Elopements

An Elopement With a Focus on Family At The Couple’s Favorite Place in Idaho

This elopement was special because it was centered around family connection. When Mac and Ryan found out that Ryan’s mother had cancer, they planned their destination wedding in a few short months to get married with her by their side. They brought their families across the country to experience one of Mac and Ryan’s favorite places in Idaho.

Thinking about planning an Idaho elopement? Check out our Idaho elopement packages, featuring our top Idaho elopement vendors!

About This Family Elopement in Idaho

Photography by Autumn Lynne Photography

“Mac and Ryan weren’t able to have engagement photos done because of timing, so we decided to get up early the day before their wedding and hike to an alpine lake. We hit the trail at 5 am and made the lake just after sunrise. Their sunrise photos ended up being the only photos that didn’t have a hazy background. Smoke rolled in from a nearby wildfire that afternoon and lingered through their elopement.

Mac and Ryan rented the Outpost in Stanley for their elopement weekend. The Outpost cabins had a large lawn that served as their reception space. They held their ceremony at Stanley Lake and Mac’s dad married them. After their ceremony they returned to the cabin and prepared a family style dinner and spent the evening together with their family.

At sunset Mac and Ryan walked out into a field and took a few photos with their Australian Shepard, Thule. Throughout their elopement day, Thule wasn’t far from their side. She would randomly show up at the perfect time and was part of every photo moment. After sunset, we drove to a Lake for private vows.

We had originally planned to use a different location for their ceremony. The mountains ended up being completely lost in smoke at their original location, so we changed plans about an hour before they got married. Having the willingness to pivot and make the most of whatever comes your way is a trait that will make your wedding day less stressful and more perfect. If everything had gone to plan, Mac and Ryan wouldn’t have said their vows in the dark at the edge of a lake. Their vow photos are the product of things not working out and they are some of the most unique and beautiful images I’ve ever taken of a couple committing themselves to each.” [Autumn. the photographer]

Deciding to Elope

“I’m originally from New York, he’s originally from Nebraska, we met in Texas, so we have family friends scattered across the US. We knew that there was no good place to have a wedding that would mean minimal travel for our family and friends, so we decided to have a very small, family-only ceremony in Idaho (where we both worked for some time after we met).

Ryan’s mom was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer in July of 2021 and we really wanted her to be a part of our day. It was important to us that she could be there physically and see her youngest son get married. A few months after his mom’s diagnosis, his brother was diagnosed with blood cancer so we knew that the next few months/years were going to be turbulent and we wanted our families to be around in the best health they could be to be a part of our wedding.

I wouldn’t have wanted a big wedding anyway, as we are a bit more private people and enjoy an intimate setting, so all those reasons allowed us to choose the elopement style guilt/pressure free. All those reasons sort of forced us into a truncated timeline which didn’t seem realistic for a big wedding, so we decided to do a family only elopement!” [The Couple]

Learn how to elope here.

Deciding Where to Elope

“We both lived in Boise, Idaho for a little bit and would go backpacking in Stanley (about 3 hr drive from Boise) on the weekends. Stanley is one of the few places on the planet that I have every truly felt relaxed and at peace, so it was a no brainer for me. It’s my favorite place on earth, it’s quiet and peaceful, the mountains are stunning, hot springs everywhere, the people are great, the hiking, and just the overall remoteness of this tiny little town not near anything.

Ryan said he didn’t care where we got married, so I ultimately got to choose the location. From there, we sort of turned it into a family road trip with our immediate family all coming in from Nebraska, Iowa, Colorado, New York, and South Carolina. Everyone took some time off, spent a few days in Boise, and then we had a 3 day getaway in Stanley, and I got to show my favorite people my favorite place.” [The couple]

Check out more places to elope.

Permits and Leave no Trace

“The locations used for this elopement did not require permits. The biggest LNT takeaway from this elopement was the use of a durable surface for their ceremony and the use of LNT aware confetti during their ceremony.

