I couldn’t imagine a better way to start 2020 than with a beachfront wedding in Jamaica. This all-inclusive island getaway provided a luxurious and adventurous location for Kaylynn and Shane’s destination wedding. It was a special celebration of love with friends and family on the picturesque tropical shores of Jamaica.

Long distance couldn’t keep Joy and Matt from starting their relationship and dating until they finally lived in Colorado together. Once they got engaged, Matt and Joy knew they wanted a destination wedding on a beach somewhere! Already a special place for Joy and Matt, and a place they loved visiting, Fort Myers Beach in Florida quickly rose to the top of their list. Lovers Key State Park provided just the place for them, and they decided that would be the location for their beachfront wedding.

The glorious Snake River along with Jenny Lake, Jackson Lake, and the majestic Teton Range are all beautiful backdrops for a wedding. Wyoming’s Grand Teton National Park offers a phenomenal landscape to magnificanly house your elopement. Most of the National Parks allow elopements and ceremonies to take place within their boundaries, but many of them have rules/suggestions when it comes to getting married in their specific park. 

To elope in Grand Teton National Park, a special use permit must be secured first. The non-refundable permit itself is $125, and the application for the permit can be found here.

Famous for its turquoise lakes, inspiring mountains, and an array of breathtaking scenery and wildlife, Banff National Park is one of the most beautiful and unique places to elope. Canada’s first national park, Banff captivates the imagination with miles and miles of hiking trails, trees, and relaxing hot springs to create a stunning place to say I do. Most of the National Parks allow elopements and ceremonies to take place within their boundaries, but many of them have rules/suggestions when it comes to getting married in their specific park. 

Immerse yourself in some of the tallest trees on the continent in a National Park praised on their naturally diverse ecosystem and their commitment to preserving this amazing strip of coastline in California. Redwood National Park offers the perfect majestic forest backdrop for eloping. With mystical scenery, the California sun, and a location not too far from San Francisco and Portland, Oregon, Redwood National and State Parks could be the perfect elopement destination for you. Most of the National Parks allow elopements and ceremonies to take place within their boundaries, but many of them have rules/suggestions when it comes to getting married in their specific park. 

Just a ferry ride, and a short drive along the island, family and friends arrived at Drummond Island Resort to celebrate Laura and John’s special day. A cherished, life-long vacation spot for Laura’s family, and a favorite get-away location for Laura and John ever since they first started dating, the Drummond Island Resort served as the perfect, sentimental spot for their vows to be taken. With a traditional log cabin feel, the resort was very homey, the staff was super friendly, and their food was to die for! During the rehearsal dinner, the mouthwatering aroma of the best pizza on the island filled the room.

The perfect spot for a hike in the woods or a climb to a mountain peak can also be the perfect spot for your wedding. Yosemite National Park’s captivating landscape offers waterfalls, mighty California trees, and snow-capped mountains. Yosemite’s inspirational scenery is a beautiful place to elope. Most of the National Parks allow elopements and ceremonies to take place within their boundaries, but many of them have rules/suggestions when it comes to getting married in their specific park. 

To elope in Yosemite National Park, a special use permit must be secured first.

For an epic view that will take your breath away, look no further than the Grand Canyon National Park for a massive backdrop for your elopement. This vast setting has inspired many with its natural beauty that can be seen from a space shuttle; but this place is quite peaceful despite all the publicity, and could be the perfect majestic location for your elopement. Most of the National Parks allow elopements and ceremonies to take place within their boundaries, but many of them have rules/suggestions when it comes to getting married in their specific park. 

The Grand Canyon is no exception.

Utah is a vastly beautiful state with so many different backdrops and charming places to consider for your elopement. It’s one of my favorite places to travel and vacation to—not to mention capture in a photo. Utah is a great place to elope or to renew vows. Here are my top five places to elope in Utah.

To start, Arches National Park is one of Utah’s most popular national parks and a stunning area to elope. Delicate Arch is the most famous feature, and looks spectacular during sunset. Located in southern Utah, Arches National Park isn’t far from the cute town of Moab, which has the hookups for hair, makeup, and floral arrangements for your elopement.

Bryce Canyon National Park provides a phenomenal backdrop for any elopement. From the captivating calcareous rock, to the famous Bryce Amphitheater, this National Park is a staple of Utah, and will definitely make your elopement seem right out of a fairytale. Most of the National Parks allow elopements and ceremonies to take place within their boundaries, but many of them have rules/suggestions when it comes to getting married in their specific park.

To elope in Bryce Canyon National Park, a special use permit must be secured first.

Eloping is beautiful for a wedding day that focuses on the two of you, what’s important to you, and what makes the two of you special. Rather than focus on tradition and big wedding plans, eloping can incorporate things you really want and enjoy, whether you love hiking, being outside, or have family land. Often, the wedding is tailored towards family or friends, rather than what’s important to you. That’s why I encourage eloping: an opportunity to actually create a wedding day that means something to you. Just because you want to elope, doesn’t mean you have to go really far away—especially on a limited budget.

The majestic landscape of Olympic National Park encompasses not only a breathtaking coastline, but a beautiful backdrop of trees and mountains as well. Beaches dotting the Pacific coastline make the most astonishing destination to make your wedding day even more magical. Most of the National Parks allow elopements and ceremonies to take place within their boundaries, but many of them have rules/suggestions when it comes to getting married in their specific park.

To elope in Olympic National Park, a special use permit must be secured first. The permit itself is $50, and the application for the permit can be found here.

Glacier National Park is often called the Crown of the Continent, and for good reason: it’s one of the most stunning parks in the National Park System. With rugged mountains, alpine lakes, forests, and wildlife abound, Glacier National Park is on many people’s bucket lists. There’s beauty around every corner that effortlessly captivates her visitors. Just ask Andy–his first experience with any mountain landscape was in Glacier National Park, and his forehead was practically glued to the windshield as we drove through. Because of it’s endless beauty, Glacier National Park makes for a gorgeous elopement backdrop.

The other-worldly red rock playground that is Arches National Park has captivated millions of people around the world. The slickrock and gravity-defying arches make for a most beautiful backdrop, one that’s sure to make your wedding day even more stunning. Most of the National Parks allow elopements and ceremonies to take place within their boundaries, but many of them have rules/suggestions when it comes to getting married in their specific park.

To elope in Arches National Park, a special use permit must be secured first. The permit itself is $185, and the application for the permit can be found here.

There are some places in this amazing country of ours that are so beautiful, they bring tears to our eyes. They’re so captivating, we’re moved to silence, just standing in awe of the incredible vista before us. Zion National Park absolutely fits into that category, which is why so many people are inspired to elope there. Surrounded by its towering red rock walls, or standing on top of a mesa looking down on the Virgin River, there are so many possible places to elope and start the next chapter of your love story. Most of the National Parks allow elopements and ceremonies to take place within their boundaries, but many of them have rules/suggestions when it comes to getting married in their specific park.

There are some places in this world that are filled with jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring beauty. Here in the United States, we’re lucky enough to have thousands of beautiful landscapes to explore, some of them in our own backyards. But some of them steal our hearts and lure us back time and time again, always soothing our souls and quieting our minds. Zion National Park is one of these places.

The red canyon walls tower above the Virgin River and the charming town of Springdale, Utah. Zion is an outdoor Lover's Paradise, offering everything from hiking to Camping to rock climbing and more.