11 Most Popular Dolomites Wedding & Elopement Locations
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As a local elopement photographer specializing in elopements in the Dolomites, I’ve been photographing elopements all over the region since 2018. In these years, weddings and elopements in this region have been increasing in popularity, and a handful of locations seem to be getting chosen as the most popular spots. However, I don’t actually think the most popular Dolomites wedding locations are necessarily the best, especially for intimate elopements.
When planning an elopement in the Dolomites, most couples come across these locations first, and, understandably, they have become the most requested locations. They are all incredibly beautiful. But many of them lack the very thing couples are looking for when they elope – intimacy and privacy. That’s why I use my years of experience as an elopement photographer and certified hiking guide in this region to create bespoke itineraries for each and every couple. Every elopement location in the Dolomites is carefully selected based on seasonal accessibility, your fitness and desire to hike, and your general vision for how you want to spend your time in the Dolomites.
In this post, I want to give you an overview of the most popular wedding and elopement locations in the Dolomites, so that you can decide if one of these is right for you, or if you’re looking to adventure somewhere a bit more off-the-beaten-path.
Don’t forget to check out my complete Dolomites elopement planning guide here: Ultimate Dolomites Elopement Planning Guide
The Most Popular Dolomites Elopement Locations
In the map below, I’ve listed the most popular Dolomites wedding and elopement locations to give you an idea of where in the region they are located.
These top locations are:
- Lago di Braies
- Cadini di Misurina
- Tre Cime di Lavaredo
- Seceda
- Alpe di Siusi
- Passo Gardena
- Val di Funes
- Lago di Sorapis
- Passo Giau
- Lagazuoi
- Cinque Torri
One of the most common mistakes when planning an elopement in the Dolomites is underestimating the distances and driving between these locations, as most are connected by small, winding mountain roads. For example, two of the most popular locations are Lago di Baies and Cadini di Misurina. The driving distance between these locations is approximately 1 hour (longer if you’re stuck behind trucks or cyclists). When you start looking at combining locations like Seceda, Lago di Braies and Cadini di Misurina, you’re looking at a minimum of 2.5 hours of driving one way!
Lago di Braies
Let’s start with what might be the most famous location in all of the Dolomites (definitely top 3). This location first became well-known in Italy due it it being used as a filming location for a popular TV drama. But over the years, it’s also become one of the most photographed locations in the whole region.
Whilst it might look like the perfect place to get married in the Dolomites, Lago di Braies isn’t a location that I recommend for an intimate elopement. For the simple fact that it’s incredibly busy almost year-round now. The problem is you’ll see loads of photos on Instagram or Pinterest that make it look serene and idyllic but that’s the beauty of a still image. It can be shot and edited to make it look like you were the only people there when the reality was totally different. And those iconic drone photos you’ve seen here? Flying drones at Lago di Braies is also forbidden – because the area is a combination of private property and a protected natural park, so if you see photographers promoting this spot with drone photos, be aware that they were taken with full disregard for the rules and respect of the local area.
In the last couple of years, Lago di Braies has seen such an increase in tourism, that sometimes I think it feels more like a theme park than an area of natural beauty. Of course, the lake is still incredibly beautiful, and if you are visiting the Dolomites, I do recommend visiting it, just not on your wedding day. If you do decide to keep Lago di Braies on your elopement day schedule, the best time to go is early in the morning. Just look at driving times because it’s quite far away from a lot of other places in the Dolomites. It’s also not unusual to see multiple couples in wedding attire at Lago di Braies (on the day of the photo above there were 3), so if meeting another wedding couple on your wedding day or standing in line for a photo opportunity isn’t your idea of romantic, give this one a miss.
Cadini di Misurina & Tre Cime Di Lavaredo
Cadini di Misurina and Tre Cime di Lavaredo are two incredibly popular elopement locations that are right next to one another, so I’m lumping them together in this write-up. Reaching both locations is extremely easy. There’s a private toll road from Misurina that takes you right to Rifugio Auronzo at the base of the towers (it costs €35 for a day or €45 if you stay overnight & drive down the next day), and from the parking lot, it’s a short hike.
Because of how easy this location is to access, it’s also super popular. During the peak summer months (July to early September) the road closes as soon as the car park at the top is full, which can be as early as 9 am.
For the best light and the most privacy for your elopement, I highly recommend staying overnight in one of the mountain huts around the Tre Cime and getting up for a sunrise ceremony before the majority of the crowds arrive. The most famous rifugio is the Drei Zinnen Hütte (also known as Rifugio Locatelli), but you also have Rifugio Auronzo and Rifugio Lavaredo. These huts get booked out months in advance, so if you want to stay up here, you’ll need to book early.
