Whether you’re envisioning turquoise lakes, alpine views, or a quiet vow exchange surrounded by mountains, eloping in Banff is one of the most breathtaking ways to start your forever.
If you’re planning an elopement, you’re dreaming of a wedding that feels more like you — intimate, scenic and totally stress-free. That’s where we come in!
We’ve planned and photographed dozens of love-filled days across this magical landscape (and more) which means we’ve seen it all. There’s nothing that breaks my heart than seeing couples try to DIY the experience with less-than-satisfactory results.
So today, whether you end up working with us or not, I’m sharing the top 15 mistakes I’ve seen couples make when planning their Banff Elopement (without my expert guidance) so you can avoid them too!
1. Not Adding Buffer Time To Itinerary
The mistake: Couples don’t know how long things take. And why would you? You’re not eloping every day!
From traffic jams to waiting on animals crossing the road (yes, seriously. I’ve waited on Elk, Bears, Horses, Deer) to waiting for crowds to disperse so we can get the perfect photo, a large portion of your elopement revolves around waiting.
As your elopement planner, a big part of working with me is getting to download my expertise and knowledge. I do this day in and day out! I also bake wait times into our schedule so you can make goo-goo eyes at each other and enjoy some time off while I’ve got commutes and wait times covered. (We once waited out some rain in Iceland for 30 minutes).
How to fix it: If you’re DIY’ing it, take a good hard look at not just every item on your itinerary but what’s happening in between — and then double the time you think you need.
2. Not Knowing When The Park’s Crowded Times Are
Your pictures look like you’re alone but there are others in the park! On the left is a Banff elopement and on the right is a Kananaskis elopement captured by The Organic Moment.
The mistake: Forgetting to think if a bunch of other people also want to go to the park at the same time you do.
As your elopement planner I’ve got you. Parks are kind of my thing and I know the schedules and rules inside and out. I have a secret list of the best locations, crowd-free timing, and lighting to make sure we get the best shots.
How to fix it: Look up the park’s busy days around the time you want to go. I can almost guarantee:
- Weekdays will be less busy than weekends
- Sunrise & sunset are superior for lighting
- Sunrise & sunset also happen to have the lowest amount of crowds!
3. Not Bringing Snacks & Water
The mistake: Forgetting to bring snacks and water for an 8+ hour day.
As your elopement planner I have a whole lot of education and create a fun little checklist for you so you don’t forget a thing! And because I’m a planner, I almost always have backups.
How to fix it: Create your own checklist for the day. Anytime you’re going to be away from your car or lodging, make sure you have snacks and water (and bear spray! See #12). And ideally, make sure you have a bag where you can keep your trash until you reach a disposal zone (See #13).
4. Not Preparing For The Weather
Sometimes being in the mountains can feel like being on another planet — especially those times when we experience four seasons of weather in just one day!
The mistake: Not dressing properly for the expected weather and not planning properly for the potential weather.
As your elopement planner we go back to my hand checklist! But I also advise you on what to wear. This includes things like wearing leggings underneath your dress so you stay warm, or wearing shorts underneath your dress so you don’t sweat through (or both!). It can also mean advising on wearing pants over your suit so it doesn’t get dirty on the way up. And it always means advising people on bringing extra socks!
How to fix it: Plan for every season. Look up the hourly weather forecast and averages to get an idea. Read hikers blogs because the weather up there is not the same as the weather down here. There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad planning. If you think you’ve overpacked and are too prepared, you’re probably the right amount of prepared.
5. Not Adding Buffer Time To Your Adventure
The mistake: Rushing through the elopement process and not leaving yourself any down time or vacation time.
Okay, hear me out! It doesn’t take long to get your marriage license, but it does take time. I think a lot of people rush through the process and try to get in and out instead of taking some time to smell the roses.
How to fix it: Pad your trip! You’re getting married! Give yourself some time to smell the roses even if it’s a day or two. Take a day to adjust to the time zone (and altitude) change, take a few hours to buy some snacks, maybe even take a vacation and explore the area! I love when couples take a little extra time, sometimes they even revisit their elopement location before they leave which can make it extra meaningful.
7. Not Understanding Your Intention For Eloping
The mistake: Thinking an elopement is a 10-60 minute ordeal and that’s it. Not treating this like the special day it is.
As elopement planners, we’re on a mission to redefine what elopement means. In the 21st century a traditional marriage doesn’t work for everyone anymore — and it doesn’t have to! We put a lot of intention and meaning into planning weddings for our couples. And we want to give you permission to do the same.
