You’ve heard of these Dolomites elopement locations: Tre Cime, Cadini di Misurina, Lago di Braies, Seceda, Alpe di Suisi. So, what are they REALLY like? I’m a local, full time professional elopement photographer in the Dolomites and let me give you the IG vs. Reality breakdown. Let’s talk crowds, recent accessibility changes, parking restrictions, and booking system nightmares. Then you can decide if it’s still worth those pinned shots.

What are these 5 famous Dolomites elopement locations like in reality?

As a general rule, each of these locations has peak visiting hours and exceptions. Season and weather plays a large role in how many crowds turn up day to day. You may get lucky — or you may get steamrolled!

As a rule, you must ALWAYS arrive early to any of these famous Dolomites elopement locations. You may also show up and find that outdated travel blogs told you one thing, where the current reality is another. Due to mass tourism in the Dolomites, new parking restrictions, reservations systems and trail closures pop up constantly. If you don’t live here, it’s hard to know these things in advance. They are rarely advertised and instead spread through word of mouth.

Finally, almost all of these locations are at high elevations, which comes with highly variable weather and hard to predict seasonal changes. Do your research and work with a local team who can guide you through these things from experience rather than lucky guesses and hopeful Google searches.

Tre Cime & Cadini di Misurina: Instagram vs. Reality

INSTAGRAM: epic, top of the world, incredible views

REALITY: epic, top of the world, incredible views — crowded, complicated new parking reservation system, waiting in line for that one shot (yes, this one), drones everywhere, desperate influencers and bloggers stepping over one another for their “content.”

I shoot at Tre Cime and Cadini di Misurina almost weekly (they are the same location, by the way). Year to year, it’s become so busy, they’ve implemented a booking system for the parking area. It seems to have helped calmed things down a bit, but I haven’t been out there a single day since 2022 where there wasn’t at least one other professional photoshoot happening. I’ve seen as many as 3 wedding couples out here at the same time.

ALSO SEE: Golden hour sunset elopement at Cadini di Misurina

Lago di Braies (Pragser Wildsee): Instagram vs. Reality

INSTAGRAM: serene, quiet, mirrored water, not a soul around

REALITY: 20k visitors per day, lines for the boats by 8am, only one narrow trail around the shore, drones, screaming kids, barking dogs and literal busloads of tourists coming by the half hour

Lago di Braies is another famous Dolomites elopement location I shoot at almost weekly. It’s a place I know front to back in every weather, in every season, in every condition. What I can tell you is that every day from mid-may to the end of October is crowded. On the average morning, I see 1-3 other wedding couples and professional shoots happening here. The only way to photograph an elopement, wedding, proposal or other important event at Lago di Braies is by booking the La Palafitta boathouse privately at sunrise. There is just no other comfortable way to do it. Face crazy crowds, road restrictions, full parking and a huge public audience to your “intimate” moment otherwise.

One last note, the booking system for the private sunrise reservation doesn’t open until February the year of. In spring 2025, half the year sold out in the first few hours, with multiple double and triple bookings happening due to errors in the booking system. It’s so popular and the reservation system opens so late, it’s basically a lottery system with who gets their date.

SEE ALSO: How to book the boathouse at Lago di Braies and La Palafitta

Seceda: Instagram vs. Reality

INSTAGRAM: green, full of flowers, epic peaks, ability to roam everywhere for photos

REALITY: muddy and icy until mid June, €52 cable car, long lines, newly fenced off areas and a new €5 fee just to access the “hike” across the fields

The reality here is…Seceda has been destroyed by its own popularity. Those iconic shots with the Odle peaks towering behind couples, framed by dramatic mist and wildflowers? Not anymore. There is a fence blocking that trail now, and rangers are paid to stand there and prevent you from walking down. The amount of traffic Seceda gets forced the landowners to place rope around the narrow footpaths, preventing anyone from wandering outside of them.

Alpe di Suisi: Instagram vs. Reality

INSTAGRAM: rolling meadows, dewy grass, romantic views

REALITY: difficult and expensive parking, long walk necessary, traffic restrictions midday

Alpe di Suisi is Europe’s largest alpine meadow. By definition, it’s massive. It’s also restricted; you cannot just drive up there. From 9am to 5pm, the road closes to through traffic and you need to take the gondola. Before and after then, you can drive to the Compatsch parking area, but then it’s a 45 – 60 minute uphill walk to the nearest “famous” viewpoint you saw on Pinterest. It’s a workable location, but the logistics are complicated. You need someone who knows where to go and how. If not, you’ll find yourself stumped by road closures, gondola operating times, and the sheer size of the place.

ALSO SEE: Alpe di Suisi picnic elopement in the Dolomites

Tips for avoiding the downsides of these 5 famous Dolomites elopement locations:

• Hire local experts
• Avoid high season (mid July through early September)
• Absolutely avoid August
• Go in less obvious areas, or hike just a little further
• Go at sunrise, or at sunset
• Hire a helicopter to land outside of gondola operating hours
• Go somewhere else

Hiring locals is the best way to avoid all these issues. Local experts know when to go, how to get there, and what current conditions are like. They also know suitable backups and similar hidden gem alternatives. If you’re interviewing photographers for your Dolomites elopement, and they don’t know these things, then keep looking.

Ready to talk to a local Dolomites photographer?

Hi! I’m Mariah. I am an elopement photographer based along the Italian and Austrian border. I specialize in intimate destination weddings and adventure elopements across the Alps.

I don’t just love the mountains — I live in them!

If you and your partner are looking for something low key and adventurous, then I know the places, the vendors and the areas for you.

OTHER DOLOMITES ELOPEMENT LOCATION BLOGS YOU’LL FIND HELPFUL:

• Quick guide to the parking reservation system at Tre Cime
• Tips for eloping abroad stress free
• Alpe di Suisi picnic elopement in the Dolomites
• Golden hour sunset elopement at Cadini di Misurina
• Dolomites elopement planning FAQs