If you’ve made your way here, that means you’re planning a hiking elopement, which is so exciting! As an elopement photographer over the years, I’ve photographed many different hiking elopements and always get asked by my couples what they should wear and what they should bring.
That’s why I wanted to create this guide for you, so you can have a better idea of what to wear and bring for your elopement without leaving anything behind! Read on for my best tips on what to bring and wear for your hiking elopement.
By the way, if you’re not having a hiking elopement, many of these tips could also be applied to any type of elopement, so be sure to save this guide to refer back to as you start planning your celebration!
General Tips on What to Wear for Your Hiking Elopement
There’s no perfect answer to the question of “what should I wear for my hiking elopement?”
Instead, I would say that what’s actually most important is to dress in something that feels comfortable and authentic, and affirming to who you are.
Here are some of my other expert tips for choosing what to wear for your elopement:
Ignore any pressure that you feel to be traditional
Remember, this is your day, and you get to make the rules.
Stay open-minded in your search
As you search for what to wear, I encourage you to stay open-minded in your approach. There are many different possibilities and directions you could take, and ways to make whatever you choose to wear feel like it fully expresses and represents who you are.
Keep in mind the weather and activities
Another tip when searching for your outfit: be mindful of the weather & activities that will be part of your day. When it comes to weather, depending on where your hiking elopement is taking place, it might be necessary to bring extra layers to stay warm.
It may also be necessary to bring a change of clothes if you’re going on a strenuous hike or adding another high-intensity activity to your elopement day.
Shop with family and friends who are supportive of you
As you start trying on outfits to wear and begin shopping, I would suggest only inviting family and friends who you feel are supportive of you and your choices. Not people who will question why you’re buying something. Or who make you feel like you have to take a more traditional route when it comes to your attire!
Dress Considerations for Your Hiking Elopement
If you want to wear a dress to your hiking elopement, here are some important things to keep in mind:
(Psst…all of these tips are also applicable if you’re going to be wearing a skirt instead of a dress):
Your dress doesn’t have to be white
Hopefully, this doesn’t come as a surprise, but your dress definitely doesn’t have to be white if you don’t want it to be. I’ve photographed many elopements where couples have chosen to wear colorful, patterned, or sparkly dresses instead of a traditional white wedding dress.
Prioritize your comfort
This is especially important for a hiking elopement, as you won’t want to be constantly readjusting the dress all day or worrying about it being uncomfortable as you move around in it.
When shopping, I would also recommend assessing whether you can sit comfortably in the dress on a chair, on the ground, and inside a car. Also, take note of whether this is a dress that you can dance, run, lift your arms up, or easily climb in.
To get a better feel of the dress, try wearing it around your house or going for a test drive in your car to see if it’s comfortable and allows you to easily move around. When doing this, another tip I have for you is to try on your accessories too (veils, capes, shawls, etc.) to make sure that all of your entire outfit is something that feels comfortable to wear.
Shop early
If you know that you’re going to be wearing a dress, start shopping early! Dresses can take up to 6+ months to arrive, plus you’ll need time for any alterations/adjustments you need to make.
Packing your dress
First, for your hike, I would definitely recommend packing your dress and changing into it at your ceremony location, as I’m sure you can understand why. With that being said when it comes to packing the dress, consider the weight of the dress and if it’s a fabric that will easily wrinkle.
One of the best options I’ve found for packing a dress for a hiking elopement is to roll your dress, put it in its protective bag, and place it inside your backpack. Don’t fold it, as this can create wrinkles.
Suit and Tuxedo Considerations for Your Hiking Elopement
Here are my best tips if you want to wear a suit or tuxedo for your hiking elopement:
Your suit/ tuxedo doesn’t have to be black
Your suit doesn’t have to be black. Or solid. Or have matching colors or textures. Or include a jacket.
