How to Plan a Helicopter Wedding

Taking Your Love to New Heights: This guide will help you navigate the airs of how to plan a helicopter wedding!

Weddings are meant to be memorable, unique, and full of love. If you and your partner are adventurous souls looking for a grand experience on your special day, then a helicopter wedding might be just the thing for you. Imagine saying your vows with breathtaking panoramic views, surrounded by the beauty of nature. In this blog post, I will guide you through the process of planning a helicopter wedding, from choosing the right location to ensuring everyone’s safety. For more recent inspiration, check out this post from an Alaska glacier wedding!

Choosing the Perfect Location:

Before diving into the details, it’s essential to select a location that not only allows helicopter landings but also offers a stunning backdrop for your wedding ceremony. Consider picturesque landscapes such as mountain peaks, coastal cliffs, or tranquil lakes to create a memorable experience for you and your guests. When choosing to incorporate a helicopter landing into your wedding day, there are a few places in particular that offer exceptional views.

Alaska Helicopter Wedding

Alaska offers countless stunning locations to tie the knot. From the expansive Denali National Park, home to North America’s highest peak, to the ethereal beauty of the Inside Passage, where you can exchange vows amidst the glaciers, there is a vast array of captivating venues to suit every couple’s preferences.  Alaska is one of the top locations to plan a helicopter wedding!

Grand Canyon Helicopter Wedding

Another favorite place would be along the Grand Canyon. Working with Papillion out of Las Vegas is awesome, as they offer sunset tours as well! The great thing about getting to this company too – is that access to Vegas from major airports is a breeze. So if you’re interested in hitting up a series of parks and epic landscapes, all while hitting the strip for a night or two, then opting into Vegas as your landing zone is a great plan!

Iceland Wedding Elopement

Really, anything about getting married in Iceland is ideal. With incredible landscapes, epic vistas and countless moments that will take your breath away, getting married in Iceland is an absolute must. There are multiple ways to access glaciers there too! From hiking in, to drive up, to taking a helicopter, getting to see these mammoths of nature is a guarantee during your trip. However, doing a helicopter wedding in Iceland as part of your adventure would be absolutely incredible!

Picking the Right Helicopter Company:

When it comes to a helicopter wedding, safety is of utmost importance. Ive worked with a variety of helicopter companies and all have been exceptional at providing instruction and clear outlines on safety. Right from the moment of booking, they follow up with information on what to expect from your helicopter wedding – so any fears can be subdued. Also if you have any questions on how things work- I would be more than happy to help! 

Best time of year for Helicopter Weddings

As you can probably imagine, this really depends on where in the world you want to go. Favorable weather tends to be ideal for anything flight related, so for that reason summer is a natural go to. This is especially true if you are eyeing a place like Alaska or Iceland, where winter is a whole different ball game. However, if you are looking at having a helicopter wedding more in the Southwest or Grand Canyon area, having a winter experience might be just as fun as the temperatures will not be boiling hot. When in doubt, just ask me! I have landed on glaciers in Alaska in December so I know that it can be done – it just requires different clothing!

Understanding Budget and Logistics:

Helicopter weddings can be an expensive element to build into your wedding day, depending on what kind of experience you want. Flight time is the largest contributor to cost, so if you want to build out multiple landings and wait times, you can expect a higher bill. In general, a private helicopter landing will start at $2500. Outline your budget in advance and discuss package options with helicopter companies. Take into consideration whether you’ll have a small intimate ceremony or a larger group of guests. Remember that helicopters are typically smaller than other flying vessels, so when planning your helicopter wedding try to consider that ‘less is more’ when it comes to number of passengers! 

Guest Accommodations:

With helicopter weddings, it’s important to consider the comfort and convenience of your guests. If you plan to have a larger wedding, arrange for ground transportation to the wedding location both for guests who wish to fly and for those who may not be comfortable with helicopters. Or you could break the day up into smaller segments with my 8+ hour package and have a private vow ceremony that includes a helicopter landing, and then something a little more grounding with your guests in the afternoon! 

Weather and Backup Plans:

Keep in mind that helicopter flights heavily depend on weather conditions. Have a backup plan in case of inclement weather, such as a nearby indoor venue that can accommodate the ceremony at short notice. I will help you monitor weather forecasts leading up to the wedding day to minimize last-minute disruptions.

Capturing Memorable Moments:

Hiring me to photograph is crucial to document your helicopter wedding. With the picturesque landscape and unforgettable moments unfolding, you’ll want to cherish these memories for a lifetime, and I am pretty good at doing just that! Discuss your vision with them in advance and ensure they have experience shooting in diverse settings.

Conclusion:

A helicopter wedding is a unique and adventurous way to celebrate your love while creating unforgettable memories. By choosing the perfect location, working with a reliable helicopter company, and taking care of logistics and safety considerations, you can plan a dream wedding that will leave your guests in awe. Remember, the most important thing is to enjoy your special day and create a once-in-a-lifetime experience that you and your loved ones will treasure forever. Lets plan your helicopter wedding now!