Destination Elopements:
One Day or Multi-Day?
Find out Which Adventure Is Right for You
Eloping has become more popular than ever, as couples choose to skip tradition and create a wedding day that truly reflects who they are. Instead of following a set script, you have the freedom to design an experience that feels intentional, intimate, and unforgettable. I wrote this post, Destination Elopements: One Day or Multi-Day? to help couples decide what kind of experience truly fits their vision. Whether you choose a one-day elopement or a multi-day adventure, there’s no wrong choice—only what feels right for your love story.
Destination elopements can take you anywhere — across the U.S. or to faraway corners of the world. Sometimes the perfect spot is a dream location you’ve always wanted to visit right here in the States, from sweeping desert landscapes to hidden mountain valleys or charming coastal towns. Choosing a meaningful destination allows you to combine your love story with the adventure of exploring a place that inspires you, creating memories that are as unique as your relationship.
Finding the perfect location
Choosing the right location is one of the first steps in planning your destination elopement, but finding the perfect location can feel overwhelming with so many incredible options around the world, but that’s also part of the excitement. Each destination holds its own magic, offering landscapes that can reflect the essence of your relationship, the environment itself becomes part of your story, shaping the mood and emotion of your day. Choosing a place that speaks to both of you allows the setting to amplify the love and connection you already share while having an adventure of a lifetime.
As you explore destinations, think about the experiences that make your hearts race and the moments that make you feel alive together. An elopement isn’t just about a ceremony; it’s about celebrating your love and connection, embracing the location, and letting it reflect your story. When you choose a location that resonates with both of you, the day feels effortless, authentic, and deeply memorable—an adventure that’s entirely your own.
How to Choose the Perfect Elopement Location
– Adventure Style – What kind of day do you want? Slow and relaxed, epic and adventurous.
– Bucket List Destinations – Is there a place you’ve always wanted to experience together?
– Personal Meaning – Is there a location that holds sentimental value?
– Climate & Season – Do you prefer warm sun, crisp mountain air, or rugged scenery?
– Landscape Preferences – What are you drawn to? Forests, waterfalls, European villages
– Activities – Hiking, kayaking, climbing. What activities excite you as a couple?
– Accessibility – Somewhere remote and secluded, or easy to access and explore.
– Scenic Variety – Would you like multiple landscapes/locations in one trip?
I love helping my couples find the perfect location to tell their love story. With expert advice, knowledge, and personalized recommendations, I will help guide you to destinations and locations that fit your personalities, style, and vision. No matter where in the world, I will provide stunning backdrops for your once-in-a-lifetime memories.
Let Your Location Shape Your Adventure
The location you choose can have a big influence on the type of adventure your elopement becomes. A single-day celebration might be perfect in a place where everything you love—ceremony, photos, and a little adventure—can happen in one seamless day. Small European villages are perfect for one-day elopements because their charm and compact size allow you to explore the whole area without feeling rushed. Wheras vast and dramatic landscapes, like those in Scotland, Norway, or the Dolomites, are especially well-suited for multi-day elopements, offering endless opportunities for exploration and adventure
Thinking about how the landscape, activities, and pace of the destination fit your vision can help you decide whether a one-day or multi-day elopement will feel most natural for your story.
Location Ideas
Choosing the perfect elopement location is one of the most exciting parts of planning your adventure. The world is full of breathtaking places, each offering its own unique beauty, atmosphere, and opportunities for connection. Whether you’re drawn to sweeping mountain vistas, serene beaches, vibrant cities, or hidden forests, the right location sets the tone for your day and creates memories that will last a lifetime. Thinking about what landscapes, experiences, and adventures resonate with you as a couple is the first step toward finding a place that truly feels like yours.
You can also check out my full list of the Best Places to Elope around the World, an Epic Adventure—so you can plan your dream elopement anywhere your heart leads!
U.S. vs International Destination Elopements
Couples often wonder whether to stay within the U.S. or travel internationally for their destination elopement. Both options offer incredible opportunities for adventure, romance, and breathtaking backdrops, but the choice often comes down to logistics, budget, and personal vision. U.S. destinations, like Alaska, Glacier National Park, or the Pacific Northwest, can provide epic scenery without the challenges of passports, international travel, or unfamiliar regulations. These locations offer dramatic landscapes, unique activities, and the sense of escape many couples seek, all closer to home and easier to plan.
