48 Essentials: Your Complete Adventurous Wedding Packing List
Adventurous elopements have been rapidly growing in popularity for a ton of (great) reasons:
Having a completely authentic wedding day
An intimate experience with just your partner or with your closest friends/family
Jaw dropping photos to cherish for the rest of your life
Getting to have an amazing experience in amazing places
Whether you want to get married on a stunning mountaintop, in another country (like Iceland, Norway, Italy, etc.), or a sentimental location—an adventurous elopement is an amazing way to have a meaningful and exciting wedding without $40,000+.
If your elopement location involves hiking and exploring, it is essential to pack all of the necessities. It wouldn’t be fun to hike up a mountain and realize you forgot a pen to sign your marriage license or find yourself being chilly without having any layers or even being hungry without any snacks! No one wants to be uncomfortable on their wedding day.
To help you out, I’ve curated a packing list of all the items that are extremely useful to have on your adventurous elopement day.
Hiking Clothes
Hiking Shoes / Boots
This may be one of the most important things you can’t afford to forget on your adventurous elopement day. If you are choosing a location that you have to hike into, you’ll want the appropriate footwear. You want to feel stable, comfortable, and not get any blisters. A good hiking boot will have good traction, ankle support, and be waterproof. Also be sure to wear your boots in a lot before your elopement! This helps break them in to prevent any blisters on your elopement day and ensure that they fit right before it’s too late.
P.S. if you want nicer shoes for your ceremony or portraits, we can still do that! Just pack them along in your hiking packs & change into them at the viewpoint.
2. Windbreaker / Warm Jacket
Depending on the season and location o you adventurous elopement, you should plan to bring a durable jacket that can help break the wind and/or keep you warm. If eloping in the mountains, the higher elevations can stay pretty chilly well throughout the summer and have high winds—even if the weather is different at the base. It’s also possible that we may be doing some hiking in the dark if you’re planning a sunrise or sunset elopement. When the sun isn’t out, it will also be significantly chillier. You’ll want something you can layer on and off throughout the day.
3. Wool Socks
It’s so so so important to have moisture-wicking socks that can keep you warm as you hike and stay breathable. Believe me, it’s worth it to spend a few extra dollars on some quality socks! Make sure you bring extras in case they need to be changed for some reason—soggy socks never feel good.
P.S. if you’re looking to break in your hiking boots, try layering a few pairs of your thick, wool socks and wear the boots around the house for a few hours at a time. That way, you can rest assured knowing blisters won’t have any part in your adventurous elopement.
4. Comfortable Pants
The rule of thumb for hiking pants is pretty simple: anything but jeans. The same goes for your elopement. Jeans just aren’t the best choice for hiking as the fabric isn’t moisture wicking, flexible, or breathable. Try and find some comfortable (and warm—depending on location and season) joggers, workout leggings, or cargo pants. Eddie Bauer has some great options!
Pro Tip: If you are eloping in high altitudes or at a location that is cold during that season, get a pair of nude fleece leggings to wear underneath your dress! This keeps your legs warm but looks like skin on camera still.
5. Rain Ponchos / Clear Umbrellas
You don’t need anything too fancy or expensive here, but it’s important to avoid getting drenched during your elopement. I have experienced torrential downpour even when there’s supposed to be a 0% chance of rain. Weather forecasts can change very quickly—especially in some mountainous locations. The fact is, you’re choosing to get married in the outdoors and need to be prepared for whatever Mother Nature throws at you. A clear disposable raincoat like this 4-pack or these clear umbrellas from Amazon is perfect. Buying clear options also means opportunities for super cute, aesthetic rainy photos feat. your clothes underneath!
6. Seasonal Items as Needed
Depending on the location and season of your elopement, you may need some extra items. It’s a good idea to check local weather to see what to anticipate. For example, if you’re having an adventurous elopement in Alaska during the fall, you’ll want to think about multiple layers of insulation and foot/hand warmers. Eloping in Yosemite during the summer? Different story. Your photographer is likely to have done extensive research and may have photographed in similar areas/climates before. Ask them what extras they pack that time of year in that location—they’re the expert on your side!
Hiking Gear
7. Comfortable Backpack
Whether or not you have a good backpack can make or break your hiking experience. Note, that does not mean you have to go out and spend $300 on the finest top of the line professional backpack.
