Hiking in Your Elopement Dress

If you’re planning on hiking in your elopement dress, but you’re not exactly sure how to navigate this, then this is the post for YOU! Many girls dream about their wedding dress their whole life and your elopement dress should be no different! I’ve photographed many elopements in beautiful places! All with different types of dresses, beautiful sceneries and obstacles that are easy to overcome if you’re prepared for it! I’m excited to share all my elopement dress hiking tips and tricks with you!

How to Pick the Right Elopement Dress for Hiking

If you’re going to hike in your elopement dress, here are 3 things to keep in mind when choosing your perfect dress:

Weather

The weather is important to keep in mind when choosing your elopement dress. Is it going to be hot, windy, snowy or rainy? If it’s cold you might consider having sleeves, whereas if it’s going to be extremely hot, a light, breathable dress is a must!

Terrain/Difficulty of the Hike

The terrain is another thing to keep in mind when choosing your dress, as it can affect the difficulty of the hike! If you’re doing a shorter, easier hike with little to no elevation, you can get away with a tighter or fitted dress. If you’re doing a longer, more difficult hike, you’ll want to consider having a dress with no restriction so you can move around freely!

Style

Depending on where you will be eloping, the style is also something you’ll want to keep in mind. Are you hiking in the mountains, dessert or beach? There will be different dresses to fit each scene. If you’re looking for those beautiful dramatic photos with your dress blowing in the wind or draping off a cliff, consider choosing a dress with layers that can show movement! If you want the dress to show some character, you might want a train to drag along the dirt road for some epic photos!

Best Breathable and Light-wearing Materials for Wedding Dresses

Consider getting an elopement dress made out of these breathable, light-wearing materials if you’re going to be doing a moderate to difficult hike:

• Chiffon
• Organza
• Tulle
• Lightweight Silk
• Crepe
• Satin

Tips for Packing Your Elopement Dress

Some brides may prefer to pack their dress instead of hiking in it. That’s totally okay! Here are some tips when packing your elopement dress:

Hang it on the side of your back pack

Fold your dress in half and secure it to the side of your back pack instead of packing it inside your back pack. This will prevent major wrinkling. Make sure to put it in a plastic cover to protect it.

Pack some anti-wrinkle spray

Pack some anti-wrinkle spray along to get rid of any unwanted wrinkles!

Roll it up, instead of folding

If you have to pack your elopement dress into your backpack, make sure to roll it up instead of folding it. This way it will wrinkle less!

Choose a light-wearing, anti-wrinkle dress

There are many materials that are super light and don’t wrinkle easily! If you’re going to pack your elopement dress in your back pack, be sure to choose one of those materials!

How to Hike in Your Elopement Dress

If you’re going to hike up in your wedding dress, comfort is going to be your best friend! Make sure to wear comfortable, hiking shoes! You can always pack cuter wedding shoes in your back pack for when you reach the end of your hike!

If you have a train, you can either bustle it up or hold it in your hand while hiking. You could also just let it drag in the dirt! It makes for great photos and gives the dress some character!

Take frequent breaks to avoid getting too sweaty or tired.

What to Pack in your Elopement Back Pack

Being prepared for your hike will make your day run smoothly! Consider packing the following in your back pack

• Elopement shoes
• Vow books
• Mini make up kit for touch ups
• Mini Mirror
• Deodorant spray/Roll on or perfume
• Wet Wipes
• Tide-To-Go Pen to treat any dirt spots on your dress
• Water and Snacks
• Anti-wrinkle spray

How to Clean Your Elopement Dress

If your dress gets dirty on your hike, don’t worry! It looks really great in photos and gives the dress so much character! However, cleaning a wedding dress is easier than you think. Here’s how you can clean your wedding dress:

If your dress is a pretty simple, light wearing, plain dress, you can totally wash it in the washing machine! It works great! Otherwise, Oxy Clean works wonders for a dirty wedding dress! Just soak the dresses in a luke warm bucket of Oxy clean, and then rinse it off after soaking it overnight!

About Heidi Straus Photography

So now that you know all about hiking in your elopement dress, you should find the right photographer to capture your perfect day! I’m Heidi and I’m absolutely passionate about elopements and destination weddings! I would love to connect with you and help you plan this important moment in your lives! You can fill out my contact form to learn more about my elopement packages HERE!