If you’re from Minnesota, you know about our weather. Completely unpredictable and always a good idea to be prepared for anything. Well, Lake Superior is even more dramatic. But besides weather, here is more on what nobody tells you about eloping on Lake Superior. 

Lake Superior is beautiful, unpredictable, occasionally freezing, and absolutely not interested in sticking to your elopement-day timeline. 😂

As a North Shore photographer who helps couples plan their elopements, I want you to have the beautiful lake views and a day that feels relaxed, intentional, and true to you.

So let’s talk about what nobody tells you about eloping on Lake Superior, because a little preparation can go a LONG way.

Lake Superior has its own weather personality

The reality: It can be sunny and 80 inland and chilly, windy, or foggy along the shoreline. Conditions can change quickly, and the lake can feel cold even during warmer months.

What to include:

• Bring layers, even in summer.
• Consider a warm jacket, blanket, and comfortable shoes.
• Have a weather backup plan that doesn’t depend on perfect sunshine.
• Remember that fog and overcast skies can create beautiful, atmospheric photos, too like these ones from Tofte. Also on this day it was stunning, 70 degrees and sunny about 5 minutes inland. Down by the water though…was foggy, windy, and a little chilly. 

Your hair and wedding attire might have other plans

The reality: Wind is part of the Lake Superior experience. Veils fly, hair gets messy, and lightweight dresses can catch every breeze, and everything gets dirty.

What to include:

• Choose hairstyles that can handle wind or just be heavily generous on the hairspray. 
• Bring bobby pins, hair ties, and touch-up products.
• Consider a veil or flowing dress if you love movement in photos, but have a plan to secure it.
• Embrace a little messiness instead of expecting every strand to stay in place.

Your wedding photos don’t need to look perfectly polished to be freaking beautiful. I also think this is one of my favorite parts about elopements. You are here to celebrate your love and have an adventure, not a staged production photoshoot. So let the attire get dirt on it and your hair fly because those make some great pics. 

The prettiest locations aren’t always private

The reality: Famous overlooks, waterfalls, beaches, and scenic stops can attract plenty of visitors, especially during peak fall colors and summer weekends.

What to include:

• Consider weekdays or less busy times of day.
• Build flexibility into your timeline.
• Explore alternative locations that match your vision.
• Understand that a public location may never be completely private.

A good time to bring up that I help couples plan their day based on what they are looking for in an adventure, not just what looks pretty on Pinterest. Like if you want little to no crowds, we are going to pick a week day and specific times that call for minimum people. 

Rocky Beaches and Shoes

The reality: Many Lake Superior shorelines have uneven stones, slippery surfaces, and sudden drop-offs in some areas.

What to include:

• Bring hiking boots or sturdy shoes for walking between locations.
• Change into wedding shoes once you reach a suitable spot.
• Be mindful of wet rocks and waves.

You can have dramatic lake portraits without being unsafe. Safety comes before the shot, always. Also adventure elopements are about having sturdy good shoes to hike, climb, and venture in. 

You need a backup plan, even if you swear you don’t care about the weather

The reality: Rain, thunderstorms, strong winds, and changing lake conditions can affect both your ceremony and your activities.

What to include:

• Identify a suitable alternate location.
• Check whether your lodging allows ceremonies or gatherings.
• Leave room to shift the timeline if conditions change.
• Know when to postpone an outdoor activity because conditions aren’t safe.

I have a ongoing list of cool places to stay on the North Shore that aren’t a hotel. These would make some good picture spots if you needed to stay indoors to ride out a storm.

An elopement I captured and planned recently decided to skip the beach on their way back from the ceremony and do a first dance/cake back at their lodging to warm up. Still perfect!

So, is eloping on Lake Superior worth it?

Lake Superior is a stunning place to get married and most locations are totally free (which is also a great bonus). These 5 tips are simply suggestions and guides to help you be prepared and set expectations when eloping by Lake Superior. Also though, you don’t need a perfectly sunny day or a perfectly styled wedding for the experience to be meaningful.

Why having a photographer who knows the North Shore helps

Having a photographer that helps you figure out the locations that suit your priorities is a huge help. That’s why I love planning your elopement day! I love getting to know you both and giving you ideas on where to tie the knot and what kind of activities we can incorporate to make it an adventure, with also leaving room to relax or pivot. (Anyone else think of the show Friends when hearing the word Pivot? Just me?)

Anyways, if you want to get married by Lake Superior, I think that is great! Now you know what nobody tells you about eloping on Lake Superior, and we can make a plan that gets you the best day while still being safe and working with everything the big lake gives us! 

Check out the experience and pricing here!