While your elopement day may not include an elaborate reception setup for 200 people, you might be surprised to find out how easily things can be forgotten without an Elopement Packing List. I’m sharing 38 essentials you can count on needing for your adventure wedding day so you don’t have to worry about forgetting a single thing!

38 Things to Pack for Your Adventure Elopement

Knowing what to bring with you on your elopement day doesn’t need to be stressful; there are a few items you’re definitely going to want to have with you, and a few things that will depend on weather and personal preference. So let’s get into it!

Elopement Attire

1. Dress, Suit, etc.

Your dress, suit, pantsuit, or any other attire you want to wear on your elopement day are probably the most important items you’ll need! I recommend hanging your attire in garment bags so they stay clean and wrinkle-free until you’re ready to put them on.

This would also include any clothing you’re going to be wearing before, after, or during your elopement day if you don’t plan to be in your dress/suit all day. For example, if you’re going on a two-day backpacking elopement, you’ll probably want to wear comfortable hiking clothes for the actual hike. Even if you’re not doing anything active or strenuous, you’ll want comfy clothes to get ready in and of course, something comfy to sleep in after your elopement day is complete.

Check out my 5 tips for choosing an adventure-ready elopement dress!

2. Proper Footwear

The footwear you’ll want to bring will depend on the kind of elopement day you’re having. Hiking in the mountains? Hiking boots with proper ankle support will be a must. Traversing through narrows with water up to your ankles, or paddling on a lake? Waterproof sandals like Chaco’s or Teva’s will be your best bet! If your day is more laid back and filled with sightseeing, overlooks, and minimal walking, you can absolutely bring the heels or dress shoes you’ve been obsessing over!

3. Appropriate Seasonal Attire

Location, season, and climate will all play a role in what you need to bring with you to your elopement. Even if temperatures will be comfortable during the day, I always suggest bringing a windbreaker, rain jacket/poncho, and an extra pair of breathable wool socks just in case.

COLD WEATHER ESSENTIALS

4. Hand warmers (rechargeable or regular)

5. Gloves

6. Wool socks

7. Beanies and/or ear muffs

8. Scarves

9. Insulated coats

10. Thermal underwear

11. Wool base layers

WARM WEATHER ESSENTIALS

12. Breathable wool socks

13. Lightweight, breathable materials for your elopement attire

14. Neck fan (trust me, it’s a lifesaver)

15. Sun protection (sunscreen, hats, lightweight layers)

Details

16. Vows

Whether you get vow books, read your vows off of your phones, or write them onto a piece of paper, make sure your promises to each other are kept safe and close by.

Check out my step by step guide for writing your vows!

17. Jewelry

I suggest keeping all jewelry items in one spot so they don’t get tangled and so small pieces don’t get lost. Each jewelry item can go in its own box, and all of the boxes should go in a bag so everything remains together.

18. Flowers

Flowers for your elopement may include your bouquet, boutonniere, flower crown, hair pieces, and any decor you might be using for your ceremony or reception setup. The bigger floral items will probably be under someone else’s care, like a designer/planner or a loved one, so just make sure you know ahead of time when and where your florals will be dropped off and set up so you don’t have to think about it on the day of.

19. Swedish Dish Cloth

A Swedish dish cloth holds water for a long time, and it’s the perfect item to keep your bouquet stems damp when you can’t keep them in a vase. All you have to do is soak the dish towel in water, wrap it around the stems of your bouquet, and place them into a small dry bag. You can carry it all together in your hands, or place it snugly in your backpack!

19. Flatlay Details

One of the first things I typically do when arriving at your getting ready location is photograph your flatlay details! I encourage my couples to keep all flatlay items in a shoebox or something similar so everything is ready to be photographed when I arrive for your elopement. Flatlay details usually include:

• Invitation or elopement announcement

• Vow books

• Bouquet

• Rings

• Jewelry

• Hairpieces

• Shoes

• Tie

• Cufflinks

• Boutonniere

• Watch

• Pocket square

• Personal touches/sentimental items

You’ve spent so much time gathering all the perfect items for a true-to-you elopement, so having a photo with all those perfect personal touches will be so special. It also creates a sense of anticipation at the beginning of your gallery, knowing that all of these items will each play a special role in your elopement experience.

