Multicultural 2-Day Dolomites Elopement - Melissa & Matt

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Mellisa & Matthew met in college while volunteering as emergency medical technicians in the student ambulance service in upstate New York. Both being shy, they felt a traditional wedding would be overwhelming. Keen to blend both Indian, western, and Jewish cultural elements to really make their elopement their own. they opted for a 2-day elopement in the Dolomites where they could celebrate their love amongst meadows, lakes, and mountains.

Day 1 – Indian Wedding Attire Day – Visiting alpine lakes in Italy & Austria

The day began at 4 am, and by 6:30 am dressed in traditional Indian wedding attire, they met for a first look on the deck of the iconic boathouse at Lago di Braies. They then took one of the traditional wooden rowing boats out onto the lake and read letters that they had written to one another. Back on dry land, they did a traditional flower garland exchange and a candle-lighting ceremony on the shore of the lake. As the lake began to get crowded, they returned to their hotel for breakfast before heading out into the mountains again before exploring Obersee in East Tirol, just across the Austrian border.

Day 2 – Western Wedding Attire Day – Helicopter Ride & Traditional Western Ceremony

Another 4 am start, this time for their helicopter ride and short hike for sunrise at the iconic Seceda ridgeline. Afterward, we returned to the Helicopter and flew to the Tre Cime di Lavaredo, where they hiked towards the Cadini di Misurina view for their elopement ceremony. After their ceremony, they enjoyed a picnic and cut their cake, then took a short hike to view the stunning Cadini di Misurina peaks. On the way home, they also stopped off at another mountain lake before returning to the hotel and catching up on all the sleep they missed with the last 2 days of adventuring.