Best places to elope in Europe
Whether you want to elope on the beach - with your toes buried in the sand, on a mountaintop with the sound of the wind as your only witness or in a quint village or a vibrant city – Europe has it all. This is a list of some of the best places to elope in Europe.
I think eloping is the best thing ever for a lot of reasons, but one of the main reasons why I love it so much is that eloping allows you to get married anywhere in the world and that you don’t have to limit yourself to the availability of venues. Fantasize. Dream. Go wild. You can pick a spot that is close to your heart or somewhere where you always wanted to go and experience the place for the first time together. The choice is all yours.
Now, I know Europe is a big place and you might need some help to reduce your options, so that is where I come in: the Caro from the Wild location helpline ☺ I’m a hopeless wanderer so I’ve been lucky enough to visit a place or two in Europe and from those experiences I made a list with some of my favorite locations in Europe to elope and I’ll be giving you some info about them so you can weigh your options and pick the location that suits you best ☺
Make yourself some coffee or tea, grab yourself a cheeky piece of chocolate and dream away, …
SIDE NOTE: With the current COVID-19 situation it may be a bit daunting to start planning your elopement or intimate wedding in Europe. I totally get it. Everything is unsure. But that being said. I can only encourage you to do it anyway! You are allowed to dream about your future and to start making plans, because this situation will end and the time will come that you can have that dream elopement or intimate wedding and marry the love of your life the way you want to do it.
Chase your dreams, start planning. LOVE IS NOT CANCELLED!
⟶ Provence – France
The Provence is known for its slower pace of living, the countless farmers markets where you can take endless strolls in your favorite espadrilles, the rustic villages, the cool mornings that turn into hot days, the smell of lavender all day long & the sound of the swallows that grace the sky. In short: in the Provence you can live out the French version of Dolce Far Niente, the art of doing nothing.
Match made in heaven?
If you love wine, good food, pastel colors, old little villages on top of hills, a little siesta in the middle of the day and warm and sunny weather - the Provence might be the place for you to have your elopement.
When to elope?
Because of its Mediterranean climate, the Provence is an ideal elopement location all year round. In summer it can get really hot, though – keep that in mind when choosing your elopement date.
What your elopement day can look like:
You can start the day with a slow breakfast, eating a croissant or two, in one of the Provence’s rustic villages like Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. After that you can stroll around the local market, buy some bread, cheese and charcuterie to have a picnic on a lovely spot in the country side. After that you can do some village hopping with a wine tasting in between or you can take a kajak and go down the Sorgue river with its very clear water. You can end your day with your ceremony in a beautiful orchard, saying your vows at sunset and having a lovely dinner between the olive trees decorated with Christmas lights and some French chansons. Ah, mais c’est magnifique!
The Côte D’Azur and the Camargue are only an hour and a half away from the Provence – so you can easily add another day to your elopement to have a dip in the ocean in Saint-Tropez and do some celebrity spotting in its harbor and check out the very expensive and massive boats. Or, you can drive to the Camargue and go for a horse ride around the salt fields and spot some flamingos. If you love to visit a city – Avignon and Arles are both only an hour away by car. These are both beautiful cities where you can visit some museums, ancient buildings, antique stores or just wander its picturesque streets.
⟶ Dolomites – Italy
The Dolomites are a mountain range in the Northeast of Italy. They are UNESCO World Heritage and when you visit the area it is easy to understand why. This mountain range is known for its distinctive rock formations, spectacular panoramic views, crystal clear mountain lakes, stunning mountain passes and dozens of cute little villages that are spread out between the mountains. Driving down dodgy little mountain roads has never been that fun!
Match made in heaven?
Eloping in the Dolomites may be for you when you love spending time in the outdoors doing all kinds of adventurous activities like hiking, camping, skiing, climbing, rafting & (mountain)biking. The Dolomites may also be your top pick to have your elopement if you love to have the best of both worlds in terms of food. The Dolomites are located really close to the Austrian border, which means that in most restaurants you can enjoy both Italian & Austrian food. Pizza or pasta as your main and have an apfelstrüdel or some Kaiserschmarren as dessert. Like I said – best of both worlds!
When to elope?
If you want to elope in the Dolomites – spring, late summer and early fall are your best options. That way you avoid all the tourists that will flock the region during the high peak of summer. You just have to consider that some cable cars will be closed during the periods that I mentioned. Eloping in the Dolomites in winter is also a possibility if you fancy the snow. A ski elopement anyone?
What your elopement day can look like in The Dolomites:
in the morning you can both pack your backpacks to hike to your camping spot or to a remote hut high up in the mountains, where you will spend the night, far away from everyone. In the morning, at sunrise – you can have your ceremony, overlooking the surrounding mountains, lakes or valley. After your ceremony you can have a slow breakfast, then you can walk back to the nearest village where your closest friends and family will be waiting to have a celebratory lunch with all the pizza. You can do some rafting together after lunch and end the day near the river with dinner and a BBQ party into the wee hours.
