You’ve made the decision to focus your wedding day on the two of you committing your lives to one another. No wastefulness or production, no stress or pressure, and no catering to others. You want to plan a perfect day, to encapsulate that perfect moment when you say your vows to each other. One that feels genuine and completely aligned with both of your values and your wants. The hardest part now is figuring out the what, when, and where of this perfect day!
With the entire globe at your finger tips, it may be daunting to try and find out exactly what you want to do on your wedding day. When you aren’t spending $30,000 on a day largely meant to cater to your guests, you have the freedom to not only plan an amazing wedding and honeymoon for yourself that is a fraction of the cost, but you can plan a once in a lifetime, truly perfect and epic experience for your wedding that you will remember forever.
We’ve scoured the internet, spend hours in research mode, and virtually toured the world to find the largest and most comprehensive list of ideas for your elopement
And while it definitely doesn’t encompass everything you could possibly do, it is an amazing starting point for you to consider, and begin planning a wedding that is your idea of perfect! –
Click the BOLD text to be taken to a link with more info!
1. Scenic // Non-Strenuous
– Travel the Trans – Siberian Railway in a sweeping 3 week journey that will have you discovering the Russia-Asia corridor, with unbelievable stops in Moscow, Mongolia, and Bejing to getting married at along the way.
– Charter a ship in Antarctica to say your vows in front of thousands of King Penguins on a breathtaking arctic glacier.
– The shores of Playa de las Catedrales in Spain set the stage for uninhibited romance and epic coastal views.
– Travel around Indonesia in a camper van at your own pace. Explore the region and immerse yourself in the culture. Find your perfect spot along the way, or make your vows to each other in each place you visit!
– Combine luxury and epic landscapes in Lake Louise Alberta, and indulge in Fairmont Chateau‘s elopement package where they take care of everything!
– Drive through Montana and Wyoming’s Beartooth Highway for awe inspiring views you won’t see anywhere else.
– Explore Nambia’s Skeleton Coast, where sand dunes (Sand Buggy’s anyone?!) sea life, and desert climate combine for miles and miles of desert coast filled with shipwrecks and sea lions.
– Into the all white everything look? Head to New Mexico’s White Sands National Monument for dreamy white sand dunes that will have every moment looking pristine and bridal.
– Hop on a boat to Hormuz Island in the Persian Gulf. This Iranian island has sand so red, you’ll think you’ve landed on Mars, and the rock formations that have striking bands of rainbow colours that look out of this world!
– Have a quintessential Luxury Canadian Cottage wedding experience in Nimmo Bay BC by the clear lake and towering pines.
– Charter an Arctic Circle expedition in Greenland!
– Rent bicycles or motorbikes and tour the beautiful rice fields or ancient town of Hoi An in Vietnam
– Cruise on a multi day houseboat trip in Kerala’s tranquil canals in India
– What could be more gorgeous for your wedding day than Greek Island Hopping! Enjoy the Mediterranean in picturesque Greece.
– Enjoy the incredible view of hundreds of hot air balloons floating in the skies of Cappadocia Turkey on a rooftop covered in pillows, or jump in one yourselves for an unforgettable adventure!
– Embrace the tiny movement and Elope Niagara’s Little Log Chapel. This pint-sized chapel was created with elopers in mind. The rustic, cabin-style venue is tucked away in a Fort Erie forest and is only large enough for the happy couple, an officiant and up to 10 guests
– Say your vows inside the world’s largest cave in Vietnam
– Cruising the Nile River through Egypt on a Felucca (a traditional Egyptian wooden sailboat that’s been around for centuries)
– Grab an RV and head down historic Route 66 with a quick pit stop in Vegas for an Elvis themed wedding, or stop at the incredible Neon Boneyard for a unique photo op!
– Take a tour on a luxury train through India.
– Plan an Olympic Peninsula road trip and say your vows at the wild and unpredictable beaches of La Push for moody photos and incredible views of nature.
– Exploring the North Coast 500 Route & majestic Scottish Highlands and elope in velvet quilt of verdant moors, jagged and rocky mountains, glistening lochs and colossal sea cliffs.
– Escape on an overland trip through Russia to view the stunning Russian countryside and architecture.
– Say your vows in front of the moss covered stone ruins of the Skamania Stone House in the Columbia River Gorge for ultimate forest fairy vibes.
– Plan a trip to some of the 30,000 islands in the Stockholm Archipelago.
– Tour the Yukon and plan a week long trip to this rugged Territory where everywhere you look is a perfect backdrop for your elopement.
– Plan an tour of Papua New Guinea from the Coast to the Highlands to say your vows.
– Ethereal is the only way to describe the Bonneville Salt Flats, and if you wait until sunset/nighttime for the reflection of the sky on the salt lake, you’ll get an otherworldly mirror that will leave you in 360 degrees of stars!
– Live like a local on Lake Titicaca and celebrate your marriage!
– Travel the ancient trade routes of China down the Silk Road.
– Begin in Athens and take a road trip in Peloponnese Greece to experience Greek food and culture.
– Plan a 2 week road trip along the Karakoram Highway, the highest altitude paved highway in the world, with views outside your window that are 360 degrees of gorgeous. Stop anywhere along your journey for a breathtaking place to get married.
– Reveal your hearts to one another under the romantic cherry blossoms in Kyoto Japan.
– Road trip along Germany’s perfectly named Romantic Road, and say your vows in one of the 28 picturesque towns along the way.
– Escape to the serene desert of Sedona and bask in the healing vibrations and the awe inspiring canyons for a reverent place to commit to each other.
– Go stargazing in NamibRand nature reserve in Namibia – one of the world’s best celestial sights
– Indulge yourself with a Safari and private treehouse or luxury villa with five star amenities in South Africa.