If you have a backpack that you know works for you, use that! Whatever you do, make sure you take the pack you’re using for a test run with most (if not all) the things you plan to bring on the big day. You should also make sure your backpack is either waterproof or has a rain cover.
8. Headlamps / Flashlights
Packing extra lighting is extremely important, especially if you’re planning an elopement at sunrise or sunset. I speak from personal experience….headlamps may seem like overkill at first, but when you’re hiking at 4:00am to catch a sunrise, you’ll be so glad.
A couple tips:
Your phone’s flashlight may not be bright enough. Your depth perception can be distorted without enough light (which can be really dangerous when hiking), and it can be hard to see when rocks are casting shadows in front of you. Also, you probably don’t want to risk dropping your phone or your battery dying.
A headlamp can be really nice, because it frees up your hands. If you trip, having those hands freed can save you from taking a nasty fall. These things are also sooo bright, so you’ll be able to see so much better when it’s pitch black.
9. Water / Filter
I can’t say it enough how important it is to stay hydrated during your adventurous elopement. Nothing is worse than running out of water on a long hike. Depending on the length of your hike to your elopement spot, you may not want to pack enough water to last throughout the day. Instead, you can buy a water bottle with a purifier built inside & you can connect with nature a little more.
10. Snacks
When thinking about what snacks to pack for the trial, you want to make sure you’re getting protein and carbs. Some great options are nuts (or trail mix), bananas and peanut butter, beef jerky, or a protein bar.
Pro Tip: if you have the space in your backpack, you can also pack some of you and your partner’s fancier, non-hiking snacks for your elopement. For example, cheesecake makes a great wedding cake replacement.
11. Multi Tool
A great all-purpose multi tool almost always comes in handy. From simple things like a tag you forgot to cut off to first aid emergencies, a multi tool is a great investment. You never know when you might need one, but trust me, you will be thankful that it is in your backpack if a situation arises.
Pro Tip: get one with a wine cork like this one if you plan on bringing any corked bottles.
12. Maps
When eloping in national parks, national forests, state parks, or even BLM land, often times there is little to no cell service in these areas. For that reason alone, you don’t want to be relying on your data to be able to load GPS driving maps or trail maps.
On Google Maps, you have the ability to download offline maps. This lets you download a specific region & you are able to get GPS driving directions—even when you don’t have service. I always inform my couples to do this before heading out for their adventurous elopement.
You also have the ability to download trail maps on AllTrails. This is a great option to have on your phone while hiking, but I also recommend printing a paper copy to keep in your hiking bag just in case.
13. Portable Charger
From what we talked about above, there is likely to be pretty important information on your phone that you will need throughout the day like trail maps and downloaded GPS maps to get directions while driving home. You can even use it as a backup flashlight or compass. Plus, sometimes you can find signal, which is super helpful during emergencies!
I’ve been saved by these things so many times. Find one that can hold a couple charges & be sure that it is fully charged before heading out on the trail.
14. First Aid Kit
You can go as fancy or simple as you feel here, as long as you have the basics. If you want to, you can definitely make your own first aid kit, but here’s a pre-assembled one if you want the convenience.
Here is an article about the essential first aid items to bring on a hike.
15. Sunscreen
Depending on the season and weather, you should plan ahead with sunscreen. Burnt honeymoon skin? Not the experience we’re going for.
If you’ve gotten a really bad burn - like red as a tomato bad - you can probably imagine how unpleasant it would be to put on a wedding dress and suit in that condition.
16. Bug Spray
This one’s pretty self explanatory, but if you don’t do much hiking, you might not realize how important it is to have bug spray. This is essential, unless of course you want to be thinking about the buy you’re trying to swat away rather than your vows!
You can get unscented bug spray, or even bug repellant wipes.
17. Matches / Lighter
If you want to start a cozy romantic fire (if permitted & following fire regulations), you’ll need to pack something to spark the flame. But even more importantly, if you are going for a long hike, fire is one of the “ten essentials” of hiking in case of emergencies.
If you go with matches, put them in a ziplock bag to prevent them from being ruined by spilled water or rain. My recommendation is a lighter like this one that is windproof and waterproof.
18. Compass
Okay, sometimes you can’t always trust technology. Bring a compass just in case your phone dies or simply want to avoid pulling out your phone on the trail. You may never need to use it, but in the off chance that you do, you’ll be glad it’s there.
As a side note, the AllTrails app is fantastic. You can pre-load a map of most trails and it will use your phone’s GPS to show you where you are on the trail, even without service.
