Dolomites Sunrise Hiking Elopement - Heather & Shashwat

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Heather & Shashwat wanted their elopement adventure to be something just for them. Being torn between a couple of locations, and wanting to experience as much as possible during their time in the Dolomites, they opted for a multi-day adventure.

On the afternoon of their arrival, we met at the lift station, took a ride up the cable car and hiked over to their mountain hut accommodation for the night. To make sure we know how long the hike would take the next morning, we hiked up to the top to scout out the perfect spot for them to exchange vows the following morning at sunrise. At 4:30am, in the darkness, we set off to the top of the ridge to give them both time to change so that they could exchange their vows exactly as the sun was rising behind them. After emotional vows, we headed deeper into the mountains for some pre-breakfast hiking and exploration, stopping at another mountain hut for some well-needed caffeine and breakfast. Heather & Shashwat then decided to change back into more comfortable hiking clothes for the hike back down. By 11:30 everyone was already exhausted, so we called it a day and they went off to check in to their hotel for some relaxing spa time before a special dinner in the Michelin star restaurant Anna Stuben.

Their second adventure day started with a sunrise session at the boathouse at Lago di Braies, where they were very lucky to experience the location without too many other people around. After some fun in the boats, they changed into their hiking clothes, and let me guide them into the mountains to a stunning panoramic viewpoint.

To the couple – Why did you choose to elope?

Shashwat: We like to do things exactly the way we want. Having a traditional/more formal wedding naturally meant that we had to account for the wants/needs of people outside of the two of us. We went down the path of planning a traditional wedding, but shortly after putting the deposit down on a venue, it was hit with a modest landslide (no joke) and we took it as a sign to fuck the bullshit. I also felt a tension of both wanting to celebrate with friends, but also not wanting to be the center of attention at a big event. The plan to elope helped us get the best of both worlds. We did a bachelor/bachelorette weekend with our best friends, a legal marriage ceremony with our close family, and a vow exchange with just the two of us. Perfect!

Heather: We worked really hard to thread the needle between having a celebration that was true to our values, and also honoring and respecting the wishes of our parents. Then our venue fell off a cliff. Honestly, I take that as a sign that we don’t need to thread the needle, and instead, we should be even more true to the things that we want and envision for the start of this marriage. For me, the most important things are to 1) celebrate with my chosen family, and 2) make meaningful promises that are intimate, personal and just for the two of us. And a legal ceremony checks a bunch of other boxes. I’ve seen a lot of people spend a lot of time, energy, and money on executing a vision that doesn’t actually bring them joy.