How to Choose the Right Dress for Your Elopement

Your wedding dress is one of the most exciting parts of planning your elopement. Maybe you’ve dreamed about a dramatic gown with a long train and layers of tulle your entire life. Maybe you picture yourself in something simple and effortless that lets you run barefoot through the sand. Or maybe you’re somewhere in between. Whatever your vision is, I want you to wear the dress that makes you feel like yourself.

But after photographing many elopements, I’ve learned that there is one thing that can make a surprisingly big difference in your experience: how comfortable you feel moving in your dress.

And no, that doesn’t mean you need a lightweight, practical, or “adventure dress.” In fact, I LOVE a dramatic gown: The giant skirts. The long trains. The layers of tulle. The wind catching the fabric. Give me all of it.

The biggest question isn’t “Is this dress too big for an elopement?” It’s “How comfortable am I in this dress, and how willing am I to move in it?”

Your Dress Can Shape Your Elopement Experience

Your dress isn’t just something you’re going to be photographed in. You’re going to live your entire elopement day in it. And I’ve seen such a drastic difference between brides who feel comfortable and confident moving in their dresses and brides who spend most of the day pulling their dress up, stepping on the train, adjusting the bodice, or worrying about keeping everything perfectly in place.

And honestly? That’s completely understandable! If you’re worried about tripping over your dress, you’re probably not going to want to run down the beach. If you’re constantly pulling up your bodice, you’re probably not going to want to climb onto a rock. If your train is incredibly difficult to manage, you may not feel like wandering very far from where you started.

None of that is wrong. But it does naturally create a different kind of elopement experience—and a different kind of gallery.

Big & Dramatic Doesn’t Mean You Can’t Adventure

I want to make this distinction really clear because I would never tell a bride that she shouldn’t wear a big, dramatic gown for her elopement. Some of my favorite dresses to photograph are HUGE. A dramatic gown can be absolutely incredible for an adventure. You can still run, twirl, dance, climb, explore, get picked up, and let the wind take your train. I’ve photographed brides who absolutely rock their dramatic dresses while adventuring through some pretty wild landscapes.

The difference is often comfort and willingness to move.

If you feel confident in your dress and you’re willing to get a little messy, move a little more, and embrace whatever your dress throws at you, we can create some incredible things together. Maybe we pick up your skirt and run down the beach. Maybe your partner spins you around and your train flies behind you. Maybe we let the wind catch all those layers of tulle. Maybe you climb onto a rock together and your dress spills around you. Maybe you don’t even think about the dress anymore because you’re too busy laughing with your person. That’s the magic I’m looking for.

Look for Movement-Friendly Fabrics

When you’re shopping for your dress, don’t only think about the silhouette. Pay attention to the fabric and how it moves.

Some fabrics come alive when the wind catches them, creating beautiful movement and dimension in photographs. Lightweight tulle, chiffon, crepe, silk, and other soft, flowing fabrics can create gorgeous movement without necessarily feeling restrictive. This doesn’t mean you need to choose a lightweight fabric! A dramatic gown with layers of tulle can be absolutely incredible for an outdoor elopement. But if you’re dreaming of those windswept photographs, look for fabrics and elements that move with the environment rather than fighting against it.

Think about:

• Flowing skirts that catch the wind
• Lightweight layers that create movement
• Long, dramatic trains that trail behind you
• Soft fabrics that ripple as you walk
• Sleeves, ribbons, veils, or other elements that can move in the breeze
• A veil that catches the wind and adds another layer of movement to your photographs

Sometimes the most beautiful photographs happen when you simply let nature do the styling.

Consider Your Elopement Landscape

You don’t have to match your dress to your surroundings. In fact, I don’t think you should feel like you need to! But you can choose elements that enhance the overall vibe of the place you’re getting married.

Coastal Cliffs

Think lightweight fabrics, open backs, windswept silhouettes, flowing trains, and pieces that will move beautifully in the ocean breeze.

Forests

Earthy tones, lace, soft textures, and organic details can feel beautiful against mossy greens, towering trees, and filtered light.

Mountains

This is where dramatic trains, flowing skirts, and structured tops can be especially beautiful. A little drama can feel right at home against a huge mountain landscape.

Deserts

Simple lines, minimalist fabrics, and breathable textures can complement the open, expansive feeling of the desert without competing with the landscape.

You don’t have to match the scenery—but you can let it enhance your overall vibe. Nature becomes part of the backdrop, and your dress helps bring the whole scene to life.

Think About Hiking in Your Dress

This is a big one for elopements! If you’re planning to hike to your ceremony or explore multiple locations throughout your day, think about how your dress is going to get there.

You don’t necessarily have to hike in your dress. In fact, sometimes the best option is to wear comfortable hiking clothes and pack your dress in your backpack until you reach the location where you want to get ready. This can be especially helpful if you’re hiking several miles, navigating uneven terrain, climbing steep sections, or simply don’t want to spend the entire hike worrying about your dress.

