How to Plan an Elopement
If you found your way here, you are considering the idea of planning an elopement. And I want to say, CONGRATS! Congrats on being engaged, and congrats on making the courageous decision to elope. Many people still think eloping consists of running away and getting married at a courthouse, but that isn’t the case anymore.
An elopement is an intimate, intentional, and meaningful experience where you can spend the day doing anything important to you. It allows you to have a full day focused on you and the love of your life. You can spend your elopement day doing anything you want. Seriously, I mean anything. Want to hike to your favorite summit? Do it! Want to explore a national park? Do it! Want to rent a helicopter to bring you to a remote glacier? DO IT!
Since there are so many resources on how to plan a traditional wedding, it can be overwhelming trying to figure out how to plan an elopement. That’s why I created this guide! This guide reviews how to plan an elopement of your dreams, including a step-by-step guide.
When should you start planning an elopement?
Although planning an elopement can be easier than planning a traditional wedding, you will want to give yourself enough time to make your dream elopement come to life. If you want your day to be more elaborate, you may want to give yourself 9-12 months to plan an elopement. If you want a simple elopement, you can plan it up to a few months before. I recommend giving yourself at least six months to plan an elopement, so you can make sure you have all of the details ready and vendors booked while still giving yourself some wiggle room before your elopement day.
How to Plan an Elopement
Step 1: Envision your dream elopement
The most important part of planning an elopement is envisioning your dream day! The beauty of elopements is you can do anything your heart desires and incorporate anything you want. You can hike the day away, go boating for the day, take a helicopter to a glacier, go camping, surf down dunes, or stay up all night stargazing. The options are endless!
If you aren’t sure where to start, here are a few things you can think about:
What is important to you?
What do you want to include for details?
What do you want to do for activities?
What do you want for scenery?
Do you want guests or just you two?
Your vision will most likely change or evolve as you begin to plan your elopement, so don’t stress out about the details right now! If you know exactly what you want for your elopement day, that’s incredible! But if you aren’t sure, I suggest having an idea of what you want to include and where you want it to be. As you move through the elopement planning process, your vision will become more clear!
Step 2: Figure out a budget
Although the average elopement costs less than the average wedding, you still need to budget how much you want to spend. Elopements focus on your experience rather than the guest experience at weddings, so the money you budget is for you to spend on you and your partner. One of the main things to figure out when planning an elopement is what type of elopement do you want. Do you want a simple elopement with minimal details, or do you want an elopement with all the details? It all comes down to how you want your elopement day experience to be.
Here are some things to consider when planning an elopement budget:
Elopement venue permits
Ceremony attire
Marriage license and paperwork
Travel and accommodations
Officiant
Photographer
Videographer
Hair and makeup
Planner
Flowers
Food and drink
Any other vendors and details you want to include
Once you have your budget, I suggest prioritizing your list. Make a list of things you want to include no matter what and some things that are nice to have but not needed. As you begin to plan your elopement, you can refer back to this list to ensure you prioritize the must-have details of your day. Similar to your elopement day vision, your list will evolve as you start to plan!
Step 3: Pick your date and where to you want to elope
Now it is time to pick a date and narrow down where you want to elope! Refer back to your dream elopement you envisioned in step one to help. If you have a specific date in mind, that’s great! But don’t worry if you don’t. Most couples are open to when they want to elope. I suggest considering seasons you love the most or seasons you want to avoid. You should also consider if you want to elope on a weekend or weekday. Weekdays will provide more privacy and have fewer crowds, especially in popular locations, but weekends are easy to plan around. If you want to elope in a popular area and avoid crowds, research when their off-season is and plan around that!
That brings us to the next part of planning an elopement, which is figuring out where you want to elope! Do you want to elope in a specific area of the country, state, or park? Or do you have scenery in mind, like a waterfall, beach, or mountains? If you aren’t sure, don’t stress! A lot of couples only have an idea of what they want and not a specific location. This is where I come in as photographers. I am an expert in location scouting, so once you book your elopement photographer (next step), they can help you figure out the perfect location for your elopement day!
Step 4: Choose your elopement vendors
All of your elopement planning has led you to this essential step! It is time to choose who you will hire to be a part of your elopement day! Refer back to your budget and your priorities list to know what the most important vendors you need. You can find vendors on Google, Instagram, Facebook groups, Pinterest, and elopement vendor websites, including Wandering Weddings. I highly recommend reading reviews on each vendor to get a better understanding of their work and process.
The most important vendors for your elopement, in our opinion, are the officiant and photographer, and sometimes your photographer can double as your officiant (like us!). These two are the most important because they help make your elopement official and capture every moment, so you have photographs to cherish the day forever! The officiant and photographer should be the first vendors you hire because their schedules fill up quickly. Photographers also don’t have to live near where you want to elope. Most photographers will follow you anywhere, so you have more options to find and connect with the perfect photographer for you.
