How to Plan an Elopement

You’ve always done your own thing, and your elopement lets you do just that! You can get married the way you want to, and while that’s unbelievably exciting, the endless possibilities mean that the elopement planning process is very different from planning a traditional wedding. This guide will tell you how to plan an elopement!

What’s in Guide to Planning an Elopement

How to Plan an Elopement in 10 Steps

Here are the steps to planning your dream elopement day!

1. Deciding to Elope

The first step is simply deciding to elope, but it’s not always actually simple! Deciding to elope can be a really difficult decision, even for couples who know that they want to. There’s a lot of pressure, from the wedding industry, and sometimes from families. And of course, some couples aren’t sure what they want to do – so don’t worry if you don’t have it all figured out yet! 

Trust your gut when it comes to making this decision – if deep down, you know that your dream wedding day is in the mountains instead of in a ballroom, you just have to be brave enough to honor that feeling! If you’re conflicted or don’t have that gut feeling right now, take some time to think about it and talk it over with your partner. Read over these reasons to elope, and see if any of them resonate with you.

2. Choose an Elopement Location

You don’t have to be exact with your elopement location yet, and in fact, we recommend keeping it broad! But, having an idea of where you want to elope will help you with some of the other steps. Think about what you want to see and experience on your elopement day – what kind of scenery you want to be surrounded by, what you want to do. Come up with a general state or area for your elopement – like Colorado or Moab. Remember, you don’t need to have an exact location yet! But a general idea will help when booking a photographer.

3. Think About Elopement Dates

Just like with the location, we recommend keeping your options open for when you elope. But, coming up with a general timeframe – like “we want to elope this summer,” for example – will definitely help with booking vendors. Being flexible with your date can ensure that you can work with a photographer you love, but some couples do have a specific date in mind, which is totally fine! If you want to get married on an anniversary, a date that’s significant to you, or a day that’s just fun (like 11/11), that’s important to decide when you’re planning an elopement.

4. Hire an Elopement Photographer

When it comes to how to plan an elopement, hiring a photographer early in the process is one of the best things you can do for yourself! We’re a photo and video team, but we’re also so much more than that. We provide planning support that’s all about creating the kind of day you want, personalized just for you. This means we help you find the perfect location, recommend things to do, help you find amazing vendors, and create a custom timeline. Then, we’ll be by your side on the big day, documenting the adventure.

Hiring an elopement photographer makes the rest of the process so much easier, so if you’re ready to elope, contact us as soon as possible!

5. Hire Other Elopement Vendors

For some couples, a photographer and videographer is all they need – but there are also a lot of other vendors that can play a role in helping you create the perfect elopement day. Some of these can include:

  • Officiant
  • Hair and makeup
  • Florist
  • Caterer

Decide which vendors you want for your day, and contact them as early as possible. Wedding vendors fill their calendars pretty quickly!

6. Get Permits

When it comes to how to plan an elopement, there are a lot of logistics. One of these might be a permit, depending on where you decide to tie the knot. Many locations require a permit for ceremonies, and if this is the case, you want to apply well in advance to ensure that there’s time to process and receive your permits. Don’t worry, we’ll help you figure out whether you need a permit once you’ve chosen a location, and how to get it!

7. Shop for Attire & Accessories

There are some things you’ll need for the ceremony, like what you’ll wear, rings, and any other accessories that you want for your day. 

When shopping for either dresses or suits, make sure that you consider whether they’ll be elopement-friendly. You’ll be moving around a lot, so you want something that allows that! For dresses, avoid tight skirts and opt for looser, flowy styles instead. For suits, make sure they fit well but have enough stretch that you can sit, walk, and move easily.

8. Finalize an Elopement Timeline

When it comes to how to plan an elopement, the elopement timeline is one of the last steps – it’s the thing that tells you what you’re doing on the big day. We’ll make an elopement timeline for you, and work with you on what should be on there, and how we can create a custom adventure for your wedding day. The perfect elopement timeline should be flexible but give you some structure, so that you don’t feel stressed or rushed at all on your elopement day, and you can focus on tying the knot!

9. Get Your Marriage License

Marriage licenses often need to be obtained in person, so if you’re traveling to your elopement location, get there early to do this. If you’re able to get it earlier, that’s great! Make sure you know the marriage laws for your elopement location, know how to get the marriage license, and will be able to get it before the wedding.

10. Adventure!

When the big day comes, it’s time for an adventure! Make sure to relax, get a good night of sleep the night before, and get ready for the best day of your life. All that elopement planning leads to you, marrying your best friend, and beginning the rest of your lives together.

Ready to Plan an Elopement?

Elopement planning can seem daunting, but you don’t have to do it alone! As a photography and videography team, we’re here to be your planning assistants and adventure guides, crafting the perfect elopement day from start to finish.

If you’re ready to plan your elopement, contact us!

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