BONUS:
If you are a couple that loves to be active in the mountains, but you can also appreciate the dolce far niente lifestyle that Italy has to offer - then Italy is an excellent pick for your elopement! You can have an adventurous mountain elopement in the Dolomites and then you can drive down South to have your honeymoon in Tuscany – where you can frolic around in the rolling hills of the Italian countryside, take a romantic stroll in one of the ancient cities like Florence, Sienna & Luca, have all the gelato you can eat and indulge yourself in all the pizza and wine this lovely country has to offer. Or maybe Venice is more your kinda thing? Or Rome, where you can get lost in its cobbles streets full off ancient history while stumbling upon a Roman ruin behind every corner?
Italy really has the best of both worlds!
⟶ Switzerland
Switzerland is the country of cheese fondue, the Matterhorn, Toblerone, woodcarving, dozens of beautiful villages like Lauterbrunnen, Interlaken and Grindelwald, and of course - the Swiss Army Knife ☺ But the country has a lot more to offer: endless hiking trails into the mountains where you can camp or stay in a cozy mountain hut, crystal blue mountain lakes around every corner, dozens of glacier that will blow your mind, raging waterfalls that grace the roads and stunning valleys that take your breath. You can say that Mother Nature had a very good day while creating Switzerland.
Match made in heaven?
Switzerland is the ideal elopement spot if you like to be active in nature. Hiking, rafting, skiing, (mountain)biking, kayaking, canyoning, even paragliding – you can do it all in Switzerland. Nothing is too extreme. The beauty of Switzerland is that you don’t have to be a hard core hiker to get into the mountains, there are countless cable cars that can take you up there and you can perfectly start your hike from the summit station. Plus, Switzerland is very known for its many car-free towns. You can get wherever you want to go by taking the train. If you are a couple that has a love for the environment and wants to reduce your footprint – Switzerland might be a good pick for you!
When to elope?
You can elope all year round in Switzerland. A winter wonderland wedding or an adventurous hiking elopement - whatever you fancy, it’s possible in Switzerland.
Just a little sidenote: if you want to elope in spring, early summer + early fall, some mountain passes, like the Furka Pass, can be closed because of snow. The weather in Switzerland is very unpredictable. Keep that in mind when planning your elopement.
What your elopement day in Switzerland can look like:
From Zermatt town you can hike up the Riffelberg, or take the cable car, and stay at the most epic of epic hotels – The Riffelhaus. From this hotel you have the best view of the Matterhorn. Hands down. When you get up there you can relax in the outside hot tub overlooking the famous mountain. After that you can have your sunset ceremony in the surrounding mountains – you can even walk up to the Riffelsee tarn and have a dip into its ice cold water to celebrate your commitment to one another. The next day you can walk up to the Gornergrat Glacier and after that you can go paragliding – off the Riffelberg mountain and into the town of Zermatt. Another option is to go on a multiple-day hike and camp along the way or stay in cozy mountain huts.
⟶ Norway
Norway stands out with its simple way of living. The locals tend to spend most of their day outside fishing, farming, hiking, camping & skiing, enjoying a lunch that is packed with love - followed by a cozy evening by the fireplace talking, laughing, reading & eating all the good food. Norwegians like to take life slow and that results in endless days. Having dinner at 3AM – it’s possible in Norway.
Match made in heaven?
If you like rugged mountains, the open sea, the sound of the wind, cold weather, adorable red colored cabins, slow living and spending time in the outdoors - Norway might be the place for your elopement.
Norway is a personal favorite of mine. I was lucky enough to visit this wonderful country during both summer and winter. In summer I traveled the South of Norway – during my time there I visited: Mandal, the Preikestolen, Bergen, Alesund, Flam, Geirangerfjord, Oslo, and many more, … In Winter I visited the North – the Steigen area to be more exact, which lies North of the city of Bodo. This area is really remote, with almost no tourists around and is known for its high peaked mountains rising from the ocean, beautiful beaches that are touched by various shades of blue sea water, little islands that you can only reach by motorboat or kayak and on good days you can see the famous Lofoten, which stand 60 km’s across the sea. Steigen is as close to paradise as you can get.
When to elope?
You can elope in Norway in summer and in winter. During summer you can hire a campervan and go on a little roadtrip, go on a hike, do some fishing and enjoy the midnight sun. In winter you can just hire a cozy wooden cottage by a fjord where you can enjoy endless days by the fire, reading and sipping some coffee. Maybe do some skiing in between, or even a walk in the snow? If you’re lucky you may even see the Northern lights. Just pack accordingly because it’s really really cold in winter.
What your elopement day in Norway can look like:
you can start the day in your cottage, getting ready. After that you can go out and have your first look and say your vows at the dock – overlooking a fjord. Have your ceremony in the woods with trees that are covered in a fresh layer of crisp snow – your closest friends and family are circled around you. You can take a ride on a dog sled to see the area, just the two of you. When you come back you can have dinner outside together around a warm campfire with the most delicious salmon you’ve ever tasted.