If you do plan to hike in your dress, consider:

• How easy it is to walk in
• Whether you can comfortably lift the skirt
• How much the dress weighs
• Whether the train will snag on branches or rocks
• Whether you’ll be able to use your hands when climbing
• How warm or breathable the fabric is
• Whether you’re okay with the dress getting dirty along the way

And if you plan to pack your dress, make sure you’ve thought about how you’re going to carry it. A garment bag or dress-specific packing solution can help protect it, and your photographer or partner may be able to carry it for part of the hike. There’s no right answer here. You just want to plan ahead so your dress doesn’t become the thing keeping you from enjoying the adventure.

The Movement Makes the Photos

If you’ve followed my work for a while, you probably know that I’m not drawn to stiff, overly posed photographs.

I want movement.

I want hair blowing across your face. I want your dress moving in the wind. I want you running toward each other, spinning around, getting picked up, laughing until your stomach hurts, holding each other close, and completely forgetting that I’m there. I want your photos to feel romantic, emotive, playful, cinematic, and alive.

And your ability to move in your dress plays a bigger role in that than you might realize.

When you’re comfortable enough to move, I’m able to give you prompts that create those kinds of moments. When you’re not comfortable moving, we’re naturally going to stay closer to simple walking, standing, cuddling, and gentle movement. Again, neither is wrong. It’s simply something to think about when you’re envisioning what you want your elopement day and photographs to feel like.

Questions to Ask When Trying on Your Dress

When you’re shopping for your elopement dress, don’t just ask yourself, “Do I love how this looks?” Ask yourself how you feel in it.

Can you comfortably:

• Walk for an extended period of time?
• Bend down?
• Sit?
• Lift your arms?
• Step over rocks or logs?
• Climb?
• Twirl?
• Dance?
• Move your legs freely?
• Pick up your skirt or train when needed?
• Wear it for several hours without feeling miserable?

And perhaps most importantly: Do I feel confident enough in this dress to actually adventure in it?

You don’t need to be able to sprint a mile in your wedding dress. You just want to have a realistic idea of how much movement you’re comfortable with.

A Few Ways to Make a Dramatic Dress More Adventure-Friendly

You don’t necessarily have to choose between your dream dress and an adventurous elopement. There are plenty of ways to make a dramatic gown more functional.

Consider a Bustle

A bustle can make a huge difference when you’re ready to move around. It allows you to get that dramatic train for portraits and your ceremony while giving you more freedom later.

Look for Removable Elements

Some gowns have removable overskirts, sleeves, trains, or other dramatic elements. You can have your fairytale moment and then remove or change something when it’s time to explore.

Choose Fabrics That Move

You can still have a dramatic silhouette while choosing fabrics that catch the wind and move beautifully around you. Layers of tulle, chiffon, silk, and other flowing fabrics can create gorgeous movement in photographs.

Try Moving in It Before You Buy It

Don’t just stand in front of the mirror! Walk around. Sit down. Bend over. Raise your arms. Spin. Pick up the skirt. Walk up stairs if you can. If you’re planning an adventurous elopement, try to mimic the kinds of movement you’ll actually be doing on your wedding day.

Be Honest With Yourself About Getting It Dirty

If the thought of your dress touching sand, dirt, grass, or a little mud makes you panic, that’s worth knowing ahead of time. Your dress will probably get a little dirty during an outdoor elopement—and that’s okay! But if you’re going to spend your entire day worrying about keeping it pristine, you may naturally be more hesitant to move.

And If Your Dress Is Difficult? We’ll Work With It.

Maybe you’ve already chosen your dress and now you’re reading this thinking, “Oh no. My dress is definitely going to be a lot.”

Don’t worry. We’re going to make it work.

I’m not going to look at your dress and say, “Well, I guess we can’t do anything fun today.” Instead, we’ll figure out how to work with it. We’ll pick it up when we need to. We’ll let the train trail behind you when we can. We’ll find ways to move that feel comfortable. We’ll embrace the drama of it.

And if you tell me, “Abby, I am DONE carrying this thing,” then we’re taking a break. Your comfort always matters more than getting a certain photograph.

Ultimately, Choose the Dress You Love

At the end of the day, I don’t want you choosing your wedding dress based solely on what you think will photograph well.

Choose the dress that makes you feel beautiful.

Choose the giant gown if that’s what you’ve always dreamed of. Choose the long train. Choose the layers of tulle. Choose the simple dress if that’s what feels most like you. Choose whatever makes you look in the mirror and think, “Yep. This is it.”

Just make sure you understand how that dress may affect your ability to move—and how much you’re willing to embrace that. Because your dress isn’t just something you’re going to be photographed in.

You’re going to live your elopement day in it.

And if you’re willing to move, play, explore, get a little dirty, and let your dress become part of the adventure? That’s where the magic happens.

Ready to Plan an Elopement That Feels Like You?

Your dress is just one small piece of creating an intentional elopement experience. From choosing the right location to building a timeline that leaves room to breathe, every decision can shape how your day feels. When you work with me, I’m here to help you think through all of those details—not just show up with a camera.

Your elopement should feel like an experience you actually get to live, not a photoshoot you have to perform. Let’s make something beautiful, meaningful, and completely yours. Inquire with me today at abbyreephotography.com !