Eloping in Acadia National Park during October can be pretty crowded. It’s a popular time to visit Maine for folks wanting to witness the region’s famous autumn foliage. C & JM’s Southwest Harbor elopement day shows what the quieter side of the park looks like, even on a busy day!

Bass Harbor and Southwest Harbor Elopement Ceremony

Immediately, this area of the park was much more relaxed. While the busier areas weren’t more than a couple miles away, here we had the area mostly to ourselves aside from a couple other hikers.

We parked along the Ship Harbor trailhead and began walking the cliffside area, searching for a spot to hold their vow ceremony. This trail is super short and mostly flat, no more than 2 miles total out and back. It’s one of the easiest trails in the park, and very accessible as a location for a southwest harbor elopement ceremony while in your wedding attire.

When we reached the cliffs, C&JM found a quiet spot near the water. They stood on the rocky shoreline and read their vows with the surf lapping the rocks behind them. They opened a box of wedding cupcakes, popped some champagne and then just relaxed. Together, they shared a serene moment taking it all in – the water, the trees, the ocean smell, and each other in post ceremony bliss.

When they were ready, we made our way back down the trail and over to the busier Loop Road area of the park.

ALSO READ: Acadia Elopements: the Ultimate Planning Guide

Beech Mountain Sunset Portraits after Southwest Harbor Ceremony

With their vows finished, the most intimate part of their elopement was over and they were excited to see some of the most scenic areas of the park. We headed to the Beech Mountain trailhead, which is one of my classic elopement locations in Acadia. It’s especially beautiful in the fall, with the lakes and ocean outlined by vast stretches of gold and red tree lines.

A couple in wedding clothes walk down a wooden boardwalk between birch trees and fall foliage. The woman is smiling back at the camera and it's a colorful fall day in Southwest Harbor, Acadia

ALSO CHECK OUT: 5 best US locations for October elopements

We hung out up here and enjoyed the views as the sun began to set. The light perfect and golden. We watched the light turn from orange to red, before sinking over the horizon, signaling the end of their elopement day. If you’re loving the vibe of this Southwest Harbor elopement day and think it could be the perfect spot for your elopement, get in touch below!