Leave No Trace Elopement Guide
If you’re an outdoor enthusiast like we are, you’ve probably at least heard of the Leave No Trace initiative. Leave No Trace (LNT, for short) is a set of guidelines set by the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics. According to Leave No Trace, 9 out of 10 people are uninformed about their impact on the outdoors. At Range Of Light Wed we believe that we need to change that! How do the principles of leaving no trace apply to your elopements? Let’s talk about it...
Range Of Light Wed
We're Range Of Light Wed, your elopement planning dream team. We are a group of seasoned local wedding professionals who want to support your elopement or small wedding journey. Our biggest goal is to give you a meaningful experience that feels just how you want it to.
We delight in sharing our home, the Sierra Nevadas, with couples ready to start their lives with big adventures or quiet moments. For us, it's not just about your elopement itself. Instead, it's about the experience of connecting with nature and each other in a deeply personal way.
First, let’s go over the principles of Leave No Trace.
The 7 Principles Of Leave No Trace
The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics says there are 7 key Leave No Trace Principles that make up the core of the initiative. Initially, these principles were created to minimize human impact in remote areas. Still, with the ever-growing popularity of elopements, these principles can be applied to any outdoor activity (even if you are just exploring somewhere together).
Plan ahead and prepare
Travel and camp on durable surfaces
Dispose of waste properly
Leave what you find
Minimize campfire impacts
Respect wildlife
Be considerate of other visitors
Next, let’s discuss how to plan a Leave No Trace elopement…
Be Prepared & Plan Ahead
Being prepared and planning ahead is one of the most essential principles of LNT, particularly if you’re hiking, backpacking, or spending time outside for your adventure elopement. When you plan ahead, you can safely enjoy your time without causing damage to the wild spaces around you.
A Few Things To Consider When Planning Your LNT Elopement
Will you be hiking? If so, ask yourself (be brutally honest here) what is your hiking skill level? Many of our most beautiful Eastern Sierra elopement destinations are at a higher elevation, which definitely affects your lungs.
Once you choose your elopement location, find out - what are the regulations and restrictions here?
What’s the plan in case it rains? How does the rain impact the area that you’ve decided to elope?
What animals are in the area?
Do you need a permit?
Make Sure You Follow Permit Regulations
Of course, this depends on where you elope, but most public land, National Forests, and National Parks require some form of special use permit. It’s important to note that permits and regulations can change.
Permits are important during adventure elopements because they keep you from getting a fine on what will be one of the happiest days of your lives, and ensures you follow specific locations’ rules and regulations.
Range Of Light Wed Elopement Planning Services
All of our elopement packages include:
On-site hair and makeup
Personal florals for 2 people
Officiant
Complimentary Champagne
Elegant Picnic Lunch
A gluten-free, organic, non-gmo cake
A table for 2 where allowed
A ceremony arch or ground florals (where allowed)
Seating for 15 people where permitted
Collaborative Timeline Planning
Location Suggestions
6 Hours of Photography Coverage (with option to extend)
Full Resolution files with printing rights.
Online gallery for printing and sharing.
NO TRAVEL FEES
Our Elopement Locations Include:
Sonora Pass - Highway 108, Kennedy Meadows, Donnel Vista, and our secret spots!
Yosemite National Park - Taft Point, Glacier Point, And All Of The Yosemite National Park Favorites
Eastern Sierras - Mammoth Lakes, June Lakes, Tioga Pass, Bridgeport, Bishop, Alabama Hills, Lake Tahoe, and Inyo National Forest
Southern Desert - Lone Pine, Mojave, Death Valley National Park, Joshua Tree National Park, Palm Springs
We also offer a la carte stand alone services!
Stay On The Trails (Durable Surfaces)
When you run across epic adventure elopement photos on Instagram featuring awe-inspiring views of Yosemite or Death Valley National Park, it’s easy to see why adventure elopements are becoming so popular. Without couples even realizing what they’re doing, they go against Leave No Trace principles, particularly when they go off trial.
Going off trail poses a considerable risk to the land. An established trail is usually wide enough for two people, and most trails have markers for you to follow. To keep on track with the LNT principles, try to steer clear of wet grass, meadows, fields of wildflowers (we know it’s tempting), and sensitive alpine tundras.
Speaking Of Instagram…
Social Media Use Guidelines from the Leave No Trace Center
It's really no surprise that social media has had a huge impact on outdoor areas. Leave No Trace Center asks people to consider the following: "Would this place be impacted if it had not been for Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or Snapchat?"
Before you post a photo of your fantastic adventure elopement, a selfie, or photos or videos of the gorgeous landscape, stop for a moment and consider what impact sharing these photos or videos may have when you geotag them.
We highly recommend that you don't geotag specific locations. While this may feel like gate-keeping, believe us, it's not. Unfortunately, geotagging specific locations allows the masses to see where a beautiful photo was taken. Many people just want to go to that location with little consideration for leaving no trace.
