Backcountry Camping Elopement

Alberta Backcountry Hiking and Camping Elopement

When Taryn + Aaron reached out and mentioned they wanted to do a backcountry camping elopement, I was thrilled. To me, this is the ultimate way to elope if you are outdoorsy and love to hike + camp. I love being able to capture the hiking, sunset photos, sunrise photos, and just the amazing vibe that comes with being alone amongst the giant mountain ranges in Alberta.

Taryn was looking for the perfect backcountry camping location, and I had a feeling she would like the one I had in mind. I had hiked into this location a few years before and knew it would be amazing for a backcountry hiking elopement. It is in a spot called Wildland territory, which is one of the only locations in Alberta where you can pitch a tent almost anywhere; you usually have to stick to a designated campground. When I sent her a few photos and described the spot, she was hooked! The hike starts with switchback grinding and then levels out for about 10km until you come upon a cliff edge overlooking a beautiful valley and lake. This is where we set up our tents, which provided an epic view when we woke up in the morning.

T+A opted to have a few close friends join them, and one of them became legally ordained online so he could act as the officiant. Despite an insane amount of mosquitos, everyone had fun enjoying and celebrating the love between these two. We captured some incredible photos, including sunset alpenglow, a lovely sunrise despite rain overnight, and a beautiful, personal ceremony. They also opted to have private vows, just the two of them, so they could really speak from the heart. Everything was just perfect. If you love to hike but aren’t a big camper, check out this sunrise hiking elopement.

A few words from the couple

We were looking at so many different wedding options and venues, and none of them really fit who we are. We finally realized that we wanted to be in nature, with close friends and our dogs, and have our vows be just for us rather than an act for others. That said, we still wanted the chance to celebrate with our friends afterwards and both of us feel we got the best of all worlds with our wedding. We went up the mountains and camped for our ceremony, and then a day later we had a formal reception in Banff with our friends and family. It was important to both of us that our family was still able to be apart of our day, especially my grandparents, and this way they still could be! Our party was wicked, and our ceremony was so beautiful and special. Truly we talk about how magical our wedding was overall. I truly loved all of it, it was exactly what I was hoping for, all of it made my soul so incredibly happy and full.