Not just a wedding dress, we’re talking about your elopement dress! When you choose to leave behind a traditional wedding and take a more adventurous route, you’re also foregoing smooth ballroom floors and climate control rooms, while welcoming in a bit of dirt and exposure to the elements. That’s why your elopement attire is one of my first to-do’s on your planning checklist! And I’m sharing all of my top 4 tips for choosing the perfect elopement dress for you.

A bride wearing a BHLDN elopement dress kicks up her dress to show her new husband her hiking boots in front of a glacier in Whistler BC

First things first, congratulations are in order! Not just for your engagement, but for choosing to go the path less travelled and elope somewhere incredible. How exciting! One of my favourite aspects of planning an elopement is that you get to create a day that is exactly what YOU want to do. Including your dress.

So while I do have some helpful considerations when it comes to your attire, these are just my opinions. Ultimately, you have to do what feels right for you. But before you go out and find the dress, take a look at my top suggestions for finding the right one for you. Make sure to read to the end for my number one consideration when choosing! Plus links to some of my favourite dress stores and designers!

Your elopement dress based on weather and climate

Let’s start this one with a little personal story. Flashback to my own wedding day in August, where the sun was shining bright and the air was HOT! A younger, less experienced version of myself picked a wedding dress with multiple layers of fabric. My dress turned out to be too insulated for the time of year and I spent most of my day sweating buckets. It probably would have been ideal for any other season but mid-summer. So sweet friend, don’t be me.

Summer:

If you’re getting married in the warmer months, limit layers as much as possible. Consider the material and how it will feel in the summer heat. Also, consider what the fabric will look like if it gets wet. Will a little sweat turn your dress sheer? Sweat stains are not fun to edit out of your photos.

Summer months also mean more time spent outside. I’ve got two words for you… tan lines. They’re a nightmare to edit out and I haven’t met many people who enjoy having their tan lines in photos. 6 months leading up to your wedding, whether you’re hiking or laying on the beach or just working in your garden, wear sunscreen and/or long sleeve shirts. If you’re always in the sun, maybe it’s a good idea to stay away from the strapless styles.

Autumn/Spring:

Something to also consider; what is precipitation like in your wedding location? Out here in the Sea-to-Sky, we are no strangers to rain. Depending on the date of your wedding, rain could be expected. There’s nothing better than lace for a rainy day. It responds well to being wet, dirty, and if something does happen, it’s easier to edit out. Check out Van’s stunning lace dress for her rainy Iceland Elopement here.

A bride in an elopement dress and a groom in a suit walks towards the water on a beach in Vancouver, BC

A couple kisses on a misty day in front of rattlesnake lake near Snoqualmie, WA wearing wedding attire

Winter:

For winter weddings, it’s all about the layers. Winter wedding attire fashion is maybe my favourite. Lacey sleeves, faux fur shawls, velvet dresses. I love them all! And the good news? Long-sleeved dresses with modest bodices are trending right now. Who can forget the iconic Paris Hilton turtle neck dress? Or Priyanka Chopra in a long-sleeved mock necklace masterpiece?

With elopements, you’ll most likely be spending a majority of your day outside in the elements. Choose a dress that makes sense for the weather in your location and the season of your date. I can tell you from personal experience, you’ll thank yourself later.

A bride in an elopement dress and red shawl reads her vows to her new husband in the mountains of Whistler, BC

Want a glimpse of an ideal elopement dress for the shoulder seasons of Spring and Fall? Anisa’s long-sleeved lace dress is it! Head over to their Squamish hiking elopement blog to see!

A bride in a lace dress and flower crown walks behind her groom on the top of the Chief in Squamish, BC

2. Aesthetic

Most of the time, this is your first thought when it comes to choosing an elopement dress. Or any dress for that matter! BUT does aesthetic really rule all? Not in my opinion. When it comes to elopements, I’ll always be a comfort-over-aesthetics girl. But I also understand that we want to feel like our best selves on our wedding day. The best way to combine both comfort and style is “flow” in a dress; extra fabric that can move around when you do!

I want to remind you that not everyone has the “I found THE dress!!!” moment. I know I sure didn’t. If that’s the case for you, take photos of you in the dresses if you can. A photo for each angle. There’s no shame in taking time to think it over! In a few days, look back at those photos and evaluate. If you’re still having trouble, read through the other sections of this post and use other factors to help you choose!

Did you know that you don’t have to wear white on your wedding day? Or even a dress in general? With aesthetic, I always recommend reflecting on what makes you feel like your best self. If this means wearing black or a jumpsuit, then do it!

A couple stands on a beach in front of Alouette lake with mountains in the background; her dress flows in the wind as they gaze towards the sun setting.

A bride wearing a Anais Anette dress dances with her groom among the mountains in Squamish, bc

A favourite tip when choosing a dress (that actually inspired this blog post) comes from a past bride who chose her dress for aesthetic reasons. But not for what you might expect. She chose her elopement dress based on the placement of her tattoos. Not wanting to cut any off, she found a dress that accentuated her tattoos or completely covered them. I LOVED that idea and it made for some stunning images. If you’d like to see it, check out Erika and Scott’s Myra Falls elopement! When selecting a dress, notice how it frames your tattoes. I recommend either having them totally covered, or totally shown, rather than half-cut-off.