Both of these spots are extremely popular for elopements (and with photographers and tourists too), so you can’t guarantee that even at sunrise or sunset, you’ll have privacy and seclusion here. On my last visit here, we had to share the Cadini di Misurina viewpoint with another couple. And if you want to take a photo at the famous Instagram spot, be prepared to wait in line.
Seceda
Seceda is an iconic Dolomites vista, and its ridge line is easily recognized with its shark fin-like peaks with grass on one side and dramatic cliffs on the other. Seceda is easily accessed by lift from Ortisei in Val Gardena or with a 1-hour hike from the Col Raiser lift from St Christina. The ease of access to Seceda makes it a popular destination for tourists, so expect to see crowds along the ridge during the day. A large amount of the ridge is fenced off, not only to stop people from falling over, but because there is a lot of ground erosion evident, and while you will see many people stepping over the fence for photos, I do not support this kind of behavior! However, there are some spots where there are breaks in the fence with stunning views. For the best light on Seceda, you’ll want to be here at sunrise when the sun comes up just behind the peaks – this means a 3-4 hour hike in the dark or staying overnight in one of the mountain huts and hiking for around 1.5 hours.
Alpe di Siusi
Alpe di Siusi (also known as Seiser Alm) is on the opposite side of the Val Gardena valley from Seceda. This location is popular for its green rolling meadows and quaint wooden huts with the majestic Sassolungo mountain in the distance. Reaching this area is easy between the hours of 9 am and 5 pm with a cable car from the valley. Alternatively, there are several hotels up here so you can stay up on the plateau. However, you’ll need to plan in access to your itinerary, as the roads are closed to traffic between the hours of 9 am and 5 pm.
As with many other popular locations in the Dolomites, Alpe di Siusi is also at its most glorious at sunrise. It’s also one of the locations that is great in the early summer season from June, as the wildflowers are blooming in the meadows.
Passo Gardena
Lots of people drive across Passo Gardena, but it’s slowly becoming a more popular location for elopements too due to the fact that it’s easy to access, it requires very little hiking and it works well at sunrise and sunset.
Val di Funes
This valley is famous on Instagram for not just one, but two pretty churches with the iconic backdrop of the Puez-Odle mountain group. However, what many photos don’t show (especially if they are from a few years ago) are the fences restricting access to the meadows. This area (Zanser Alm, Adolf-Pichler trail) is really beautiful and can be a really lovely place to visit for your elopement, but it’s important to know that not everything is accessible for photos. This is an area that I recommend visiting during the shoulder season (May-June and September-November) as that’s when it’s less crowded.
Lago di Sorapis
Lago di Sorapis is on this list because many couples ask about it as an option for their elopement. However, I’ve never had any couples actually choose it for their elopement due to two main factors. Firstly, it’s a super popular Instagram location, which means there are almost always crowds up here, and you can’t really get away from them. And secondly, because it’s a couple of hours of hiking to get here, with lots of uphill. Lago di Sorapis is a stunning location, but unlike many other locations in this list, there isn’t a whole lot to see or do up here besides the lake. If this is your dream location, I recommend sleeping overnight at the rifugio (Rifugio Vandelli) so that you can enjoy some time at the lake before the majority of hikers arrive in the morning.
Passo Giau
Passo Giau is one of the most easy to reach locations in the Dolomites, as you can drive and park right at the bottom. All around you, you’ll find stunning views of the Dolomites, surrounded by lush, grassy meadows. Parking on Passo Giau is extremely limited, so planning your visit outside of peak times is recommended. Passo Giau is a great location for late spring/early summer and fall elopements, as you don’t have to worry about snow on the trails.
Lagazuoi
Some folks love the green grassy meadows of the Dolomites, while others are drawn to the other-worldly rock formations and steep cliffs. If that’s you, then Lagazuoi might be your dream location. This particular spot is incredibly easy to reach, thanks to the cable car from the Falzarego Pass. Next to the top station of the cable car, you’ll also find Rifugio Lagazuoi, which is the perfect spot to spend the night if you want to experience the sunset and sunrise up on the mountain with very few other people around. During the lift operating hours, however, expect this spot to be pretty busy.
Cinque Torri
What once was one of my secret elopement locations has now become a pretty popular location for elopements in the Dolomites. Sunrise is the best time of day for the Cinque Torri if you don’t mind hiking or staying overnight at the Rifugio next door. During the day there’s a chairlift running up here from the Falzarego pass. There’s a circular hiking trail through the towers, as well as an open-air WWI museum that attracts hikers, history-lovers and serious rock climbers. I think this location would be perfect for a rock-climbing couple, as there are some really easy multi-pitch trad routes here. Why not climb to the top of one of the towers and say your vows on the top at sunrise?
Want to learn more about eloping in the Dolomites? You can find more guides for planning your Dolomites elopement below:
