A beautiful Hiking Elopement at Acadia National Park, and an example of Including Family in Your Hiking Elopement.
Sarah & Shane knew that they wanted to elope at Acadia, on Maine’s Mount Desert Island, even after their initial 2020 wedding date had to be delayed two times! This beautiful couple loved the idea of a relaxed wedding day in nature, while still including their closest family & friends. Their Hiking Elopement at Acadia National Park provided the perfect backdrop for both of those things, combining an intimate ceremony with adventurous hiking portraits.
HIKING ELOPEMENT AT ACADIA NATIONAL PARK | INCLUDING FAMILY IN YOUR HIKING ELOPEMENT
Hiking Elopement at Acadia National Park
There are plenty of reasons why Acadia is such a well-known, well-loved National Park. It boasts the highest point on the East Coast (Cadillac Mountain!), it’s home to an epic range of wildlife from moose to whales, and it has a really beautiful range of landscapes from coastal, cliffy scenery to lush forests and mountaintop views. These are also all the same reasons that Acadia National Park is such a beautiful destination for adventurous elopements, like Sarah & Shane’s. Sarah & Shane incorporated hiking and nature into almost every part of their day, from the short walk into Otter Cliffs to their portrait session on Beech Mountain.
Beech Mountain is actually one of my personal favorite hikes in Acadia National Park, and it’s a really great example of how you can have a hiking elopement without getting too intense. The trail is a moderate loop with amazing views over Long Pond and Mansell Mountain, and it’s only 1.2 miles long – enough to feel you’re doing a proper hike without being too difficult or taking up too much of your day! Especially if you also want to include loved ones in a similar way to Sarah & Shane.
For more information on How to Plan Your Hiking Elopement, check out my guide featuring Elaine & Nathan’s day!
Including Family in your Hiking Elopement
Sarah & Shane wanted their elopement to include both their closest family & friends, and hiking, and Acadia has plenty of accessible, easy hikes. They started their day with an Otter Cliffs Wedding Ceremony before heading to a little picnic area for cake & champagne. From there, they made their way up to Cadillac Mountain, but not without a stop first in a surprise location – a field full of Lupin flowers that were just blooming everywhere! Their family & friends came along for the fun, and it was so great to have them there with us to share in the joy.
Honestly, it’s not so common to have your family along for so much of an elopement day, but I think it’s another beautiful of example of how you can make your elopement true to the two of you. One of the main reasons many couples decide to elope is because a traditional wedding doesn’t quite work for them. So throw out the rulebook, and if you want to bring your favorite people along for the ride, then do it!
Side note: a special shout out to Sarah’s Mom, who is a florist and built Sarah’s bouquet especially for her. It was such a lovely touch and seeing Sarah’s joy when her Mom delivered it was a super special moment!
Are you planning your own Hiking Elopement in Acadia National Park? I’d love to help plan and document your epic day for you. Just get in touch!
https://www.nicoledaackephotography.com/adventurous-wedding-photographer
Did you love the way Sarah & Shane Included Family in Their Hiking Elopement? Let them know in the comments below!