10 Steps to Picking Your Dream Alaska Elopement Dress

Did you ever day-dream about your big day and what your wedding dress might look like? Maybe you played dress up here and there and then saved some inspiration to Pinterest as you got older? Well now that you’re engaged and settled on an elopement, the time has come to pick your DREAM elopement dress!! 

When choosing an elopement dress there are more factors to consider than when you’re shopping for a wedding dress. Elopements often include different activities vs. the traditional wedding and it’s hard to find a dress that suits it all. In this blog I’ve laid out the most important things to keep in mind when elopement dress shopping. Keep on reading to find out the 10 steps to picking your elopement dress, plus a bonus guide to elopement accessories & FAQ’s about elopement dresses. Happy dress-hunting!

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10 Steps to Picking Your Dream Elopement Dress

1. Match the style with the vibe of your day

The first step to picking your elopement dress is thinking through the vibe of your elopement day. This can be determined by the scenes and locations of the day. Whether you’ll be indoor or outdoors, the colors of the landscape or the overall feel of the places. Going for an ethereal forest look? A dress that feels dainty or flowy would look magical in the trees! Epic mountain top? A dress that will catch the wind and billow around you would be incredible. One that’s easy to get up there in is a plus! Maybe you’re aiming for a downtown vibe that’s more edgy and a pantsuit would suit your style? If you want something more vintage or classic then satin and silks in a more tight fitting style are always so elegant. Basically, start with the overall vibe/theme of your location or that you’re aiming for and from there start your elopement dress search! that suits the location and overall vibe and theme is a good place to start when you’re starting your search!

2. Envision the photos you want

Similar to thinking about the overall vibe/theme of your day, it’s also helpful to think about the kinds of photos you want and compare if the dresses you’re trying on will be conducive to that! i.e. If you want a lot of movement shots with your honey picking you up or piggy backing or anything of the sort, you may want to opt for a lighter dress that is easy to move in. And vice-versa: if you want epic twirling shots with a full skirt or a dramatic train or full fairytale vibes, then a ball gown might be what you aim for. This really is up to personal preference, but just know that the type of dress you have will affect movement and overall look of your photos!

3. Think about elopement day activities

What’s unique about elopement dresses is that you have a lot more activities to consider than traditional wedding days. It’s super important to think about the activities you want to do during your elopement and what environment you’ll be in. You want to make sure that the dress you end up with will allow you full range of motion for any and all activities and that you’re not going to have to worry about too much with your environment, such as having your dress snag on something or get dirty! Think about what kind of transportation you’ll have, any extended moving you might be doing, if you’re going to dance, hike, go canoeing, etc.

4. Make sure you’ll be comfortable

Next, you’ll want to think about comfort and how you feel in the dress. Is it the right length? Can you move easily? Will the sleeves get in your way or slide down your shoulder? Is it itchy or does it rub wrong in some areas? Is it too loose or too tight? Trying your elopement dress on in a controlled environment will never ever be the same as how it feels in the wild on your day. I highly recommend trying it on for an extended period of time and doing ALL the things! Check range of motion in your arms(arm circles), legs (squats, lunges, wide steps, sitting), walk, sit, stand, try to put on your shoes, check any corners or rough lace around the underarms or chest, etc. So often I have brides half way through their day say they’re SO over wearing their elopement dress because it fits so differently after 6+ hours.

Comfort is KEY! You’ll likely be in this dress for 6-8+ hours depending on the length of your elopement so I recommend choosing your elopement dress very intentionally.

5. Think about the material

Material is a really big part of the fit & feel of your elopement dress and impacts how well it travels to your destination as well as on your person to any activities. It’s important to choose a dress with material that feels comfortable to you, is the right size for packing and flexible enough for you to move around in so you aren’t confined to one spot! Also, different materials catch in the wind differently and will move differently on your body, so again, test it all out! Other factors: Silk and satin dresses show rain and wet spots way faster, chiffon dresses weigh down more when wet, tulle is hard to walk in depending on the poof, lace will pick up an entire forest floor. Alaska is wild and free and often you’ll pick up a little nature to take along with you.

6. Keep weather in mind

Eloping in Alaska can be COLD(even in the summer), so it’s important to choose an elopement dress that can layer with jackets & other outerwear while still feeling comfy and camera ready. If you’re getting married in the summer think about potential for sun and warmth, think about what tan lines you might have (and try and avoid them!). If yuo’re getting married in the winter then a dress you can add base layers under is KEY. These Minus33 Layers are my favorite, the mid-weight in cream would layer so perfectly under a dress! It’s also important to pick a dress you don’t mind possibly getting wet in the rain or snow, or picking up some grime or dirt. You and your elopement dress will be living the dream out there, you’re only gonna wear it once so might as well wear it right!

7. Plan to pack your elopement dress

Make sure you don’t forget about how you’re going to pack your dress! If you’re going on a hike and you want to wear hiking clothes before changing into your dress at the top, your dress need to be able to be packed & put into your backpack. You can do this by either folding it carefully on its own and carefully putting it in your pack, or putting it in a garment bag and attaching it to the outside of the bag. If you’re flying to your destination then you’ll want to make sure it’s in an easy transportable carry-on type bag, these Wally Bags are AMAZING for helping condense even the poofiest of dresses.

8. Pack an outfit change

Obviously your elopement dress is going to be the main show, but you DON’T have to weari t all day! You can totally bring in an outfit change and either keep it formal but toned down, or go full casual. I’ve seen couples semi-formal vibes for dinner, get matching pajamas, hoodies or sweat sets, or bathing suits if they’re hoping in the hot tub! You get the idea! Feel free to get unique with this, or stick to what feels comfy if you’d rather be in normal every-day attire for part of the day.