Your photographer is likely to have a network of vendors they can recommend, so they can help you find the other vendors you want. The other vendors you need depend on the details you want for your elopement day. Do you want a videographer? Will you have flowers? Will you be doing your hair and makeup or hiring someone to do it? Do you want a cake or food? If you plan on having many vendors, I highly recommend hiring an elopement planner. They will coordinate with your vendors and make sure everything runs smoothly. I, as a photographer, help plan your elopement day, but an elopement planner can dive into every detail.
Note: Most outdoor locations have restrictions on what you can include (arch, table, chairs), so I recommend researching the place you will be eloping to confirm what you can bring.
Step 5: Finalize wedding attire and details
Figuring out what you will wear for your elopement depends on what you will be doing and where you will be going! If you are hiking, you will need to consider if you want to hike in your wedding attire or change onsite. The shorter and easier the trail, the easier it is to wear your wedding attire. If the tail is long or strenuous, I recommend wearing comfortable hiking clothes and changing into your wedding attire once you arrive at the location. If you don’t have to hike, you can rock your wedding attire all day long without changing!
If you are hiking or backpacking on your elopement day and will be changing onsite, you will want to make sure to have a backpack that can carry your clothes and shoes. The best way to pack your wedding attire is by rolling it up neatly, putting it in a waterproof bag, and storing it in a hiking backpack. How big your hiking backpack needs to be will depend on what type of attire you have! If you don’t have a hiking backpack big enough to fit your wedding attire, I recommend going to an outdoor store, like REI, to find the perfect one for you. Make sure to also leave room for any other items you need, including accessories, makeup, and hair products.
When you are planning an elopement, make sure to add in time for alterations if needed!
Step 6: Book travel and accommodations
If you are traveling to your elopement location, you will want to make sure everything is booked at least a few months before your elopement day. Do you want a cute Airbnb with more privacy? Or do you want to stay in a hotel downtown in a city? If guests are attending your elopement, you can rent a big Airbnb for everyone or a few hotel rooms near each other. I always recommend renting an Airbnb because they provide more privacy and allow you to have your guests stay in one place together. No matter what you decide, make sure to have your travel details booked ahead of time!
Step 7: Research how to make your marriage official
One of the most important parts of planning an elopement is to make sure you do everything necessary to get married officially! The process usually includes getting a marriage license, having the officiant sign it, and mailing it to the city or town clerk’s office.
Here are some things to research:
Do you need to be present to obtain a marriage license, or can you get it by mail?
What documents do you need to obtain a marriage license?
What is the fee to get a marriage license?
Is there a waiting period before you can get married?
How long is the marriage license valid?
Do you need witnesses?
Are there any other requirements to get married in the state or country?
If you have any questions about the marriage license process for the state or country you are eloping in, you can call the city or town clerk’s office.
Step 8: Finalize the timeline and prepare for your elopement day
Your elopement planning is almost complete! Now it’s time to make sure you have everything ready for your special day. Your photographer will help create the perfect timeline for your elopement day and should review the finalized timeline with you a few weeks before your elopement day. It will include times for everything, including when you will be getting ready with hair and makeup, having your first look, beginning your adventure to the ceremony location, having portrait sessions, celebrating being married, and everything in between. They are experts in planning your elopement day, so you don’t have to worry about anything!.
Once the timeline is confirmed, you can do any last-minute things to prepare for an elopement, including reviewing everything you need and packing the essentials!
Step 9: Celebrate marrying the love of your life
YOUR ELOPEMENT DAY IS FINALLY HERE!
And you get to marry the love of your life in an intimate, intentional, and meaningful way that focuses on you! Enjoy your day and soak up every minute of being with your soulmate.
Step 10: Make the announcement
Now that you are married, how do you announce it to your family and friends who may not have known? Don’t be nervous because your family and friends love you and will be so happy for you! You can announce your elopement whenever you are ready or if you want to at all. Getting married is an intimate moment between you and your partner, so you can tell everyone, tell only close family and friends, or tell no one. The decision is up to you and what makes you feel comfortable!
Here are a few ways you can share that you eloped:
Send your favorite photo from your day to your family and friends with a little note.
Have a reception with your family and friends and use your favorite photo as an invitation.
Post a few photos from your elopement on social media. Since everyone is on social media nowadays, it is an easy way to let everyone know.
Are you ready to plan an elopement of your dreams?
Let’s chat about what you are envisioning! I am here to photograph every moment of your beautiful day and make your dream elopement day come to life!
Hi there,
Elopement & Wedding Photographers
My name is Alex, and I am an adventure enthusiast, travel addict, and your dream-making wedding photographer! I am a New Hampshire elopement photographer and wedding photographer but will travel well beyond New England to capture your elopement or wedding day.
I got my start in photography capturing stunning landscapes around the world but realized my true passion was capturing beautiful photos of a couple’s love. There is something about the magic of love that draws me to couples like a magnet.
Over the years, I have met so many amazing couples, and I am so excited to get to know YOU! I am here to provide you with beautiful photos of your elopement or wedding day, so you can look back and relive those memories forever!
