the
adventure elopement blog

by Shawna Rae Photography

Engaged couple kissing on Alpe di Siusi with Schlern, Santner peak, and Euringer peak in the background

If you’ve never been to the Dolomites before, planning a proposal here can feel a little overwhelming. The mountains are huge, weather changes quickly, and there are hundreds of possible locations to choose from. That’s exactly how Sal felt when he first reached out to me through my website to start planning his proposal on […]

A couple shares an intimate moment during their elopement at Passo Gardena in the Dolomites. The groom, in a light-patterned blazer, holds the bride's face as they touch foreheads. The bride wears a white dress and a teal hiking backpack, standing against a backdrop of dramatic limestone peaks and winding mountain roads.

One of the best parts about planning an adventure elopement is that the day does not have to revolve around a schedule packed with obligations. Earlier this year, I wrote about how couples are spending their wedding budgets differently in 2026. Instead of building the day around a large guest list and a tightly packed […]

Couple kissing at Prager Wildsee

When Brooke and Connor reached out for a sunrise session at Lago di Braies, I knew we were in for something special. Connor spends his professional life at 200 mph as a pro race car driver, so there was something poetically beautiful about trading the roar of an engine for the silence of the Dolomites […]

There is something transformative about the Dolomites in early March. The air is crisp, the peaks are draped in winter white, and if you’re lucky, you get that perfect “blue hour” glow just before the sun hits the Sciliar. When Abdel reached out to me a few months ago, he was looking for more than […]

Couple in Iceland running towards waterfall during elopement

What Couples are Spending Money on Instead of a Big Wedding Since around 2020, the way we get married has been changing. Couples aren’t necessarily spending less on their weddings, they’re just spending differently. Instead of inviting 120 people and filling a packed, fixed schedule, more couples are choosing to scale back the guest list […]

Couple celebrating the moment as she says yes to his proposal in the Dolomites

Vardhan & Maahi’s Two-Day Engagement Adventure There are calm planners. There are chaotic planners. And then there is Vardhan, who texted me in a gentle but persistent state of “oh my god what if she sees the ring box in my pocket.” And he’s not alone, many of my proposing clients fit that description. I […]

Asian man on one knee proposing to girlfriend at Lago di Braies

Eric & Karen’s Dolomites Engagement Story Eric reached out to me wanting to plan something unforgettable for Karen while they were traveling through the Dolomites. His main concern was privacy, since he knew that the Dolomites are a bit #trending at the moment. He consulted with me about booking the boathouse, and luckily he got […]

Lago di Braies elopement stationery with dog portraits

Adventure elopements are about freedom, intention, and choosing what actually matters. But here’s the truth most couples don’t realize until later: the smallest details often hold the most emotional weight. In mountain elopements especially, where the landscape is vast and cinematic, your personal touches are what ground the day in you. As a wedding and […]

Passo Gardena Dolomites Winter Engagement, couple embracing as strong wind blows snow

March in the Dolomites is a bit of a wild card. It might feel like spring in town, but head up into the mountains and you’re knee-deep in snow wondering if winter ever plans on leaving. Connor and Skylar leaned all the way into that energy, and honestly, I loved them for it. They reached […]

Being a Photographer Who Actually Thinks About Impact I travel for a living. The Dolomites, Switzerland, Iceland, remote valleys at sunrise, cliffs that try to blow us into the ocean. It’s an incredible job. It also has an environmental footprint, and I refuse to pretend otherwise. If I’m going to build a business around wild […]

© Shawna Rae Photography 2026

shawna rae

photography