Photos (above): Wedding planner: Move Any Mountain
Article in collaboration with Move Any Mountain
Mountain weddings: hot & trending!
Michèle sees two main reasons why couples choose to have a wedding in the mountains. She explains: “On the one hand, you have true mountain enthusiasts. They’ve been going to the mountains since childhood to ski with their families, and later with their partners as well. For them, getting married in the mountains feels like a very natural choice. On the other hand, there are couples who are consciously looking for something completely different from a traditional wedding. Moreover, they often want to invite a smaller group of people with whom they feel a genuine connection. In the mountains, they can plan their dream wedding, which holds much more meaning for them and is entirely focused on their story.”
A wedding day in the mountains is not just about the incredible views, but also about how you experience the day. “Imagine waking up in a hidden cabin,” says Michèle. “You have coffee together and go on a hike to the highest point. There, it’s just the two of you and that immense view all around. There are fewer distractions and more space for each other. It’s precisely that simplicity that has the greatest emotional impact.”
Elopement or mountain wedding with guests?
With an elopement, you and your partner run away together to get married in secret, far from everything and everyone. Exciting, and incredibly intimate! You can elope just the two of you, or with a few special witnesses by your side. Michèle explains where the main differences lie in terms of timing and preparation: “With an elopement, we can practically surprise couples completely. It can be organized more quickly because it involves a smaller group and the focus is entirely on the two of you. You don’t have to worry about a thing.”
A mountain wedding with more guests requires more preparation. “This usually involves a year-long process, with monthly meetings,” Michèle explains. “A mountain wedding doesn’t mean you’re limited in the number of people you can invite, by the way. We organize celebrations for up to a hundred or more guests. In practice, we often see couples opting for a middle ground of an average of sixty to seventy guests.”
Just daydreaming for a moment...
Michèle gives an example of an intimate elopement she designed entirely from scratch: “The couple stayed in a secluded cabin, with a hot tub and a veranda where they could drink coffee together in the morning. From there, a helicopter took them to an otherwise inaccessible spot atop the mountain. There, they exchanged their vows and then enjoyed an intimate picnic. Afterward, the couple returned to their chalet in the valley for a romantic candlelit dinner. Candles were placed all over the snow, under the full moon.”
Larger mountain weddings also receive that same personal touch. “For a snow wedding, for example, we organize a cozy gathering the day before around a large campfire in a secluded spot in nature. This can be a delightful first dinner featuring grilled dishes and fresh ingredients like salmon, accompanied by live music in the background. On the wedding day itself, the inner circle can get ready together in a chalet, while other guests go hiking or skiing. The ceremony then takes place atop the mountain, with wooden benches in the snow, where the couple arrives at the ceremony site by skiing down from the ski lift. Afterward, there’s a dinner in a mountain hut featuring fondue and raclette. Finally, the wedding weekend can end with everyone hitting the slopes together, followed by a cozy wrap-up at an après-ski bar.”
No worries about weather or feasibility
One concern nearly every couple voices is the weather. Michèle remains pragmatic about this: “In the mountains, the weather can change quickly. That’s why we always have a flexible Plan B—which doesn’t mean you’ll sacrifice atmosphere. There are so many beautiful and cozy indoor alternatives that also offer stunning views. When the weather clears up again, we switch gears—for example, by having brunch on an alpine meadow the next day.”
You don’t have to worry about the practical side either, even in winter. “We can handle all the logistics with snowmobiles, jeeps, or ski lifts. Sometimes we bring everything up via the ski lift in the morning, even before it opens to the public.”
A mountain wedding stands or falls with the people on the ground. That’s why Move Any Mountain consciously collaborates with local partners, mountain guides, and sustainable suppliers. “We have a strong network in the regions where we work,” explains Michèle. “Local people know the mountains and know exactly what is and isn’t possible, depending on the season and conditions.”
From the first video call to the mountaintop
Move Any Mountain’s guidance always starts with listening, says Michèle: “I begin with a video call to discuss your expectations and budget. If we feel it’s a good fit, we’ll have a personal conversation with a detailed questionnaire. This covers everything from why you’re choosing the mountains to the season, the atmosphere, and all the practical details. Based on this, we’ll develop a complete proposal with a location, mood board, and a detailed budget. Throughout the process, we meet regularly to go over everything again. You don’t have to arrange anything yourselves, yet you remain fully involved in the process.”
The Move Any Mountain team is also on standby on-site. “For a mountain wedding, we’re there from the start and remain your main point of contact throughout the entire trip.”
Still unsure about a mountain wedding? Michèle advises: “Follow your intuition. The first proposal that gives you goosebumps and makes you think ‘this is what I want’—that’s the one to go for. Ask yourself this simple question: what would you regret not doing afterward?”
About Move Any Mountain
- Move Any Mountain organizes custom elopements and mountain weddings at the most beautiful mountain locations, such as the Alps, Dolomites, Pyrenees, Scottish Highlands, and beyond: France, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Spain, Scotland... They plan every aspect step by step, focusing on tranquility, experience, and feasibility: from location scouting and permits to logistics, styling, and on-site coordination.
The wedding story in the mountains from Move Any Mountain will soon have a new name. Michèle is now bringing her elopements and mountain weddings together under SAPIN – Alpine Weddings; a name that is entirely dedicated to weddings in the mountains. The guidance, the focus on personal experience, and the love for the mountains remain the same. SAPIN will simply be the place where the mountain story continues to grow.
Read more about this topic via these links:
Planning an elopement wedding? Everything you need to know!
- Intimate wedding celebration: 5 reasons to go for ‘en petit comité’
- Microwedding: what is it and how do you go about it
