10 Thing to Keep You Warm During Your Winter Elopement in Whistler We all know that Canadian winters are cold. While British Columbia may boast the warmest winter temperatures in the country it is by no means tropical. Add a little mountain elevation and you can get yourself down right chilly pretty quick. So how […]
10 Thing to Keep You Warm During Your Winter Elopement in Whistler
We all know that Canadian winters are cold. While British Columbia may boast the warmest winter temperatures in the country it is by no means tropical. Add a little mountain elevation and you can get yourself down right chilly pretty quick.
So how do you go about keeping warm during an outdoor winter Whistler elopement in the mountains? With my first hand knowledge and years of experience living through Whistler winters I would be happy to share some tips with you! Keep reading for 10 ideas to keep you warm during your winter elopement in Whistler.
1. Get a warm shawl, jacket, or fur coat (faux works too!):
Making sure you stay warm during your elopement day does not detracted from your photos at all. There are a ton of stylish winter coats that pair perfectly with elopement attire. For example a Pea Coat, a Toggle & Duffle Coat or a Cape Coat are all excellent options to layer over top of either a wedding dress or suit. Shawls and furs are also great alternatives to layer over your elopement clothing.
2. Bring a thermos of tea, coffee or hot chocolate:
Did you know that Whistler has over 15 independently owned coffee shops and two roasting companies? Clearly us Whistler locals have a bit of a caffeine addiction…
Regardless, there are plenty of opportunities to fill up a travel thermos with your hot drink of choice to enjoy while taking outdoor elopement photos in the winter months. One of my favourites is Camp Lifestlye & Coffee Co. It is off the beaten track making it more of a locals’ spot for that caffeine fix.
3. Choose your wedding attire wisely:
While strapless dresses and linen suits may make for beautiful wedding photos in the summer, they become much less enticing when the winter wind starts blowing against your bare skin. Brrrrr! Long sleeved wedding dresses and three piece wool suits are your friends when it comes to Whistler winter elopement attire. Trust me, your limbs will thank you.
4. Wear leggings or thermals/ bring a puffy jacket:
If you are hoping to spend the majority of your winter elopement day outside taking beautiful photos at various epic mountain locations you are going to want to make sure to layer some thermals under your clothes. Most wedding dresses are long enough to not show what is being worn underneath. Why not take advantage of that and keep yourself cozy with a pair of long johns? You can even get a pair of white ones to 100% ensure they will go unnoticed!
5. Pack some extra hand & toe warmers:
As someone who has terrible circulation I can attest to how effectively hand warmers have saved my fingers during the winter. Most people know about the one-and-done hot shots you can buy at any sporting goods store. But did you know that you can also opt for reusable hand warmers instead. These things are amazing and much more environmentally friendly! Once you crack the metal piece inside, the hand warmer starts to heat up and will continue to stay warm for hours. Then when you want to use it again all you have to do is boil it in hot water to reset the reaction. Science is pretty cool! You can check out the reusable models here: https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5012-687/Reusable-Heat-Pack
Don’t fear if you happen to forget your hand warmers on your winter elopement day. I ALWAYS have extras in my camera bag.
6. Wear appropriate footwear for walking in snow & slush:
I have said it before and I will say it again; boots are always a good idea. When people think weddings they think high heels and wing tipped shoes. But those may not be appropriate for the location you are getting married in. The Whistler valley gets a lot of snow, slush and ice in the winters. The tops of the mountains can frequently have ankle, or even knee deep snow! Choosing appropriate footwear is going to be a key component in having a good time on your Whistler elopement day. While doing your outdoor elopement photography make sure to wear at least ankle high boots with good tread on the sole. Save your fancy shoes for indoor activities.
7. Bring a cheeky hip flask full of your favourite liquor:
We have talked a lot so far about how to keep yourself warm on the outside during your Whistler winter elopement. But what about keeping yourself warm on the inside? It is no secret that mountain culture and a good drink go hand in hand. Who’s up for après?! Dating as far back as the late 1600’s St. Bernards with whiskey barrels around their necks would seek out mountain travellers to assist in guiding them over mountain passes. The whiskey served as an aid for the travellers to ward off the cold, or so the legend goes. Who are we to discount a centuries old tradition? So go on, fill a cheeky flask with your favourite liquor and bring it along for your outdoor winter elopement.
8. Schedule in a warm up time in between destinations:
Depending on what additional activities you decide to do with your winter elopement day (the possibilities are endless!) you may want to schedule a slot in your timeline for an indoor warm up. If you are not sure how to do that I LOVE helping my couples design elopement day timelines that fits their personalities. Get in touch and we can start creating the elopement timeline of your dreams together!
9. Do a lot of cuddling:
This is probably the easiest tip to accomplish on how to stay warm during your Whistler winter elopement. CUDDLE YOUR PARTNER! Not only will it help the two of you stay toasty warm, it also makes for some of the cutest elopement photos. Bonus!
10. Make sure accommodation comes equipped with a fireplace:
At the end of your lovely long outdoor elopement day filled with winter activities, wouldn’t it be great to come home to a cozy fireside? Lucky for you a majority of the hotel rooms in Whistler are outfitted with fireplaces for those cozy mountains vibes. If hotels are not your thing, there are a ton of cute AirBnB’s and independently owned cabins rentals nearby to help put the cherry on top of your mountain elopement dreams. I’d be happy to give you some recommendations on places to stay.
If you or someone you know is looking for a unique way to elope in Whistler during the winter have them GET IN TOUCH with me for a free video consultation!
To see more winter photography inspiration check out this Rebigliati Park Engagement Session, or this sweet Rainbow Park Winter Proposal.