19. Bear Spray
If you’re hiking in bear country for your adventurous elopement, it’s a great idea to bring bear spray. You can purchase bear spray, or many outdoor stores in these areas will also rent it. Just be sure to familiarize yourself with how to use it—just in case.
This isn’t to scare you—I’ve never encountered a bear while hiking. Again, the idea is to prepare for the worst case scenario that probably won’t happen, but if it did, you’d be ready.
20. Waterproof Bag / Ziplocks
When you’re hiking, stuff happens. Things can fall onto a muddy trail, water spills, and sometimes it rains. A good rule of thumb: if the thought of it getting wet on the trail stresses you out, throw it in a bag. For example, you do not want to drop your marriage license in a puddle of water!
Better safe than sorry! You can separate small things into categories and throw in transparent, waterproof bags for easy access.
For the Ceremony
21. Rings and Ringbox
There are so many amazing options for ring boxes to keep your rings safe in a beautiful way. Find one that matches you and your fiancé’s personality and make sure to keep it in one of those waterproof bags.
22. Marriage License
You can’t make your elopement official without your marriage license! Do NOT forget to pack this. Consider grabbing a cheap folder to keep all the important documents you’ll need (marriage license, trail maps, vows, etc) in one place so that everything is easy to find & nothing magically disappears.
23. Parking Pass / Permits
Along with important documents, you will NOT want to forget a hard copy of any parking pass or permit you need for the day. Print it out & keep it stored in a waterproof bag (maybe an extra copy in another spot justtt in case).
24. Pens
This is a very easy thing to forget, but make sure you remember them so you can sign your marriage license! You can bring some cheap ones or buy some nice ones if that’s your thing. Just make sure to bring some backups in case one doesn’t work or one gets lost.
25. Vows
As I mentioned above, a folder can be really handy for storing the ride or die essentials like these. If you’re keeping your vows a surprise, each person can pack their own folder. If you need a little more assurance, you can print out multiple copies and store them in different locations.
You could also buy books like these to write your vows in. There’s also a ton of beautiful options for vow books, so find a pair that fits you and your fiancé’s vibe best. They’re super cute in photos & you’ll get to have them for decades to come.
26. Flowers
If you’re planning on incorporating flowers into your elopement, there are a few things you can do to protect them and make sure they last as long as possible.
Obviously there’s the option of fake flowers, but if you're partial to fresh ones, I recommend you keep them in water for as long as possible until you start hiking. Then, take a damp rag or paper towel and cover the bottom of the stems. Then, stick the bouquet inside a plastic bag and let them peak out of the top of your backpack. They should last several hours this way.
27. Blanket / Rug
Laying down a nice blanket can give you some kind of decor for your ceremony but also doubles as a super cute little place to have a celebratory picnic! Find something cozy that you won’t be upset about dirtying.
They’re a little pricey but I LOVE Pendleton blankets!
28. LED Candles
While having open flame candles that are easily knocked over by feet or wind isn’t the best idea when getting married out in nature—that doesn’t mean that we still can’t accomplish the romantic look! I highly suggest getting some LED candles if you are obsessed with that vibe & run wild with it! These can be especially romantic after the sun sets by just sitting amongst the candle light or having a candle lit dinner.
29. Sentimental Items
If you have any special items you want to incorporate into your wedding day (think memorabilia of a loved one, pride flag, etc), be sure to pack them along & make sure they are protected from water or damage. For smaller, more delicate items, try packing them in several layers of fabric (maybe those extra wool socks) and then seal in a labeled waterproof bag.
Elopement Attire
For the Bride
It should go without saying that you don’t want to forget any of your wedding attire! You should make your own personal checklist of everything you need & mark it off as you pack.
30. Dress
One of the things I love most about adventurous elopements is their intimacy and how personal they are to the couple. Without any pressures of what they want, a bride can focus on what she wants. Oftentimes, that means choosing a dress that’s unique, perfectly matches her style, and reflects her adventurous spirit. All that said, don’t leave the dress at home. 🙂
Be sure to evaluate ahead of time how you’ll need to pack your dress. Depending on the material, I recommend either hanging your dress on your backpack in a doubled up garment bag or (if you’re less worried about wrinkles) try rolling your dress and putting it in a protective bag.
