Best Elopement Locations for Every Month
If you’ve landed here on my blog, it won’t take you long to figure out that elopements are my absolute FAVORITE kind of wedding. I love the intimacy, the excitement, the adventure! There truly is nothing else like them. But if you’re considering an adventure elopement, so much of your experience will be defined by the location you pick. So how do you know the best elopement locations? That’s what I’m here for!
I’ve been there to capture intimate elopements for many different couples in different locations, and I’ve also done quite a bit of traveling to scout out destinations for future couples. I also happen to be obsessed with planning – both for my trips, and when helping my couples! While I haven’t been everywhere on this list, using my own travel/wedding experience and research I’ve got some suggestions for epic locations based on the different seasons and landscapes!
You can use this guide one of two ways. You can scroll to the month or season you know you want to get married in (because who wants to wait?!) OR you can find your favorite destination on this list and plan your elopement date around the best time of year to visit there! Read on to find my recommendations for the best elopement locations for every month.
Best elopement locations for spring:
Desert landscapes, wildflowers and dodging that spring precipitation highlight my selection of the best elopement locations for March, April and May.
March: Big Bend
Average temps: Low 44 – High 67
Average days of rainfall: 1
March weather can be rainy in many places around the US and still chilly in others. Neither is the case in Big Bend National Park. The summer months here are sweltering, and the desert temps can drop to freezing overnight in winter, but March is lovely. Granted, it is one of the busiest times to visit Big Bend because of the great weather and influx of spring break travelers. But since it’s about 5 hours away from the closest airport, it sees far less total visitors than other more mainstream national parks. We can avoid most crowds by holding a sunrise ceremony or planning for early March before spring break really picks up.
April: Big Sur
Average temps: Low 44 – High 68
Average days of rainfall: 5
If you’re stuck between wanting mountains and ocean for your elopement vibe, look no further than Big Sur, California. This stretch of state parks along California’s Highway 1 just south of Monterey has the perfect combination of both. March tends to be rainy in this coastal climate, but things clear up a bit in April. While many parks are just starting to get green again for spring around this time of year, Big Sur has lush color year-round.
May: Colorado
Average temps: Low 52 – High 77
Average days of rainfall: 10
May is firmly springtime across Colorado and the emerging green contrasted against leftover snow on mountaintops in the distance is a sight to see. Colorado has some of the best elopement locations in the country, from the peaks of Rocky Mountain National Park to the grassy slopes after ski season. Whether you choose to say your vows in the Garden of the Gods or on the dunes of Great Sand Dunes National Park, you can’t go wrong. There can still be a chance for precipitation (both snow and rain) during this time of year, and there are plenty of outdoorsy Coloradans anxious to swap their skis for hiking boots during the month of May – but it’s hard to beat a perfect May day in Colorado.
Best elopement locations for summer:
Some places in the US are best experienced in summertime! While they may be popular this time of year, it’s for good reason. You’ll get the best weather and some of the best scenery. Head to these spots in June, July and August.
June: Alaska
Average temps: Low 51 – High 59
Average days of rainfall: 4
Finding the best time of year to visit Alaska can be tricky. Winter brings extreme weather and road closures, while the months of July and August bring throngs of visitors to the Last Frontier. Choosing a shoulder season for your Alaska elopement is key. June is ideal because the weather is starting to warm up, but the crowds haven’t quite arrived. With 8 national parks to choose from, Alaska is one of the best elopement locations you can find!
July: Montana + Wyoming
Average temps: Low 67 – High 84
Average days of rainfall: 9
While summertime might be busy season in the northern US national parks, they’re still my choice for the best elopement locations during the hotter months. Both Montana and Wyoming are breathtaking in the summer with green growth blanketing the mountainsides after a frozen winter. They also happen to be home to some of the best national parks. In Montana, you can opt for Glacier National Park, or you can head south into Wyoming for a Grand Tetons ceremony. Yellowstone is a beautiful place to visit, but probably not among the best elopement locations in summertime due to the throngs of visitors.