Don’t forget the accessories!

Both a blessing and a curse, accessories are an elopement favourite for your attired. Veils, flowers, shoes, sentimental details, jewelry, hats, shawl - your options are endless. But when choosing accessories for your elopement, here are some things to keep in mind.

Veils! If your dress doesn’t have a flowy aspect to it, veils are a great addition to your outfit! Keep in mind that some hairstyles, such as an up-do, are better than others to keep a veil in place. Who doesn’t love one of those epic veil-in-the-wind photos?!

A couple dances at sunset in a forested meadow in the alpine; her veil fluttering in the wind

Shoes! Here I stand firmly in my belief of comfort over aesthetic. I’m begging you, please wear shoes that are comfortable and reliable for whatever you have planned. This means heels are generally NOT an option. If you absolutely must wear heels, go for a cute block heel or heeled booty. You also shouldn’t wear your shoes for the first time on your wedding day. Blisters are no fun when you’re trying to focus on your love! Pro tip: Bring a second pair of shoes no matter what.

Florals! Ahhh flower crowns, hairpieces, bouquets. I have a love for all things floral. They’re so beautiful. My only tip here is to get one. You won’t regret it!

3. Don’t forget about your timeline and budget

It’s easy to get wrapped up in the excitement of choosing an elopement dress and forget that, like all other wedding planning, there are some logistics involved. Pro tip: Have a timeline! Are you ordering multiple dresses to try on? How long will it take for them to arrive? Or can you find showrooms to try dresses on? Will you need alterations? The entire process can take…awhile. Buy your dress around 8 months before your wedding if you can, but if you’re in a rush, off the rack or online stores might be a better option.

Another important logistic is, of course, your budget. Everyone has a different budget and alotts portions to what they find important. No matter your budget, there are gorgeous options for you, I promise! If you are buying with a budget, please take one piece of advice from me: Don’t even step a foot into a dress that you know is out of your budget. You don’t want to be constantly comparing your actual elopement dress to the one that got away. Trust me on this one.

Luckily, there are so many incredible designers that offer dresses for all budgets and all timelines! Keep reading for the links of some of my personal favourites.

A bride and groom in wedding elopement attire paddle along a lake in pemberton, bc on their paddleboards

And lastly, but most importantly, we need to talk about:

4. MOVEMENT!

If there is one element of your elopement dress you really consider, let it be this.

Movement should be your number one priority. You are no longer standing on the platform in the dress store. You are out exploring, having fun, and moving! Here are some questions to ask yourself…

What do you have planned for your day? Can you do that in your dress?
If you go to take a big step onto a rock, can you?
Can you do a hike, walk on the beach while wearing it?
Can you spin around or do a little jog in it?
Is it possible to lift up your arms?
Can you dance fully?
Do you have a full range of movement?
Have you tried sitting down?
If you’re moving about, do all of your body parts stay in? (if you know you know!!!!)

If you are comfortable in your dress doing all of those things, that will be a WORLD of difference in terms of your day. You would be unpleasantly surprised by how many elopement days have been negatively impacted by the dress. Not being able to move freely will put a damper on your day, no matter how gorgeous the dress is!! And honestly, as a photographer, it makes it difficult to get all of the photos you want if you aren’t able to move around!

So what does this mean for your elopement dress? Unfortunately, dresses that restrict leg movement, like mermaid dresses, or arm movement, like off-the-shoulder, just aren’t feasible. A-line dresses and drapey dresses are beautiful and flowy, making them ideal!

But if you are really committed to a certain style of dress, get creative with some adaptations for your elopement day! Take Molly for example! She had custom shoulder pieces created to snap on and off. Genius! She got the look she wanted, but could take them off when the style was affecting her movement.

Make sure you are able to move on your elopement day!! I promise you, it’ll be worth it.

A bride puts a ring on the finger of a groom at ipsoot glacier in Whistler BC

Don’t think I’d leave you without some of my recommendations!

Choosing an elopement dress can be stressful to say the least! So many choices, long wait times, scary price tags. It can be…a lot. But year after year I am blown away by the beautiful gowns that my clients wear. So inspired by the excellent taste of my clients, here is a list of some of my favourite places to find your elopement dress!

BHLDN - This is Anthropologie’s wedding line, so do I need to say more? All the dresses are stylish and the prices are reasonable! They do have select showrooms in the US, but the only con I can find is that the dresses can be purchased online only. No biggie if you keep your timeline in mind!
Lulus - My go-to for brides on a budget. Simple and beautiful wedding dresses at probably the cheapest prices you’ll find. Definitely worth checking out in my opinion!
Truvelle - A local gem, this dress shop is owned and operated out of Vancouver. Simple gowns that look great on everyone! Check out their trunk shows.
Grace Loves Lace - With shops in the US, Australia, and the UK as well as an online appointment system, finding your dress has never been easier.
Etsy - Yes, Etsy!! Mywony is my personal favourite, but there are so many small vendors with truly unique and even some one-of-a-kind dresses. Support a small business and find your dream dress? Sounds like a deal to me!
Reclamation - Made in Victoria, British Columbia, but shipping worldwide. If boho is your vibe, this is definitely the place for you! They offer so many trendy dress styles and have sizes for anyone. You even have the option for a custom order if you’re envisioning something specific. How cool?!