Ceremony Items

20. Ceremony Permit (If Applicable)

If you’re getting married on public lands (like a national park), you’re most likely going to have to have a permit. You can apply for this permit online (usually called a Special Use Permit), and you’ll want to have a physical copy of the permit with you on the day of your elopement. I suggest printing it out and placing it into a plastic sleeve to carry with you in a backpack. This is one thing you will absolutely not want to forget in case a park ranger happens to ask to see your permit.

Don’t let this part stress you out though—during the planning process, I’ll ask for a copy of your permit once you receive it and I’ll carry a copy with me as well! That way, we’ll be covered no matter what.

21. Marriage License

Your marriage license is probably the most “forgettable” item of all, so just take extra care to make sure you have it with you. If you’re eloping outside of your home state, you might be getting your marriage license a few days before your elopement, so that helps a bit in making sure you don’t leave it at home. But if not, be sure to put your marriage license of high importance on your packing list!

A little known fact is that if you don’t want to have an officiant with you for your elopement, you don’t have to! You can self-solemnize (legally marry yourselves), have a loved one “officiate” (that is, lead you through your ceremony without being ordained or sending in a marriage license until later), or simply get legally married before or after your elopement day. I can promise you no matter how you take care of the legal side of things, your elopement will still be incredibly special and meaningful.

22. Rings

Rings are another item that may seem impossible to forget, but they’re small and they may not catch your attention if they’re not somewhere obvious! Keep them in a drawstring bag, ring box, or cardboard box from the store, and always make sure you know where they are so they’re ready to go for your ceremony.

23. Pens

If you are getting legally married on your elopement day, make sure you have pens with you to sign your marriage license. Your officiant should have one, but it can’t hurt to have extra!

24. Tissues

Even if you’re not usually a crier, you just might be during your elopement ceremony! Keep a few tissues in your sleeve, jacket, or simply in your hands with your vows. If you end up needing them, you’ll be glad you had them!

Reception/Celebration Items

Whether you have 15 guests or it’s just the two of you, you’re probably going to want to set aside some time during your elopement to celebrate your commitment to one another. Some ways you can do this are a picnic dinner, meal for two prepared by a private chef, or an intimate gathering with your loved ones at a rental or among nature.

25. Rentals/Decor

I usually suggest hiring a planner or designer for this portion of your elopement day, mostly because there are a ton of little details to remember and these details usually take up a lot of space, which might be inconvenient (or even impossible) to bring with you if you’re traveling to your elopement location. I personally find it much easier to leave this part of the day to someone who specializes in small events, and lucky for you, I have several incredible people to recommend!

26. Picnic Items

If it’s just the two of you (or you’re only bringing 2-4 guests), having a celebratory picnic is a great way to relax and enjoy your time together! Here are a few items that can make for a super sweet elopement picnic (that are all easily packable into a backpack or picnic basket):

• Blanket

• Basket

• Cozy cushions to sit on (I recommend something like this)

• Candles (LED is usually best in case there’s an active fire ban and for the sake of ease!)

• Plates (plastic, camp utensils)

• Cups/glasses (or plastic or camp utensils)

• Flatware (or plastic or camp utensils)

• Small camp table and chairs

• Roll-up mat to create a flat surface for you to eat on (if not using a table)

• Fabric for some added aesthetics and personalization

• Battery-powered lights (string lights, LED candles, and lanterns all create super romantic elopement picnic vibes)

27. Cake/Dessert

Don’t forget to spoil yourselves a little bit! The sweets you decide to indulge in depends on where and when you’ll be partaking during your elopement day, as well as what sounds like the perfect elopement dessert to the two of you. I’ve seen couples enjoy donuts, cupcakes, ice cream, pastries, cookies, cheesecake, and more. And of course, you can’t go wrong with a classic cake.

