Plan the Perfect Maine Elopement
You’re ready to throw tradition to the wind and instead of planning a big, stale affair you’d rather elope in Maine. Now you’re looking for a Maine Elopement Photographer and expert! The state of ME has spectacular coastal cliffs, mountains, and lush forests. The state parks are home to some of the most stunning views, and Maine boasts the only National Park in all of New England!
Let’s get started planning your perfect, adventure wedding day.
Why Elope or have a small outdoor wedding in Maine?
Maine is the perfect place to elope with your significant other if you want grand views. It is one of the only places in the country where the mountains meet the ocean, so if you are both an ocean and mountain person an Acadia National Park elopement in Maine might be the choice for you. The Maine coast is a great place to elope because it offers many different options for small intimate weddings to elopements. Dotted with islands, the Maine coast has many natural features that are perfect for an outdoor wedding such as forests, mountains, and beaches.
Where to Elope in Maine?
These are the best places to elope in Maine. Check out the full article HERE, but here’s the short list of my favorite places to shoot elopements in Maine.
ACADIA NATIONAL PARK
BAXTER STATE PARK
CAMDEN HILLS STATE PARK
KITTERY POINT LIGHTHOUSE
THE CLIFF HOUSE
MT. BLUE STATE PARK
PEMAQUID LIGHTHOUSE
OGUNQUIT, ME
WANT TO FLY INTO A SECLUDED BACKCOUNTRY SPOT FOR YOUR ELOPEMENT?
Looking for an even more unique way to celebrate your elopement day? Maine has several float plane services that can fly you in to the most beautiful elopement locations. There are a wide variety of elopement locations that can make for a perfect intimate wedding. These small locations are perfect for couples who would like to share their big day with a few close friends and family members. Float plane services in Maine can fly you to the areas of choice, so all you have to do is show up and say "I do."
Maine is kind of like the “wild west” of the east coast. There is less regulation and a lot of open space, so the idea of flying and landing somewhere, doing the ceremony, and flying out is possible. These providers have regular scenic tours, but they also allow for custom packages.
Something you should also consider is your date. It seems like some (but not all) of these operators fly from May to Oct. because it’s the busy season, but some do operate outside of those months.
There are several Maine based float plane services that can fly you into the most beautiful and secluded backcountry locations. You can experience an amazing elopement in a scenic setting, and then enjoy your honeymoon in a cabin or some other nearby accommodation.
WHERE TO STAY IN Maine
I always recommend checking VRBO when looking for places to stay and planning your elopement. Why do I recommend VRBO over Airbnb? Because Airbnb no longer allows any type of event to take place. If it’s just the two of you that’s not a problem, but if you want to have any friends or family over and just enjoy a simple dinner celebration together VRBO allows that. In fact, there’s a box that you can check labeled “events allowed” and VRBO only shows you places where you are allowed to host a few people for a dinner celebration. Again, Airbnb is a great option if you don’t plan to use it for a celebration. I especially like their unique stays which feature super cool places, like treehouses. Who doesn’t want to elope and stay in a treehouse? I know I do!
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO GET MARRIED IN MAINE?
Getting married in Maine can be a very expensive affair, but eloping in Maine can run the gamut from affordable to pricey. There are ways to cut down on the cost of your wedding. Check out this article on how much it costs to elope.
There are many factors that contribute to the cost of a wedding. Some may include the venue, catering, flowers and other décor, music and entertainment, etc. This is why it is important to have a budget set before you start planning your event.
Luckily, you can cut what you don’t care about when eloping. Most eloping couples don’t pay for a venue, or they only pay a permit fee to get married on public lands. Other things eloping couples don’t have to pay for is food and drink for a large guest list. This enables you to spend more on the things that you truly care about, like documenting your day and making it the experience of a lifetime.
It is also important that you do not forget to factor in the cost of marriage license fees and officiant fees when determining your total costs for your big day!
WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR GETTING MARRIED IN MAINE?
Maine marriage laws are governed by the Maine Revised Statutes Title 19-A. For more info about the legalities of eloping in Maine, check out this site. Generally, you are able to obtain your marriage license at the town clerk’s office the day before your elopement, but each area is different so make sure to check with the town where you are eloping.
You need to have one or more witnesses at your wedding ceremony in Maine.
You must also be unmarried to get married in Maine. If you were previously married, you will need a divorce decree before getting remarried in Maine.
SHOULD YOU CHOOSE MAINE FOR YOUR ELOPEMENT?
The beauty of Maine is unmatched and it is the perfect place for a couple who wants to get married without the hassle of planning a traditional wedding.
There are many reasons why you should consider Maine for your elopement. First, it is the perfect place for an outdoor ceremony. Second, there is no waiting period to get married in Maine which means you can plan your wedding on short notice if you need to. Third, with so many beautiful locations to choose from, you can have your elopement in a setting that fits your personality and style. Finally, Maine has amazing accommodations that can accommodate all types of budgets which means there is something for everyone!
Planning your elopement can be an overwhelming process. But with these tips, you will be able to have the wedding of your dreams! If you're looking for a unique location to say your vows with the person you love, eloping in Maine can be the best decision you ever make.
Maine Elopement Packages
As an elopement photographer I provide a service that includes so much more than just beautiful photos of your day. I am a part guide/part planner as well, helping you craft your perfect experience.
Planning guidance and assistance
You get my massively informational 90+ page elopement experience guidebook. It comes with a packing list, how to navigate family dynamics when eloping, and more. It’s going to answer questions you didn’t even know you had.
