About the Couple

E+S have both spent the past three plus years grinding away in their medical professions, and man did I feel inspired by each of their dedication and tenacity in each of their stories. As we had our inquiry zoom session, they shared that they wanted to take this time to FINALLY honor their love, their love of nature, and their sweet pup Tilly by their side. They wanted to feel that “escape to the mountains of New Hampshire” at the core of their elopement, and other than that they were OPEN and READY for any suggestions / location ideas.

Then, we put our heads together and planned a three-location, intimate, JOYFUL sunrise elopement on a fall day in North Conway, New Hampshire. Documenting their humble, loyal, love was truly a blessing and helping guide them to locations that fit their visions meant that they were able to maximize their adventure without compromising or selling their story short. 

Top priorities for their planning experience was making sure their ANGEL dog, Tilly, could be part of their elopement magic. And boy was she a happy little star for the day 🙂 

Dog-Friendly Elopement Ideas in New Hampshire

When deciding on their sunrise elopement ceremony location ideas, they went with the highly accessible, stunning, Cathedral Ledge in North Conway, New Hampshire. This is a drive-up view where Tilly (and most people with accessibility considerations… including a 90+ year old grandmother for a previous elopement I did!) can walk with ease and minimal exertion. 

These two had Tilly girl at the heart of their planning, and some tips include:

1. Finding a dog-friendly accommodation that is close to your location for logistical ease (I have a list of these for couples interested in bringing their dog)
2. Choosing a walk/hike that is within the needs of the dog’s mobility, stamina, and skillset 
3. Choosing a time of day where the temperature is conducive to the comfort of the dog 
4. Including some break time to allow the pace of the day to feel active yet relaxed 🙂 Timelines are SO important for the flow of your day to feel organized, authentic to you, and intentional, well before your day even starts

Planning a Sunrise Elopement in the Fall in New Hampshire

Crafting an elopement experience at sunrise is one of the top tips I encourage couples to consider if they want:

1. Maximum chances of privacy with
2. Accessible and stunning views 

So, if this sounds like you, some considerations I recommend when planning your sunrise elopement:

1. Book a photographer who knows the area well and understands the sunrise timeframe, location in proximity to the area, and climate trends at the time of year you’re considering!
2. If you’re thinking of stargazing (highly recommend), consider moon phases (aka darker the sky the better) and plan to arrive to your location ~2ish hours before sunrise! 
3. Layers, layers, layers- especially in the fall, New Hampshire sunrises are accompanied by chillier, often windier, weather. My advice is  “be overprepared” with packing layers, and have these be items you wouldn’t mind being photographed in! Some layering ideas include:
   1. Cozy blankets that match your colors/vibe
   2. Peacoats 
   3. hat/handwear 
   4. Handwarmers 
   5. Earth tone leggings underneath if predicted to be extra chilly 
   6. Capes! Think, like a veil but over the shoulders and SO picturesque 
   7. Hot beverages to warm up with and have as a sweet little morning picnic experience 
4. Arrive early 🙂 I’ll go into this in the timeline section, but the whole point of an elopement is to feel present, at ease, and not rushed! 

A Half-Day Sunrise Elopement Sample Timeline

This is a sample timeline for those considering a fall elopement at sunrise in New Hampshire. Of course, your day will be uniquely yours, but this gives a nice preliminary idea of how to approach your timeline planning! This timeline example reflects the general flow of this elopement you’ll see in the gallery section of this blog.