Elopements have become increasingly popular over the last couple of years and many couples are opting for this kind of wedding celebration versus a traditional wedding day. What I love most about elopements is that the day is completely up to you. Eloping is the perfect way to create a meaningful environment while you say ‘I do.’ Without having to plan a day around your guests, it allows you to focus on how to celebrate the beginning of your life together. Typically elopements are just the couple but can also involve your immediate family or others. There are no rules when it comes to planning your elopement. Planning ahead and being prepared will help make your day the best it can be!

Here’s what you need to know about planning your elopement:

Choose Your Location

First, consider where you want to elope. Whether that means staying in the country or traveling somewhere abroad. Start a list of all of the places you’re considering and determine the pros and cons of each of them. Next, think about what you want the scenery to look like. Do you both love going to the mountains? Do you want to be somewhere in nature, like a forest? Remember that it doesn’t have to be somewhere far away in order for it to be special for the two of you. It could be in your backyard or somewhere that’s still local and beautiful to you. Regardless of what you decide, ensure that it’s somewhere meaningful to the two of you. It could be a place that you love to travel to or maybe it’s somewhere new that you can explore together. The location that you choose will have a huge impact on how your photos look. When thinking about location, it’s also important to consider the weather and season as this will impact the scenery you’ll have. For example: a beach in Mexico is vastly different from the mountains in winter time.

Make it Legal

The next step in planning your elopement is making sure that it’s legal. Depending on where you’re located there will be different steps that you’ll need to take. The process is vastly different in every country, state or province and you’ll have to do some research to determine what is required. If you’re in Canada, you’ll need a commissioner, justice of the peace or legal officiant to make your elopement legal. Start by applying for your marriage license as well as getting any additional permits or completing any paperwork that needs to be done prior. It’s also important to consider where you’re getting married and if the location requires anything specific in order to be married there. Lastly, consider who your witnesses will be. If you want to keep your elopement as small as possible, you can have your photographer and/or videographer double as a witness for you. If you want to have a couple of close friends or family members present, they can also witness for you.

Hire Your Vendors

In order to make your elopement perfect, there are additional vendors that you may need to hire. One of the most important steps in planning your elopement is hiring your photographer. An elopement is an extremely intimate event so it’s important to work with someone that you connect with. Consider meeting them in person first or having an engagement session with them to see what they’re all about. Having a photographer is a crucial part of your elopement as they are the ones who will capture the day for you. In most cases, your photographer also doubles as a planner for you as they are familiar with elopements, locations, etc. Lastly, beyond your photographer, there may be additional vendors that you need to hire as well. This could be your commissioner, florist, cake, restaurant/catering, hair and makeup, etc. Depending on where you are planning to elope, you may have to book flights and accommodations, too! Having vendors that you trust makes all the difference and will help to make your day go by smoothly.

What to Wear

When considering what to wear for your elopement, think about what you want your day to look and feel like. There are no rules when it comes to what you have to wear for your elopement. If you want to keep it somewhat traditional and wear a white dress and suit, then do it! If you would rather keep it more casual, that’s okay too. Consider searching elopement inspiration on Pinterest and go from there. It’s also important to think about where you're getting married as this could impact what you wear. Choosing what to wear for your elopement means also considering weather, season, location and environment.

Make it Unique

An elopement is where you intentionally focus on the shared experience between you and your loved one. Think about what’s unique about your love story or what the two of you could include in your day. It could be as simple as writing letters to one another or choosing to elope somewhere that’s meaningful to the two of you. Another option is to include ‘props’ into your time with your photographer. Some examples include: a car, guitar, your pet, etc.

Create Your Timeline

While there is so much freedom in eloping, it’s so important to create a timeline for your day. Every elopement is different and depending on what you want your day to look like, will impact the timeline for the day. It’s also important to consider whether you want to make the day out of it or if you just have a short ceremony and photos afterwards. When creating your timeline, ensure that you account for travel between locations, if any. Also, be sure to consult your photographer so that you schedule enough time for photos. Your photographer can also help you with your timeline as they have prior knowledge from elopements and may offer some valuable input! If you’re not an early bird, you can sleep in, have coffee and breakfast together. Whether you decide to get ready together or not, you can have your hair and makeup team come to you. Let your officiant know what time you plan to have your ceremony and/or exchange vows and allow enough time for photographs afterward. You could do some photos in the afternoon and then some later in the evening around sunset. Depending on the time of year will depend on what time the sun will set. Most importantly, the day is all about the two of you so create a timeline that’s all about the two of you!

Eloping may seem spontaneous and spur of the moment and while that may be the case for some, planning ahead ensures that your elopement is everything that you want it to be! Choosing to elope with just the two of you is a big and exciting step and I’m here to make that day special for you.

If you’re searching for a photographer to document your elopement, get in touch with me here.