– Get lost in the foggy forest or go whale watching in Washington’s Orca Island.
– Winter Wonderland lovers, head to Hôtel de Glace in Quebec to get married in a real life ice castle! (With elopement packages to boot!)
– Trek the historic Nakasendo trail in Kiso Valley, Japan: “A sleepy town nestled in fog draped mountains, where time was slow and meant to be savored.” How dreaming does that sound?
– Take a helicopter ride or Canoe Safari in Botswana
– Let the luck of the Irish bless you while saying your vows at Dunluce Castle
– Say your vows on the shores of the Indian Ocean in Mauritius, and take an underwater scooter tour afterward for once in a lifetime views below the waves!
– Try Whale Watching and Glamping Under the Northern Lights in Norway.
– Seaside elopements don’t get more stunning than the craggy black rocks of Makaluapuna Point in Maui, Hawaii, which provide a dramatic and edgy landscape.
– Doing nothing but enjoy the sun and sand in Seychelles. A literally perfect place for the tropical sun lovers who want to get married by the surf.
– Experience the surf and redwoods of British Columbia without sacrificing the feel of a traditional intimate wedding at the The Wickaninnish Inn in Tofino.
2. Adventurous // Strenuous
– Walk along the Great Wall of China. Some parts can be very challenging to get through (We’re talking each ‘step’ being 4 feet high!) but some sections are a beautiful and rich walk through history. My favs are 1) the best-restored, Mutianyu, 2) the most beautiful, Jinshanling, 3) the wildest, Jiankou.
– If you’re a seasoned hiker and mountaineer, hike the 200km Annapurna Circuit in Nepal and have a once in a lifetime experience along this stretch of gorgeous South Asia.
– Backpack through Australia, from coastal beaches to the outback, Australia has some of the harshest (and beautiful) climates to explore.
– Climb Kilimanjaro and get eloped on the summit. A beautiful mountain peak in Africa that requires much less technical skills than the other 5,000er summits in the same range.
– LITERALLY take the plunge and say your vows in a plane before jumping out of it! Try Skydiving in Interlaken (Switzerland)
– Trek the entire Kungsleden Trail (440km) or a shorter segments of it in Sweden. One of the most stunning trekking trail in Europe. It’s name means King of Trails in Swedish, so it’s probably a good indicator that it will be amazing!
– Hike along the Tian Shan Mountains in Kyrgyzstan and find an epic mountain view to say your vows.
– Head to Antelope Canyon for waving stone canyon walls surrounding you while beams of light illuminate you during our vows.
– Strap on your hiking gear and say your vows hiking on Tasmania’s Overland Track.
– Put on your wedding attire in the jungle of Costa Rica, then after saying “I Do”, Zip line through the jungle in Arena Volcano & stay at the beautiful tree house community of Finca Bellavista
– Take a 4 hour Heli Hiking trip at the Franz Josef Glacier and say your vows at the remote glacier (New Zealand)
– If you’re a mountaineer, Rappel down Iguazu Falls and take on a Cable Canopy Tour, Rafting Adventure, Boat tour, or Trail Hiking to complete your epic day of adventure in Argentina.
– Bike through Sicily, an island almost as close to Africa as to Italy where history, arts and architectures meet beautiful scenery.
– Head to Arizona and go Camping and Rafting in the Grand Canyon and get married overlooking this Wonder of the World.
– Want to say your vows in a landscape that looks like a painting everywhere you look? Find any corner of Yosemite to say your vows, with special props to Taft Point and Glacier Point
– Go skiing in the French Alps and celebrate your wedding day in a French Chalet.
– Fuel your adventurous spirit by Freediving & Exploring the Canary Islands on your wedding day.
– Hike, Kayak and Wild Camp the Norwegian Fjords to commit to each other in the unreal beauty of Norway.
– Take your Caribbean destination wedding to awesome places when you go Scuba Diving & Snorkeling
– Hike the world’s highest lava lake on Mount Nyiragongo & Gorilla Trekking in the Congo
– Turn into a pair of birds and go Paragliding in Mendoza where your love can soar!
– If you’re looking for rugged landscapes and epic scenery, hike the Cares Gorge in the Picos De Europa National Park – one of the Asturias region’s most striking place and an easy hike for breathtaking views.
– Rolling greens and snow-capped peaks, complete with a heavenly fog and glowing light, the Swiss Alps are a stunning backdrop to any elopement.
– There’s nothing but the balmy ocean breeze, shining sun, and cries of the seagulls on Snæfellsnes Peninsula. The jaw-dropping Gatklettur Arch Rock at Arnarstapi is arguably some of nature’s best architectural work, providing a unique elopement spot to say your vows underneath (or on top!) of.
– Adrenaline junkies rejoice, those afraid of heights beware! Cycling the death road in Bolivia is not for the faint of heart, but the views are worth the racing pulse!
– Want gorgeous mountain views that are ‘Grammable but are less well known and less of a tourist magnet? Head over to the Fagaras Mountains in Romania and get blown away by their beauty.
– Make use of my waterproof bags and camera equipment and go Packrafting and Wildcamping through Findland’s Thousand Lakes!
– Hike Patagonia, where few places can match its diversity of scenery and is one of the most sought after and epic elopement locations in the world.
– How can I mention elopements without mentioning Iceland? From waterfalls, to dramatic geometric rocks and ice caves, you can’t find a boring spot to say I Do!
This is such a small sampling of the amazing places worldwide that you can choose to say your vows to each other! This list will be ongoing and updated on a regular basis to provide you with the largest resource to spark your imagination and help your plan the elopement that is every bit as amazing and individual as you are! And if you’re ready to get planning, head over to THIS POST for your Complete Elopement Planning Guide and get started planning your dream elopement!
xxx Hailey
Great article, exactly what I was looking for.