Gooseberry Falls State Park Elopement at Lakeview Shelter

Chelsea and Alex chose to celebrate their love by hosting a sweet little elopement at Gooseberry Falls State Park. They packed up their bags and headed northbound from their home in Iowa along with their spirited daughter and immediate family members. They rented the Lakeview Shelter so they could enjoy a nice little meal after their vows on the Lake Superior shoreline.

If you opt for an elopement or micro wedding on the North Shore, I highly encourage renting the Lakeview Shelter. It provides a solid backup for the chance of rain, and gives your guests a nice place to hangout, eat dinner, or in this case play chess. Chelsea and Alex kept their guest list simple so we easily accommodated their 9 guests. The Elope West team happily entertains up to 24 guests at this destination without feeling crammed or chaotic. We set up bean bags outside and brought along firewood and s’mores, but honestly, the bird took over as natural entertainment!!

When you choose a beautiful elopement destination like Gooseberry Falls State Park, decor can be simple and minimal because nature does most of the decorating for you. We just aim to compliment it.

Our story is one for the books. We are both divorced with kids of our own. I have a 6 year old daughter and Alex has an 8 year old son. We met shortly after my separation and we bonded instantly over our similar stories. It felt like we each were the other’s missing piece. In the beginning, we lived 1 hour apart and then after 6 months, we decided to close the distance and move in together. We had an undeniable understanding that we were soulmates – we were each other’s second chance at love. Right before our 1 year anniversary, Alex asked me to be his forever and of course, the only answer was yes! Together, we decided that a small intimate wedding was the perfect fit in our love story. We wanted to privately exchange our vows with each other, but also be able to have our parents & siblings by our sides to celebrate.
Chelsea

What was your favorite part of your Gooseberry Falls State Park Elopement?

Our favorite part about our elopement day was the simplicity and beauty of it. It was a relaxing day where we were able to just admire each other while taking it all in.

Why did you choose the North Shore of MN?

We wanted to elope somewhere that would take our breath away. We knew that a gorgeous place like Gooseberry would be the perfect place for us to share our intimate moment with our closest family members by our sides.

What was your goal for your Minnesota Elopement?

Our goal was to just focus on one another. We wanted to make the day our own so that we could look back and cherish it, and the memories made, forever.

Any tips or advice for engaged couples considering an elopement or micro wedding?

Make your big day about you and only you! Focus on what you want for yourselves without letting the opinion of others influence your vision of how your day goes.

Your review of working with the Elope West team and Xsperience Photography for your intimate Gooseberry Falls Wedding…

Trisha, Andy and the styling team were an absolute delight to work with from day one! They are incredibly talented, patient and passionate about what they do. Every tiny detail was thought through so perfectly, and it all came together better than I would have ever imagined. The Lakeview Shelter looked STUNNING, it literally brought tears (happy ones of course) to my eyes! They all went above and beyond to make our special day perfect and we will be forever grateful to have worked with such amazing people throughout this experience!