⟶ Scotland
Scotland is wild, it’s untamed, it’s rugged – it’s breathtakingly beautiful. This country makes you experience what absolute freedom feels like. You can camp wherever you want, park your van wherever you want, hike wherever you want. If you have a wild heart, Scotland makes you feel right at home - with its rolling hills full of lush green grass, misty mountains, captivating lochs, winding roads along the rugged coastline, old castles, sleepy villages with its charming stones houses & its highland cows and sheep grazing beside the road. Scotland is a country of unmatched beauty and it will be gorgeous wherever you go.
Match made in heaven?
If you are a couple that is spontaneous, wild & free, that likes to hop into their car and drive towards their next adventure without a plan, embracing the unknown and letting the ever changing landscape lead you towards your destination – then Scotland might be the place to have your elopement.
Scotland forever has my wild heart – I will never forget the beauty that I encountered there and how free the country made me feel. During my roadtrip, I visited – Loch Lomond, Glen Coe, Isle of Sky, Applecross, Torridon, the Cairngorms and Edinburgh. Eventhough the Isle of Sky is becoming really touristy, it is still worthwhile visiting. If you want an alternative, I recommend – Arran, Mull, Harris & Orkney.
When to elope?
The weather in Scotland is very unpredictable, even in summer. It can be sunny one moment and pouring rain the next. In winter there is a chance that the mountains will be covered in snow. If you want to get married in the spring/summer/early fall I recommend to just pick a month to have your elopement and roll with the weather, when it rains it rains – there’s a certain charm with jumping out of the car to go and dance in the rain on your elopement day, plus you can cozy up and get warm before the fireplace after! If you are not really keen on sharing this country with a lot of tourists on your elopement day, I’d say to skip summer and go for any other season. ☺
What your elopement day in Scotland can look like:
you can spend the day driving to everywhere and nowhere at once, let the scenery guide you, hop out of the car when you see a hill you want to climb or a castle you want to visit or a beach where you want to put your toes into the sand. You can take your closest friends & family on your elopement adventure, have a picnic on a field, next to a loch, visit a whiskey distillery. Pick your ceremony spot spontaneously, just because you like how the scenery looks. Dance in the rain, scream into the wind, chase the rainbows. Finish off your day at a cottage, having a BBQ and drinking some whiskey. Another option is to walk the West Highland Way and get married on the trail. Or a city elopement in Edinburgh? Anyone?
⟶ Ireland
Ireland - the country of steep cliffs, sweeping vistas, coastal mountains and 40 shades of green landscapes. Oh, and of course the leprechauns. And Guinness. Ireland might be the underrated brother of Scotland, but it is equally beautiful. Just like in Scotland, the landscapes are absolute breathtaking, the people are friendly, the accent is really cool, the weather is as unpredictable – but Ireland is a bit cheaper then Scotland. So, there you go.
Match made in heaven?
If you are into all of the things I mentioned above, Ireland might be your ideal elopement spot. Frolic around in mountains of the Connemara area and take a dip in one of its lakes, take a walk along the edge of the famous Cliffs of Moher or the Giants Causeway, have a picnic on the beautiful beach of Melmore Head in Donegal & explore its mysterious caves – maybe even do some surfing, visit some dramatic castles like Dunluce Castle in Northern Ireland & Menlo Castle in Galway, do a hike in Killarney National Park or drive to the Dingle Peninsula – over the beautiful Connor Pass and finish off the day in one of its pubs with some live music. Ireland is so diverse and has so much to offer, there is something for everyone. You won’t be disappointed picking this location for your elopement.
When to elope?
Like I said before – just like in Scotland, the weather in Ireland can be really unpredictable. It can be sunny one moment and raining the next. In winter is can snow. Just pick a month to elope and embrace whatever weather beautiful Ireland throws at you.
What your elopement in Ireland can look like:
Ireland’s capital Dublin might be good pick for a city elopement. You can roam the city in the morning with its colorful brick walls, ancient buildings, medieval history, a park around every corner & its countless bars. Maybe you can even have a duet with of the busking musicians you find in Dublin’s streets? At lunchtime you can take a 10 to 20 minute train ride to one of the picturesque seaside towns like Howth to have fresh fish and chips by the sea. After lunch you can take a stroll on its surrounding cliffs covered in purple flowers and have your ceremony and vow exchange there at sunset. You can end the night in Dublin with some barhopping and music with just the two of you or some close friends.
⟶ Your home country
You don’t have to travel to a faraway country to have an absolutely wonderful and epic elopement day. If everything you love is right at your doorstep, just have your elopement in your home country. It doesn’t have to be a high mountain, a black sand beach, a rugged coastline, a mysterious loch or some raging waterfalls. You can find beauty everywhere. You just have to look close enough. ☺