How to fix it: Have a conversation. How would you fill your ideal day? What do you want to look back on in 10 years?
- Pictures of you eating pizza for breakfast?
- Snuggling with your dog and a morning coffee looking out at the mountains with no phone in sight?
- Getting ready together and having a pillow fight?
The day is truly yours to infuse as much intention as you want to. And we’re here to make it happen!
8. Not Using A Travel Agent (hear me out!)
The mistake: Not using a certified and professional travel agent to book you hotel, airfare, and extracurricular activities.
I know this sounds like a sales pitch but I mean this from the bottom of my heart. And I also use a travel agent whenever I travel now! As you book item after item after item, without a travel agent you’re on the hook for calling the airline, the hotel, the venue, the tour company yourself. One small thing can domino into hours on the phone! Oh, and agents can also get you fun little perks at hotels!
How to fix it: Have you ever had to call expedia? Delta airlines? Air Canada? Pay the extra little bit and have a travel agent do it all. Our preferred agent charges $100—$200 to book everything and he’ll be the one on the phone when something happens — not you.
9. Not Working With A Planner
The mistake: Not planning for the logistics and not working with someone who plans for the logistics (like buffer times). Even though you’re not planning a catered event with 200 people, logistics still exist.
As your elopement planner, I am also a photographer and my partner the videographer. BUT not every photographer handles the logistics. Parks have a lot of rules, I know most of them but more importantly, I know where to find them and how to share them.
Let’s just say I’ve witnessed my fair share of mistakes because a planner wasn’t involved — like an entire wedding party getting parking tickets because they didn’t buy parking permits (because they didn’t know they had to).
How to fix it: Make sure you understand your capabilities and how much you want to be doing during your elopement. Just because you can do it, doesn’t mean you have to. You’re doing this to have a good day and enjoy it, aren’t you?
9. Not Hiring Elopement Photographers
The mistake: Not thinking about your future self and what you both are going to want preserved because memories fade.
As your elopement photographer and planner yes this is a little baby sales pitch but it’s because I want the best for you! Listen, photography is a skill, it’s an art — you should work with whoever you want. But work with a professional.
- I’ve heard horror stories of someone who got their friend to do it and at the end of the day they had one or two usable pictures.
- Or the file got corrupted.
- Or the audio was just wind sounds
- Or everything was in shadows and all the pictures had everyone’s hair in their faces
How to fix it: Take a good hard look at what you want out of this elopement. What will you want to look back on in 5 years? 10 years? Take a look at your budget and see how you can make it work. I promise it will be worth it.
By the way our portfolio is here 😉
10. Not Understanding The Power of Videography
The mistake: Thinking videography is just moving photos or planning to use videos taken from guests. I can’t tell you how many couples retrospectively wish they would have done it.
As your elopement planner (and partner of a videographer) I assure you this will not work. We use professional grade equipment so you can be heard over the wind, water, and wildlife. I promise you the vibes that having video from your wedding creates is nothing like photography.
Maybe you get some crowds in the background but you also get the giggles, the sniffling, the voice crack during the vows, the gentle bubbling of the water or the whisper of the trees. You get real life.
Nothing even comes close to being able to look back on your special day and see you laughing with or hugging a loved one who isn’t with us anymore.
How to fix it: Stop and really think about how you want to remember your day and who’s going to be there. Look at portfolios of videographers for inspiration (in different price ranges as well). My advice is to work with someone who does photography and videography for ease (like us)!
11. Not Asking Your Vendors (Photographers) The Right Questions
The mistake: Assuming photography is one straightforward thing (take pictures) and not investigating and/or interviewing your photographer.
As your elopement photographer and planner I have to say there are so, so many talented people out there. Especially in Banff doing wedding photography. But I would be remiss to also not say that anyone can say they’re a photographer. You need to make sure you vibe with the person you’re about to spend a day laughing with and you need to make sure they will take photos you’ll actually like.
How to fix it: Get out your magnifying glass and start sleuthing! I already know the FBI would hire you in an instant after seeing the research you did for your BFF’s first date — or after you met your current partner. So do the same with a potential photographer.
- Have a conversation.
- Look at their portfolio, their reviews, their online presence.
- Ensure they’ve done the type of elopement you’re looking for.
- Make sure they have examples of outside pictures.
- If they don’t have photos of what you want, ask them questions about how they would handle XYZ situation.
