Julia & Duncan’s Elopement Adventure & Ceremony in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

Julia and Duncan Kalinin chose Michigan’s breathtaking Upper Peninsula for their adventure elopement. Their mid-August wedding took them from the dramatic cliffs of Black Rocks for their private vows to the sandy beaches of Pictured Rocks, where they exchanged vows with their closest family. Get all the details below.

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About This Elopement

Photography by Yana B | Intimate Weddings & Adventure Elopements

“Julia and Duncan went back and forth between a traditional wedding and an adventure elopement and ultimately decided to marry in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula in mid-August. We chose two very distinct locations to accommodate their private vows and their wedding ceremony witnessed by their closest circle.

Rugged Black Rocks at the Presque Isle near Marquette is an ancient rock formation that stands 20-30 feet above Lake Superior. It is one of the most unique locations in Michigan often visited by adventurous cliff jumpers and elopers alike.

We found a quiet cove for the couple’s first look and vows. We then ventured out for a drive to Pictured Rocks as the clouds were getting lower and rain was getting more intense. Julia and Duncan got married at one of the beaches with views of Lake Superior and sandstone cliffs on each side. They invited their immediate families and a family friend who officiated the elopement. They danced for the first time as a married couple right on the beach at the national lakeshore and celebrated with a magical champagne toast at sunset.” [Yana, the photographer]

Learn how to elope here.

Permits and Planning Your Elopement in Michigan

“If you want to get married at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, you will need a permit. The application fee is $100 and the paperwork is typically processed within 30 business days. Couples must adhere to several principles, such as – the guest list can’t exceed 40 attendees, with limited seating of 10 chairs; the wedding must happen during daytime and must conclude within 2 hours (including setup and cleanup); and only two locations are available – Sand Point Beach and Miners Beach. No use of drones is allowed.

In terms of Leave No Trace, the procedures are fairly standard, reminding the wedding parties to leave the location as they found it, not to throw or release any items, such as balloons, rice, or confetti, and to remember to pack all food, packaging, and decorations. There can’t be any signs affixed to the park property and the NPS also asks not to play loud music and use artificial lighting.” [Yana, the photographer]

Yana’s Top Tips for Eloping in the Upper Penninsula

1. Stay flexible and have a backup plan – hosting a ceremony in an outdoor location near Lake Superior might mean the weather on your elopement day isn’t completely ideal.
2. Be ready to walk at least a mile, or two, on a sandy trail.
3. I suggest wearing hiking boots (or hiking sandals) to make your experience more comfortable.
4.  Don’t forget to pack layers and plenty of water.
5. If you would like to get into the lake for some fun (but chilly) photos at the end of your elopement day, don’t forget to bring a change of clothes.

Learn more about leaving no trace here.

Details We Love About This Elopement

“Julia and Duncan put a lot of thought into the details of the elopement. They are big fans of epic fantasy movies, so Julia wore a gorgeous lace fairytale dress and a matching hairpiece. She had her incredible bouquet and Duncan’s boutonniere done in her hometown in Metro Detroit, and she drove all the way to the Upper Peninsula (approx. 7 hours) cooling the car to chilly temperatures to keep the florals alive and well. Her bouquet was stunning! I also really loved the little ‘Just Married’ sign attached to their backpacks as they hiked back to their car after the ceremony.” [Yana, the photographer]

Deciding to Elope

“We really wanted our wedding day to be about us. We’ve heard from so many couples who had traditional weddings that they spent most of their wedding day apart. Duncan and I really wanted to enjoy our day together – we did not want to leave each other’s side.

Another reason we chose to elope is because of the cost. When we first started planning our wedding, we toured multiple venues and were quoted tens of thousands of dollars. Today, when so many people are struggling to keep up with the cost of essentials like groceries, we just can’t fathom spending that amount of money on one day.

Lastly, we wanted our day to go as smoothly as possible. So many things can go wrong with weddings and all of the different vendors and people that are involved, and it’s a big source of stress during wedding planning. I wanted to avoid that as much as possible so that we could really enjoy our day. I thought that if we eloped in pure nature, the only thing that could really go wrong is the weather.