When you are eloping with guests it’s your responsibility to select a ceremony location that will not be damaged by your ceremony and its guests. Mac and Ryan used a sandy beach with trail access from a parking lot for their ceremony.

Throwing confetti is a fun way to celebrate with your family but it comes with a LNT responsibility. Mac and Ryan chose fresh rose petals to use for confetti. Rose petals are biodegradable and do not contain seeds that could spread. They are also big enough to be easily picked up after being thrown. We picked up all the rose petals afterward because we wanted to be LNT aware and leave the area clean.” [Autumn, the photographer]

Learn how to leave no trace here.

Top Tips for Planning a Small Wedding in Stanley, Idaho

“Stanley is a very small town with little more than a few hotels and a gas station. Eloping here means you have to come prepared. The closest town with wedding related services is an hour away (Sun Valley) but most wedding vendors are located 2.5 hours away in Boise, Idaho. Having an elopement with family in Stanley means you are bringing everything with you or hiring vendors that will travel to you.” [Autumn, the photographer]

Details From This Day

“I loved how involved Mac and Ryan’s family was in their wedding day. Mac worked with an event stylist in Boise (Dreamer Events) that created a DIY reception plan. Mac & Ryan picked up all the reception items from Dreamer Events in Boise and then their family did all of the reception setup and food preparation on the day of. The kiddos made flower arrangements for the tables and bouquets for the ceremony. Every family member contributed something to making Mac and Ryan’s day a success.” [Autumn, the photographer]

Memorable Moments During This Wedding Day

From the photographer:

“This elopement was special because it was centered around family connection. Mac and Ryan reached out to me 4 months before they wanted to get married (they weren’t even engaged at this point). They had recently found out that Ryan’s mother had cancer and they wanted to get married with her by their side. In a few short months they planned a destination wedding that brought their families across the country to experience one of Mac and Ryan’s favorite places in Idaho.”

From the couple:

“My favorite part was that it was a whole family affair. Everyone helped cook and prepare the food, we all built bouquets (even the 7 kids built their own bouquets from Autumn’s flowers), everyone helped with hanging lights, setting up the tables, the rugs (our dancefloor). My brother and Ryan’s sister both had small readings during the ceremony, my dad officiated, so really everyone had a role and did it really well.

I’m so glad we did it the way we did it… I think if it was any bigger I wouldn’t have enjoyed it – I would have been worried about other people enjoying it and just thinking about where we are in the timeline, what’s up next, etc. I feel like today people miss the point of a wedding and they don’t do it for the two people getting married.
At our wedding, we ALL had so much fun. It was so intimate and I think people get caught up in having to do all these things, but really all that matters is that you and your person. The other stuff is just for show.”

Estimated Cost of This Small Wedding

Our biggest costs were lodging since we paid for everyone to stay in Boise (rented AirBnb) and in Stanley (rented 1 large 3-bedroom cabin, and 3 cabinettes on the property).

Rental Cars/Fuel – $700
Boise Lodging (1 week) – $2,500
Stanley Lodging (Same place as our reception) – $4,000
Ceremony Venue – Free 🙂
Photographer – $4,500
Videographer – $3,000
Dress/Alterations/Shoes/Earrings/Necklace – $2,600
Suit – Free 🙂
Flowers – $300 (Autumn’s kids)
Engagement Ring – $5,000
Wedding Bands (Both) – $1,200
Food/Drinks – $1,100
Table/Rentals/Design Help – $1,000
Vow/Officiant Books – $100
Misc (String Lights, Dog Bandana, Plastic Champagne Flutes, photobook and polaroid camera etc.) – $400

Total ~ $25k

Learn more about what to consider for your elopement budget.

Not Sure If You Want an Intimate Wedding?

“Anyone considering an elopement… I say do it! Oftentimes you hear people regret having big weddings and spending so much money, but I’ve never heard a couple who regrets eloping! It’s intimate, fun, and truly whatever it is you want. As someone who carries the weight of the world on their shoulder, I was able to relax and have fun, which is the whole point of a wedding… you’re not meant to stress over every little detail.” [The couple]