Blog | Real Elopements | Adventure Instead Photographers & Guides

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Ceremony Planning ResourcesJuly 27, 2022

Rocky Mountain National Park Weddings & Elopements

Adventure SessionsFebruary 24, 2022

Erin & Steven’s SUP Adventure Elopement in California

Elopement IdeasJanuary 10, 2022

Waterfall Wedding Venues in Oregon – 8 Unique Options + Tips

Ceremony Planning ResourcesMay 15, 2022

What vendors do you need for an elopement?

Finding a LocationApril 11, 2022

Finding Adventure in Bandon Beach

Ceremonies by LocationMarch 26, 2022

Alyssa & Kevin’s Alvord Desert Elopement in Central Oregon

Adventure SessionsFebruary 25, 2022

A Dirty Wedding Dress Makes More Memories

2-Person CeremoniesFebruary 3, 2022

The ethereal Proxy Waterfalls were perfect for this Oregon Elopement

2-Person CeremoniesDecember 30, 2021

Best of 2021 – Adventure Instead

Ready to

start your
adventure?

Let us help you create an incredibly fun,
stress-free experience while we document
the whole story of your day.

Three Adventure Instead Photographers

What does it mean to
“Adventure Instead”?

See for Yourself...

"Stay close to anything that makes you glad that y

"Stay close to anything that makes you glad that you are alive." - Hafiz

Each and every one of us has a unique catalog of things that

ground us,

nourish our inner-child,

make us overflow with joy,

evoke passion,

and set us a little bit freer.

What we do at Adventure Instead is fueled by the idea that your life belongs to you—and you should get to live it however you please, societal norms aside.

So what if during your elopement you experienced the things that *you* love?

What if at the end of it, you felt like this:

grounded, nourished, joyful, passionate, free,

& completely alive.

That’s the type of wedding day experience you deserve.

What makes you feel the most alive?

xx Maddie Mae, Amber, & Tori

If you’re looking to elope in a national park or

If you’re looking to elope in a national park or monument, we encourage you to look beyond the more well-known spots. While we love the popular parks like Yosemite, the Grand Canyon, and Zion, there are so many more places to marry your person that offer stunning views (without the crowds).

Oregon is for (nature) lovers—for those who feel

Oregon is for (nature) lovers—for those who feel the most at peace in the outdoors.

The beauty found in Oregon is otherworldly, and most people seem to associate that sentiment with its dramatic, jagged rocky shore… don’t get me wrong, the Pacific Northwest coast is captivating, but Oregon has SO much more to offer than its coastline… places that will feel like a step out of your mundane day-to-day and a step into sensory bliss… places where you can soak up the good vibes and just *be* with your partner(s).

What more could you want on your elopement day than to feel fully present & invigorated by the natural world around you?

Grazing your hand along the grooves of an ancient forest tree…

Smelling freshly fallen rain against wildflowers as you stroll through a meadow…

Listening to the birds call in a new day as the sun creates a soft alpenglow against the Cascade mountains…

Feeling the mist of a waterfall gently against your face as you breathe in the mossy air stirred around you…

Oregon’s vibrancy & aliveness are truly a salve for the soul—it’s the perfect elopement location for those who want to slow down, feel into the moment, and be present with the natural world.

Want your elopement day to feel like this? It can! Here are some ways to relax on your elopement day in Oregon:

— Soak in a natural hot spring
— Hammock together in a forest
— Kayak on a lake with a view of Mt. Hood, and maybe go for a swim too
— Rent a treehouse Airbnb
— Have a campfire on the beach

What place in nature makes you feel the most centered & alive?

xx Tori

Make your elopement day tot-heli unforgettable 🚁

Have you ever wondered what a two-day elopement lo

Have you ever wondered what a two-day elopement looks like? Here’s an actual timeline 👇

Tim & Timmie’s 2-day destination elopement in Greece (on TWO different Greek islands): --------
 DAY 1 - Milos, Greece (6 hours)

2pm - 8pm: Private sailboat cruise around the entire island of Milos, with fresh Greek food, wine, snorkeling, cliff-jumping, swimming in limestone caves, watching the sunset

--------

DAY 2 - Milos > Santorini, Greece (14 hours)

6am - 7am: Arrive at the beach just before sunrise, walk out and find a spot to get married, read private vows at sunrise while standing barefoot on the limestone cliffs over the water.

7am - 9am: Explore the beach and nearby areas, climb around on the limestone rock formations, soak in the views, enjoy the scenery

9am -10am: JUMP OFF A CLIFF 😂 (the same one they just read vows on) & swim around

10am - 12pm: Head back to hotel, shower, get ready for afternoon adventure

12pm -1pm: Head to heliport, get on helicopter

1pm - 2pm: Private helicopter charter from Milos to Santorini

2pm - 3pm: Check into next hotel on Santorini, freshen up & get ready

3pm - 5pm: Winery tour, food & wine tasting overlooking the ocean

5pm - 7pm: Short walk to stunning view of the caldera (a half-crescent-shaped bay in Santorini, formed by a volcano) exploring and enjoying the incredible scenery and seclusion of an off-the-beaten-path location

7pm - 8pm: - Final sunset photos, soaking in the last drops of light over the Mediterranean

--------

A multi-day elopement lets you experience so much more, without feeling rushed.

And it doesn’t have to be jam-packed with sweaty adventures—you can take your time and have the elevated elopement of your dreams (that still has a down-to-earth, relaxed essence).

xx Maddie Mae

P.S. We’re headed back to Greece in Dec/Jan and May 2023 for anyone who feels Greece calling their name 💖

Who else can relate? ✋

Who else can relate? ✋

Take it from us, there’s nothing like hiking beh

Take it from us, there’s nothing like hiking behind a badass couple on their wedding day adventure.

Your elopement doesn’t have to end when the sun

Your elopement doesn’t have to end when the sun goes down, so why not fully savor every moment of your day?

Imagine this: instead of wrapping up your photography coverage during daylight, you linger and witness a union of rich crimson, canyon orange, and crystalline amber woven across the sky’s horizon, seamlessly fading into blue hour.

Afterward, you enjoy the warmth of a campfire on the beach with some gooey and sweet s’mores, cuddling together, backlit by the soft glow of embers…

Or perhaps you arrange fairy lights in the trees and sit down for a charcuterie picnic with your fur baby cozied up nearby.

After entering twilight, you could explore the edges of a fog-covered rainforest in the Pacific Northwest, illuminated solely by the flickering lanterns in your hands…

Or maybe you share a romantic first dance together, a sentimental playlist playing softly in the background as desert dust stirs up beneath your feet.

You could venture out on a nighttime hike and immerse yourselves in the meditative silence—headlamps illuminating the trail before you, gravel crunching under your hiking boots with each step. A Great Horned Owl makes its presence known, hooting from the pine tree canopy above.

Or once you’re done soaking in blue hour, you’re met with the expansive feeling that a moonlit night in the mountains evokes—stars strung delicately in the atmosphere above, gleaming in unison. Surrounded by wonder, you pause to take it all in.

There are endless ways to incorporate meaningful nighttime activities into your elopement! 💫

Which one(s) would you choose?

xx Amber

Follow @adventureinstead and show how you #adventureinstead in your life