A full-day elopement filled with handwritten vows, letters from home, wildflower meadows, endless mountain views, a yellow butterfly and a little bit of rain.
When A + J began planning their trip to Europe from Australia, they decided to make it even more special by eloping in Switzerland.
They had known each other since childhood and had already been together for more than eleven years. Their elopement wasn’t about trying to fit a traditional wedding into a different setting. They wanted a day that felt exciting, personal and true to the two of them and plenty of time to enjoy it without rushing from one thing to the next.
Planning the Elopement in the Swiss Alps
They chose the first week of June, which was perfect for the kind of day they had imagined. The mountains had just turned green, wildflowers were appearing everywhere and the longer days gave us plenty of evening light. Early June isn’t very warm, but it isn’t too cold either, making it a really pleasant time to spend the day outside in the mountains.
After going through our elopement and location guides, A + J chose the places and activities that felt right for them. We then helped bring everything together into a relaxed timeline.
The idea wasn’t to squeeze in as many locations as possible. We wanted each part of the day to have its own mood, while giving us the freedom to work with the light, explore ideas and create something beautiful and personal for them.
A + J also decided to complete the legal paperwork at home in Australia and have a symbolic ceremony in Switzerland. For couples planning an elopement overseas, this can make things much simpler. It meant they didn’t have to worry about navigating legal requirements in another country and could focus on their vows, the day they had planned and being together.
The Day of the Elopement in the Swiss Alps
We met around 8 a.m. and started the walk to our first spot in the mountains. The wide, paved trail takes about 30 minutes, but it is quite steep, so comfortable shoes definitely help. We took our time on the way up, stopping whenever the light, the wildflowers or a beautiful view sparked an idea for pictures.
Starting early gave us some quiet time before more people arrived. By the time we reached the spot we had chosen, we were mostly alone, with mountain views all around us and the privacy A + J wanted for this part of their day.
We had planned the timing with exactly this in mind. Finding a beautiful place is one part of planning an elopement, but knowing when to be there can make just as much difference.
A + J loved our style and trusted us to guide them throughout the day. At each stop, we looked at the light, movement and what was around us, then developed ideas from there. They were open to our prompts, happy to try something new and completely involved in the creative process.
A + J gave us the freedom to shape each part of their day around them and their story. We guided them throughout, working with the light, adding movement and building on ideas as we went, so it never felt like repeating one pose after another. Because they were excited to be part of the process and we had the time to explore, each stop became its own little scene. It felt like creating their own movie together, with A + J right at the centre of it all – having fun, trying something new and creating artistic pictures that reflected who they are as a couple.
During one of our stops, we came across a patch of wildflowers that was too beautiful to walk past. While A + J were enjoying a moment together, a large yellow butterfly suddenly landed on A’s fingers.
She held out her hand gently, careful not to frighten it away, while we found the best angles to capture it before it took off.
But it didn’t leave.
The butterfly became more comfortable and stayed with her as we continued taking pictures around the meadow. Even after nearly twenty minutes and quite a bit of movement, it still seemed perfectly happy to be there.
When it was finally time to continue up the trail, she carefully let it hop onto a flower.
For A, it felt like a blessing from her late mother on her elopement day. It was such a tender and unexpected moment, and one we will never forget.
This is one of the reasons we love having time to create a full elopement story. A full day doesn’t mean spending every minute posing or taking pictures just for the sake of it. It gives us room to follow an idea, work with changing light and stay with a special moment instead of immediately rushing towards the next thing.
If we had been watching the clock or trying to keep up with a packed timeline, the butterfly might have been a quick photo before we moved on. Instead, we had time to enjoy what was happening and let it become part of the day.
Once we reached the viewpoint, A + J sat down with their little journals and began writing their vows. It was quiet and peaceful, with no audience waiting and no pressure to hurry, just the two of them finding the words they wanted to share later that day.
They had also brought letters from their families back home. They sat together and read each one, laughing at some parts and crying through others.