International elopements, on the other hand, offer the allure of exploring a new culture, exotic scenery, and faraway experiences. Couples may dream of a romantic ceremony in Europe, a tropical beach in the Caribbean, or a mountaintop in New Zealand, creating memories that combine adventure, travel, and intimacy. With a little extra planning, international elopements open the door to a once-in-a-lifetime celebration full of adventure, romance, and unforgettable memories. Ultimately, whether you choose a nearby U.S. location or a far-flung international destination, your dream elopement can be crafted to match your vision, personality, and sense of adventure.
Consider Your Guest List
It is also important to consider your guest list when determining the length of your elopement experience. A one-day celebration can be ideal if you’re keeping it intimate and want all your guests present for your ceremony and a few key moments. Multi-day elopements, on the other hand, give you the flexibility to balance time with loved ones and private adventures. For example, you might have a small ceremony with a few guests on one day, then spend another day exploring just the two of you, exchanging private vows or sharing an intimate adventure. This approach allows you to celebrate with those closest to you while still enjoying the freedom and intimacy that a destination elopement offers.
Adventurous Experiences
Planning activities that match your vision and location is one of the most exciting parts of a destination elopement. Your elopement should reflect your personalities and the type of experience you want, whether that’s adventurous, romantic, or serene. By considering the landscape, season, and accessibility of your chosen destination, you can plan activities that enhance your day and create unforgettable memories. From sunrise hikes and scenic boat rides to quiet picnics or private city explorations, tailoring your activities to both your vision and location ensures your elopement feels personal, seamless, and uniquely yours.
The types of activities you choose will help shape the length of your elopement. Perhaps one day is dedicated to a relaxed, romantic celebration, while the next is filled with thrilling adventures and unforgettable experiences. You can create a celebration that’s fully tailored to your love story and sense of adventure. You can see my full guide on Elopement Activities: Unforgettable Ideas for Your Day here.
ideas to inspire your own unique elopement adventure:
– Hike to an alpine lake for sunrise vows
– Take a helicopter ride to a glacier
– Kayak or paddleboard on a mountain lake
– Go climbing or surfing together
– Camp overnight and stargaze
Read More…
Full-Day Elopements
A full-day elopement is typically packed with adventure, connection, and love. Starting at sunrise, you can follow the golden light across breathtaking landscapes, savoring the quiet, intimate moments of the morning. As the day moves on, you’ll explore and celebrate your love in ways that feel truly yours, including the activities you enjoy together. By sunset, you’ll have shared a full adventure that reflects your love story. One-day elopements are perfect for couples who want a beautiful, intimate adventure without spreading it over multiple days, or who have limited time for travel.
Simplicity: With everything contained to a single day, planning is straightforward, packing is light, and timelines are easy to manage.
Lower cost: Fewer days of vendors, travel, and accommodations make it budget-friendly.
Focused energy: Your excitement, emotions, and attention are all concentrated on one epic day.
You can view full-day elopements here:
Multi-Day Elopements
Multi-day elopements offer the gift of time. Time to connect, reflect, and truly celebrate your love without the pressure of a rushed schedule. Multi-day elopements create a rich, immersive experience that turns your wedding into an unforgettable journey. Spreading your celebration across several days allows you to explore multiple locations, capture a variety of landscapes, and enjoy a more relaxed pace.
For couples traveling to multiple destinations or even different countries, multi-day elopements open up incredible possibilities. This approach allows you to combine adventure, romance, and cultural experiences while tailoring each day to your personalities and vision for the elopement.
Why couples choose multi-day elopements:
More adventure: Multiple-day elopements give you the chance to truly experience your destination, exploring different locations and activities over several days without feeling rushed.
Relaxed pace: You don’t have to fit everything into a single day. By spreading your activities over multiple days, you give your love and adventure room to linger, creating a truly unforgettable experience.
Immersive memories: A multi-day elopement feels more like a honeymoon that you never want to end.
You can view multi-day elopements here:
Final Thoughts – Destination Elopements: One Day or Multi-Day?
Planning your dream destination elopement is an opportunity to celebrate your love in a way that feels completely authentic and uniquely yours. By choosing a location that inspires you and planning activities that reflect your personalities and passions, you can craft a day that’s intimate, adventurous, and unforgettable. Whether it’s exchanging vows atop a sunlit mountain, exploring a hidden forest, or strolling through a charming coastal town, your elopement becomes more than a ceremony; it becomes an experience that tells your story.
