A Family-Friendly Elopement in Acadia National Park

This family-friendly Acadia elopement day reminded me why I encourage my couples not to be afraid of the forecast - weather changes really quickly on Mount Desert Island! Sometimes a little rain can make your day feel extra “Maine”, but most couples (especially if they have a baby with them!) don’t want to be soaking wet on their wedding day, so we always keep our options open!

Rainy Elopement Day in Acadia - What To Do?

Well, it was raining all day this day! But we decided to meet at our planned location, with a backup (more sheltered) option in mind. When we got to the trailhead, it was still coming down - that steady, cold kind of April rain that makes you really reconsider spending your day outside.

We debated moving to our backup option. But we decided to get ready and then reassess.

While Mary and Nick got their baby changed in the car, the weather started changing too. The rain tapered off and the sun started pushing through the clouds just as we set off on the trail! By the time the trail opened up to the cliffs, the sun was shining behind us while the storm raged out over the ocean, making for some really neat, moody light.

As someone who lives here on the island, I’m very accustomed to how quickly the weather shifts here - you just can’t trust a forecast more than 24 hours out, and even same-day forecasts are often inaccurate. So how do I make calls based on what the weather may or may not be like?! I always have at least one backup option that would be easier in “bad” weather (hiiiiii anxiety, always gotta be overprepared!), and I get to know what my couples’ comfort levels are with different levels of “bad” weather. Honestly, a little rain on during your Acadia elopement can actually elevate the day and make it that much more “Maine” if you’re the type to embrace it! And if the weather truly is just not going to work for the day you have envisioned, we can always choose to either shift the time of it or do it a day earlier or later (another benefit of living on the island is I can usually be pretty flexible about your elopement day/time!).

Acadia Babywearing Elopement and Cliff Ceremony

We were so glad we gave it a minute and could still do their ceremony on the cliffs as we planned!

This particular outcropping requires a short hike through a brushy field to get to - easy enough to do with a baby in tow, and still add that element of privacy (the cliffs off the Park Loop Rd. are beautiful, but private they are not!). Mary navigated the trail barefoot and loved feeling the earth beneath her feet; a perfectly grounding (like, literally!) way to start her Acadia wedding day.

As the trail opened up to the ocean, we were all gobsmacked by how gorgeous the scene was - everything looked a bit more vibrant because it was wet from the morning’s rain, the sky out over the Atlantic was so dark and moody, the ocean was churny and grey and the waves crashing below were loud. Mary and Nick explored the cliffs a little bit and took in the majestic scenery before they made their way to their ceremony spot and got ready to exchange their vows and do their handfasting ceremony. Mary helped Nick get their son on his back in his baby carrier and everyone settled in. Obviously with a location like this, we couldn’t have their little son crawling around ha! I love making these epic locations work even when it feels like there may be some barrier. It was truly family-centered - so, so sweet!

As they exchanged their vows, we heard a loon call that haunting, unmistakable loon call way down below in the ocean and then a moment later a bald eagle flew by us just at cliff height. These special natural elements obviously can’t be planned, but they felt so aligned with Mary and Nick’s earthy energy!

Handfasting Ceremony in Acadia National Park

Next, they did their handfasting ceremony which was such an intentional part of their day - it symbolizes unity and commitment and bringing their family together as one. Handfasting is an ancient ritual with roots in several northern European traditions, including Norse pagan practices, where a couple’s hands are bound together with cord or ribbon as a symbol of their commitment and intertwined lives. Today, many couples are drawn to it because it feels deeply intentional and grounding. It’s a way to honor ancestry, nature, spirituality, and the idea that marriage is less about performance and more about choosing one another, fully and consciously.

The braids of the handfasting rope, as well as the braids in Mary’s and Nicks’s hair were important nods to their Norse Pagan culture. Watching them weave these unique elements into their day was so beautiful.

After the ceremony, they took time to enjoy the epic view. They watched the storm off in the distance and marveled at how warm it had gotten now in full, bright sun! Before leaving the cliffs and heading to their second location to celebrate their day, they caught a glimpse of the moon through the clouds. It was one of those days where a lot showed up at once - the sun and the moon, the storm offshore, rough waves crashing on the rocks below, while the water looked calm overall. Mother Nature sure was showing off!

Pizza Picnic on the Dock

We briefly parted ways and then reconvened at the harbor to have a little celebratory picnic on the dock. A fancy curated picnic didn’t feel like them, so Mary and Nick opted for a lowkey pizza and coke and PBR picnic overlooking serene Northeast Harbor. Here, where there weren’t steep drop offs down to the ocean, their son was able to explore and practice his new skill of walking. He joined in the celebratory toasts with his bottle of milk, and admired (played with) Mary’s sweet springtime bouquet from Floret. It was a perfectly “them” celebration to end their perfectly “them” elopement day.

What I love most about this day was how true to themselves Mary and Nick kept it - Mary barefoot on the cliffs, Norse elements woven into the ceremony, an openness to the weather doing its own (slightly dramatic) thing, and their baby part of every moment. It was an honor planning and capturing this sweet, family-centered Acadia elopement.

How to plan a family friendly elopement in Acadia National Park:

If you’re planning an elopement in Acadia and want something flexible and family-centered, this is always an option, and I’d be thrilled to help you execute it! Let’s talk about how to craft your perfect wedding day with your kids or family!