attend. They had a charcuterie board and took a shot of Whitney’s dad’s favorite drink in remembrance of him (how cool is that?)! It was so incredible to see them find happiness and the light in every situation!

I love how Whitney & Scott incorporated their family throughout their day while still having the best adventure!

xx Tori

Would you believe me if I told you this was Oregon

Would you believe me if I told you this was Oregon? 😍

I often find myself still being surprised by the hidden gems that exist in Oregon. Lauren & Mark’s elopement location was one of those places. This location was a short drive from my house and I felt like I was being transported to another state when I arrived because it had a desert feel that people usually find in Arizona or Utah.

I met Lauren & Mark at a trailhead and we hiked up just in time to see a little bit of the sunrise glow peeking out from all directions in the park. It was incredible to be able to capture these sandy colored rocks, with different yellow and orange colors reflecting off them from the golden sun. What made it even better was that there wasn’t anyone around so Lauren & Mark enjoyed the area all to themselves! 🙌

Their ceremony spot was perfect with a beautiful overlook of the fields and rivers. This spot would be awesome for family members or loved ones with special mobility requirements—it is great for people of all ages and doesn't require strenuous hiking to get to. It also is super close to other fern-covered hillsides and old growth forest locations that you can create an all day Oregon elopement within one area!

After they said their vows, Lauren & Mark got to explore around the park where the two of them enjoyed celebrating their new marriage by reading letters from family and having a cute little picnic. It was the perfect way to soak in all our great surroundings!

I still can’t get over how places like this exist in Oregon!

xx Tori

Let me tell you about one of my favorite places—

Let me tell you about one of my favorite places—Moab, Utah 👇

The way Holly & Zach picked their elopement location is pretty damn cool—they wrote a handful of their top locations on pieces of paper and put them all into a hat. I am absolutely obsessed with desert areas so I was super excited when I found out that they picked Moab, Utah!

I met Holly & Zach before sunrise at Delicate Arch trailhead and I was blown away when I saw them dressed in all black. The contrast was incredible as I photographed Holly in her black dress and veil blowing through the wind next to Zach’s black suit in front of the picture perfect arches 😍

We started hiking just before the sun came up and headed straight under the arch where they said their vows and exchanged rings—it was so beautiful and perfect! After their ceremony, we explored the red orange rock formations that towered all around us. They climbed on top of the rocks, ran around in the sand, and popped a bottle of champagne to celebrate their new marriage 🙌

Holly & Zach made me fall even more in love with Moab, Utah!

xx Amber

P.S. Are you ready to elope in Moab yet? ❤️

Can you believe this location was Plan C? You hear

Can you believe this location was Plan C? You heard that right! Julie & Mike’s Oregon coast elopement was planned in just 3 weeks 👇

This elopement was significantly different from their previous plans since COVID made Julie & Mike postpone their wedding date to 2021. So you could guess how surprised I was when I received an email from Mike one day in July asking if I was available in 3 weeks! Luckily, I was available and of course I said YES! Julie & Mike planned a magnificent elopement day that captured the soul and heart of what they always wanted.

Julie & Mike met me on the coast and I realized how adaptable and carefree they were as they changed into their wedding attire at the beach parking lot. They were such casual, kind, happy-go-lucky people who were just thrilled to be at the beach. I was in love with capturing this landscape and every minute of their day.

We found the most perfect, quiet spot for their vows––I felt like I was transported to another beach somewhere in Greece. 😍 The water was incredibly blue with waves crashing against the cliffs. It was an amazing spot for Julie & Mike to commit their lives to one another!

They spent the rest of their day frolicking—and I mean frolicking—on the beach and just spending the remainder of the day laughing and enjoying the last sunset glow.

Julie & Mike’s elopement on the Oregon Coast may have been Plan C… but it was their best plan yet! 🙌

xx Tori

I have gone on more hikes than I can remember, but

I have gone on more hikes than I can remember, but I will *always* remember the hike on Stephanie & Sara’s elopement day.

Stephanie & Sara flew into Washington and stayed at this adorable little cabin in the mountains, surrounded by mossy forests and rushing rivers. They dodged each other as they were getting ready in the cabin to make sure they didn’t see each other until their first look. They were both emotional and excited when they realized they both bought lacey and boho dresses 😍

After their first look, we all embarked on our journey for the day by driving to a trailhead to begin our hike. And let me tell you, this hike was no piece of cake! It was only three miles round trip, but we gained about 1800 feet in elevation in just about a mile of climbing up! The climb was very steep, strenuous, and made my heart thump in my chest 🏔️

We were all relieved when we got to the top as the trail opened up to these vast lakes with every color imaginable! Stephanie & Sara had a beautiful ceremony by the lake and popped two bottles of champagne to celebrate their new marriage.

Both of them looked absolutely stunning in their flowy, long dresses and we had so much fun exploring these gorgeous lakes before we hiked back down. These ladies crushed this hike 💪 It was definitely an elopement to remember!

xx Tori

P.S. What’s the toughest trail you have hiked? 👇

Have you ever watched something so perfect that it

Have you ever watched something so perfect that it almost seems unreal? Well, that was the feeling I had while watching Devlin & Colton on their elopement day!👇

It started with Devlin’s dress. It was a stark white mermaid shaped gown with a beautiful train that flowed with every step she took. She had the most glorious bejeweled cape and gold crown to accompany her dress—she looked like an absolute queen! Both Devlin & Colton’s attire looked inspired by 40’s Hollywood glamour ✨

We drove down an Oregon forest road to hike through spiderwebbed trails and dark green patches that were peeping up from the ground as if they were asking to see the sun. I could feel Devlin & Colton’s excitement as we approached the waterfall. They were overjoyed when our path finally got to the clearing of rushing water and an ice cold pool where they eagerly stuck their feet. Looking at all of their surroundings, Devlin & Colton were trying to soak in every detail of this magical place 😍

It was like a beautiful movie happening before my very eyes. Each little interaction they had seemed effortless. From their vows, to Devin kissing Colton’s forehead to Devlin’s white dress contrasting with the dirt collecting at the bottom—everything was perfect 🙌

It was one of my favorite elopements that I’ve ever shot!

xx Tori

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