Planning an Elopement
Congratulations on your decision to elope! Here is a beginner’s guide to planning an easy going elopement. Things you will need to have an unforgettable experience, ensuring to handle logistics with ease, budgeting, and communicating with guests if you choose to have some. With this guide, you’ll have a start to planning.
Choose your location
A huge benefit to eloping is that you can choose wherever you want in the world to get married. You are not having to worry about appeasing to others and accommodating to everyone else’s needs. Try to consider locations that may be meaningful to you as a couple, or a location that has the vibes and scenery to bring out a wedding of your lifetime.
Decide on a date
Sometimes your date is based on the availability of your desired location. Other times it is based on the time of year you want to get married. Make sure that you are considering the weather in that location in that time of year, the sunset or sunrise times, accessibility, and any required permits if you decide to get married in a public location or national park.
Selecting the best wedding vendors
Even if you are eloping, you will still need vendors to help bring your wedding to life. I am bias, but as a wedding photographer, your vendors can truly make or break your day. Hiring a great officiant with a lively personality can boost your ceremony energy. The same goes for your creative team (photography and videography), catering staff, and a wedding planner. Common venders needed for a basic elopement: wedding dress, tux, venue, officiant, hair and make up, florals, and photographer.
Creating a realistic budget
The budget of a wedding has a major impact on the wedding. The quote “you get what you paid for” can be a real statement but there are times when you commit to the process and trust the right people, you can create a magical but budget friendly wedding—which is what can make elopements so great, the price. Most things are cut to a FRACTION of what a normal wedding will cost. You are no longer having to worry on the thousands to accommodate two major things: a private wedding venue and catering. I highly recommend to find AT LEAST a month of planner who can work with your budget or help you to create a more realistic budget based on your desires. There are many great planners out there worth the investment because they know the industry and can save you all the time. After investing with them, they can help adjust your budget to make their price tag cancel itself out.
Create a ceremony customary to your relationship
You’re eloping, yeah, but you’re still having a ceremony between the two of you! Make the ceremony something unique to you and your relationship. Maybe this could be to have traditional vows, sharing your own vows that you make, symbolic ceremonial acts such as readings, music, lighting a candle together. If you are stumped on ways to make your ceremony special, always reach out to your officiant or wedding planner.
Plan post ceremony
The after party is almost as important as the ceremony! It is going to be just the two of you but think about doing something special. This can look like reservations for a romantic restaurant or doing something special together after the ceremony. I’ve had a couple that got married off a cliff where they set up a picnic space and brought a cake to share at sunset post ceremony—it was really special!
Prepare for your elopement
And boom! We have everything ready to go and it’s time. Make sure that you have everything packed that you are going to need for the elopement, honeymoon, and logistics. Marriage license, permits, wedding attire, clothes for your vacation, emergency kit, and any decorations you desire for the ceremony.
