What to Pack for An Elopement

Elopement Packing Checklist

So you’re eloping soon and your brain is spinning trying to think of what to pack for the elopement. I feel you. If you’re anything like me, you’re going to make that list and check it at least three times, and then you’ll check it another three times while packing to make sure you didn’t forget anything haha.

I’ve been photographing elopements for nearly a decade now, so I’ve gotten pretty mentally equipped on how to pack for these kind of things. Use this elopement checklist to save you the time and headache! Not only did I simplify your checklist for you, I even provided tips on all the best ways to pack these things so you can be HELLA prepared for the big day.

Table of Contents:

• Elopement Attire
• Elopement Accessories
• Ceremony Items
• Hiking Essentials
• Wildlife Knowledge
• Leave No Trace Principles
• Misc. Items
• Additional Resources

Pack An Elopement Photographer

Okay, you won’t literally pack them away in your bag. But it’s important to hire a photographer that is well-educated and seasoned in elopements. There’s so much that comes with being an elopement photographer like knowing locations, knowing the best times of year at those locations, knowing the best times of day, knowing what to pack and how to prepare couple’s, being Leave No Trace aware, knowing wildlife safety, and so much more. All these things create an exponentially better experience for you.

I started my elopement photographer journey in 2015 and have since traveled from Arkansas all the way to the glaciers of Alaska. I’ve put my time and research into learning about some of the best places to elope around the world and would love to help you pick the perfect place for the day you’re dreaming up. Reach out and let’s chat about your elopement vision!

Elopement Attire

• Dress/Tux/Alt. Outfit
• Shoes

Dress

If you’ll have a hike to make for the ceremony or an activity you guys plan on doing: roll up your dress into your bag and change into it once you reach the destination, or you can keep it in a garment bag and hang it on the outside of your backpack. You can change in a foldable changing tent once you arrive to the spot. You can buy these tents on Amazon, or some photographers like myself provide one for you!

Tux

Carry your tux in a garment bag and hang it outside of your backpack if you don’t want to hike in it. Be sure to grab all components of your suit! Undershirts are the most-often forgotten piece, so be sure to pack that up.

Shoes

You will need comfortable hiking shoes if you’re doing an adventure elopement. High heels are not something I ever recommend for adventures because of the rough terrain and/or long hikes. I know you wanna look good, but be wise about it, too. Docs, Timbers, and Blundstones are some of the top choices for durable elopement shoes – just be sure to break them in for a few weeks before the elopement if you buy them new! You can totally bring a nice pair of heels for a few photos if you want, just pack them into your bag to whip out when possible to wear them. If you’re having an easy-going elopement day, heels are totally fine.

Elopement Accessories

• Veil/Cape/dress attatchments
• Headpieces/Hats/Hairpieces
• jacket
• earrings
• necklace
• bracelets
• rings
• watch
• tie/bowtie
• cufflinks
• boutonniere
• bouquet

Jewelry + Small Accessories

Don’t forget all of the little things that enhance your outfits! I recommend purchasing a traveling jewelry case that you can put all of these essentials in so they all stay safely in one place.

Headwear + Capes

Anything large and flowy like veils and capes might be best to put on once you get to your destination to avoid snagging on tree limbs or intense winds blowing it away, same goes for hats. Anything like a tiara/headpiece, hair clip-ins, etc. I would probably have your hair stylist put in for you so they can ensure it’s secured to your head without messing up your hair. If you have a complex hairstyle, the same can be said about a veil, and you might just have to carry it over your arm during your hike so it doesn’t snag.

Florals

For florals like boutonnieres or headpieces, these are best kept in a box that you can keep packed away in your bag until needed. For bouquets, keep the bottom wrapped in a wet paper towel and then stick the end down into a gallon ziploc (or wrap it in a small towel) and you can stick the end down into your bag with the top half sitting upwards out of your bag so that the flowers don’t get crushed. Once you’re ready to use the bouquet, you’ll just take it out and pat it dry!

