Our Favorite Mountaintop Wedding Ideas

If your idea of the ultimate destination wedding involves more land and less sea, you'll want to scout a few mountain—better yet, mountaintop—locales as part of your venue search. After all, there's a reason why this location type has become one of the most popular on the wedding scene; couples are flocking to Colorado, Wyoming, Washington, and Oregon to tie the knot. Clearly, the mountains are calling.

If you're listening—and want to host your event outdoors, surrounded by one of earth's best natural wonders—go ahead and bookmark the following mountaintop wedding ideas. We've curated a rich collection of décor elements and experiences that will take your celebration to the next level—style-wise, that is (as far as elevation goes, you're already as high up as it gets). From wedding stationery inspiration, complete with on-theme animal and ski motifs, that will get you (and your guests!) excited about the organic event to come to earthy ceremony arch ideas that let Mother Earth do the talking, there are so many ways to pay homage to the mountains through your party's design.

As you're about to glean from the examples ahead, when it comes to mountain wedding décor, less is always more: Think streamlined color palettes that tap into the setting (browns, olive greens, rust oranges, and charcoals are king) and native floral (and nonfloral) elements sourced straight from the area. The best part? You can use just about any big-day detail to drive your theme home, which means your mountain moment can be big (as in, actually exchanging vows at the apex, like this duo did here at this Elegant Ninja celebration) or small (adding a few scenic stamps to you RSVP envelopes, for example). In this case, the sky really is the limit.

Get guests excited about their upcoming trip to the mountains by working a few relevant motifs into your invitation suite. In addition to an on-theme postage stamp and wood backing (a leather strap secured the note to the natural slab), Paper Birch Designs added a custom illustration of a ski lift—modeled after one from the actual venue.

You chose your mountain locale for a reason, so why not make like this couple and host your nuptials at the apex?

When you think of the mountains, what types of activities come to mind? Chances are they're all outdoors—including camping. Borrow details from this adventurous pastime when ideating your own event. Ahead of this celebration, Amorology collected vintage thermoses, which were later repurposed as inventive escort cards (and favors!).

If you were lucky enough to secure a venue with sprawling, grassy fields—and epic views of a nearby mountain range—an al fresco reception is a must. We love how this reception tabletop plays into the organic romance of outdoor dining. The flowing linens brought a soft, ethereal vibe to the setup; weighted flowers from Camellia Floral Design were used to hold down the fabric (a genius wind-proofing method!).

Tying the knot amongst snow-capped peaks and an aquamarine lake? If that's the case, bookmark this duo's portraits (they were taken at Moraine Lake)—the surreal water and majestic mountains make for unparalleled wedding photos.

Let your surroundings do the talking by keeping your mountaintop wedding ceremony's décor simple. A green-and-white grounded floral arch and serpentine vines were the only decorative elements this scenic service, designed by Habitat Events, needed.

There are so many ways to pay homage to the mountains with your stationery. From faux animal hide sleeves and leather accents to buffalo stamps and illustrations, this Amber Moon Design suite put the creatures that call the mountains home on full display.

The best mountain locales also involve a lake—if yours does, make full use of your surroundings and incorporate a boat ride into your celebration. This duo did just that; they took a private canoe ride post-ceremony to soak in the first few moments of married life.

Here's proof that you can nod to the mountains with even the smallest big-day details. This couple replaced traditional table number cards with moose-shaped iterations by The Left Handed Calligrapher; they were perfect for their Wyoming celebration.

Though tabletop décor is always important, tying the knot amongst one of the world's best natural wonders means the view often supersedes decoration. Philosophy Flowers topped this elongated tablescape with red-centric arrangements, which contrasted (and, therefore, highlighted) the bright blue lake and rocky mountains in the distance.

This Amber Moon Design, Curlicue Designs, and Emily J. Snyder suite is proof that mountain-themed invitations can be as refined as it gets. Letterpressed onto pearl paper and accented with die-cut, foil-printed pheasant feathers, this paper set's notes and calligraphed envelopes were only the beginning. The itinerary was sewn together with a debossed leather cover, which featured the couple's crest; together the entire ensemble (sent in a pretty box) was elevated, masculine, and perfect for the duo's rural Tennessee celebration.

Those views shouldn't be missed, which is probably why you're celebrating your mountainside outdoors. But if you envision a religious ceremony surrounded by peaks and valleys, you'll likely want a venue that feels like a place of worship (if not a place of worship, itself). This couple enlisted local carpenter Wade Richardson to help them create what they call an open-air church; complete with a chapel's signature vaulted arches and wooden pews, the space, decorated with florals from Mindy Rice, took on the spiritual quality only religious venues typically invoke (and allowed the celebrants to admire the scenic locale).

A venue near these natural wonders often means plenty of wide, open spaces—which means there's ample room for your pup. Feel free to bring him along for the festivities (and change of scenery—he'll love it!), like this duo did.

Who says you can't throw a black-tie event on a mountain? This bride did—and wore a crisp, timeless Carolina Herrera wedding dress to match the event style.

Look to native colors, textures, and motifs when ideating even the smallest décor moments, like your big-day lounge. Lynn Easton of Easton Events cited "lodge chic" as the inspiration behind this cozy space, which was filled with rustic wood, game animal print, and jute touches.

Kick off a weekend of fun in the mountains with a welcome bag (stuffed to the brim with local treats) that says it all, just like this one does.

Before you and your bridesmaids slip into your big-day dresses, take a moment to take in the calm before the storm—and the beauty of your surroundings. This group stepped outside for post-hair-and-makeup portraits in their matching personalized button-down shirts from Cloth & Stone. The mountains in the distance served as the perfect backdrop.

We love how these Bluebird Productions escort cards feel both glamorous and natural. Copper sleeves held escort cards emblazoned with mountain imagery.

At first glance, this Tailored and Tied ceremony structure appears to be just that—a simple, unfussy installation that marks this wildflower-lined aisle. Upon further study, however, you'll notice its unique composition: thick Aspen branches (a nod to the Montana venue's native trees).

Here's another unique altar marker to bookmark. The crest-shaped structure, created by Philosophy Flowers, perfectly framed the lake and mountain backdrop.

Take a literal approach to your mountain wedding's invitation design. Lana's Shop painted peaks and valleys—depicted with autumnal foliage—onto this duo's central card. The team added additional thematic details, including pine sprigs, colorful leaves, and a rendition of the barn venue, throughout the rest of the suite.