Are you recently engaged and thinking about eloping in Indiana? Well we are here to bring you the real tea about what it is actually like to elope in Indiana! So many people think that you have to travel to the mountains, the beach, or somewhere exotic to elope but we are here to tell you that that simply is not true. You don’t have to hike ten miles, spend hours on a plane, or spend thousands of dollars to elope. If you love the midwest as much as we do, you can elope here too! So, let’s spill the tea and talk about why we think eloping in Indiana is just as epic.
The Locations for Eloping In Indiana
So the first thought when you begin to think about eloping in Indiana is but WHERE? There isn’t a shortage of beautiful locations, just look around! Indiana is known for some pretty epic places! From beautiful hikes to beaches, Indiana is full of some spectacular views. Many of them you can exchange your vows in as well. So think about what you want your scenery to look like to help you narrow it down. Here are a few of our favorite elopement locations for Indiana!
Turkey Run State Park
Known as Indiana’s second state park, Turkey Run is located in Parke County and runs right along state road 47. If you look at our galleries it is easy to see why this is our top elopement location for Indiana. Check out Katie & Jess’ elopement or Josie & Joe’s and you’ll see for yourself, the amazing scenery that Turkey Run has. With trails running through giant rock formations, it really feels like you are somewhere else! If you imagine an elopement day filled with some rugged hiking, creek stomping, kayaking, or even just an easy stroll, TR has you covered!
Indiana Dunes
The Indiana Dunes are easily a fan favorite. Indiana natives raveeee about this place and we haven’t met many people who don’t just adore taking their family and friends here for day trips. Located wayyyy up in northern Indiana, this is def gonna be a day trip. The backdrop here is to die for… betcha never thought you could have a beach elopement in the midwest?! The dunes are here to prove you wrong, baby! Anything is possible here in Indiana.
Brown County State Park
Now if you’re familiar with the two big tens schools in Indiana and from the North (like us), this may be enemy territory for ya… Brown Country State Park is located right near Indiana University! Home of the Hoosiers. Brown County is known for one other thing… THE LEAVES IN THE FALL. Nothing compares to a souther Indiana, Brown County State Park autumn. SO many trails and areas to pull off to see the foliage in full view… nothings beats it!
Hemlock Cliffs in Hoosier National Forest
Something about those Hoosiers, are we right?!! Hoosier National Forest is a treasure by itself, but Hemlock Cliffs is just the cherry on top! Y’all – do not overlook this bad boy. The rock formations in this place dont look like they should belong in Indiana. Small caves and waterfalls are also some fun points to make sure you visit while exploring Hemlock.
Shades State Park
You may have heard of this one before… Shades State Park is a summer hotspot for many Indiana natives looking to canoe, fish, camp, and be in the great outdoors during the warm months! That being said, that’s what it has to offer!! Some beautiful bodies of water with trees fencing it in, lots of hiking trails with fun bridges and paths, and some really epic rock formations will have you picking your jaw off the floor.
McCormick’s Creek State Park
Another state park in the land of the Indiana Hoosiers… maybe IU is onto something here! McCormick’s State Park is the perfect place to visit if youre looking for a mini Brown County. A more intimate, close knit park that is forever and always known for its fall leaves as well – this baby wont disappoint just because it’s smaller than the big name one in the area. Find yourself taken aback by the trails and the terrain, by the views and the wildlife, and by the options present for your elopement.
Charlestown State Park
Looking for an untraditional elopement location? Trail 3 out to the Rose Island loop leads you to learn about an abandoned amusement park from the 1920s. Now we may be biased… but we sure think this would be an iconic place for a black attire wedding! There’s lots of cool abandoned architecture calling Charleston state park home – it could make for some totally unique elopement portraits!
Cityscapes
Looking for downtown vibes? Indianapolis doesn’t fall short in our eyes. Think downtown cityscapes, parking garages, Monument Circle, White River State park/canal, and waaaay too many hotels to name. We love roaming around the city and using flash to capture some downtown night adventures.
The Seasons… we mean FALL!
If you are from Indiana you know that Indiana has some pretty crazy weather. But we are most notably known for fall! Fall in Indiana is perhaps one of the best sights, which is why most weddings in Indiana are actually in Fall. Picture the leaves falling as you and your lover commit your lives to one another, I can’t think of many other things that are that beautiful! The locations above are all SO beautiful during this time of year.