In addition, I offer planning guidance and assistance including (but not limited to) locations, timeline, and permitting requirements.
Timeline
Plan your small outdoor wedding or elopement day timeline. Want to make sure you’re choosing a location during the best time of day for light, or best time of year for weather? I make sure we do just that. And then I put together the perfect timeline of your incredible day, so everyone is on the same page and the day unfolds seamlessly!
Location Scouting + Vendor Recommendations
My years of experience have taken me a lot of different places. You get knowledge of incredible elopement locations that include everywhere from stunning waterfalls, mountain tops, forest tunnels, and coastal cliffs. Along with that comes working with some pretty amazing teams of wedding vendors. So I pass that info along too.
Activity Ideas
From a backcountry helicopter tour to canoeing, hiking, climbing, train and ferry rides, horseback riding, plane rides, and everything in between. There is no limit to what you can experience on your adventurous day.
Officiant
I can also sign your marriage license. I’m an ordained officiant in every New England state and in New York. So if you don’t want to hire an officiant or make a family member fill the role- you can say your vows to each other and I can sign the paperwork.
Travel Included
You never have to worry about paying travel fees. You don’t worry about where I’m staying or how I’m getting anywhere. One less item on your to-do list!
FAA Certified Drone Pilot
That’s right, I have a pilot’s license to prove it and everything. I stay up to date on the latest drone laws so that I can fly my bird and capture your day from a huge variety of angles throughout the day.
Elopement expert
I use my GPS to make sure we don’t get lost. And I’ll bring along things that you might not have thought about like hand warmers, tissues, umbrellas, and headlamps. Most of all, you get an expert who has been through this over 100 times to guide you through the process.
Hi, I’m Kat
I’m a small outdoor wedding and elopement photographer. I photograph weddings all over Maine and New England. I love this region so much and want to give couples here an incredible elopement or small outdoor wedding experience. If you’re looking for Maine elopement packages, you’ve come to the right place!
My style focuses on telling the complete story of your day, from all the quiet moments to the exciting celebrations. So whether you are eloping with just the two of you or you decided to bring along some of your closest friends and family, I capture each moment, person, and experience as it happens.
I firmly believe you should get married exactly the way you want. I hope that means you get married outside in a stunning and adventurous location. I’m here to make sure your day is completely captured. Sometimes that means I’m a fly on the wall, taking in the action as it happens, and other times that means posing you and your partner or making sure your family portraits take place in the spot with the best light.
Whatever format or timeline your day takes on I’ll work with it, because after all it is your day, and I want you to have images that let you relive every moment over and over.
Hear from my amazing clients
KC & Ryan
If you are debating using Swell & Stone do yourself a favor and book already! Kat was fantastic. Leading up to my wedding she frequently reached out to me and my husband to keep us on track as we were super busy, without her things would have fallen apart because we were not at all on top of it. She is very on top of everything. All the location suggestions were very well planned and thought out. She had vendor names for EVERYTHING and was able to even get me more names when I had trouble getting hair and make up for a sunrise wedding. She was professional and also really fun to have on our hike. She made the day fun and while we weren't sure if it would be awkward to spend a few hours hiking with a photographer we'd never met she was really personable and we enjoyed having her there helping us. We are beyond grateful to Kat and you will be too! 100% recommend Swell & Stone. Our photos are beautiful and exactly what we asked for. I can't stress enough how great the experience and final products were. Kat's the best!
Ankeeta & Jacob
We are beyond grateful we found Kat! She made our special day more perfect than we could have dreamed. Kat spoke to us over the phone a couple of times leading up to the wedding. This helped us get to know each other and narrow down where we should get married (we hadn't decided yet). She then helped plan out our day for us. Kat is so patient, kind, and fun! She was not only our photographer but also our "officiator" since she is ordained in the state of Maine. This let us conduct our ceremony ourselves and made the process all the more special. We had such a fun time spending the evening taking photos and getting creative.
Of course, our photos are beyond what words can describe. They captured the adventure and magic of our day, the fun we were having, and the love we share. I recommend Kat to all of our recently engaged or soon-to-be engaged friends, look no further for the most epic adventure elopement!
Bethany & Mono
Kat is a phenomenal photographer and just a lovely person. She supported us through our whole elopement journey from helping us pick locations, find vendors, and coached us through the photoshoots. During each shoot, she made us feel so comfortable. She is very easy going and offers gentle suggestions. She also does a great job of being inconspicuous. During our vows, I nearly forgot she was there taking pictures of us. The pictures were so beautiful, she really took the time to capture the essence of us and the feeling we wanted in our photographs. Kat is just a really enjoyable person to be around, especially since we spent 8 hours together in a very intimate setting.
Morgan & Ryan
My husband and I hired Kat as our photographer for our fall elopement. During the planning process, Kat was absolutely key since we were traveling from out of state. She sent a list of potential locations, researched state marriage laws, and helped us plan a schedule that met all of our elopement goals. On wedding day, she arrived hours ahead of time to scout sites while we got ready. Kat stayed flexible and was willing to do whatever it took to get the perfect shot. Though it was just my husband and I at our elopement, Kat still found ways to make the day special. We especially appreciated the added bonus of her being able to legally sign our marriage license since we didn't have an officiant! In the end, our elopement photos (there’s A LOT of them) turned out stunning and we have Kat to thank for that.
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