9. Bring the right people to your dress appointments

This one is super simple: only bring people whose opinions you truly appreciate to your elopement dress appointments. You don’t need unnecessary/unwanted opinions affecting your dress choice! That’s even IF you’re bringing anyone with you! I have even had couples shop for their attire together because they prefer that over shopping alone or with anyone else. You can truly make your own rules here!

10. Pick what makes you feel like your best self!

And finally, make sure you feel beautiful and like yourself in whatever elopement dress you choose! This is the key to picking the perfect dress and will play the biggest role in making sure you’re confident + feeling great on your big day. You don’t want to be worried about straps not fitting right or not liking a certain aspect of the dress, etc. while getting your photos take, it will distract from the moment!

Bonus Guide: Choosing Your Elopement Outfit Accessories

Shoes

Shoes are probably one of the LAST parts of your elopement outfit that you choose, but don’t underestimate the importance of picking the right pair(s) of shoes!! This is one part of your outfit you’ll want to stay pretty practical with. It’s likely that if you’re having an adventure elopement in Alaska, you’ll need a solid pair of hiking boots or tennis shoes to bring along on your elopement day. Keeping it functional and stylish is always a plus! Sorels, Doc Martens, Danners, Timberland and other brands have suuuper cute and useful shoes.

You have a couple options:

1. Wear hiking boots/functional shoes on the hike, then change into “cuter” shoes for your ceremony if the terrain allows
2. Wear hiking boots the entire day

It’s up to you whether you want to be carrying an extra pair of shoes in your backpack or if you’d rather just rock your hiking boots all day!

Keep a few things in mind when picking your elopement shoes:

• Temperature – we don’t want your feet to be chilly!! Foot warmers are always a great item to bring along. Also, WOOL SOCKS! Not cotton!
• Terrain – make sure your shoes are appropriate for the terrain you’ll be walking on, whether it’s paved, gravel, sandy, wet, muddy, or just plain ICE. Check out this blog post for my top tips on how to safely elope on a glacier in Alaska, including what shoes to wear!
• Comfort – the last thing you want is to get blisters on your big day!! Make sure your shoes have been broken in fairly well already and that you know they’ll keep your toesies comfy all day.

Jewelry

Jewelry is one of my favorite ways to personalize & spice up any elopement look! Whether you want to keep your outfit pretty simple or you want to go alllll out, jewelry can really make or break the vibe. Maybe you want to add a little sparkle to your simple dress by wearing some dangly earrings, or maybe your dress is super eclectic & you want to stick to simple pearl studs, the options are endless!

Jewelry is also a beautiful way that you can honor family members, if maybe your mom/grandma/aunt/etc. has any heirloom pieces that you want to wear.

Here’s a list of the main jewelry items I often see brides wear on their elopement day, to get your ideas flowin’:

• Necklaces
• Bracelets
• Earrings
• Rings
• Anklets
• Back jewelry/”necklaces”

Hairpieces

I thought hairpieces deserved their own separate category, because they’re not always made of metal & considered “jewelry!” Hairpieces are sooo much fun and can really add some flair to your bridal look. You can pick a metal hairpiece that matches your jewelry, or a floral hairpiece of a variety of sizes to bring some garden magic to your hairdo!

Jackets/outerwear

Eloping in Alaska usuallyyyy means it’ll be fairly chilly, depending on the season & your location of course. So it’s important to bring along the right outerwear & jackets to stay warm! You could wear a faux fur, bring along your everyday jackets, or throw on a sweater when you need it. Whatever it is, make sure it’s something you don’t mind being photographed in.

PRO TIP: Make sure your partners shirt (if white) matches the white of your dress so you don’t have conflicting tones!

FAQ’s About Elopement Dresses

How much should you spend on an elopement dress?

That’s completely up to you and how important your dress is to you! I’ve seen dresses range from $100-10,000, if not more. It’s important to set your budget by listing out your priorities. iI your dress is one of your top priorities and you’ve intentionally set aside a larger chunk to put toward it, go ahead and splurge!! Or maybe your dress isn’t super important and you know you won’t use it again – go thrifting, head to Facebook Marketplace, or even rent one!

Does an elopement dress have to be white?

Nope!! Your elopement dress can be WHATEVER color you want it to be!

Do I have to wear a dress to elope?

No! You can totally switch it up with a jumpsuit/pantsuit, two-piece outfit, a blazer & trousers, literally whatever you want to do. Choose what feels most like you! 

Do you wear a veil to elope?

Again, that’s up to you!

Where do I buy my elopement dress?

Lulu’s is one of my personal favorite online shops for buying wedding gowns at a lower price! 

Grace Loves Lace has some BEAUTIES!!

You can also check out local bridal boutiques near you, thrift stores, Facebook Marketplace, & online bridal rental companies.

Bateau Bridal Boutique, is a private bridal studio in Anchorage if you’re local as well!

Real-Life Elopement Dress Inspiration

Boho elopement dresses

Winter elopement dresses

Long-sleeve elopement dresses

Simple elopement dresses

Two-piece elopement dresses

Satin elopement dresses

Strapless elopement dresses

More Alaska Elopement Resources & Information

Now that you’re ready to pick your dream elopement dress, check out more of my favorite elopement planning tips & resources below!

8 Ways to Include Family in Your Elopement

The Ultimate Guide to Eloping at Denali National Park

8 Unique Alaska Adventure Elopement Ideas

Ready to take the next step in your elopement planning? Reach out here!