Planning a wedding is stressful. Planning a wedding during a pandemic? Without a doubt, that’s even worse. Maybe you’re familiar with the concept of eloping or perhaps you don’t even know what it means to elope. I’m here to clear some things up and provide a little elopement inspiration with some of my favorite locations to elope to in the US! Let’s dive in.

So what does it mean to elope? As defined by Mirriam Webster dictionary, to elope means “to run away secretly in order to get married, especially without parental consent.”

Eloping was considered both super romantic and also terribly taboo in old-timey times depending on who you ask. BUT the definition has recently been reworked to accommodate the more modern ways couples are choosing to elope these days. A modern elopement may involve just the two of you, or it can include a handful of your closest friends and family. Eloping involved creating your dream wedding day, in your dream location, while cutting a lot of the extras like acquaintances that you feel obligated to invite or unwanted opinions over tedious traditional aspects of a typical wedding.

Elopements tend to cut straight to the point of the matter (if my personality were boiled down to a type of wedding, it would definitely be an elopement) 😂 You love your person, you both love breathtaking backdrops and want those jaw-dropping photos you’ve seen on Pinterest. You DON’T want meemaw’s opinion on your dress, how to wear you hair, what flowers to have or how to say your vows. If you said YESSSS to one or more of the above, then it’s time to pick the place and purchase your plane tickets boo! Start by perusing some of my favorite elopement locations below, and check out my elopement gallery for even more inspo.

Zion National Park, Utah

Zion is by far one of my favorite national parks. There’s something about the orange hues that are just so dreamy and perfectly fitting for warm, romantic wedding day photos.

Yosemite National Park, California

Yosemite has some stunning backdrops whether you want Redwoods or waterfalls, fields, or mountains overlooking valley vibes, it has a little bit of something for everyone! OR if you want to be blown away by how teeny tiny you are among the majestic Redwood giants, you may also want to consider Redwoods National Park in Northern California or Sequoia National Park.

Big Sur, California

Big Sur is another location that is simply breathtaking. I could spend hours sitting and watching the waves crashing on the coastal cliffs here. You can find similar seaside settings for your elopement close to Los Angeles and San Diego!

Kauai, Hawaii

Kauai is a literal paradise. An elopement in Kauai is like the lovechild of a wedding+honeymoon. You get the ultimate experience and all the joys of a wedding, the excitement, and pleasures of a honeymoon plus none of the stress of a wedding. Need I say more?

Joshua Tree, California

Joshua Tree looks as if it was designed by Dr. Suess himself. It’s a curious array of trees unlike any you’ve seen, rocky terrain with desert fauna sprinkled about. Joshua tree has a hip yet playful vibe to it that is fun to explore and make the elopement experience your own.

A few other elopement locations to consider:

Glacier National Park, Montana

Sedona, Arizona

Lake Tahoe, California

Mammoth Lake, California

Mount Ranier, Washington

North Cascades National Park, Washington

Moab National Park, Utah

The Adirondack Mountains, New York

Ready to pull the trigger! Let’s make plans!