August: PNW Parks
Average temps: Low 30 – High 54
Average days of rainfall: 9
Similar to Montana and Wyoming, summer is definitely busy in the Pacific Northwest national parks. But they’re still some of my favorite spots to visit when the sun is out! Luckily, North Cascades is one of the least visited parks overall, so even when it’s busy, you’ll see less people than you would at another larger park in summertime. I took the average weather for North Cascades National Park because it’s going to be the coolest of the Pacific Northwest parks in summer, but you’ll find slightly warmer temperatures in the Olympic Peninsula. I love both spots for a summer elopement, and Mt. Rainier is another one to add to the list!
Best elopement locations for fall:
I just love that crisp fall air and the way the leaves change! It’s some of the best weather where I’m based in North Carolina. These are the best of the best elopement destinations for cozy fall vibes!
September: Oregon Coast
Average temps: Low 51 – High 68
Average days of rainfall: 3
The coast of southern Oregon and northern California are high on my list of the best elopement locations because they are so underrated! While they are busiest in summer, early September is a great time to visit. It’s before the fall rain starts and after some of the summer visitors have started to trickle out. I love this area for the perfect moody elopement vibe.
October: Blue Ridge Mountains
Average temps: Low 46 – High 67
Average days of rainfall: 9
It’s hard to beat where I am based out of near the Blue Ridge Mountains in the fall! The colors are magnificent and change a little later in the season than the well-known leaf-peeping destinations in New England. I have shot MANY elopements in this area and can confidently say it’s one of the best elopement locations in October because the fall colors are radiant and the autumn vibes are spot-on!
November: Utah’s Mighty Five
Average temps: Low 30 – High 58
Average days of rainfall: 3
I couldn’t choose just one park in Utah, so I chose all five. The temperatures listed are for Moab, near Canyonlands National Park and Arches National Park, but they’re similar in Zion National Park too. Expect slightly cooler temps in Capitol Reef and Bryce Canyon as you rise in elevation. It’s not necessarily warm in these parks in November, but the bright orange rocks are still stunning while many other parks around the country have lost their leaves by this point and may not have a pretty blanket of snow. This is one of the places you can still get those wow-factor photos in November.
Best elopement locations for winter:
Avoid freezing in your wedding dress and bare trees in your wedding backdrop with the best elopement locations for December, January and February.
December: New Mexico
Average temps: Low 18 – High 42
Average days of rainfall: 3
Yes, it still gets quite cold in the New Mexico desert in the wintertime. But it’s pretty much cold everywhere this time of year. What makes New Mexico one of the best elopement locations around the holidays are the local traditions mixed with stunning nature. The “farolitos” that are set up along the edges of the adobe buildings at Christmas are a sight to see. Plus, White Sands National Park is breathtaking no matter what season.
January: Joshua Tree
Average temps: Low 37 – High 60
Average days of rainfall: 2
If a snowy wedding look is not for you, head to Joshua Tree for your January elopement. While it does get chilly overnight, it’s not usually freezing and the daytime is bearable. These unique trees look the same all year-round so you won’t sacrifice a bit of scenery getting married here in winter. Joshua Tree always makes the list of best elopement locations, and the quieter, cooler days of January are the perfect time to plan your wedding.
February: Hawaii
Average temps: Low 68 – High 79
Average days of rainfall: Varies by location, tends to be overnight
If you’re up for a real adventure, elope in Hawaii! February is a great time to hold your elopement here because it’s before things get wildly busy with summer crowds. It does rain a bit in February here, but not nearly as much as in the earlier winter months, and even less than it does in March. Even still, the rain tends to come in short bursts and mostly falls overnight. If you choose February for your Hawaii elopement, I recommend picking a weekend other than Valentine’s Day since that’s February’s busiest weekend.
Picking the best elopement location for your wedding
Here’s the thing though. What one person considers the best elopement location may not be how the next person views it! The “best” is all subjective. The great part about planning an elopement is that you get to make it completely your own, from top to bottom! That includes choosing whatever location feels right to you. Browse through my Ultimate Elopement Destination Guides to get some inspiration for which destination fits you and your partner.