Dispose of Waste Properly - Keep It Simple
This is huge when it comes to adventure elopements, because a big part of Leave No Trace is leaving the area how you found it, or better yet, leaving it better than you found it. This can be more difficult if you decide to have an arch, chairs, and everything else. While it's possible to follow LNT principles and have wedding decor on your elopement, we want to say it is a bit more complicated.
The idea is to "pack it in, and pack it out." One thing that many people overlook is organic waste. These are things like orange peels, flowers, apple cores, and pistachio shells that may be organic and natural; however, they are likely not natural to the specific environment. Organic waste provides an unnatural food source for animals as well.
Another element that we want to touch on is human waste, so we’ve come up with a few human waste FAQs for you!
Q: Where do we go to the bathroom?
A: Choose an elopement location with a pit toilet, dig a cat hole, or use a waste bag. Please never go to the bathroom next to a water source.
Q: What if we have guests? Where do they go to the bathroom?
A: Rent a port-a-potty from El Dorado Septic, buy a cassette toilet and "shower" tent. You can also rent a motorhome and use that bathroom for everyone. Or you can let the Range Of Light team handle it for you! That’s right we will take care of setting up a handwashing station with essentials for you and your guests.
You'll want to keep this in mind, particularly in certain National Parks. Many have restrictions about what flowers can be used (don't worry, Susan is on it!) Certain flowers can drop seeds, loose petals or flower heads easily. For this reason, many places don't allow baby's breath, pampas grass, or other florals.
Additionally, many National Parks don't allow the throwing of flower petals, rice, confetti, birdseed, etc. Many don't allow large decorations or arches; they use balloons or place signs in the park. Parks, National Forests, and public lands are public spaces, so it is best to keep it simple in terms of decor, but we've got you covered!
Personally, we believe the best option is to let your elopement location be the ideal backdrop for saying "I do." You'll have way less logistics to worry about, and you'll be able to explore more instead of worrying about setup and take down.
Leave What You Find
Another important Leave No Trace principle that applies to your elopement is leaving what you find and see in a natural environment. It may seem harmless to pick a few wildflowers, and like it won't make a significant impact. But if you think about it, if everyone visiting the area thought the same thing, it would significantly impact these beautiful wild places. Things like carving your initials in a tree can seem romantic, but these natural areas don't belong to us. And we genuinely believe they deserve to be left undisturbed.
This principle applies to the ceremony site for your elopement. Instead of creating a ceremony location, we'll find a naturally occurring location that fits your unique relationship. Who needs to decorate when you are eloping in a beautiful outdoor setting anyway? Nature is the best cathedral and offers the most stunning decor; trust us.
We've got you covered if you need help finding a location for your elopement! In each of our elopement packages, we offer location suggestions based on what you're looking for (these include the extra top-secret locations that we love).
Respect Wildlife
Elopements that occur outdoors, such as in National Parks and other wilderness areas, need to consider the wildlife. We believe that wildlife deserves our respect, after all, this is their home. Overall, the goal is to minimize your impact on the environment while showing respect for the outdoors.
Many mountainous areas are home to bears. In bear country, the Eastern Sierras are no exception. While bears and mountain lions are rare to see, they do live here. In bear country, you'll need to dispose of waste properly in trash cans or dumpsters that are bear proof. Don't leave trash sitting outside, particularly if the trash can is full. When bears come into contact with humans and begin to rely on them for easier access to food, it can result in the bear being euthanized. We don't want that, and we know you don't either!
Although it may seem harmless, please don't feed wildlife like chipmunks, squirrels, or birds. Human food isn't good for them and decreases their natural fear of humans. Not feeding the wildlife is a great way to show respect for the animals and for the area.
Be Considerate Of Other Visitors
Being respectful of nature shows your consideration of other visitors who came before you, and those who are sure to come after you.
To help minimize the impact that your outdoor micro wedding or elopement ceremony has on other visitors' experience, you will want to keep it on the smaller side. It's also a good idea to keep in mind that National Parks often limit the number of people that can be in a group for specific elopement locations.
We help our couples find areas that are less visited and, therefore, provide a bit of privacy. If you really love one of the most popular spots, we always recommend an early morning first look or ceremony. Many people would rather avoid hiking in the dark to get to the perfect spot for sunrise or hiking back in the dark after sunset. Trust us, watching a sunrise or a sunset in a remote location on your wedding day is so romantic.
Range Of Light Wed Elopement Packages
Range Of Light Wed offers elopement packages with all the essentials - as low-key or as adventurous as you can dream up. We do not provide a wardrobe, or any permits required by National Parks. We can accommodate up to 15 guests.
Each of our elopement packages include:
On-site hair and makeup
Personal florals for 2 people
Officiant
Complimentary Champagne
Elegant Picnic Lunch
A gluten-free, organic, non-gmo cake
A table for 2 where allowed
A ceremony arch or ground florals (where allowed)
Seating for 15 people where permitted
Collaborative Timeline Planning
Location Suggestions
6 Hours of Photography Coverage (with option to extend)
Full Resolution files with printing rights.
Online gallery for printing and sharing.
NO TRAVEL FEES
