Acadia National Park Wedding Photographer - Off the Beaten Path: An Autumn Mountaintop Elopement

When Taylor reached out to us about eloping in Acadia National Park, she had one non-negotiable - that it be on a secluded mountain top away from the hustle and bustle of Bar Harbor, Maine.

While most summits in Acadia are well worn, there are a few hidden gems off the beaten path. We talked through what some of the options were, sharing photos and videos from our runs in the area so that she knew what she’d be getting into, and she loved it.

Bride and Groom walk up a trail in Acadia with Sargent and Gilmore Mountains and fall foliage in the distance.

With views of lakes and summits and less than a half mile from the road, this secluded elopement spot proved to be the perfect spot for her and her fiancee to tie the knot! In late October the oaks were flush with gold, and there were still tinges of red on the mountain slopes.

For the ceremony, we chose this quiet spot with a view of Sargent Mountain in the distance. Anna Brooke did a beautiful job of officiating, and the ceremony was personal, sweet, and perfect for Taylor and Austin!

Barbara Colby officiates a private elopement on a remote peak in Acadia with a backdrop of fall foliage and Sargent Mountain in the background.
Bride and Groom celebrate their marriage with a kiss after a remote mountaintop ceremony in Acadia National Park.

After their ceremony we had time for some photos on the summit before we loaded into the cars and drove across the island to hike a second summit and catch sunset. Hiking a summit in heels (let alone two summits!) is not for every bride, but then again, Taylor wasn’t looking to have just any elopement.

A smiling bride and groom face the camera, the groom standing just behind the bride who is holding a bouquet in front of her, surrounded by juniper and spruce with autumn foliage of Acadia behind them.

Taylor and Austin had a quintessential late fall evening, with the golden glow of the low angle sun lighting up the mountainsides for the last two hours of the day.

Newly married couple holding hands and smiling in the sunset on a mountainside in Acadia National Park near Bar Harbor, Maine with fall foliage carpeting the mountains and surrounding the lakes in the distance.

We were lucky to have a second private summit, thought Taylor got many compliments from hikers passing her in wonder that she was just flowing up the trail in a dress and heels :)

Bride and Groom stand facing the sunset on a mountaintop granite ledge overlooking Long Pond in Acadia National Park after their secluded and private mountaintop elopement.
Bride and Groom walk toward the camera holding hands and smiling at each other on a rocky mountain ledge in Acadia National Park as the sunset basks them in golden light, with fall foliage covering the hills behind them near Bar Harbor, Maine.

Taylor and Austin had flown halfway across the country for an elopement and ceremony that was uniquely them, and we were so happy that we could help guide them and capture their day!

The setting sun gives a golden glow to the mountain side autumn foliage as a bride and groom embrace, smiling toward the camera near an Acadia National Park mountain summit close to Bar Harbor, Maine.

Thanks to the compact nature of Acadia National Park and how small Mount Desert Island is, we can cover an incredible variety of terrain in just a few hours! Since they only had a 10 minute ceremony, we were able to cover their elopement across two summits in only 2 hours. We want our couples to love their wedding day, so we customize our packages to fit what each couple needs - starting with just one hour of coverage up to the full day, or more! Check out our weddings page for more information, and feel free to reach out by email, call, or text with any questions!