Breaking traditions – Joan & Austin’s Dolomites Hiking Elopement
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It took Joan & Austin about 30 minutes of wedding planning to realize that a traditional wedding just wasn’t for them. Instead, they decided they wanted their elopement to be full of nature, unpretentious, a little dirty, outdoors, surrounded by big mountains, and if they were lucky, perhaps some animals too.
Both being quite shy and reserved, they wanted their elopement to feel calm and relaxed, so that they could feel 100% present and in the moment, rather than feeling like the day was an extended photoshoot. They also wanted to make sure there was time and space for fun and silliness, as that was who they were as a couple.
They also decided to add an extra adventure day, and let me take them on a beautiful guided hike so they could experience even more of the Dolomites’ magic.
Their Story
How did you get engaged?
We got engaged on a hike during a trip to Alaska, in Denali National Park. We were witnessed by a wild beaver gamely swimming upstream, which was cute.
How did you decide on your location?
We wanted to give our vows to each other on an adventure and wanted our location to feel grand and extraordinary, to match the significance of the moment. Working with Cat helped us to balance the vision we had for our ceremony with factors like accessibility and privacy.
What were the biggest challenges you faced in planning your wedding/elopement?
We started planning a “traditional” wedding, and about 30 minutes in, realized we would rather elope. One unique element of this type of elopement is being okay with certain uncertainties (weather, other people, etc.), but once we decided on an approach, we knew we would have fun and it would be special no matter what.
What is your favourite moment/memory from the day?
There were so many special memories, but sharing our personal vows with each other was our favorite part.
What advice would you give to other couples planning their wedding?
Whether you choose a traditional wedding or something like a hiking elopement, there will be trade-offs and the temptation to wonder if you are missing something by choosing one style or the other. We followed our instinct to choose an adventure and cater our special day to ourselves, and the closer it got, the more we knew we had made the right choice for us. We are so grateful that we didn’t allow any subconscious pressure to adhere to tradition to affect our decision, so the advice would just be to reflect on what you want and follow your instinct.
Is there anything you are really glad you did? Or didn’t do?
We sent cards to our loved ones for them to write to us with thoughts, advice, stories, well-wishes, etc. We cherished the part of our day where we just sat down and read these together. It helped us to do our ceremony our way, but still incorporate loved ones.
What wedding planning resources did you use whilst planning your elopement (if any)? (Instagram, Pinterest, Wedding Blogs, Magazines, etc)
Reddit was helpful for the initial decision-making around weddings, costs, non-traditional ideas, etc. Seeing examples of other elopements on Cat’s website was helpful in deciding what locations and activities would make sense for us. We took inspiration from elements of wedding traditions and ceremonies we had been to, but kept it very simple and just chose things that suited us.
What was your favourite thing about working with Cat?
We were drawn to Cat’s style of leaning toward more natural, candid moments, and we were thrilled with the experience we had, the memories we made, and the pictures we got back. We felt good that we were doing our trip and ceremony respectfully of the environment while achieving our vision for what we wanted. She understood our personalities of being more introverted and private people, and delivered an experience that was authentic to us. We don’t know how anybody could not enjoy spending time with Cat for their special day(s), and we are super grateful to her.
