How to Elope: Learn How to Plan Your Elopement

Elopements have become a meaningful way to get married and often take place in gorgeous scenery. They’re a way to make your wedding day completely about the two of you and not get lost in the hustle and bustle of the day. With few or no guests to worry about and the freedom to do what you want, the possibilities of how you celebrate are virtually endless!

If you’ve decided to ditch the ballroom wedding and have a personalized day to celebrate instead, you’ve landed in the right place! As an elopement photographer, I specialize in helping couples plan extraordinary elopements in beautiful places (as well as capture memories in beautiful photos). If you’re unsure how to elope or where to begin planning your experience, this guide is for you.

From the first idea to planning the details, planning an elopement is a lot of fun! So read on to learn all about planning an amazing elopement experience!

Just What Exactly is an Elopement?

Before we dive into how to plan an elopement, it’s important that we understand what the word means today, as elopements have changed a lot in the last few years.

While there’s no real definition for the modern elopement, here’s how I define it as an elopement photographer:

An elopement is an intimate wedding with 20 or fewer people. It’s about two people dedicating their lives to each other and celebrating in a personal and meaningful way. It can take place anywhere from a backyard to a National Park or anywhere in between.

Elopements have become popular in recent years because they give the couple full control over their wedding experience and the freedom to celebrate in a personal and meaningful way.

Learn more about the modern definition of “elope”.

How to Elope

Planning an elopement is a really fun and exciting experience! With complete freedom over your wedding experience, you have full control over every aspect of your day! From where you get married to who’s with you to including just about anything you want in your day (like a scenic hike or time to stargaze).

Whether you already have inspiration for your elopement day or you’re just getting started, this is your complete guide to planning an elopement day that you’ll love! 

Create a Vision for Your Day

The first step in planning your elopement is getting a vision for your day. If you don’t already have a location in mind, start dreaming up the scenery you want to be surrounded by on your wedding day. This can be mountains, lakes, the ocean, or anything else you want for your day.

You also want to start thinking about if you want to bring anybody with you. This can be family, friends, pets, or if you want to elope with just you and your partner present.

Some specifics you’ll want to start getting a vision for are:

• Your location
• Type of ceremony
• Guests
• Lodging
• Food
• What traditions you want to include (like a first dance, cake cutting, etc.)

Need some inspiration? Check out these adventure elopement ideas!

Set a Budget for Your Elopement

You’ll want to sit down with your partner and determine a budget for your elopement. Money can be stressful, but don’t worry; eloping is one of the most affordable ways to get married! While the average cost of a wedding in the U.S. is $30k, most couples that elope spend between $5k-$15k. If you’re on a tight budget, there are many ways you can keep expenses low while still having an amazing elopement experience!

When determining your budget, you’ll want to account for your biggest expenses. Typically, the most expensive parts of an elopement are your photographer, travel (airfare, car rental, etc., if you’ll be having a destination wedding), and lodging.

Here’s a rundown of some of the most common big elopement expenses:

• Airfare
• Lodging
• Care rental (if flying)
• Venue or Wedding Permit (if getting married somewhere like a National Park)
• Elopement Photographer & Planner
• Elopement Videographer
• Food
• Special Activities (such as a boat rental or private driver)

Once you know what you want to include in your day, start your research to understand what each item will cost and build your budget. Remember that you can prioritize anything important to you and leave out anything that won’t make your day feel extra special.

Decide What Vendors You Want

While elopements are typically very casual compared to big weddings, that doesn’t mean you don’t want to include vendors to make your day extra special. This is your wedding day, after all! While in the early planning stage, you will want to start thinking about what vendors you would like to include in your experience to help your day run smoothly.

Some of the most common elopement vendors are:

• Hair & Makeup Artist
• Elopement Photographer
• Elopement Videographer
• Elopement Planner
• Florist
• Private Chef
• Private Driver

When choosing your vendors, don’t just think about the price. Look at the quality of the work, their personal style, and their approach to their craft. Get to know the individuals you’ll be working with (especially when selecting your photographer and/or videographer!) to ensure you are a good fit to work together. Read their reviews and hop on a phone call to get a feel for them. Selecting the right vendors for your day will make a huge difference in how your day feels!

Are you looking for an elopement photographer who also helps with planning? I can help you choose an elopement location, create a timeline for your day, and more, as well as photograph your wedding experience! View my elopement packages or contact me to get started!

Narrow Down a Location

After you have a clearer vision for your day (remember, you don’t have to have all of the details figured out yet, just a general idea!),  you’ll want to start narrowing down a location. This will help you in the next phase of planning. Narrowing down to a city, state, or even region will help with the next step of planning your elopement.

Need help deciding on a location? I’ve got you covered!

