Eloping at Devil’s Lake wasn’t the wedding that Alison + Kurt had originally planned, but it turned out to be a perfect day that they’ll never forget. Like so many other couples, they had to cancel their original March wedding because of Covid. After all the time, energy and money spent on their original wedding plans, they we’re looking for a low-key, stress-free, ‘just us’ elopement.

When they reached out to me, I knew we had to find an epic place for their elopement to make up for their original wedding plans. I did some location scouting and sent them a list of places, and they decided eloping at Devil’s Lake was the perfect choice for them.

Eloping at Devil’s Lake is the perfect choice for midwest couples looking for a nearby, epic location for their wedding.

Why Elope at Devil’s Lake?

• Accessible: Devil’s Lake is just 1 hour from Madison, 2 hours from Milwaukee and 3 hours from Chicago
• Scenery: Devil’s Lake has some of the most beautiful scenery in the entire state
• Activities: If you’re planning a full-day elopement, Devil’s Lake has no shortage of activities to fill the day. Hiking, kayaking, rock climbing…the list goes on!

Things to consider before eloping at Devil’s Lake

• Crowds: Devil’s Lake gets over 2.6 million(!) visitors annually.
  • Pro tip: eloping at Devil’s Lake during sunrise or not during summer can help you avoid large crowds
• Parking: With the large number of visitors, parking can be a headache. If you don’t get to the park before 8am, expect to walk a ways.
• Entrance Fees: You’ll need a vehicle sticker to get into the park
  • Annual stickers can be purchased online; daily stickers can be purchased at the park
• Permits: There is a $50 Special Use Permit + Covid-19 Mitigation Plan for weddings/photography in the park

Eloping at Devil’s Lake: Full Day Itinerary

For Alison + Kurt’s full-day elopement, we started the day at a pumpkin farm about 40 minutes from the park, where they picked some pumpkins to carve later and enjoyed a nice picnic with ~fancy~ meats and cheeses. I even surprised them with some Japanese snacks since they were supposed to go on their honeymoon to Japan over the summer.
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Once we got to the park, we did some hiking and exploring before finding the perfect, private spot overlooking the lake for them to share their vows. Elopement vows tend to be so much more intimate and heartfelt because you’re not reading them in front of other people, and I could tell that was the case here as I watched them shed some tears while I took photos from afar.

Wisconsin may not seems like a ‘go-to’ elopement location, but eloping at Devils Lake will change your mind.

If you’re ready to start planning your elopement at Devil’s Lake, contact me to get started!