Have you been dreaming of eloping in winter in Switzerland?
Eloping in winter in Switzerland is truly unique and can be a fantastic experience! But with all these mountains, you might wonder how to plan such a wedding?
First of all, big Kuddos to you my friends! It takes a lot of courage to choose to get married in a non traditional way! So congrats on being a badass! In this article you will find some tips and inspiratoin to help you envision and plan the best wedding experience of your life!
What type of elopement experience are you looking for?
If you read my blog posts and pages of this website, you will often see that I speak of “EXPERIENCES”…
That’s because I truly believe that your wedding day should not just be a ceremony, but a true full day(s) experience for you two! This is the day you decided to commit to eachother forever!!
How do you want to feel on that day? What do you want to see around you? What do you want to smell? Who do you want to be surrounded with? What do you want to do on that day? etc…
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Here is a little inspiration
How about this:
For your big day, you want to exchange your vows in a quiet place, away from the crowds! So, you head out snowshoeing for about an hour in a frosty forest, until you reach the edge of the woods.
You look around and are in awe with the impressive mountain walls around you! The nature is soooo quiet, and it starts to snow. Temperatures are below zero °C but you feel warm inside, you are a little giggly from the excitement of getting to share your vows in such an epic gorgeous place!
You’ve got the mountain all for yourselves! You hold eachother close, you dive into your best friend’s eyes and there, in the middle of nature, you commit to eachother.
You did not even notice the snowstorm picking up in intensity, bringing a moody vibe to the landscape. There, everything is perfect! You start dancing in the deep snow under the big snowflakes, you’re laughing, you’re smiling… You’re taking every second in!
Later, you hike back down to the nearest village, you enter a local little café place and enjoy a wonderful nice hot cocoa with rhum! Your heart is rejoycing, your mood is light and happy. This is YOUR day! Even better than how you imagined it!
we have established that you dream of a winter landscape, but what will you do on your day?
Eloping in winter in Switzerland is like receiving a box of chocolate (if you like chocolate) 😉
There are so many different type of activities you can do! Here are a few ideas:
- snowshoeing to a secluded view point
- have a helicopter ride to a glacier for a wine tasting or to say your vows
- skiing/snowboarding in your (new) favorite resort
- have a taste of the highest swiss cheese fondue in europe
- visit an icecave
- have a ride on a sledge pulled by huskies
- sunset vows from a mountain top
- stay overnight in a mountain cabin to say your vows all alone at sunrise
Guests or no guests?
The beauty of eloping is that you can tailor every single detail of your wedding day and not have to comply with other people’s expectation.
That being said, while some couples choose a “just us” elopement, a lot of couples still love to include some close-ones to celebrate with them this joyful occasion. It’s totally up to you.
If you DO choose to invite guests, think of your vision of the day: do you want them present for all of it? or part of it? You could choose to have a private ceremony, followed by a party celebration with your guests.
Remember to think of your activities: can your guest partake in them?
practical information
If you are depending on public or private transportation (like gondolas/ski lifts etc), double-check with them their opening hours (You do not want to be stranded in the middle of the mountain at night if that was not your initial plan…).
If you are choosing an activity during your day, contact the service providers to double-check their availabilities, hours, and just in case their cancellation policies.
Make a list of the necessary gear you need to bring too.
Oh and of course, BOOK your date!! 🙂
5 tips to have a fantastic winter elopement in switzerland
1. make a plan (and a b-plan)
If you are planning to have an outdoors ceremony or activities, make sure to have a B-plan! Nature is unpredictible and you will be happy to have a fall-back plan if your original idea cannot happen. Think about how long you need to walk in the snow, is there an avalanche risk, is there a shelter nearby in case you need to hide from an unexpected storm? Are you hiking, flying a helicopter, going on a sleddog ride, a horse sled, snowboarding, skiing, snowshoeing, etc. What time does the sun go down? Do you need headlamps? What are the emergency numbers, what is your itinerary, etc… If you’re not sure, ask a local guide for advice! Never take risks!
2. Prepare your mindset
Dreamy white landscapes look phenomenal! But prepare yourself to be cold, maybe even super cold!! Make sure you are mentally prepared to spend a few hours out there, and I’ll promise you that you will have a super fun time! And of course, prepare your gear accordingly (see following tips).
3. Layer-up!
Winters in Switzerland can get super cold, so make sure to have warm underwear! Think thermo leggings and tops. Wool socks are your friends! If your dress does not allow for a thermo top, think warm accessories: gloves, mittens, scarfs, ear-warmers, beanie, headband, blankets.. Bring your super warm winter coat with you, even if it is a little less fancy, you can always remove it during pictures. But you will be sooooo happy to wear it in between pictures!
4. warm-up!
A warm coffee or tea, even a soup will be some of your best allies! Bring a thermos with your favorite hot beverage! It does help a lot feel warm from this inside out. For the outside, get yourself some hand and toe warmers! These can really make the difference between a terrible day or a fantastic experience! Also, wearing the right shoes in the snow is absolutely a must!
5. Enjoy!
Embrace the experience! Soak in every moment. You are getting married to your best friend! 🙂
Do you want me to help create & capture your epic winter elopement experience?
Fill in the form below & let’s start planning your best adventure!