August through November are prime times for eloping in Indiana. Average temps include:
- August: High of 84- Low of 65
- September: High of 78- Low of 57
- October: High of 65- Low of 45
- November: High of 51- Low of 34
Now that is not to say that you cannot elope in all of the other seasons… We love a good summer/winter wedding! Really, you can elope anytime in Indiana. We will help you be prepared for any weather Indiana might throw our way.
You can bring your pets…
Think about this. Because you aren’t traveling too far from your home for your elopement, you can bring your dogs (or cats, lizards, etc LOL). Many of our parks listed above allow dogs, and we think that having your pets at your elopement make it that much more special! We know your pups mean so much to you so why not include them on your wedding day?
Some ways to incorporate your dogs/pets in your elopement include:
- Have a first look with your dog
- List your dogs as your witnesses
- They can be your pet of honor
- They can be your flower pup/ring pup
- Explore the trails with them
The possibilities are endless! Just don’t forget to bring them water and dessert too 🙂
Permits are a Must When Eloping In Indiana
We couldn’t give you the real tea about eloping in Indiana without talking about the legalities. Most places you are looking into need permits. Many parks require your photog (that’s us!) to obtain a permit for photography. By the time you read this blog, there may even be some that do not allow your actual ceremony to take place there. So let us fill you in on all the legalities so that you don’t have to worry about that! We will make sure you are all good to go for your big day!
Hotels also require permits. The cost can vary but if you want to photograph in let’s say The Bottleworks it will cost you a few hundred bucks. But a few hundred bucks compared to tens of thousands for a huge wedding venue is a win in our eyes. As your photogs we will reach out to your hotel and help make sure all the dotted lines are crossed and checked!
Adventure Ideas for Eloping in Indiana
So the next question is what kind of activities can you do on your elopement day in Indiana? The thing is.. you can do anything you could do if you were eloping in any other state! So the first question to ask yourselves is what do you two LOVE doing together? Hiking? Biking? Kayaking? The possibilities are endless! Let’s dive on in to more things you could do on your elopement day!
Hiking
If you’re a couple who doesn’t mind working for what you want… working for that view… hiking may be an excellent option for you love birds. Take a hike, big or small, we don’t shame you on the distance here h A hike is a hike! Look ahead on a website like AllTrails and find a lookout point or some views you like and start planning that dang thing!
Water Activities
Kayaking, canoeing, creek stomping.. the list of water activities is endless. Chances are you are likely to be near some type of water. If you are feeling adventurous, we love a good sunset water photo or two! If you two normally enjoy activities in the water, it’s fun to include these types of activities for your elopement day too!
Get a Tattoo
A little bit of an extreme option, yes… but not one that should be left out! How fun could this be??! Make some time to get either a matching tattoo with your love or just get tattoos at the same time to commemorate the event 😉 This is an edgy, unique way to do something on your big day that you will remember forever and ever, literally, tattoos are forever lollll. Remember that.
Pack a Picnic
Now doesn’t this just sound like the sweetest idea ever?! To us it definitely does! Pack a little bag of all your favorite snacks and food… maybe some sandwiches, watermelon, grapes, cheese, summer sausage.. some foods to get your list started, haha! Bring a blanket to lay down for y’all to sit on and stay away from the dirt and whatever else is on the ground around ya.
Camping/Bonfire
Again one of our favoriteeee ideas! Can you just imagine how sweet this could be?! You could do a number of things as far as camping goes. Like you could rent an RV – go big or go home LOL! You could rent one of those cute, tiny campers you pull behind your car. Always a great option. OR you could do the stereotypical tent and sleeping bag way! Build a bonfire next to your set up and you’re good as gold!
Stay up late & Stargaze
Queueing Stargazing by the Neighborhood lol… Stay up and stargaze! Sounds boring, maybe to some, but play some nice music in the background, talk about your day, about your future while looking up at the stars. This is a good time to sit and realize what reallyyyy matters in this crazy world. Stargazing might provide you with a second to decompress after your big day.