There are no rules saying your suit/ tuxedo for your elopement has to consist of traditional materials or patterns! It can be as funky, wild, or colorful as you want it to be! You can also add whatever accessories you want to your outfit, whether that’s suspenders, vests, hats, pocket squares, bolo ties – to give you an idea!
Also, if you don’t want to wear a suit or tuxedo, jumpsuits can be a fun alternative to try.
Make sure you can easily move around in your suit or tuxedo
Try on your suit or tuxedo and give it a test run before your elopement, and make sure that it’s easy to move around in or see if you need to adjust anything. If needed, you can always add a belt or suspenders to your outfit.
Leave room for layering if needed
Just in case you need extra layers because of cooler temperatures! Even something as simple as a thin base layer can make a big difference in keeping you warm and comfortable.
Footwear Tips and Considerations for Your Hiking Elopement
Footwear is definitely something that can’t be overlooked when it comes to planning your hiking elopement attire. When it comes to footwear, here are my tips:
Check out the location and terrain
Comfort and stability have to come first. Your shoes and how you feel will impact your big day!!! With that being said, after you buy your shoes, make sure that you break them in before your elopement – there’s nothing worse than getting blisters on the day of your elopement because your hiking boots are brand new.
When choosing your hiking boots, it’s always worth the investment to purchase high-quality, waterproof hiking boots – you won’t regret it, trust me.
You can have shoes for your hike and different shoes for your ceremony
If you don’t want to wear hiking boots for your ceremony, you certainly don’t have to. Just put the shoes you do want to wear into your backpack to change into!
Buy hiking boots that give you a stable footing
Hiking books with stable footing, support, grip, and tread allow for more safety and freedom!
Prepare for the weather
If the location where you’re going to hike is colder, it’s best to wear toe warmers and thick socks in your hiking boots and have an extra pair of socks to change into after.
Layering Tips and Considerations
If you’re going to be hiking somewhere with cooler temperatures, snow, a chilly wind, etc, layers are going to be your best friend! Here are some of my best tips to layer up and stay warm:
- For your base layer, wear wool or fleece thermals or leggings. Choose skin tone clothing if worried about it showing up in pics.
- Mid-layer – wear a fleece, shawl, puff, or sweater. All of these are functional and photo-friendly too!
- Outer layer – wear a windbreaker or rain jacket, depending on what you need.
- Accessories: bring along gloves/mittens, beanies, ear muffs, scarves, etc.
- Blankets can be used for photo breaks or have cute, snuggly photos.
- Hand/body warmers: always good to keep a few handy. There are also rechargeable hand warmers available!
Gear to Bring Along
Of course, I also have to mention gear to add to your hiking elopement checklist. Here’s a round-up of gear that I’ve found to be very helpful for hiking elopements:
- Backpacks – hip straps are game changers
- Water – think hydration pack, water bottle, filter/purifier
- Food – bring along some energy-boosting snacks like trail mix, energy chews, etc., or cute picnic food
- A Thermos
- Headlamps
- Trekking poles – these offer you stability and make things easier on your knees
- Sun protection – bring along a good sunscreen, SPF clothing, and don’t forget the bug spray
- Maps or GPS – sometimes service can get spotty. Also, bring along a power bank too!
- Toilet paper and hand sanitizer
- A mini first aid kit
- Umbrellas
- A bag for trash – it’s important to always leave no trace!
Ready to Plan Your Hiking Elopement?
I hope these tips on what to bring and what to wear for your elopement will be helpful to you as you begin planning your hiking elopement. This post is here to guide you, but remember there’s no list of set rules on what you have to wear for your elopement – rather, your day (and what you choose to wear) should feel like an authentic expression of yourself and your relationship!
And if you’d like some help with elopement planning, as well as someone to photograph all the magic that happens throughout your day, I’d love to chat. You can click here to learn more about my wedding photography services or head over here to get in touch!
Read these next:
LGBTQ+ Elopement Tips for Your Dream Wedding
7 Tips on Eloping with Your Pet (From an Elopement Photographer)
