Elopement Dress Ideas for an Outdoor Wedding
Getting married outside and trying to figure out what kind of wedding dress works out there? Here's everything I tell my couples about dresses, shoes, and layers for an outdoor wedding or elopement.
I've spent 10 years photographing weddings outside in Colorado, and I wore Red Wing boots and a puffy organza coat with my own wedding dress, so I have opinions. You need to be able to walk in it and lift your arms in it. Your shoes need grip. And please stop worrying about getting it dirty, which I'll get to (I feel strongly about it).
Choosing an elopement dress
Can you move in your wedding dress?
You're going to move around a lot more on an elopement day than you would at a wedding venue, so test the dress that way. Walk around the fitting room. Take a giant step like you're climbing onto a rock. Sit down, bend over, and please lift your arms above your head. A sleeve that won't let you gets hard and weird fast.
You don't need a dress designed for hiking. You just want one you can forget about once it's on. If something already feels restrictive at a fitting, it's not going to get less annoying after a few hours outside.
Does your elopement dress have to be white?
It does not. I've photographed wedding dresses in lots of different colors, and they always photograph just as beautifully as a white one.
People who want color don't usually ask me if it's okay. They're just so excited to tell me about it, and I'm equally excited!!
All colors are fair game. If you want one and aren't sure which, a little color theory helps: think about what the landscape around you is going to look like, and go for the opposite. A warm orange, yellow, or red stands out against green trees. Blue does the same thing against red rock, like Moab or Grand Junction. Black is fair game too.
Can you wear a short elopement dress?
Yes, and they're so easy to move in. There's nothing to trip on and nothing dragging through the dirt, and you can see your boots, which is a big plus if you picked good ones.
Two things to plan for. Wind will lift a short, floaty skirt, so do a spin test at your fitting and think about what's underneath. And your legs are out, so bring leggings or a long coat for when it gets cold.
A short dress also makes a great second dress if you want something different for dinner.
Should your elopement dress have sleeves?
Long sleeves are great outside. They're one more layer when it's cold, and the sun is strong up here, so they save your shoulders too.
Do the arm test before you commit. Lift your arms all the way up, hug someone, and reach forward like you're holding hands. Fitted sleeves in a fabric with no stretch are usually the ones that fight you.
If you can't decide, detachable sleeves give you both looks. Just make sure they stay attached.
Elopement outfit ideas if you're not wearing a dress
Suits, jumpsuits, separates, two dresses, two suits, whatever you each want to get married in. The same tests apply to all of it. Can you walk in it, lift your arms in it, and stay warm in it?
If you're in a suit, the jacket should let you raise your arms without the whole thing riding up. Bring a layer too, because a dress shirt alone gets cold fast once the sun goes down.
And it doesn't have to be formal. I once had a couple get married in Carhartt overalls.
Shoes and layers for an outdoor wedding
Wedding shoes you can walk in
This is the one thing I won't budge on: please wear shoes you can walk in. That goes for both of you, whatever you're wearing, because even dress shoes often have no grip on the bottom.
They don't have to be hiking boots or tennis shoes (though both are welcome). There are plenty of cute boots that can handle a trail. I wore Red Wing Iron Rangers and recommend them to all of my couples. Blundstones are great, and Sorel makes cute ones too.
I also love Dr. Martens (mine are my concert boots). If you get them in the soft leather, called Virginia, there's usually no break in period.
Whatever you pick, please don't break in new boots on your wedding day. Wear them around for a few weeks first. Any of these will treat you better than a four inch heel.
Pick your shoes before you alter the length
Your dress should be altered to your height in the exact shoes you're wearing that day. Even a couple of inches changes how easy it is to walk, and the front is where you'll notice it, because that's the part you step on.
So figure out your shoes first, then have the length done to match. Bring them to every fitting. If you're deciding between two pairs, bring both and tell whoever is doing your alterations.
I learned this the hard way. My dress was altered for a taller shoe, and then at the last minute I switched to my Red Wing boots. The front ended up a couple of inches too long, so I spent the day lifting it at the sides to walk.
Tripping over your dress for 8 hours in the Colorado landscape is exactly as dangerous as it sounds, especially since the good views tend to be next to a cliff.
Layers, capes, and a coat (yes, even in July)
Layers are the best thing you can add to a wedding dress for your elopement, and there are so many good ones now.
Mine was a puffy organza coat with long sleeves that tied in the back. My dress had spaghetti straps, so when I wanted more coverage I put the coat on, and when I didn't I took it off. I was obsessed with it.
Capes are another one, and they are the coolest thing ever to photograph. There are also sheer organza covers that go right over the dress.
The bonus is that a layer changes the whole look. Put it on, take it off, and it looks like you wore two or three different dresses in one day.
Then pack an actual coat, even for a summer date. It gets cold up here in July, and I will shout that from the rooftops. Pick one you'd be happy to see in your photos, because if you need it, it's going to be in them.
How to Have a Colorado Winter Elopement has the full coat talk if you're getting married in the snow.
Wearing a wedding dress outside
Please don't worry about your wedding dress getting dirty
This is my number one piece of dress advice, and I say it with love: please don't spend your wedding day worrying about the bottom of your dress getting dirty. Dry cleaners exist for a reason, and you'll want to get it cleaned after the wedding anyway.
I shoot candids, which means I'm taking pictures while we walk from one spot to the next. If you're holding your dress up every time we move, that's what you'll be doing in a lot of your photos. They look so much better with the dress down, I promise.
If you need it clean for a reception later, it's worth getting a second dress for that. You picked this one because you love it, so let yourself walk around in it.