When deciding what type of elopement experience is right for you, start by asking questions about your schedule, budget, travel plans, and adventure preferences. Think about what will feel most authentic to your relationship and what will allow you to fully enjoy the day—or days—without stress. Remember, there’s no wrong choice: whether you choose a one-day celebration or a multi-day adventure, both can be magical, meaningful, and completely your own. The key is choosing the option that feels true to you as a couple.
What it’s like working with a Destination elopement photographer
As a destination elopement photographer, I specialize in guiding couples through every step of their adventurous elopement day, wherever in the world you choose to celebrate.
Stress-Free Planning Process
Hiring an experienced destination photographer takes the guesswork out of your day, making planning easier and completely stress-free. Helping you focus on enjoying the moment while ensuring every detail is covered.
Expert Guidance on Locations & Timing
I help you find the perfect locations and timing for sunrise, sunset, or any part of your day, navigating trails, hidden spots, and local gems to create epic, unforgettable photos.
Knowledge of Trails, Weather, and Safety
With expertise in terrain, seasonal conditions, and timing, I plan your day for optimal light, safe access, and the most breathtaking experiences, whether you’re hiking mountains, exploring coastlines, or adventuring in forests.
Support With Travel & Accommodations
From travel logistics to helping you choose the best places to stay, I will make your destination elopement planning smooth and worry-free, so your focus stays on each other and the adventure ahead.
Destination Elopements
Elope anywhere in the world! Including up to 25 guests
Includes everything in my Elopement Experience
• Full planning and expert support
• Unlimited guidance and resources
• Personalized list of amazing locations
• Curated vendor recommendations
• Fun activity recommendations
• Custom timeline for your day
• Professionally hand-edited images by me
• Secure online gallery
My travel is covered and included, anywhere in the world.
Photographer, Planner + Guide
Hey lovers!
I’m Amy Bluestar –
Your Destination Elopement Photographer
I’m Amy Bluestar, your adventure elopement photographer creating one-of-a-kind, adventure-driven elopements for couples around the world.
At every step, my goal is the same, to create a day that’s completely yours, full of adventure, and one you’ll never forget.
Based in Colorado, I’ve traveled to 18 countries and counting.
“Amy is so much more than your elopement photographer!”
She’s your planner, advice giver, officiant, supporter and friend on the most important day of your lives. Amy is so down to earth and is truly the sweetest soul ever.
– Stehanie & Zach
Helping Couples Create Their
dream elopement experience
Choosing to elope is an exciting step, and it’s normal to feel a mix of emotions, not knowing exactly where to start, what will be the right fit for you, or how to figure out all the details. That’s why I’m here! My goal is to make the entire process not just stress-free, but fun, adventurous, and unforgettable, crafting a day you’ll never want to end.
With personalized guidance, intentional planning, and an emphasis on meaningful experiences, your elopement becomes more than a day, it becomes a deeply personal adventure, tailored to who you are as a couple and the love story you’re living.
View Real stories I’ve had the honor of planning and documenting
FAQ
Questions About Destination Elopements
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We will get in touch and chat about your dream elopement.
plan your dream day
I’ll take care of every detail, crafting a day that’s entirely yours.
Get in touch
Thinking about a
destination elopement? Reach out, I’d love to help!
Your photographer, planner & guide.
xo Amy Bluestar
Destination Elopement Photographer
Elope anywhere in the world! Including up to 25 guests
Includes everything in my Elopement Experience
• Full planning and expert support
• Unlimited guidance and resources
• Personalized list of amazing locations
• Curated vendor recommendations
• Fun activity recommendations
• Custom timeline for your day
• Professionally edited images by me
• Secure online gallery
My travel is covered and included, anywhere in the world.
Your Destination Elopement Photographer
Hey lovers!
I’m Amy Bluestar- your adventure elopement photographer specializing in crafting one-of-a-kind elopements for couples who love adventure.
Every step of the way, my goal is the same: to create a day that feels completely yours and a story you’ll remember forever.
Crafting Dream Elopements
Choosing to elope is an exciting step, and it’s normal to feel a mix of emotions, not knowing exactly where to start, what will be the right fit for you, or how to figure out all the details. That’s why I’m here! My goal is to make the entire process not just stress-free, but fun, adventurous, and unforgettable, crafting a day you’ll never want to end.
With personalized guidance, intentional planning, and an emphasis on meaningful experiences, your elopement becomes a deeply personal adventure, tailored to who you are as a couple and the love story you’re living.