Ceremony Items

• Marriage license + pen
• Vow books
• Ring boxes + Rings
• Unity ceremony items
• Witnesses (if needed)
• Officiant

Marriage License

You’ll of course want to make sure you have your marriage license (and a pen for signing) on your elopement packing checklist. In the state of Arkansas, only your officiant/minister must sign and fill out your license. They will then give it back to you for you to deliver to the courthouse you obtained it from. Different states have different rules and regulations, so be sure to check what applies to you if you’re getting married in another state.

Vow Books

Sure you can write your vows on your phone or in a little notebook, but purchasing a vow book will enhance the appearance of the moment you read your vows in your images, and will give you a special little keepsake. If you have bad handwriting that you’re worried you won’t be able to read, just type it out on a computer and print it out to glue into the book!

Ring Boxes + Rings

You’ll need the rings for the ceremony, but consider purchasing ring boxes for your details that your photographer will take at the beginning of the day! You can get simple ones, or a custom one with your name/date on them.

Unity Ceremony Items

If you plan on doing any kind of unity ceremony, be sure to bring the necessary materials.

Witnesses

Not all places require witnesses for the marriage license, but some do. Be sure to check the marriage regulations in your destination to ensure you have a plan in case witnesses are needed – whether this means asking some family/friends of yours to tag along, or finding some strangers along your hike that would happily be your witnesses.

Some states that don’t require witnesses include:

• Arkansas
• Colorado
• Conneticut
• Hawaii
• Montana
• Texas

Officiant

Unless you are getting married in a self-solemnizing state, you will need an officiant. Rules vary from state to state, so you will need to check and see what rules apply for your destination. Some states, like my homebase in Arkansas, will allow your photographer to also play the role of your officiant! I’ve married dozens of my Arkansas couples since getting my license in 2023.

Hiking Essentials

• Backpack
• Hiking boots
• Walking stick
• Rain coat
• Snacks + Picnic things
• Water
• Waste bags
• headlamps

Backpack

A backpack is vital to have on your elopement packing checklist. Have a comfortable bag with you that’s large enough to fit everything you need for the adventure.

Hiking Boots

As I mentioned above, adventure elopements aren’t the place for heels. It can not only be a pain and slow you down, costing you valuable time during your elopement experience, it can be dangerous if you’re in an area with narrow trails and steep drop-offs, or slick spaces that are wet from rivers/waterfalls/recent rains. You will need hiking boots for at least the majority of your elopement day if you are doing something adventurous. Docs, Timbers, and Blundstones are some of my favorites, and many adventuring couple’s, shoes for an elopement day.

Raincoat + Walking Stick

Neither of these things may be an absolute necessity, but it doesn’t hurt to be prepared with a raincoat in case you’re in an area that sporadically rains, or if there’s rain in the forecast, and a walking stick may help you if you’ve got a tough or long hike to do.

Snacks + Water + Picnic Stuff

Even if you have a short elopement day planned, it’s wise to have snacks and water on your elopement packing checklist. You don’t want to be hot and dehydrated, and you don’t want to be starving and miles away from food. Remember that if you bring food, it needs to be packed away tightly within your bag to not attract wildlife. And don’t litter. Tightly pack away any trash within your bag to not attract wildlife. I usually put mine into a ziploc bag deep within my backpack and throw away my waste once I’m home. Bring more water than you think you’ll need – it’s always better to have too much than not enough. Bring picnic stuff, too, if you wanna stop and have a picnic at some point of the day! I’ve had couples bring cake and champagne, beer, or any other special treat they want to snack on.

Waste Bags

As the old children’s book goes, everybody poops. If you’re in for a long day out in the wilderness and there won’t be any bathrooms to escape to, be sure to pack waste bags, a small hand shovel, and tp. You can learn how to properly dispose of your waste over on the Leave No Trace website here.

Headlamps

If you’ll be out past dark, or will be in a dark area such as a cave, make sure you have headlamps. Don’t forget to make sure they have fresh batteries or are freshly charged!

