You are planning an adventure elopement! You have your wedding dress but you don’t know what would be the best shoes for your elopement…
Let me help you out by breaking down the types of shoes you will need for certain environments and seasons. This will mostly be about the types of shoes to wear for a Colorado elopement. We have big mountains here. You might need a typical type of shoe to be comfortable and safe on your elopement day. However you can still use this blog for other places in America or overseas that have similar terrain and seasons.
Before we start, it is super important to always break your shoes in before your elopement day. Nobody wants to deal with feet pain! I recommend going on a 2+ mile walk or hike to get a better idea of how your shoe is working with you. You don’t want to have blisters or wear the wrong size/shoe type on your day before breaking them in. It also depends on what type of elopement you will have so be aware of how to break them in for whatever activity you’ll be doing on your wedding day.
Now let’s get into how to choose the best shoes for your adventure elopement blog!
Hiking Shoes for a Hiking Elopement:
For hiking boots, I recommend hiking boots with ankle support such as Danner Boots or Columbia Boots as you might come across rough terrain on the trails.
What is a rough terrain? Typically a trail that has uneven footing due to lots of rocks on the trails. So you’ll be lifting your feet a lot to overstep rocks or roots. A lot of trails in Colorado are well marked but sometimes they aren’t so you’ll be watching your footing a lot on these trails. That is why having shoes for your adventure elopement that has ankle support is a good way to make sure you don’t roll your ankle.
If you are hiking a trail with high elevation gain, this is another reason to have a good sturdy hiking boot with great traction. As mentioned before, I love Danner because they are light weight and supportive. I love Columbia because they are sturdier and have a great selection of waterproof hiking boots. I use my Danner hiking shoes in the summer and my Columbia hiking boots in the winter.
That being said, if you are an experienced hiker who prefers sneaker style shoes then I would recommend trail running shoes from Hoka or trail shoes from Danner. These type of shoes are way lighter to hike with but their traction is awesome for trails. A lot of trails in Colorado have gravel so it’s always best to wear shoes that have some sort of traction. These are also great for a backpacking elopement if you want to wear something lighter but durable on a two day elopement. However they don’t protect your ankles as much as the hiking boots above. Something to keep in mind!
If you have decided to elope in a place like Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, a few easy trails in Boulder like Chautauqua Park, Paint Mines in Colorado Springs, or Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park, then you don’t need hiking boots or trail running shoes for these kind of locations unless you want to. These places have more paved trails that give you more shoe options.
Another great place to elope would be at The Great Sand Dunes. Depending on what season you decide to elope, you can wear adventure sandals from Teva or Chacos. There is a river crossing in June at this National Park so be aware that you’ll be crossing a very icy river due to the snow melt. You can either cross without shoes or wear the sandals mentioned before.
Don’t be overwhelmed with the type of hiking shoes to consider as I will give you the trail stats for each location that you’ve chosen to help you narrow down what type of shoes will fit best.
Winter Elopement Hiking Accessories:
Another beautiful time to elope in Colorado is during the winter! If you’ve ever been dreaming about a winter wonderland elopement then read this section here for the best advice on how to have a comfortable winter elopement!
Firstly, I recommend finding waterproof hiking shoes. As mentioned above, I wear my Columbia hiking shoes in the winter as they are waterproof. If you think you’ll be hiking in a little bit of deep snow, I’d recommend buying some gaiters. This will protect your ankles and calves from the snow.
If there has been a snow dump the day before or the day of, I would recommend renting some snowshoes for a fun elopement experience! They are great for trails that have heavy snow so you don’t sink. Depending which mountain town you are staying in, I can help you find rental stores!
Where there is snow there is also ice. So buying some yaktraks or mircospikes at REI for your shoes for your adventure elopement would be a great investment! It just makes hiking easier, if you don’t need snowshoes for the trail.
Cute Shoes for your Off-Roading/Drive to Spots Elopement:
There might be a ton of places to hike in Colorado. But there are also a lot of places to drive up to for those epic mountain views! If you are looking for some cute shoes that you don’t intend to hike. You should look at these cute boots from Kodiak Boots and Blundstone or ballet shoes.
I don’t recommend heels for the outdoors.
Because no matter the location, it will most likely be uneven and unpaved. So it’s best to wear flats or a kitten heel. If you really want a heel be ready to bring them along. You can change into when you get to your ceremony spot.
Socks:
Lastly, we can’t forget another fundamental when it comes to choosing the best shoes for your adventure elopement! Drum roll! Socks!
You can have a lot of fun with this one. Especially the people who want to wear dress shoes. A lot of my grooms wear fun socks that a wedding theme or a marriage theme. You can wear fun socks that represent you and your relationship in some way!
However, if you are looking to have a serious hiking elopement, I would recommend socks from Smartwool and Darn Tough. They are breathable and they don’t give you blisters! But always try your new socks with your new shoes to make sure everything works together before your elopement day.
I hope this blog was a good resource for you figuring out what is the best shoes for your elopement!
