The 5 Best Ways to Avoid Crowds on Your Elopement Day

Okay, hear us out. We know no one likes waking up early, and if you are an early riser, please teach the rest of us your ways! BUT we believe that your wedding day is the perfect day to go out of your comfort zone (ahem your bed) and go experience your elopement location in a unique way.

We’ve come up with THREE reasons why you should consider eloping at sunrise.

The Privacy

Most people don’t want to get up before sunrise, so it is very possible that you will have your elopement location all to yourselves. There is nothing more magical than the silence and calmness of being the only people for miles. Maybe you’re in love with a hike or a location that is highly trafficked during the day, and you can’t get it out of your head, but you don’t want to be surrounded by other people… Sunrise has got your back.

For example, we hiked one of Colorado’s most popular alpine lake hikes for Renee and Cody’s elopement at sunrise. Typically, the parking at this trailhead for this hike fills up by 8 am. But we started the hike in the dark and the sun slowly peeked over the mountains behind us, and there were no other people around. We were able to have their ceremony at the edge of the alpine lake and then explore without anyone around. This allowed them to really immerse themselves in the quietness and beauty of nature. As we hiked down a couple of hours later, other hikers were just beginning their trek to the top.

The Light

If the crowds don’t convince you, then do it for the light! We all know how beautiful the light during sunset is. Well, sunrise is just as gorgeous! There is something so magical about experiencing the landscape slowly reveal itself as the sun comes up. And we love the moments just before sunrise when everything is cast in soft blue light. Then as the sun rises over the horizon, on a clear or even a partly cloudy day, everything is illuminated with golden light. And even on a foggy morning, the sunrise light is dreamy.

The Weather

If you choose to get married in the heat of summer, sunrise can offer you a much-needed escape from the heat. For locations such as Moab, Joshua Tree, or Sedona, the afternoon sun can be brutal. Sunrise allows you to hike and explore your chosen location before the heat of the day and keep you from getting sweaty and sunburned.

Sunrise also offers benefits for those of you eloping in mountainous regions, like Colorado, that are known for having afternoon thunderstorms. By having your elopement ceremony in the early morning, you can beat the dangerous storms and not spend your precious time waiting out the storm in your car.

The day of the week you choose for your elopement can greatly affect the number of people that will also be around. We always suggest weekday elopements to our couples so that they can take advantage of the days when most people will be at work. We’ve found that the best days of the week for eloping are Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

Another benefit of having a weekday elopement is that you will have less competition for getting your permit for the ceremony site you want most. You might also notice more availability for accommodation as well as other vendors (such as hair + makeup artists, florists, and private chefs).

Similarly to getting married on a weekday, it is also a good idea to avoid getting married around long, holiday weekends or during Spring Break. This is when a lot of people also decide to travel, head into nature, or visit National Parks. We’ve found that travel on the days surrounding holiday weekends are often more expensive (flights, accommodation, rental cars). Even if it doesn’t fall on a weekend, we always suggest that our couples avoid the days around the 4th of July.

Another thing to consider when choosing your elopement day is if it’s a catchy number. I know that probably sounds super weird, but hear us out. Every year, the wedding industry as a whole has popular wedding dates that a lot of couples choose. For example, repeat numbers like 7/7 or 10/10 are always popular. And even more so if they add up, for example, 10/10/20 had everyone fully booked. And while you likely aren’t competing for venues, you might have trouble finding an available florist or hair and makeup artist.

Another great way to avoid crowds is to go where most people aren’t going. This could be as simple as driving a little bit further than most people will drive. Or renting a 4WD vehicle and driving up the bumpy mountain road. Putting a little more effort into your elopement location will never let you down, and usually, you’ll be able to find a view that’s even more incredible!

Erica and Ryan decided to drive up a 4WD trail and then take a short hike to their ceremony site. This ended up being much more private than if they had chosen a ceremony location closer to town.

Often, our couples will like the views of a busy location but want something a bit more private. We do a lot of in-person as well as online scouting to help our couples find a location that fits their vision but will give them more space to truly experience their elopement day. Our favorite suggestions for these off the beaten path locations are the San Juans in Colorado, the mountains and rainforests of Tasmania, Glacier National Park in Montana, North Cascades National Park in Washington, or Lofoten in Norway. But we’ve got many many more hidden gems where those came from!

Another way of getting off the beaten path is to travel somewhere that’s not on many travel radars. This is exactly what Brittany and Justin did when they chose to elope in the Faroe Islands. By choosing to visit a location that is already much quieter, to begin with, you’ll have a much easier time avoiding other people!

The further you are willing to get from trailheads and easily accessible overlooks, the more space you will have to yourself. Often some of the best views can be found on hiking trails. A huge part of our location scouting is looking for trails to hike with our couples. Hiking not only makes a unique elopement day experience but is a great way to get away from parking lots and noisy roads and immerse yourself in nature. And don’t worry, you don’t have to hike 10 miles up a fourteener on your wedding day to do this! We will be sure to help you choose a hike that fits your vision as well as your skill level.

Tara and Nick hiked 4 miles to their ceremony location. This, combined with starting the hike before sunrise, gave them the ultimate privacy for their elopement ceremony.

We don’t expect you to be able to follow all of these tips. But considering even just a couple of these tips while planning your elopement will help give you privacy and the ability to truly soak your elopement day in.

 Are you ready to start your elopement adventure?

We’re Lisa + Alex (those goofballs in the photo above). We are elopement photographers and videographers who are passionate about giving our couples the most incredible wedding day possible. We work closely with each of our couples to offer location options, vendor recommendations, and fun ideas to personalize their wedding day.

Each couple who books with us will receive their own, collaborative Elopement Planning Portal. We know that planning your elopement can seem overwhelming, but we’re here to make the planning process easy and fun.