Wildlife Knowledge

This one isn’t necessarily what to pack for an elopement, but just a “be prepared” talk. While not all elopement locations out there impose a large chance of encountering dangerous wildlife, some do. Once during in Alaska, we got trapped on a one-way in and out beach with a large grizzly bear that was looking for fish washed ashore during low tide. He was blocking our way back out to the parking lot. We spoke up loud enough so he knew we were nearby, and he skedaddled right back into the woods to hide and not be seen again. If you’ll be in bear country or any other area full of wildlife, I encourage you to watch informational videos and research ways you can keep yourself and wildlife safe. Moose, bobcats, and other critters live out in these spaces we explore, so it’s important to be prepared.

Wildlife Safety

• Keep food and waste packed away tightly and deep within your bag
• Be aware of your surroundings at all times
• Do not approach wildlife
• Do not feed wildlife
• Do not pet wildlife
• Keep conversations going so that wildlife knows you’re nearby (do this even when you are alone)
• Remember that wildlife is almost always just as scared as you
• Do your best to not get between a mama and her babies
• Do not enter a known feeding area (these are usually marked and blocked off for your safety)
• Do not enter blocked off areas
• Carry bear spray
• Be prepared. Research the area, and the wildlife you might encounter

LNT: Leave No Trace

Last mom talk and then we will get back on track with the checklist. In order to keep our parks open, keep our landscapes beautiful, and keep our wildlife safe, it’s important to be LNT aware. Read about the 7 Principles here. In short, know these things:

• Don’t take anything nature needs
• Don’t leave anything behind
• Respect wildlife
• Respect other park visitors
• Stay on trail
• Be prepared; research the area and trails

Misc. Things to Include on Your Elopement Packing Checklist

Moving past the necessities, here’s some extra things you can pack for the trip, or get while on your elopement adventure, that just give a little extra sentiment to the occasion!

• “We eloped” sign
• Custom dress/tux hanger
• National Park Jr. Ranger Badge
• National Park Map

“We Eloped” Sign

I love the signs couples get that say “we eloped” or “just married”, because not only do they make for a cute photo-op on elopement day, it’s something you can hang at home later next to your elopement photos. Some of my favorites I’ve seen are the national park signs that signify which park you eloped in (if marrying in one of our many NPs) – I’m sure you could have one made for state parks, too! There’s also more general ones that just say “we eloped” or “just married” that can be hung from your backpack. Search Etsy for a plethora of choices.

Custom Hangers

Custom hangers for your elopement outfits are one simple way to elevate your photos. If your photographer will be doing details and getting ready coverage before you guys head out on the adventure, consider getting custom hangers that have your date, name, or other personalized elopement message on them. Trust me, these will look much better than the cheap plastic hangers that generally come with your attire! Even just upgrading for a plain wooden or velvet hanger helps elevate those photos of your outfits. Check out Etsy for custom hangers.

Jr. Ranger Park Badges

You can get a cute national park badge to take home with you. This is a perfect memento for your elopement day if you’re getting married at a national park, and could make for a great addition to your details photos (you will want to do this a day or so before your elopement if you want photos of the badge). All you have to do is go to the national park’s visitor center and ask for the junior ranger’s fill-out book. Correctly answer the questions in the book and then take it back to the center (It doesn’t take long to complete). You’ll be asked to take your ranger’s oath, and then you’ll be given your official jr. ranger badge! This would also be a cute activity you could do during your elopement to document the experience. Here’s mine from my favorite national park in Alaska, the Kenai Fjords:

National Park Map

This is another nice memento to take home, and something to add to your details photos, if you’re getting married at a national park. You can generally get a copy of the map at the visitor center.

Additional Resources

Use this guide for reference when it comes time for you to pack for your elopement! Need additional resources to help you get started in elopement planning? Check out some of my other Guides:

• How to Elope in Arkansas
• How to Choose between Eloping or Having a Wedding