28. Celebratory Drinks

Whether your drink of choice is champagne, beer, wine, sparkling cider, coffee, tea, or something else, there’s just something about the tradition of sharing drinks that creates a feeling of togetherness and joy.

Check out my blog on the best way to pop champagne for your elopement.

Essentials & Emergency Items

29. Food & Snacks

Whether you’re planning for a full day of hiking or you’re more interested in laid-back activities, you still need to eat! Being properly nourished and hydrated is so important on your elopement day so that you’re feeling good and have enough energy to enjoy every part of your experience.

I always suggest bringing various kinds of snacks that are rich in protein and low in added/refined sugars, such as granola bars, beef jerky, nuts, dried fruits, trail mix, peanut butter, electrolyte chews, and pre-packaged meats like tuna or chicken.

30. Water

Make sure you each bring reusable bottles that will keep your water cool (no matter what the temperature is outside).

Any time I’m recreating outdoors, I bring a handful of salt packets with me to replenish the sodium lost in sweat. All you have to do is pour a little bit on your hand, lick it off, and drink a sip of water. I’ve had minor heat headaches disappear in seconds by doing this! Just make sure to balance your salt and water intake so you don’t dehydrate yourself further.

31. Waterproof First Aid Kit & Emergency Supplies

Depending on what your elopement activities entail, the level of these supplies might differ. Make sure your first aid kit is made of a hard shell resistant to water, or bring a dry bag to place it in just in case you get caught in some rain.

• Bandages

• Burn cream

• Sunscreen

• Bug spray

• Aloe

• Tweezers

• Medication for aches, pains, and stomach ailments

• Chapstick

• Compass

• Headlamps/flashlights

• Fire starter

• Emergency blankets

• Knife

• Extra batteries/rechargeable power bank (for headlamps, cell phones, etc)

• Satellite phone with GPS map

• Walkie talkies

• Paper map of the area you’re eloping in

Extras

32. Portable Steamer, Anti-Static Spray, or Wrinkle Release Spray

Depending on where you’re getting ready, any of these items will work for getting wrinkles out of your elopement attire! If you’re getting ready somewhere without electricity (such as for a camping elopement), having a power bank would be useful. If you’re eloping in a cold, dry climate, you might find that your clothing is extra staticky. Bring a small bottle of anti-static spray and it’ll save you the headache of messing with your attire all day!

33. Stain Remover Pens

Even if you are okay with getting your dress dirty in the elements of the great outdoors, you might not be as crazy about something like a food stain. Tide To Go pens are amazing and take up very little room in your backpack, and they just might save you from having to go through your day with an undesirable stain on your clothes! (And it will save your photographer a lot of time in Photoshop later, wink wink).

34. Deodorant

Enough said.

35. Mirror

Having a small mirror with you is perfect for making sure you look your best before your ceremony or portraits, and it actually serves as a safety item as well! In a situation where you’d need to get someone’s attention from a distance, you can use the mirror to reflect sunlight toward someone. It’s unlikely something like that will be needed, but I always like to have that extra peace of mind when spending time in nature.

36. Toiletry Kit

For the elopement days when you’re not near a bathroom for a significant amount of time, a toiletry kit is a must-have. I keep mine stocked with toilet paper, biodegradable wipes, compostable toilet bags, hand sanitizer, feminine products, and a small trowel. Even if you’re not going far into the backcountry or wilderness areas, you never know when something like this will come in handy!

37. Bobby Pins & Safety Pins

You never know when you’ll need to tame a flyaway, so bring a handful of bobby pins with you! If a clothing mishap occurs or you need extra support for the boutonniere, you’ll be all set with some safety pins.

38. “Just for Fun” Items

Whatever would make your day feel just a little more like “you,” bring it! Those fun items that represent your personalities will make your day that much more enjoyable, and we’ll have a ton of fun creating some beautiful photos.

Feel better prepared for your elopement day?

I hope so! When you get everything written out in a complete list, I find it’s a lot less intimidating thinking of all the things you need to bring with you for your elopement. If you’re looking for someone to help you plan and photograph a personalized, true-to-you elopement experience, let’s chat!