Two-Day Mountain Lakes Elopement in Austria – Ali & Kelsey
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The Engagement Story
Ali shocked Kelsey with a proposal in Amsterdam in November 2022. Ali’s sister Melissa lives there and It was Kelsey’s first time traveling internationally without her family. Despite much going wrong leading up to the day- bad weather pushed the plan back a week, the boiler broke the night before, Kelsey picked off her nails Ali sneakily got her to paint- the rain cleared up just in time for a sunny proposal on Quellijnbrug next to the picturesque Keizersgracht canal.
The Elopement Story
How did you decide on your location?
We both love water and were hoping for a spot near a lake of some sort. We also knew that we wanted the day of our vows to be a more chill day where we could get ready as a group and have a private picnic with our sisters. We chose a relatively short hike for our elopement day so that the emphasis would be on being together and in the moment, paired with a longer hike for our 2nd (non vows day). The location of our 2nd day had to be changed last minute due to wet conditions, but the other location Cat chose was incredible – absolutely zero regrets about the hike we did!
Any funny stories leading up to your wedding day?
Ali didn’t pick out her wedding jumpsuit until 2 hours before heading to the airport. It was the very last item of clothing she packed.
What were the biggest challenges you faced in planning your elopement?
We are both very close with our families and at times struggled to find the balance of getting them to understand why we wanted to elope while also being clear that it did not mean that we didn’t want to share the moment with them. Neither of us wanted to be the center of attention and spend months being stressed over a single, wildly expensive day. Both having big families, the idea of a small wedding in the states quickly escalated to a potentially massive party that was feeling less and less like us. Even once we had settled on the elopement, we often faced the sentiment that we weren’t “really” getting married on our elopement since the wedding certificate much be signed in the US. We decided to sign our marriage license in the airport before leaving for our trip which felt like a great send off and made it feel more official.
What is your favourite memory from the day?
Ali: The moment that it started raining on our way down from the picnic. We brought umbrellas but were perfectly happy strolling hand in hand with just our bouquets as shelter. The rain felt like a sigh of relief after all the prepping that week and worries about weather. This incredible wedding elopement we dreamed of for months had finally happened and was even more beautiful that we imagined. It felt like the world was giving us our moment to dance in the rain as a celebration.
Kelsey: We had our sisters collect notes from our parents and write their own to read just before we read our vows. This was an awesome way to feel like the most important people in our lives were included in this huge moment. It was so emotional and wonderful to hear what they had written. I felt so surrounded by love and support and so thankful to have this moment in exactly the way I pictured. The thoughtfulness of their words, but without the typical high-stress everyone looking at me setting of a typical large wedding, was exactly perfect.
Is there anything you are really glad you did? Or didn’t do?
Ali: I’m really glad that we had our first dance together to “our song” just before leaving the elopement site. It was a special moment for us to reflect on the day and slowing dancing alone amidst the giant alps juxtaposed us and this day versus the rest of our lives together back in our hectic city home.
We do wish we brought less stuff up that hike for our picnic 😂. We wanted to have such a comfy and delicious lunch but it made a 1.5 km stroll feel like Mount Everest.
Kelsey: I was so glad that we had our sisters read letters from our families before our vows, and then that Ali and I said our vows privately. It was a great way to balance including our loved ones and having some privacy. Agreed RE carrying too much stuff up the mountain. We got carried away with our picnic aesthetic and we could have definitely simplified that a bit without taking away from the experience.
What advice would you give to other couples planning their wedding?
Don’t let the pressures of tradition or family/social expectations stop you from being selfish for this one day and planning it in a way that feels uniquely and authentically you. But be prepared for not everyone to understand/agree with your decision. That icky feeling of having people say things like “why wouldn’t you want your family included?” Or “oh so you’re not really getting married in Austria, it’s more like a vacation. When is the real wedding?” does not mean you’re making a mistake or doing something wrong, or that it’s any less “real” than spending 50k on a mediocre venue dinner for 150 people.
What was your favourite thing about working with Cat?
(We) I am not someone who is comfortable in front of a camera or being the center of attention AT ALL. This was a big part of the reason I wanted to elope. I was still a little bit nervous that I would feel really awkward and performative having pictures taken during the elopement, but Cat was absolutely amazing with this. I felt a little awkward initially, but really quickly settled into the day. It felt like Cat was part of our group, chatting, laughing, hanging out. It felt like the camera was documenting our authentic day and not like forced poses etc that I was nervous about. It didn’t take away from the authenticity of the day or change the way I acted or experienced all the moments.
Vendor Credits
Photography – Me
Kelsey’s Dress – Thrifted
Ali’s Jumpsuit – Lulus
Flowers – Blumen Hajny
Hair & Makeup – DIY after lesson with Lydia Deyle
Personalised Hangars, Vow Books & Ring Box – Etsy
