A Winter Elopement in Acadia National Park
An intimate, intentional elopement on the coast of Maine
There are couples who come to Acadia National Park because it is beautiful, and then there are couples who come because it feels inevitable.
From our very first exchange, it was clear that Dan and Lilly belonged to the latter. They were not searching for spectacle. They were searching for meaning. For quiet. For an experience that felt deeply their own; unhurried, unperformative, and grounded in presence rather than production. Acadia, in winter, offered exactly that.
Beginning the Elopement Planning Process
Dan first reached out in early December with a simple but thoughtful inquiry: they were engaged, living in Denver, and dreaming of an intimate elopement in the Acadia and Bar Harbor area. Rather than leading with logistics, they led with curiosity, asking how I might help them shape a day that felt true to who they are. That question is always my favorite place to begin.
As an Acadia elopement photographer who has documented more than two hundred weddings and elopements since 2013, my role extends far beyond photography. I act as guide, collaborator, advocate, and calm presence; helping couples navigate permits, seasons, weather, timelines, travel, and the emotional pacing of the day itself.
Over virtual coffee, we talked through what mattered most. They envisioned a small, quiet ceremony. No crowds. No pressure. Just the two of them, with their children, Elle and James, nearby as witnesses to something honest and grounding. They wanted the day to feel expansive without being exhausting; structured without being rigid.
And importantly, they were open to winter.
Why a Winter Elopement in Acadia?
Winter elopements in Acadia National Park are not for everyone—but for the right couples, they are extraordinary.
In February, Acadia sheds its summer skin. The roads are quieter. The cliffs feel raw and unfiltered. Snow settles into granite crevices. The Atlantic moves with authority. There is space to breathe. Dan and Lilly immediately understood this. They weren’t chasing the postcard version of Acadia; they wanted the honest one.
Winter also offers practical advantages. Parking is simpler. Permits are more flexible. Locations like Otter Cliffs remain accessible via Schooner Head Road. And the light… low, soft, and dramatic; it wraps everything in a cinematic calm that simply doesn’t exist in peak season.
We selected a Friday, exactly two months later, as their elopement date, allowing them to arrive midweek, rest on Thursday, and let Friday unfold as the heart of their experience.
Lodging, Arrival, and Slowing Down
They chose an Airbnb in Mount Desert, just minutes from the park, checking in Wednesday evening and staying through Sunday morning. This choice mattered.
An elopement is not only about the ceremony; it’s about the container around it. Having a private, comfortable home allowed for an unrushed morning, layered getting-ready moments, and space for the kids to feel included without being overwhelmed.
Thursday was intentionally left open; time for light sightseeing, scouting, and enjoying local eateries. This pacing is something I always encourage. When couples arrive already regulated, present, and rested, the elopement day itself becomes something you enter, not something you survive.
Designing the Day: A Thoughtful Itinerary
Rather than scripting the day to the minute, I build itineraries that breathe, allowing space for weather, emotion, and spontaneity while still providing a clear framework.
The morning began with breakfast, followed by on-location hair and makeup for Lilly and Elle. Hiring professional hair and makeup for elopements is not about formality; it’s about ease. It allows the morning to feel intentional, and it gives me the freedom to document those quiet, in-between moments that often become the most cherished images.
While Lilly and Elle, I began photographing details and environmental moments, textures, light, hands at rest, before shifting to Dan and James’s final preparations. A first look followed, gentle and unforced, with the kids present but not staged. From there, we moved slowly through the park.
Ceremony and Portraits Along the Coast
Acadia offers an incredible range of landscapes within short driving distances, which is especially important in winter. We planned for multiple locations, ending the day at Otter Cliffs, where the Atlantic meets the land with unfiltered drama.
The ceremony itself was simple and sincere. No amplification. No audience. Just vows spoken into cold air, held steady by the land around them. Elle and James stood close—not as accessories to the day, but as witnesses to something foundational.
Afterward, we explored. We walked. We paused. We photographed near the water, among the trees, and against the granite that makes Acadia unmistakable. The kids warmed their hands between frames. Coats went on and off. Nothing felt rushed.
As sunset approached, the light softened and the cliffs took on that winter hush that can’t be replicated. It was the kind of quiet that asks you to pay attention.
Permits, Licenses, and Logistics—Handled Thoughtfully
For couples eloping in Acadia National Park, logistics matter. Marriage licenses in Maine require planning, especially around holidays and winter town office schedules. We discussed obtaining the license earlier in the month to avoid last-minute stress.
Park admission and potential Cadillac Mountain reservations were addressed well in advance, though winter often simplifies access. These details may seem small, but they are the difference between a calm day and a chaotic one.
This is where experience matters.
What This Elopement Represents
Dan and Lilly’s winter elopement in Acadia was not about escaping tradition, it was about choosing intention.
They didn’t eliminate guests; they refined the circle.
They didn’t skip celebration; they redefined it.
They didn’t downsize meaning; they distilled it.
This is what modern elopements in Maine so often look like now: thoughtful, relational, deeply human.
Planning Your Own Acadia Elopement
If you’re considering eloping in Acadia National Park—whether in winter, shoulder season, or summer—know this:
Elopements are not “less than” weddings. They are simply more specific.
They require care. Planning. Local knowledge. Someone who understands how tides, weather, permits, light, and emotion intersect. Someone who knows when to step in and when to step back.
That is the work I do.
If Dan and Lilly’s story resonates with you, if you’re dreaming of a Maine elopement that feels grounded, intentional, and quietly extraordinary, I would be honored to help you shape your day.
Because Acadia is not just a place to get married.
It is a place to begin.
