Hiking Elopement at Tettegouche State Park
Filed in Ceremony, elopements, Intimate weddings — June 2, 2021
I am a strong believer in following your gut and your heart and that in the end you will find what you are looking for it you do. These two did just that and had the elopement of their dreams with an hiking elopement at Tettegouche State Park.
Mariah + David reached out just 3 weeks before their elopement date about capturing their photos and helping them plan an epic hiking elopement at Tettegouche State Park. Having always loved the North Shore and David being from the PNW, they knew they wanted to do something at one of their favorite parks. They decided on an early start, having their first look at sunrise on a rocky beach. They had a perfect morning and complete seclusion. They danced, shared movie quotes- The Princess Bride was a favorite- and read letters from their loved ones.
When it came time for the hike, they grabbed their packs, their closest friends, and each other. Having hiked the trails earlier in the week, they found a perfect spot for the ceremony. It overlooked a small bay along the cliffs. The water was the bluest and calmest I had ever seen.
How to Plan a Hiking Elopement
The thing about elopements is that there are no rules. You get to create a day that has meaning to you and get rid of anything that you don’t want to do.
Food was a priority. And rightfully so. Mariah planned out a few charcuterie boards and while we wandered around the trails, their friends set it up. Now I have eaten my fair share of charcuterie, so trust me when I say, this one was epic. It will take a lot to one-up that one. From cheeses, olives, and meats to their favorite desert, these two had an incredible picnic.
At the end of the day, these two were married, happy, and living out their dream elopement.
Here is what the couple had to say:
A mutual friend was looking to Mariah for some design help on some business cards. When the conversation turned to climbing my first word to my now wife was “Bouldering!?!” Despite my rough start, one bonfire, and an accidental date later– the rest is history!
I had purchased the ring and it had set hidden in the sock drawer of my dresser, waiting. There’s a lot of grandiose proposals but it’s not a word that fits Mariah and myself. On this particular day, the ring made it to my backpack. The day was spent together, as we biked through downtown St Paul the ring bounced along and patiently waited for the bike chain to be repaired, mostly out of traffic. We grabbed dinner at a brewery and the ring was safely stowed, waiting for a moment. Finally, settling down for a movie at home, I realized what the ring prolly knew– this is the kind of day I want to start the rest of my life with. With that,”I” became “we”!
We love to explore what fine dining the Twin Cities has to offer, but nothing beats a good 4-hour intensive collaborative board game.
It’s quite the list actually: Mariah’s never wanted a wedding, we didn’t want to obligate our families to travel, COVID put a damper on things, small ceremonies give more flexibility throughout the day and nobody has to shoulder the cost.
Aside from taking a nap at 1:00, we got to spend the day with our favorite people, had an excuse to enjoy excessively robust charcuterie boards and were able to enjoy the North Shore on a beautiful day!!
Find a good photographer (i.e. Jessie) because that’s what will remind you of the day. We still look at them and get mushy! We’d also recommend starting at sunrise– it gives you the rest of the day to enjoy!
Wanna plan your hiking elopement at Tettegouche State Park? Contact me!
How to Elope in Minnesota – Your Minnesota Elopement Guide