12. Not Understanding Banff’s Climate
The mistake: Mother nature is gonna do what she wants to do. We can’t change it, we can only try to expect it and work around it. Fires are getting worse every year and snow is becoming more unpredictable.
As your elopement planner, we must expect the unexpected. If you absolutely must get married during wildfire season, we can talk about alternatives. We always plan for backups and we must be open minded.
How to fix it: Look up the climate in the area. Don’t just do a quick Google and read the AI overviews. Look into each season and how it’s changing, then each month and how it’s changing. If you’re not working with a planner, prepare a backup plan. If you are working with a planner (that’s not me) ask how they will handle a natural disaster and if they have backup plans.
13. Not Bringing Bear Spray Because “You’ll Be Fine”
You will not, in fact, be fine.
The mistake: Not remembering that wild is the first word of wildlife. Banff National Park is one of the world’s third national park refuge meaning there are a lot of protected species and there’s a lot of wildlife. Including bears.
As your elopement planner I take wildlife safety — for both the environment and for you — very seriously. Not only do I want you to be safe, even if you’re only going for a 10 minute walk, but I want to keep what makes Banff so beautiful safe.
When we don’t learn about wildlife, it has serious effects and they die.
How to fix it: Read up on the wildlife in Banff, educate yourself on the proper behaviors. For example,
- Always have bear spray even if you’re going for a 10 minute walk.
- Even if you’re not straying from a path.
- Don’t feed the animals.
- Many people don’t know not to engage with the animals. Don’t pull over to watch them or stop to try to talk to them. That only desensitizes them to humans and puts everyone in more danger.
14. Not Respecting ‘Leave No Trace’
The mistake: Not understanding that you’re part of the bigger picture. If you want to enjoy this land you need to take care of it so others can also enjoy it — and so that you can come back at a later time and still enjoy it.
As your elopement planner, we are extremely passionate about Leave No Trace principles. This not only means taking out of the park what we bring in but it means respecting the land when we’re taking photos. We plan our elopements in regulated zones.
- We do not branch off to get a cool photo or for the mems because we understand how delicate nature is.
- A single rock moved out of place can cause a rock slide.
- Taking a step off the regulated trail can lead to a serious fall.
The more time spent in unregulated places, the more they degrade and can’t be enjoyed long-term.
How to fix it: This one’s actually really simple. Read the literature, follow the park rules. Don’t go off into spaces that the park doesn’t regulate. Don’t chase animals. Don’t leave trash (this even includes flowers falling off bouquets). Just because we have access to every space doesn’t mean we should access every space. Treat the park how you would want someone to treat your home.
15. Pulling A Ludacris And Drinking Glacier Water
The mistake: Thinking glacier water is the most pure, drinkable water and forgetting it’s water that froze millions of years ago which means all the bacteria and viruses that existed millions of years ago will also be thawing along with it. You’ve seen the alien movies.
As your elopement planner I am here to educate you before you put a water bottle, cup, or cocktail glass into a glacier to drink it. There was a case in the news a few years ago about someone who drank glacier water then ended up getting a parasite. Unfortunately it was a parasite so old no one knew how to treat it and the person had to get their legs amputated.
How to fix it: I’m not here to ruin your good time so I’ll give you the information and you do with that what you will!
You Need To Make Your Own Mistakes & Memories
Planning your elopement should feel just as joyful as the day itself!
Whether you’re jetting in from across the globe or sneaking away for something sweet and simple, your Banff elopement deserves intention, ease, and a team who’s been there (literally).
We’re not just here to capture your Banff elopement! We’re here to help you plan it, start to finish. Our Banff elopement packages include everything from vendor guidance to permits to personalized location scouting.
After helping dozens of couples elope in Banff Canada, we’ve seen it all from the beautiful to the unexpected to the totally preventable (Like, parking tickets for you and all of your guests preventable).
Whether you’re dreaming of a cozy Banff wedding with just the two of you or an all-out mountain adventure, we’ll help you plan it, photograph it, and soak up every minute of it.
Not ready to book just yet? Download our free Elopement Workbook and start dreaming up your day.
A Few More Banff Elopement Tips & Planning Resources
- 7 Best Banff AirBNBs For Your Elopement
- Best Places To Elope In Banff National Park
- Finding The Perfect Banff Elopement Photographer (hint: it’s us!)
We’re photographing & videographing in Banff through July, August & September of 2025 & 2026. If that’s your ideal time of year, book a call and let’s get planning!
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