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Intentional Redfish Lake Elopement with a Native American Blessing

Reading Time: 7 minutes

Elopements are about prioritizing your experience over everyone else’s, and focusing your wedding on what truly matters: your love for one another. Donna and Eric’s Redfish Lake elopement is a beautiful example of how you can plan a meaningful day that includes everything you love, and nothing you don’t—and how you can intentionally incorporate traditions that actually mean something to you.

A bride and groom stand together by Redfish Lake at dusk, holding lanterns and gazing at each other, with mountains silhouetted in the background and a dramatic, colorful sky overhead.

Donna & Eric’s Redfish Lake Elopement

An intentional experience exploring the Idaho wilderness

Donna and Eric traveled all the way from New York to get married in Idaho, which made it extra fun to show them around the beautiful landscapes I call home. When we first connected, Donna said she’d always thought, from a young age, that she would elope somewhere far away; that she would never be into the idea of a traditional wedding, and preferred an intimate setting that felt more personal. Eric has always felt drawn to Idaho’s beauty, even considering moving here at one point in his life. So with their shared love for scenic backdrops and exciting adventures, it made sense that they begin their journey as a married couple in Idaho. 

A bride and groom stand on a sandy lakeshore at their Redfish Lake elopement, gazing at each other. The bride holds a bouquet of flowers; misty mountains and calm water create a serene, romantic backdrop.
A bride and groom stand on a sandy lakeshore during their Redfish Lake Elopement, embracing as they face misty mountains across a calm lake, with clouds reflecting on the water and driftwood in the foreground.
A groom hugs his bride around her shoulders.
A bride in a white dress and brown boots stands on the sandy shore at Stanley Lake while a groom in a beige suit hugs her from behind. Misty mountains and a calm lake create a serene Redfish Lake Elopement atmosphere.

Sunrise portraits at Stanley Lake

Donna and Eric valued quality time spent together on their elopement day, so they helped each other get ready rather than being in separate rooms. Our first stop on the itinerary was Stanley Lake, a beautiful blue lake located at the base of the Sawtooth Mountains. We walked the shore of the lake as fog rolled over the water, quiet and still as the world started to wake up. I know everybody loves a glowy golden hour, but I personally love blue hour just as much! The time just before the sun rises in the morning, and after it sets in the evening, is simply amazing. Once the sun was up and the sky grew lighter, we walked to a nearby meadow for a few portraits. Donna and Eric snuggled up in a blanket with the peaks of the Sawtooths looking striking behind them.

Wondering if you should elope at sunrise or sunset—or both, like Donna and Eric did? Read this guide for my insights as an Idaho elopement photographer.

A groom in a beige suit and burgundy tie stands on a sandy shore, one hand in his pocket, gazing to the side. Behind him are calm water, mist, pine trees, and rugged mountains partly covered by clouds.
A bride and groom stand on a sandy lakeshore at their Redfish Lake Elopement, mist rising over the water and snow-capped mountains behind them. The bride wears white, the groom a tan suit, as they gaze in different directions.
A bride in a white dress stands on the sandy shores of Redfish Lake, holding a large bouquet of flowers. Mist shrouds the mountains and trees across the calm lake, setting a magical scene for this elopement.

A sunny horseback ride

I am a big proponent of including activities in your elopement day as a way of personalizing your celebration. I so was excited when Donna and Eric decided to do a horseback ride before their ceremony! They worked with Idaho Rocky Mountain Ranch to take a scenic ride to a ridge that overlooks the Sawtooth Mountains. What a wonderful way to spend the morning of their wedding day, getting to see the rolling landscapes from such a unique perspective—and creating an unforgettable experience for the two of them to look back on.

A groom sits on a horse with the Sawtooth Mountains behind him.
A couple dressed in black and white stands on a mountain ridge with two saddled horses. This couple rode horses during their elopement in Stanley, Idaho.
A bride stands with a white horse on a ridge overlooking the Sawtooth Mountains.

A meaningful ceremony and ritual at Redfish Lake

We visited our second lake of the day for Donna and Eric’s evening ceremony, Redfish Lake, where the couple began with a Four Directions Ceremony. This is a Native American blessing that calls on the Four Directions (East, North, West, and South) to bless a couple’s journey in life. 