Hot Air Balloon
Hell yeah. How epic is this?! We have ALWAYS wanted to do this and will forever and always push our couples to go out and try it. Can you imagine? How high that balloon goes… you could see the whole damn city! This could be a unique touch to your day, although it will likely just be your and your lover doing this, everyoneeee will be talking about it if you share some photos of your adventure.
Horseback Riding
Who doesn’t want to go horseback riding, be honest. We all must have this excitement about riding horses from our inner child because this is such a popular option of adventure to do with your lover. Wherever you are, wherever you are going.. there is bound to be a stable or two offering horseback riding on trails or on excursions.
Head to your favorite Dive Bar
Whoop, whoop! All in favor of this option say “I”… we can hear you all from here loud and clear LOL. What a nice way to end your day or simply celebrate your love. Head to a Dive Bar of your choosing. This could most definitely make for a fun future memory and a nice spot to come and revisit!
Boating
This one might be the bougey-est option… go boating! Why not? If youre something, or going somewhere, that has water – take advantage of all of that, baby! Google is gonna be your bestie on booking this adventure, get to googling!
Visit your favorite coffee shop
If you are like me then you are always up for a visit to your favorite coffee shop. Can we tell you a little secret? It’s even sweeter when in your wedding clothes! Have fun ordering for each other and then every year on your anniversary you can visit again!
Taco Bell
You may be saying…Sam… girl… what? Hear me outttt! Taco Bell has been such a trend on tik Tok and we are totally here for it. Imagine how fun it would be to get some photos done of you and your love just chilling and enjoying some freakin tacos LOL. It would be a moment that is for sure!
The Price Difference When Eloping In Indiana
It wouldn’t be the REAL TEA without talking about the drastic price difference between eloping in Indiana and having a wedding in Indiana. According to The Knot, the average cost of an Indiana wedding (Ceremony & Reception) is about $23,000. In addition, the average cost of wedding vendors for an Indiana Wedding is about $17,000 (this includes hair/makeup, invitations, favors, rehearsal dinner, cake, outfits, etc). Okay so, let’s just break down a few of the cost differences you might have when choosing to elope instead.
- Venue – This is perhaps the biggest difference. The average cost of a reception venue is about 11,200. If you eloped at say… The Queen and I’s Yurt BNB in Crawfordsville, you’d spend about $700 for a 3 night stay!
- Outfits – You will probably pay about the same, depending on how formal you’d like to go! So there probably wont be much difference here.
- Hair/Makeup – This will be less since you might max only need it for 2 people and not your whole wedding party + parents/siblings/etc!
- DJ- Wont need! Let Spotify be your DJ 🙂
- Invitations – Not needed! Though it might be fun to create a stationary set for pictures and keepsakes!
- Catering- In Indiana couples pay anywhere from $30 to $80 per person.. If you invited 200+ guests to your wedding, that would be up to 16,000 for food alone. WOWZAS. For an elopement, you’d end up paying for dinner for yourself that night, and you’d probably want some snacks/food for your entire weekend! Heck, since you are saving yourself literally $16,000 why not splurge on a cute charcuterie board picnic for your elopement with The Charcutie Girl out of Lafayette, IN!
- Bar- An average bar tab for a 200+ person wedding an be over$3,000. Just buy yourselves a few bottles of wine, maybe some champagne and call it a day!
Eloping In Indiana// Price Difference Continued…
Okay… we could keep going here but you get the point. The cost of eloping in Indiana vs having a full size wedding in Indiana is drastically different. We knew it was worth mentioning that you wouldn’t have to spend an entire down payment on a house at your wedding! It’s easy to see when looking at the numbers why so many couples choose to elope instead!
Eloping In Indiana// To Sum It Up
As you can see, eloping in Indiana can be just as magical and unforgettable as eloping in the mountains, the beach, or anywhere else. Don’t let anyone tell you that you need to go somewhere exotic to have a meaningful elopement! The beauty of eloping is that you can make it your own, and if you love the midwest like we do, Indiana is the perfect place to tie the knot. So, don’t be afraid to think outside the box and consider eloping in Indiana – we promise, you won’t regret it!
While your at it, if we have officially convinced you that you shouldn’t sleep on Eloping In Indiana.. reach out HERE so that we can start planning your Indiana Elopement today!
XOXO,
Sam & Bryt
