California Rock Climbing Elopement
Tess & Ciaran decided to have an adventurous rock climbing elopement in Alabama Hills, near the eastern Sierras in central California.
Alabama Hills is a surreal desert landscape of interesting rock formations, with the dramatic backdrop of the Sierra Nevada mountains – and is an amazing place for an adventurous elopement!
Hey there! I'm Sam, Your Destination Elopement Photographer & Planner
I absolutely adore the Sierra Nevadas (and all of California's wild places!), and I would be thrilled to help make your elopement just as amazing as this one.
Whatever you do on your elopement day, be authentic to you.
This Alabama Hills elopement day started at sunrise, so the couple grabbed breakfast from McDonald's on the way.
They huddled for warmth and drank their coffee as the sun started to rise over the chilly morning, and I caught some cute, silly moments between the two of them.
I think there's a general perception that everything on your wedding day should be "fancy" or "polished." But if your favorite comfort food is what gives the energy you need for a sunrise start? Absolutely do it!
Otherworldly Landscape
We spent the morning exploring Alabama Hills and its insane rock formations, from huge boulders to natural arches.
One of the things I love about adventure elopements is watching couples explore a new place together. It creates a lot of opportunities to just interact naturally and let your relationship dynamic come through in your photos!
Intimate Vows
The golden sunlight shining through the rocks created a magical backdrop for Tess & Ciaran's intimate ceremony during their California rock climbing elopement.
There's nothing like the absolutely privacy of being way out in nature when sharing vows with your partner. You can pour your heart out without fear of any judgement from family or friends listening in – just you, your person, and a beautiful place.
It's one of the reasons I personally eloped, and I love getting to give my couples the same experience!
Dressing for Adventure
After the ceremony, we trekked to our next location for the couple's rock climbing adventure! As they geared up, we chatted about the bride's dress and how she'd chosen it specifically for their elopement activities.
If you're planning an adventurous elopement, it's so important to make sure your attire fits your day. It can be as simple as choosing hiking boots to go with your suit, or wearing base layers under your wedding dress.
But for something like a rock climbing elopement, that can be a little more complicated! I highly recommend bringing your climbing harness to dress fitting appointments to make sure you can safely climb in whichever dress you chose.
In this case, the bride ended up choosing a bodysuit and an overskirt, which made it easier to get into her climbing harness without her dress getting in the way. But another option would be to wear a cute white workout set for climbing, and then change into your wedding dress for other photos!
Rock Climbing Elopement
Once they were geared up and safe, the couple had fun doing one of their favorite activities together on their elopement day.
I strongly believe your elopement should focus on whatever brings you joy! Whether that's a thrill-seeking adventure, like rock climbing or snowboarding, or something more low-key, like having a picnic by a lake, the most important thing is that it feels like you.
And if you're not sure exactly what you want to do on your elopement day, I'm happy to help you brainstorm! I've helped couples plan all kind of adventurous elopements, and I can't wait to hear your wildest ideas – and help bring them to life.
Perfect Lighting + Good Vibes
We caught such amazing light during this couple's California rock climbing elopement. But that wasn't just a coincidence!
Timing is such an important part of planning a perfect elopement day. Whether it's getting up early for the sunrise, timing your activities to catch that golden hour glow, or even the weekday you choose for the most privacy during your ceremony.
A big part of the planning services I offer my couples is nailing down a timeline that takes all of this into account and ensures you have a stress-free elopement day.
