Ship Harbor Trail Elopement in Acadia National Park

Kelly and Matt’s Elopement on Mount Desert Island, Maine

This elopement in Acadia National Park was a dream to photograph! Kelly and Matt wrote an initial inquiry to BrightWorks Photography describing how much they love the quiet side of Acadia. We met on Zoom and were impressed by Kelly’s positivity and Matt’s appreciative demeanor. They were excited to scout a couple of our location ideas ahead of time and they planned to let us know which trails they preferred the day before the elopement.

Kelly and Matt envisioned a morning elopement in Acadia National Park. As their weekend approached, Steve kept an eye on the weather. Since rain and cold temperatures were forecast, we reached out to see if the couple might consider eloping a half day earlier than scheduled. Yes! And amazingly, everything fell into place! Adam, from MDI Weddings, happened to be available. The florist would have the bouquet in time. Everything was set!

After we entered Acadia National Park, Kelly and Matt’s unmistakable truck with a surfboard on top rolled into the Ship Harbor Trail parking lot. Kelly and Matt jumped out, accompanied by their dog Aspen. We started the elopement with photos in the woods, capturing the trio’s adventurous spirit, and then we emerged onto the granite ledges for the ceremony. Steve checked the ceremony site’s alignment with the sun and Adam commenced the official proceedings. Adam officiated the wedding with a gentle gravitas that resonated.

Following the ceremony, Kelly and Matt basked in the moment. They sat with Aspen and looked out to sea, and then we hiked back. It wasn’t crowded, but whenever someone passed by, they offered a big congratulations. It felt like even the trees were rustling congratulations to the couple. Something about the warm, glowy light felt so celebratory! Kelly and Matt even slow-danced in the woods. We ended with a few photographs on the beach along the seawall, a perfect capstone to a beautiful evening. Kelly hugged us at the end – it means so much to help shape such an important experience in a meaningful way! We’re so grateful!