Adventure Weddings

Everyone has heard of couples getting married while scuba diving or on a mountaintop, but have you ever heard of couples getting married in ice caves, or volcanoes, up in hot air balloons, on an iceberg with penguins or on a camel in a desert? Welcome to the wild world of adventure weddings.

Adventure weddings vary greatly, but one thing that they all share is a couple committing while on an adventure. These adventures often involve travel, a journey to the special ceremony site, and possibly sharing the experience with friends and witnesses. The big question is, how do you plan the perfect adventure wedding for you? It’s generally a good idea to hire a professional agent specializing in destination weddings. They have contacts worldwide, they know reputable places to stay, transportation agencies, and agencies/vendors to help make your dream adventure wedding a reality. A professional can help you with finding an ideal location that fits your needs. We talked with Monique Brigham, travel professional and owner of Plumeria Breezes and Travelon how to get started. Monique suggested that couples “should have an idea of what they want to spend and have it narrowed down to where they would like to go. Of course, I can help them come up with both of those, but it is definitely easier if they have some idea.”

Some adventure weddings will take place in other countries, so it is important to check with the laws of that country –  agents can help with that step. Once you’ve determined the time of year you would like to get married, find out the typical weather during that season at your destination. There is nothing worse than wanting a winter wedding on Balangan beach in Bali, only to discover that you’ve arrived during the wet season.

In the Pacific Northwest, we have many possibilities for adventure weddings with locations ranging from mountains to the sea and there are lots of vendors who are excited to help out with these types of weddings. Many couples choose their favorite activity (hiking, biking, paddle boarding, scuba diving, sky diving etc.), and share their nuptials before, during or after that activity.

Finding the right officiant and photographer can be its own adventure. We checked with MMR Design & Photography, Meraki Photography, Matt Priestman Photography, E.J. Harris Photographyand K. Hulett Photographyand while not all have photographed an adventure wedding, everyone was interested in having a go at it. Lisa from Meraki Design & Photographytold us about one of her experiences with aan dventure weddings. She said, “It was on a windy overhang on a mountainside overlooking a valley. It was so breathtaking and the emotions during the vows were so honest and genuine because there was no audience to be shy in front of.” She recommends a professional photographer because “a good photographer won't take you back just to the day, they will take you back to each emotion and moment.”

Shannon Day, officiant of Tall Red Head Girl, said that although she has never officiated an adventure wedding, she is definitely game. Couples can also have adventures leading into larger receptions. For example, a couple could get married on horseback at Misty River Ranch if they BYOH (bring your own horse).Then afterwards, they can have a full reception while the horses graze in the field. Other couples might like to exchange their vows on the water then slide into a marina for an awesome beachfront reception. The Hotel Bellwetherand Bellingham Yacht Clubor the Seafarer’s Memorial Parkand Transit Shed Event Centerare all situated so that you could step off a boat or paddleboard and into your party.

With a little research and help from professionals, couples daring to take weddings out of the ordinary can create a unique, once in a lifetime experience.