When Jennifer and John set out on their international elopement adventure, they knew they wanted something extraordinary, and they knew they wanted to be surrounded by mountains. After their legal marriage in Washington, DC, they flew to Switzerland to embark on their hiking elopement. This was a two day adventure, allowing them to explore various locations throughout Switzerland. Here’s a detailed account of their first day in Eastern Switzerland, where we spent the night in a mountain hut and embraced a hiking elopement through the Swiss Alps. These days were filled with a few unexpected pivots, the most incredible views, and truly an unforgettable experience that might prove to inspire your own international hiking elopement!
Sunset Hike in the Swiss Alps
Day one of Jennifer and John’s adventure began with a bit of a change of plans! While our original plan was to spend the night at the mountain hut and do a sunrise hike from there, the weather had other plans. Instead of an early morning hike, we decided to make our way to the mountain hut, tackle the hike at sunset, and spend the night there. This change not only provided a unique perspective but also led to an incredible stroke of luck—having the summit and most of the trail to themselves. The quiet, private atmosphere made for the most magical experience.
Planning Transportation for your Switzerland Elopement
When planning an elopement in Switzerland, it can be a little trickier logistically compared to other locations, as so many of Switzerlands hikes + views are accessible only by public transportation. This can make timing your hike at sunrise/sunset for best light tricky if you’re worried about timing it with the cable cars + trams. Positioning ourselves to stay the night at the mountain hut gave us the freedom to leave early in the morning for the hike, or in our case, arrive back late at night, which was crucial for a hike like this. Plus, it made for an extra fun experience, sleeping up on the mountain!
Tip: Book your mountain hut accommodation well in advance, as these spots can be popular! Also, always have a flexible plan. Weather in the mountains can be unpredictable, so being adaptable ensures you make the most of your adventure!
Appenzell, Switzerland Elopement
We started off on the trail, wedding outfits in tow, and hiked until we came to the first overlook that was nothing short of INCREDIBLE. The light was peeking through the clouds which was an extra treat seeing as we thought it might be overcast the whole time. We decided to stop and do their first look here and it couldn’t have been more beautiful. They changed into their outfits, walked out to the view, and got to see each other in their outfits for the first time. So special!
Tip: Choose a dress or attire that is both beautiful and practical for hiking. Consider a gown that is comfortable to move around in, or can be easily changed into at a scenic spot! Practical footwear is always good too!
We continued the hike, stopping at various spots to take it in. We were a little worried that the trail might be crowded, or that there would be other landscape photographers at the summit, but we were so surprised (and lucky!) to find that we had the trail nearly completely to ourselves. John + Jen pushed through some intense incline, snow and other rough sections of the trail but it was so worth it when we reached the summit!
Once at the top, we were shocked to find we had it all to ourselves, and a little bit of light still peeking through the clouds! We stayed at the top, taking photos and freaking out about just how beautiful this place was, until the sun fully dropped below the horizon.
After the sun set, Jennifer and John changed and we began the hike back to the mountain hut. It was so nice being able to stay at the hut, and get a good nights rest for our travel over to the other side of Switzerland the next day!
Jennifer and John’s first day in Switzerland was a testament to the beauty of flexibility and the joy of embracing unexpected changes. Their hiking elopement was filled with stunning landscapes and a sense of adventure that made day one of their elopement experience truly unforgettable. For day two of Jen + Johns Switzerland elopement, check it out here!
If you’re ready to start planning your elopement, wave hello and let’s get the conversation started!
Inspired by this Mountain Hut Hiking Elopement in the Swiss Alps?! Check out some other blog posts with international elopements here:
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