There are usually two types of couples. One engaged couple who wants a big, lavish ballroom wedding with 150+ guests. The other kind of engaged couples want something a little more intimate and meaningful out in nature. Nichole and Brandon’s Keene Valley elopement is the perfect example of a wedding day that was planned with intention. From the start of their elopement in the valley of the Adirondack mountains at sunrise, they had a fun and relaxing day. Although they wanted to spend quality time together during their elopement, they also wanted to celebrate with family and a few friends too.

Nichole’s family takes yearly trips to the Adirondack region around the Old Forge area. She had always dreamed of eloping in the mountains in the Fall. After hearing her idea, her fiancé, Brandon, felt the same! Neither of them could imagine getting married in a room they would never step in again. They love the great outdoors, hiking and of course, the mountains!

First Look at Marcy Field in Keene Valley

Before the sun came up, I arrived at Nichole and Brandon’s Airbnb to pick them up. We loaded up Nichole’s elopement dress, a few necessities, and were on our way to Marcy Field. Although they spent the morning together, they still wanted to share a first look in front of the mountains. Upon arrival, Brandon stood in the grassy field overlooking the mountains, waiting for his bride. In my pop-up changing tent, Nichole changed into her dress.

Their first look was filled with emotion of pure joy and happy tears! They took some quiet moments to let everything sink in surrounded by the Adirondack mountains. When they felt ready, it was time for some sunrise elopement portraits around Marcy Field in the great outdoors!

Elopement Adventure at Experience Outdoors

Whenever someone wants an easy to get to mountain top view in Lake Placid, I normally recommend Whiteface Mountain. However, it’s not open all year round, and unfortunately, the highway was closed for Nichole and Brandon’s elopement. They wanted a summit view but didn’t want to hike. So I called up one of my favorite places, Experience Outdoors. I love this place for so many reasons! First of all, the staff is incredibly kind and always goes above and beyond. Rather than driving up a mountain, Experience Outdoors offers an added adventure by driving you up in a side-by-side!

When I shared my idea with Nichole and Brandon, they were all for it! So, after finishing up some portraits and a quick stop at Stewart’s for a morning snack, we arrived at Experience Outdoors for their mountain top wedding pictures. I made sure that we had plenty of time to explore when planning their elopement timeline. We took in the mountain summit views that overlooked some of the Olympic sites in Lake Placid and traveled around the mountain top.

After all the photos were taken and the sites were seen, we then headed over to Nichole’s parents’ Airbnb. Her mom and dad were cooking up a delicious brunch for everyone! They had fewer than 20 guests and everyone showed up in comfy clothes to spend the morning together. This way, they got to spend even more quality time with their loved ones, bonding over brunch!

An Afternoon Elopement Celebration in Wilmington

After brunch was over, I left Brandon and Nichole to relax, nap, and spend time with their families. We met back up in the afternoon to get ready for their elopement ceremony in the mountains. Nichole’s parents’ Airbnb had a gorgeous view of the mountains. So to keep things private and simple, they had their intimate elopement ceremony in the backyard.

Their vows to each other had everyone in tears, and their elopement ceremony was incredibly special! They even included their dog, Finley! The view of all the Fall foliage throughout the day was stunning and exactly what they were hoping for when we planned their Fall elopement in the Adirondacks!

Once they were officially married, we took family photos, and they shared their first dance out in nature. Shortly after that, their private chef, Take Home Cheffy, announced that dinner was ready! So after a toast from the father of the bride and one of their best friends, it was time to celebrate over a delicious meal!

Just because Brandon and Nichole decided to keep their celebration small, didn’t mean that they couldn’t decorate to make things special. For months, Nichole had been thrifting wedding decor such as plates, cups, and additional vintage tableware for their elopement dinner. The details were beautiful and unique and she had a great time putting everything together and thrifting!

Nichole & Brandon’s Keene Valley Elopement

Nichole & Brandon’s Keene Valley elopement was exactly what they had envisioned for their wedding day. Something intimate, meaningful, stress-free, and most importantly, fun! They incorporated things that mean something to them and things they loved doing. Like spending time outside in the Adirondack park with their family, and of course, Finley! Although they chose a weekend date in the Fall, they still had plenty of privacy throughout their day, due to careful elopement planning and selecting the best locations around Keene Valley.

If spending your wedding day surrounded by the mountains and the great outdoors, rather than in a stuffy ballroom, sounds like a dream to you, send me a message! Once we get to know each other better, I’ll help you plan your elopement and create a timeline that suits you and your partner perfectly. Remember, your wedding day should be about you! It shouldn’t revolve around making your guests happy. So keep that in mind when you start to dream about and plan your big day!