A bride and groom stand on the shores of Redfish Lake performing a Native American Directions Wedding Ceremony. Behind them, a forest and tall, rugged mountains rise beneath a cloudy sky.
A bride and groom stand on the shores of Redfish Lake performing a Native American Four Directions Wedding Ceremony. Behind them, a forest and tall, rugged mountains rise beneath a cloudy sky.
A bride and groom stand on the shores of Redfish Lake performing a Native American Four Directions Wedding Ceremony. They are holding a offering bundle toward the sky.

Along their trip to Idaho, leading up to their elopement, Donna and Eric intentionally harvested items in places they visited that would be included in their symbolic offering bundle: olive branches as a symbol of peace and harmony, desert sage for purity and cleansing, and lavender for sweetness and calm. The two used these offerings to honor the direction of their path together, both inward and outward, with the reminder that no matter what direction life would take them, they’d strive toward the intentions behind the deeper meaning of their ceremony.

A Native American offering bundle and wedding vows lay on sand.
A bride and groom stand facing each other on a lakeshore during their Redfish Lake Elopement, exchanging vows with mountains and trees in the background beneath a cloudy sky. They are readying from wedding scrolls.

Something Donna mentioned about this ceremony that I thought was lovely: “The directions mirror nature and our relationship with it, and although traditions and lineages vary in meaning and symbology, everyone can have access to that connection, individually, by creating a relationship with it.”

A bride places a ring on her grooms finger during their Redfish Lake wedding ceremony.

She and Eric presented their offering, then exchanged vows and rings. I was honored to read a blessing just before they exchanged their first kiss. We ended the evening with sunset portraits along the water, admiring the beautiful sunset that lit up the sky with colors. 

A groom places a ring on his brides finger during their Redfish Lake wedding ceremony. The Sawtooth Mountains rise behind them. The woman wears a white gown and the man wears a beige suit.
A couple shares a first kiss during their elopement ceremony at Redfish Lake in Stanley, Idaho.

The fun didn’t stop after their elopement, though—Donna and Eric continued their trip with a few days in McCall, CDA, and Sandpoint. As an Idaho-based elopement photographer, it’s always exciting when couples take their time getting to know the area and really embrace the wild landscapes of Idaho!

If you’re considering inviting guests/having a micro wedding instead, take a look at this Redfish Lake Wedding for inspiration.

A bride and groom embrace on a lakeshore at sunset during their Redfish Lake Elopement, with calm water, forested hills, and tall mountains in the background under a pink and blue sky.
A bride and groom embrace on the lakeshore at sunset during their Redfish Lake Elopement, with mountains and a forest reflected in the calm water behind them. The sky is streaked with soft pink and purple clouds.
A wedding couple stands wrapped in a Native American patterned blanket, facing distant mountain peaks under a colorful sky at sunset.
A bride and groom stand together by Redfish Lake at dusk, holding lanterns and gazing at each other, with mountains silhouetted in the background and a dramatic, colorful sky overhead.

Redfish Lake Elopement Photographer

Donna and Eric’s Redfish Lake elopement had all the elements of a heartfelt, elevated adventure: intentional traditions, meaningful time spent in nature, fun activities, and plenty of time to slow down and be present. 

As an Idaho elopement photographer, I help my couples orchestrate elopements and micro weddings that offer a blend of wild landscapes, adventure, and a touch of luxury. If this sounds like how you’d like to get married, reach out to schedule a free consultation!

A bride and groom walk hand in hand through a grassy field at their Redfish Lake Elopement, with mountains and pine trees in the background, mist and clouds partially covering the peaks. The groom holds a bouquet of flowers.
Black and white images of a bride and groom standing in a grassy field in Idaho. The Sawtooth Mountains rise behind them.

How to Elope in Stanley, Idaho

Eloping in Stanley, Idaho is always a great idea—in fact, I recommend it so often to couples that I created a comprehensive Stanley elopement guide. Read it here to learn more about Stanley, my favorite wedding venues and elopement locations in the area, lodging options, and more!