It was a beautiful way to include the people they loved while still keeping their elopement private. Choosing to elope doesn’t mean your family can’t be part of the day. Letters, voice messages, videos or even a meaningful item from home can make them feel close, no matter how far away they are.
After spending more time at the viewpoint, we started making our way back down around 11:30 a.m. We stopped for coffee at one of our favourite spots and then returned to their cabin to get ready for the second half of the day.
A + J had chosen a cosy, cabin-style Airbnb that they absolutely loved. Their hair and makeup artist arrived to help A get ready while we worked on pictures of their outfits, rings and other details. We also spent time creating getting-ready pictures with both A and J around the cabin.
We had suggested dividing the day into two parts because it gave them two completely different looks and feelings. The morning was casual, playful and outdoorsy. Returning to the cabin, getting ready and changing into their wedding outfits brought a new sense of excitement before the ceremony.
Some couples love wearing their wedding outfits for the entire day, and that can work beautifully too. For A + J, beginning in casual clothes gave them the variety they wanted and made the second half of the day feel completely different from the first.
Their elopement was also a surprise for their friends and family. They planned to reveal the news before celebrating at a reception back home later in the year, so we added short digital video clips throughout the day that they could use when sharing the announcement.
We filmed parts of the morning walk, the wildflowers, getting ready, the ceremony and their time together at sunset. It gave them a collection of little moving moments that could bring their family and friends into the experience when they finally shared their secret.
Rain had been in the forecast for the entire day, and A + J were happy to embrace whatever weather arrived. Somehow, we had sunshine throughout the morning. Then, just as we reached the ceremony area around 6:30 p.m., the sky turned moody and a very light drizzle began.
It suited the evening perfectly.
We chose a place with open mountain views, but away from the main viewpoint so A + J could have their ceremony somewhere quieter. Dandelions covered the damp ground and clouds moved gently through the peaks behind them.
The drizzle was so light that it was barely visible in the pictures, but it softened the evening and added to the cinematic mood we were creating.
Then A + J stood together and shared their vows.
Listening to them talk about growing up together and everything they had shared over more than eleven years had us tearing up behind our cameras. By that point, after a full day of walking, laughing, drinking coffee and creating together, it felt like we were watching two close friends get married.
There was no aisle, no row of chairs and no strict order they had to follow. They could take their time, say everything they wanted to say and stay in the moment with each other. Nothing about it felt incomplete. It simply felt like them.
After the ceremony, A + J were ready to keep creating with us. We explored the area together, using their wedding outfits, the damp landscape and the changing light to create a mix of romantic, playful and slightly wilder pictures.
As the sun began to drop, a little alpine glow appeared through the clouds. We stayed through sunset and into blue hour, watching the mountains slowly change around us.
Cows wandered through the nearby fields, their bells ringing across the valley, and A + J began dancing to the sound. It was playful, unplanned and such a perfect way to finish the evening.
By the time the last light disappeared, we were walking back in the dark with tired legs and very full hearts.
Their day had included sunshine and soft drizzle, handwritten vows, letters from home, wildflower meadows and a yellow butterfly that stayed far longer than any of us expected. It was carefully planned, but still left room for ideas, changes and moments we never could have arranged.
Most importantly, A + J cared about what we were creating together. They trusted us, joined in with every idea and made their pictures a meaningful part of the experience, not something to fit in around everything else.
That is what we love an elopement day to be: not a smaller version of a traditional wedding, but a day intentionally created around the two of you.
Dreaming of Your Own Elopement in the Swiss Alps?
Your elopement can be adventurous without feeling rushed, deeply personal without needing to follow a traditional format, and carefully planned while still leaving room for the unexpected. Whether you’re imagining handwritten vows in the mountains, a slow morning at a cosy cabin or dancing to the sound of cowbells as the light disappears, we would love to help you create a day that feels like you.
Explore our elopement experience or get in touch to start planning your own experience in Switzerland.