Decide on a Date for Your Elopement

If you don’t already have a date for your elopement, you’ll want to figure that out next. This is another piece your photographer may be able to help with if you have some flexibility and want to choose the best date for your location to get the best weather or to avoid crowds.

You’ll want to take your location into consideration when choosing a date to ensure you can access the areas you want for your day. Between the snowy winters and wildfires in the summer, some locations have better seasons than others. Again, this is something your photographer should be able to help you with.

Learn about why you should consider an all-day elopement experience!

When you choose a date remember that you’re not limited to weekends. It’s actually often better to choose a weekday to avoid crowds during popular seasons. You can choose a date that has a special meaning (like an anniversary) or choose a day based on the moon phase. Get creative and find a day that feels right to you!

Get Your Marriage License

Once you have figured out where and when you want to get married, it’s time to make a plan for getting your marriage license. Some states require you to fill out an application beforehand, and others allow you to get your marriage license the same day you apply in person. Do you research on the state you plan to get married in and look up the closest County Recorders Office to where you’ll be getting married for their specific rules for applying.

Some states require a 3-day waiting period between receiving your marriage license and being able to legally marry. Similarly, some states require witnesses, and others do not. Do you research to figure out the laws for the state you’ll be getting married in and consider them when planning your elopement.

Even if you get married in a state that has no waiting period, I recommend planning on getting your marriage license at least a day ahead to keep your elopement day running smoothly and stress-free.

Plan the Details of Your Day

Now, it’s time for the real fun to begin! You get to start planning your elopement day! You have complete freedom to plan your day however you want, which means you can include some of your favorite activities, like hiking, snowmobiling, or cooking together.

You’ll want to decide on the most important parts of your day, like your ceremony and who you plan on inviting, who will officiate your wedding, and start researching any necessary permits.

Check out this guide to 50+ elopement day activities to inspire you!

You’ll also want to start planning other details of your day, like your wedding attire, what your ceremony will look like, if you’ll be doing a first look together, and all the other fun moments for your elopement.

Have an Amazing Wedding Experience!

All of your planning comes together and you get to marry your best friend, surrounded by nature, and celebrate in a way that is unique to the two of you! Congrats! This day is going to be epic!

How Long Does it Take to Plan an Elopement?

You can take as much (or as little!) time as you want to plan your elopement! Many couples take 1-2 years to plan their elopement, just like a traditional wedding, but you can plan it quicker than that if you need or want to.

I recommend giving yourself at least 6 months to plan your elopement though. That way you can have enough time to pull it all together without stressing yourself out.

How Much Does Eloping Cost?

The average eloping couple spends between $5,000-$15,000 on their elopement. Compared to the average wedding being $30,000 these days, eloping is a much more budget friendly option!

Eloping can be as inexpensive as you need it to be, depending on the kind of day you want to have. It’s completely customizable to you and what you want to prioritize.

The biggest expense you’re likely going to have for your elopement is your photographer. But a good photographer is worth the investment! An elopement photographer will also be your planning guide and resource for bringing your elopement to life, not to mention the photos you receive will last forever! You’re not just paying for photos, you’re paying someone to capture your memories.

How to Elope with Me

Interested to learn more about what hiring me as your elopement photographer is like? Here’s what eloping with me looks like.

1. Get to Know Each other

The first step is to reach out to me! I’ll reply with some more details and we’ll hop on a phone call to get to know each other to make sure we would be a good fit to work together as well as go over packages and pricing. This is a great time for you to ask any questions you have about working together! Once we both feel like we’d be a good fit, I’ll send over a contract and retainer to reserve your date!

2. Decide on a location and date (if you haven’t already)

If you don’t already have a date or location picked out, I can help you decide on both! I’ll send you a questionnaire to find out exactly what you’re looking for in a location and use the information you provide me with to send you a list of customized recommendations for your elopement!

3. We’ll Plan all of the Details

We’ll work together to plan the details of your day, like activities to include in your day, create a timeline for your elopement, and figure out vendors if you need recommendations.

4. You Have an epic elopement experience!

You marry your best friend, celebrate, and have the best day ever while I document the whole experience! You’ll have freedom to celebrate on your own while I capture you candidly. You won’t feel like this is an all-day photoshoot, because that’s not what it is. It’s your wedding day!

5. You Receive Your Beautiful Photos

You’ll receive a sneak peek of images within a few days of your elopement so you can announce your elopement to your loved ones. The rest of your photos will be delivered a few weeks later and you’ll get to download them to keep forever!

Now you know everything you need to start planning your elopement! Yay!

Want to work together? I can’t wait to chat with you! Shoot me a message and let’s chat!

Happy eloping!