how to choose the best elopement location in the U.S.

Deciding where to elope is an incredibly personal decision and depends on MANY factors. The biggest things I tell my couples to consider are:

1. The type of scenery you want

This is probably the best place to start. Cheesy as it sounds, I always suggest to my couples that they sit down together, close their eyes, and picture their perfect day. Take out the limitations like time of year, budget, and accessibility and just … dream. Do you envision mountains or deserts? Are you picturing beaches? Are they the warm ones of Hawaii or the cold ones of the PNW? Do you want to go somewhere you’ve been before or explore somewhere entirely new. There are NO wrong answers here – go with your gut!

2. consider when you want to elope

If your schedule is totally open, you are lucky! You can match your elopement date up with the weather you want in the environment you’re dreaming of. Want a warm mountain elopement perfect for hiking? Elope in the summer. Want to ski in the mountains instead? You’re looking at fall or winter.

If your schedule isn’t wide open and you have a specific time you want to elope you may need to be more flexible in terms of the landscape and/or activities you do for your elopement. E.g., if your elopement has to happen in April and you desperately want warm weather, you’re probably looking at heading to the desert, Hawaii, or somewhere similar. If your elopement has to happen in April and you’re up for any kind of weather? The world (or at least the country!) is once again your oyster.

Side note: This is where working with an experienced elopement photographer is worth it’s weight in gold! We are awesome at helping you figure alllllll these things out!

3. how will you be getting to this location?

The thing about the western U.S. is that it’s big – really big – and some of the most beautiful, quiet spots are quite a drive from the nearest major airport. For some couples this is totally fine and they love the road trip and chance to see more of the landscape along the way. For couples who are shorter on time, it is more important to be able to get there quickly and easily.

4. How easy is it to get married in this state?

Marriage laws are dicated state-by-state and vary widely across the U.S. Many states require an officiant and/or witnesses. Some states, like Colorado, allow self-solemnization (i.e. you don’t need anyone to sign your license except yourselves). You can even have your dog sign your license with their paw print!

Pro Tip: If you want to get married in a state that requires an officiant and/or witnesses but really don’t want to have anyone else there you always have the option of getting married at the courthouse and making your elopement purely ceremonial. This is something a lot of my couples do, especially for international elopements where it’s even trickier!

5. YOur budget

This probably goes without saying but some places are more expensive to travel to than others. Catching a flight to Alaska or Hawaii will cost you more than driving to the next state over (but it will be worth it!). Keep your total budget in mind when you start thinking about locations.