31. Shoes
Unless you are wanting to wear hiking boots for the entire day—including the ceremony (which is definitely a legitimate option)—remember to pack the shoes that you are planning on wearing. I do recommend steering away from any super high or super pointy heels as they can be difficult to walk or even just stand in on mountain terrain.
32. Jewelry
No explanation needed here. Whether you’re going minimal or packing an extravagant headpiece, find a way to pack your jewelry in your bag in a way they won’t be damaged along the way. You could also try out a carrier like this one that folds up your jewelry inside of it and keeps everything from getting tangled or lost.
33. Veil
If you’re planning on wearing a veil (which I HIGHLY recommend because veil photos are gorgeous), be sure to not forget it! Being on top of a mountain or along the coast usually means lots of wind! That being said, consider getting some veil weight magnets like these to keep your veil from flying in a crazy manner & keep you more comfortable.
34. Makeup
Find a sturdy, waterproof makeup bag that will leave your mind at ease knowing your liquid foundation and veil or marriage license will never meet. Whether you want to bring makeup for any touchups or want to hold off on applying any makeup until after hiking, there’s definitely a few things you will want to consider packing:
Oil Blotting Sheets
Let’s face it, a lot of physical exertion can give some of us more than a “natural glow” than we’d like. These sheets are really great at quickly removing any excess oil.
Concealer
Grab the concealer you’re using if you need a quick touch up or need to conceal an unexpected blemish pop up.
Makeup Remover Wipes
Sometimes you just need a good eraser! Pack a couple of these justttt in case.
Hairspray & Bobby Pins
Not technically makeup, but throw a little travel sized hairspray bottle for any touch ups and a few bobby pins just in case.
35. Mirror
You don't need anything huge here, but it’s easy to forget! You will want something to check your makeup, hair, etc. after hiking. I suggest bringing a mirror you’re not too worried about breaking in case something happens on trail.
For the Groom
Everything below is all the staples of what a groom will typically need attire wise—the easy to remember and the easy to forget. I suggest the same tip as I used for the bride’s dress which is to keep the suit in a double lined garment bag hanging off the backpack, or rolling the suit up inside a closed bag. If you’re particularly worried about wrinkles, consider a shirt/suit made of a polyester/cotton blend. They’re almost completely wrinkle free and will look crisp after a long hike to your elopement destination.
36. Suit
Pick out a suit that fits your elopement style and your personal style.
37. Shirt
Same advice from above also applies here. Make sure your entire outfit is tailored & fits well.
38. Undershirt
It can get chilly on the mountains, so consider getting a warm undershirt!
39. Tie
Skinny tie? Bow tie? No tie? Do whatever fits your style.
40. Pants
Even though you will likely be hiking in other clothes, be sure to have pants that aren’t too restrictive. You may want to explore a little for photos in a few different areas.
41. Dress Socks
My personal opinion? Wear something fun and represents something funny in your relationship!
42. Belt / Suspenders
Honestly? This is probably the easiest thing to forget. Triple check your bag!
43. Accessories
Don’t forget the small things—a tie clip, cuff links, pocket square, watch, etc.
44. Wrinkle Spray
A great option for wrinkles is a travel sized bottle of wrinkle spray. I can speak from personal experience that this stuff is magic.
Additional Items
45. Pop-Up Changing Tent
Trust me, this will make your life sooo much easier if you plan to change into your attire at the viewpoint. You can find one for as cheap as $30 & they fold up easily. It makes changing out in nature—especially on a mountaintop with other people—a complete breeze.
I have one of these I always offer to bring with. Some of my clients don’t care about changing in nature, but if you do, these little tents are game changers.
46. Quick Dry Towel
This is great to have for any spills, touch ups, or clean ups you might need to do. I recommend finding a microfiber option that dries quickly so you don’t have to place a wet towel into your bag.
If you’re overly sweaty after the hike, a towel like this can be great to freshen up a bit before your elopement.
47. Deodorant
Don’t get me wrong, the smell of post-hike BO is definitely natural and a totally acceptable part of the process. That being said, it’s probably not what you want to remember about your partner on your wedding day. Bring some deodorant to freshen up before you say your vows!
48. Tissues
Last, but certainly not least, get ready to cry some extremely happy tears. Pack some tissues along for both of you. You’re about to share the most incredible, intimate moments of your relationship.
Plus, some mountaintops can get chilly! I always like to bring some tissues along just in case.
Hey, I’m Sally! I’m a destination adventure elopement photographer based in Washington, but traveling worldwide!
