Grindelwald, Switzerland SUP elopement
Disclaimer – This website contains affiliate links. We may earn a very small commission if you make a purchase using links on this site, at no extra cost to you. That’s how we can afford to keep this awesome site running!
Ben and Kristen decided to ditch the traditional wedding and elope to Switzerland. They woke up super early on their elopement day, around 5 am and hit the trail in the dark to reach their special spot: a gorgeous mountain lake perched over 2200 up in the Swiss Alps. After a pre-dawn hike, they arrived just as the sun was starting to peek over the mountains, making for a pretty epic backdrop for their ceremony.
These guys aren’t your typical bride and groom. After saying their “I do’s,” they inflated a stand-up paddle board they brought along with them and cruised around the lake, celebrating their new marriage. They hiked back down to the mountain hut for breakfast and then continued their adventure in Lauterbrunnen, exploring hidden spots and enjoying some champagne and cake along the way.
tell us a bit about the location?
From Malin, the photographer: I always send my clients a questionnaire that they have to fill out. Then I propose locations according to their wishes and dreams and we work it out together. That’s how we choose this spot!
Unless you want to set up something special, you don’t need any special permits or permission to have your elopement or photo session here.
They opted to have a symbolic ceremony here. As far as accessibility goes for this location, you do need to have basic good physics as you need to hike up to an hour on high altitude but it doesn’t require any technical skills.
what about Sustainability?
From Malin, the photographer: this was for sure a sustainable wedding. We hiked, took gondolas, electric cars, no guests flying in from all over the world, no decorations or even flowers. Just the couple, the photographer and nature as their altar. The cork from the champagne ended up in our pockets and we left no trace as I am a “Leave no trace” certified planner and photographer. Everyone has their own responsibility to leave no trace at this location. It’s also not allowed to wild camp by this lake.
What are your top tips for an elopement in this area?
From Malin, the photographer: this whole area is very populated so you need to use the hours of the day when gondolas are closed to get the intimacy that you are most likely looking for. Summer – Autumn are the best time of year as in Winter and Spring the lake is frozen and will be covered with snow.
Get a planner/photographer that really cares about your experience rather than about their portfolio, someone that knows the area, that has a wide knowledge and understanding about elopements. Someone that will support you in creating the best day of your life from the beginning to the end.
Why did the couple decide to elope and why switzerland?
From Kristen, the bride: weddings are very expensive in the US. (I’m assuming they are everywhere) We decided a traditional wedding was not our priority. We agreed that there were better ways we could spend our time and money. We wanted the day to be about us and what we truly want and celebrating our love and partnership. We choose Switzerland because we were looking for an adventure and we love cliffs, mountains and lakes so Switzerland was a perfect match for what we were wanting.
The vendors:
Photography: MA LOVE Photography
Location: Jungfrau
Planner: Wild Souls United