Will you be fixing your dress all day?
Some dresses need a little attention every few minutes, and outside for hours that adds up. These are the ones I see the most:
Strapless tops that slide. If it stays put when you walk, bend over, and lift your arms, you're good.
Thin straps. They slip off your shoulders, and you'll be putting them back all day.
Deep necklines. If it's held in place with tape, test the tape for a full day before the wedding.
High slits. They open wide in the wind, so you end up holding them closed.
Skirts with a few layers. The bottom layers bunch up as you walk, and you end up reaching down to pull them straight again.
Detachable sleeves. They slide down or come unbuttoned. I photographed one dress with sleeves that closed with snaps, and those snaps would NOT stay snapped.
Tulle and lace. They pick up sticks and pine cones as you walk. You'll collect a few, and that's fine, but a really delicate skirt will catch on everything.
None of these are a reason to skip a dress you love. Just check them at your fitting, and if something won't stay where it belongs, ask the person doing your alterations to fix it before the wedding.
Should you wear a veil outside?
I love a veil, and yes, bring it! They're at their best as a "throw it on for a couple of pictures here and there" situation, because the wind out here has a lot of opinions about veils. Wearing one all day gets to be a pain, so we'll pop it on when the moment's right and tuck it away in between.
There's also the hug problem. Your partner goes in for a hug, their arm lands on the veil, and now your head is getting pulled backward by your own accessory. It happens a lot.
Trains, wind, and the bustle
A train is totally fine outside. Better than fine, really, because a long train in the wind is one of my favorite things to photograph.
Which is why I'm a little anti bustle, personally. Bustles make sense at a traditional wedding where you need the train out of the way for the dance floor. Out here, a long train trailing behind you looks sooooo cool, and I'd leave it down as much as you can.
If you do want to bustle it for part of the day, practice ahead of time and make sure you know how it goes together.
Winter elopement dresses: mud and snow
Mud is pretty random. It shows up where it shows up, and when we hit a patch we'll carry your train over it.
Snow is different, because if there's snow somewhere, there's usually snow everywhere, and there's no avoiding it. The bottom of your dress and your train will get wet. Some fabrics soak up more of it than others, so if you're planning a snowy date, ask your dress shop how yours handles getting wet.
The winter elopement guide has the rest of what to wear in the snow.
Where to buy an elopement dress
Ask what alterations cost before you give your budget
One more thing I learned from my own dress shopping. When a shop asks for your budget, ask them what alterations usually run before you answer.
I gave my number assuming it covered everything. It did not, and nobody mentioned that alterations would be a big extra chunk of money on top of the dress until later.
So if alterations are part of your plan, find out the typical cost up front and decide whether your budget is for the dress or for the dress plus alterations.
Elopement dress designers I love, with sizes and prices
Each one links to the designer's site. Sizes and prices are what I found as of October 2026. Both change, so check the designer's site before you fall in love.
| Designer | Sizes | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| Alexandra Grecco | 00 to 20Split sizing, made to measure above 20 | $2,500 to $7,800 |
| All Who Wander | 2 to 24At stockists | Not listed |
| Allure Bridals | 0 to 30 | $1,100 to $2,300 |
| & For Love | Standard sizingAsk for the current chart | Not listed |
| Anthropologie Weddings | 0 to 26WFormerly BHLDN | $595 to $4,800 |
| Bo & Luca | AU 6 to 16Some styles to AU 20, custom sizes for a fee | $1,580 to $8,900 AUD |
| Claire Pettibone | XS to XLUS 0 to 18 | $4,500 to $20,000 |
| Clover London | UK 8 to 16Made to measure by request | £1,850 to £3,350 |
| Daughters of Simone | XS to 5XL | $980 to $4,050 |
| Elizabeth Dye | 0 to 24Custom fit by request | $2,000 to $5,600 |
| Eva Lendel | US 4 to 24 | Not listed |
| Grace Loves Lace | XXS to 5XLUS 2 to 20 | $990 to $4,600 |
| Jenny Yoo | 00 to 32 | $1,300 to $3,500 |
| Kamperett | XS to 1X | $695 to $4,500 |
| Kite and Butterfly | Custom fitHandmade to fit you | $1,000 to $1,300 |
| Leanne Marshall | Custom gowns only | Not listed |
| Nordeen | Made to order | Not listed |
| Olivia Bottega | US 00 to 30Petite and custom sizing too | $590 to $6,370 |
| Rue De Seine | UK 6 to 20Select styles to UK 24 | $3,250 to $5,500+ |
| Wear Your Love | Made to measure | $2,280 to $3,960 |
| Wilderly Bride | 0 to 30By Allure Bridals | $700 to $1,500 |
Prices are approximate and in US dollars unless marked. Checked October 2026.
Plus size elopement dresses
If you're shopping plus sizes, Jenny Yoo goes to 32, Olivia Bottega and Allure go to 30, Anthropologie Weddings goes to 26W, and Daughters of Simone goes to 5XL.
Where to shop for a preworn wedding dress
Photo by my incredible wedding photographers: Cedar & Pines
Hi, I'm Kimberly!
And yep that’s me in my wedding dress! I'm a Colorado elopement photographer based in Denver, but I'm usually somewhere in the mountains with a camera and way too many things in my backpack "just in case."
I've been photographing elopements out here for 10 years and 100+ couples, so most of what I write about here comes from actually doing it.
You can learn more about me here, or if you're planning your own elopement, start with my pricing guide.
Planning to elope in Crested Butte with family? Learn the best locations, permits, and tips for a beautiful Crested Butte micro wedding in the Colorado mountains.