Leave No Trace + Adventure Weddings

I’m so happy you’re here and have started the process of planning your adventure wedding! There’s something magical about being married surrounded by sky high pines, rugged mountaintops and alpine lakes. I am so honoured to be here to empower you to plan a day that fits with your beliefs and values, including making sure that the places you love so much will still be around for generations to come.

So, what exactly does Leave No Trace mean? The Leave No Trace Organization describes it’s role as the following : “Dedicated to promoting and inspiring responsible outdoor recreation through education, research and partnerships. Leave No Trace builds awareness, appreciation and respect for our wildlands.”

The basis of Leave No Trace is 7 principles. You can click on each of the links below to read more in depth descriptions.

When it comes to planning your wedding or adventure session, there’s a few specific actions we can take to ensure we are doing our part to respect the land. With the rise of social media, it’s important that we follow the guidelines of LNT so that other’s finding inspiration from your photos do the same.

Some of the guidelines I’ve implemented in my business while helping couples plan their adventure weddings include :

1. If available, walk on the trail. Walk on rocks or other durable surfaces if you must travel off-trail. Avoid walking on vegetation!
2. Pack out all waste. Whether it’s leftovers from our post-hike snack or the cork from your bottle of bubbly. Picking up other’s trash sets a good example for those around you.
3. Keep all dogs on leash. This will make sure you’re not disturbing other visitors but also helps prevent Fido from becoming a tasty dinner for a Grizzly.
4. Do not geotag specific locations on social media, but instead use general areas. (ie Banff National Park instead of specific trails or viewpoints) People will respect the land more if they have to put in a little work to find a specific location.
5. Purchase all required Park Passes + Licenses. Supporting our parks ensures the people working are able to clean up garbage bins, are available to educate other tourists, and can maintain trails for everyone’s use.
6. Research fire burns + campfire rules beforehand. Also use approved firewood to prevent the spread of pests + disease and make sure the fire is completely out when we leave.
7. Respect all minimum-group size rules, trail closures due to wildlife etc.
8. Leave it better than you found it. Whether it’s by educating someone else on the trail, picking up trash or simply because you’re here reading this post right now.

So there you have it! Let’s work together to make sure you get gorgeous wedding photos while at the same time respecting the land (or sea) you’re walking on!