At first, we considered all kinds of locations. U.S. national parks, the Amalfi Coast in Italy, and even New Zealand. However, we live in Michigan and have gone on many trips in the northern part of the state together, and I remembered how beautiful our own state is. We decided we could still have a gorgeous elopement location without a stressful traveling process, like flying and having to go through an airport, worrying about our luggage getting lost, etc. All we did was hop in our car and go on a 7-hour road trip that took us across the Mackinac Island Bridge and into Michigan’s Northern Peninsula.” [The couple]

Check out these 10 reasons to elope!

Planning Process

“Thanks to our photographer, Yana B, the planning process was so simple. One of the reasons we booked with her was because she plans your elopement for you, and she has experience photographing elopements/weddings in Northern Michigan.

We talked to her and told her that we wanted to do a first look and have dinner at a restaurant after the ceremony with our family that came with us. Not only did she come up with a detailed timeline of the entire day that included what we asked for, she also gave us the idea of doing our first look at a different location (Marquette, Michigan), reading private vows to each other during our first look, having our first dance on the beach as well as a champagne toast, giving us ideas of where we could have our ceremony, and explained how to obtain a permit so that we could legally perform the ceremony in Pictured Rocks.

She gave us the exact times we would arrive and leave from each location and made sure to communicate with us how long it would take (for example, we were staying in Marquette, which is about an hour’s drive from Pictured Rocks, and she made sure to incorporate the driving times in our timeline).”

Estimated Cost of This Elopement

• Photography and Videography: $6,500
• Wedding dress, headpiece and alterations: $2,975
• Groom’s Tux: $700
• Wedding bouquet and boutonniere: $324.36
• Hotel Room at Landmark Inn for 2 nights: $848.96
• Bride’s ring: $600
• Groom’s ring: $400
• Dinner for 15 people after the ceremony: approx $1,200

Total Estimated Cost: $13,548.32

Learn more about elopement costs.

Memorable Moments From This Elopement

From the photographer:

“Julia and Duncan’s first look at Black Rocks near Marquette. It was a windy day on Lake Superior, but we found a spot with a gorgeous view of the lake and the coastline. Julia walked towards Duncan in her fairytale dress to share their private vows, with a calming background sound of the waves of the lake. Julia and Duncan have been together since they were 18, so they share a lot of emotional history together. I focused on observing these moments and documenting them in an unobtrusive and authentic way.”

From the couple:

“Looking into my husband’s eyes as the ceremony was being performed, with the gorgeous waves of Lake Superior crashing right behind him and stunning cliffs of Pictured Rocks looming in the background. I couldn’t believe that we were standing there in such a magical place and finally getting married. It was so surreal – I truly felt like I was in a movie.

After our ceremony, we played ‘Something’ by The Beatles and had our first dance right on the beach as our family watched. After that, Duncan and I popped open a bottle of champagne that he shook up and accidentally sprayed right into his face, which was hilarious. I loved this moment, we were all so giddy!”

Final Words of Advice

From the photographer:

“Miners Beach is one of my favorite spots! It has a vast and wild-looking coastline with cliffs, woods, a small waterfall, and fern forests. The diversity of the landscapes and remote nature of the area is attractive to couples who are eloping or hosting a small intimate wedding ceremony with their closest circle.”

From the couple:

“One thing that made our day very special was the people that were with us. I’m of the opinion that an elopement can be whatever you want it to be, whether that’s just the couple by themselves, or if they bring along some family or friends with them. We chose to have our parents and siblings with us. The officiant was my best friend of 20 years, who got officiated just for our wedding.

By having our immediate family with us, we were able to incorporate really special moments throughout the day, such as having a first look with my dad, getting ready with my mom, etc. Because our ceremony was written by my best friend, it was very personal and emotional.”

Vendors

Photography | Yana B | Intimate Weddings & Adventure Elopements

Florals | The Rustic Root Design Co. 
Wedding dress and hairpiece | Alessandra Bridal & Formalwear 
Suit | Jos. A. Bank
Accommodations | Landmark Inn 
Hair and Makeup – bride herself!

Photos From This Elopement