Choosing what to wear and packing for your elopement seems daunting, but it can also be one of the most exciting parts of planning your elopement.
First off, the best elopement outfit is the one that you feel the best in. You should feel beautiful, comfortable, and feel like your best self on your day. Any dress can be an elopement outfit, but only the one that you feel your greatest in is the one worth considering.
Some things you might want to consider when shopping for your elopement dress and accessories:
elopement location
how you are getting to your location
dress material and vibe
how your dress makes you feel
When and How?
Location and How You Are Getting to your Elopement Spot
It is helpful to think about your elopement location when looking for a dress. You want your dress to compliment the environment. More importantly, you want something you can move in freely. Something you can hike in or even run in! (you can not NOT run on the beach - it’s too fun)
It’s also important to consider these factors: packability, weight, additional accessories to complete your attire, ease of putting on the dress, and miscellaneous gear you are bringing (more on that below).
Plan ahead! If you are hiking on trails like these, you might want ice traction devices or hiking poles. You might want to be hiking in layers and not just your dress. It’s also crucial to bring ten hiking essentials. First aid, navigation, light (head lamps are a must) and more. We find alltrails and wta to be helpful apps as you can access them without reception. Make sure to download the map before you lose cell signal if you are visiting an area without cell coverage.
Always check the conditions ahead of time. You want to be prepared for your elopement. If you’re going somewhere cold and with snow, make sure to consider which jacket, beanies, and shoe traction devices you’re bringing/wearing.
You might have to hike to your elopement spot. Make sure to wear an hiking appropriate outfit and shoes. Depending on the length, season, and difficulty of the hike, bring appropriate accessories (hiking poles, shoe traction device, and 10hiking essentials)
One of our brides putting on her dress once we were closer to our planned spot. Zippers would be much easier vs a corset, so it’s something you can practice beforehand!
Fabric and Material
We’ve seen all types of wedding and elopement dresses and any dress you will choose would be the best option. But in our opinion, the best fabrics and material for an elopement, in our opinion, are the ones that feel and move like it’s just part of the natural landscape you’re in. A dress (or even a veil) that flows with the wind. A skirt that you could hold if you decide to have a first dance after your vows. A train that effortlessly falls and glides on a trail.
Chiffon and tulle are some of the fabrics to look for. They are also usually more sheer (they’re typically layered so they’re not see through or anything) but the sheerness makes for a romantic, lightweight, and effortless look. These fabrics also do not wrinkle much, so it is a great choice for packing and traveling with in a backpack.
Lace. Lace can be considered “old-fashioned” but we disagree. If used sparingly - like on the sleeves or just a few appliques, they are stunning. They can look like the flora and fauna outside and it gives interest to a dress!
Bridal gown with lightweight lace appliques on the chiffon and tulle.
We love how ethereal these delicate arm sleeves are. Her hair accessory makes it look beautiful too.
A dress with a train and a veil that flows effortlessly and moves with you is a top choice.
You would want to think about the vibe or feel you are going for as well. Personally, we think elopements can be so romantic. You’re choosing you and your partner, nothing else. You’re choosing to start off your marriage with an adventure. We feel like a dress should fit that vibe. Flowy dresses that show you off and dresses that move when you do.
Most importantly though, how do you feel in it? Do you feel free and like your best self? Can you imagine being outdoors in breathtaking locations wearing that? If yes, then that’s all that really matters.
We are all for longer trains! We will help you carry that if you need to.
Where to get the dress
Any local store or independent dress boutique that sell wedding dresses is worth checking out! This might even be something you can do with friends or family (sometimes our couples still want their people to be involved in the process, they’re just not including them during their elopement, so this is a fun option!)
Other store or designer options from $-$$$
Lulus
Azazie
BHLDN - I LOVE this store and think they are perfect for an adventure elopement. They feature Watters dresses there, and I dream of these dresses! (Miles gown, Hearst gown, Beatrix gown, Austin gown
Etsy - WildGirlsGR features this a line wedding dress and it’s such a romantic dress.
Watters design - Austin (STUNNING).
Alternatives:
No one says you have to wear white to your elopement! The same stores listed above should offer different colors too. Here are some of our favorites.
As for your shoes…
Depending on the terrain and environment though, you might want to leave your heels at home! Here are some other ideas:
Flats
There are plenty of choices. Keds, ballet flats, sandals. Tevas. Badgley Mischka (for fancier sandals!)Hiking Boots
Accessories to bring
*optional to bring or include, of course
A couple had an adventure journal filled with letters to each other and their own selves, chronicling their adventure together throughout the years and their relationship. This was important to them - maybe you have something that’s important to you that you want to include on your day.
1) Your vows. You are getting married! Today is your wedding day. You’re saying your I do’s, just you two. We highly recommend writing your own vows. We wrote ours on paper, but we’ve seen many couples put them on small notebooks (definitely easier to pack in a backpack).
2) Rings - We like taking photos of your engagement ring and both the wedding bands! You wouldn’t think you’d like a photo of it, but it’s nice to have an artful photograph of these symbols.
3) Hair accessory and/or veil - A veil is nice because you can have have the option to have photos with it and without it! It’s definitely a nice touch. We like to experiment with veil shots, it’s fun and makes most shots ethereal and magical. When we got married, Jill wanted white flowers on the side of her hair. She also opted for a sheer tulle as her veil. She had plenty of photos with it and many without!
4) Flowers - When we went hiking to take our wedding photos, we tied Jill’s bouquet on a backpack. It worked out well! So if you want flowers, it can work.
5) Shoes - As already mentioned above, your shoe choice is heavily dependent on terrain and season! If there’s snow or ice on the trail, bring these traction devices you put on your shoes! We use Yaktrax but there are other brands. We just like these and find they have never failed us.
6) Rain Coat - If you’re getting married in the Pacific Northwest, you need to pack a rain coat.
7) Heavier jacket - Depending on the time of year, you probably will need a heavier jacket especially if we photograph up until and a little after sunset.
8) Winter accessories - If you are eloping somewhere cold and/or in the winter, don’t leave your home without gloves, beanies, scarves, and wool socks.
Other things to pack:
Snacks snacks snacks
Lots of water
We will have these with us but we recommend you to bring yours too!
No elopement is the same. That’s the fun part is that you get to create your own day. You get to get married somewhere that is truly special. And you get to wear what you love. I hope these tips and examples are helpful. Our advice is to be prepared and pack efficiently so that you don’t have to worry about a thing on your adventure elopement.
