Tips to Making the Most Out of Your Elopement
DESTINATION ELOPEMENT PLANNER // ELOPEMENT CURRATOR
An elopement is so much more than an all day photo shoot or an exchange of vows, it’s an entire experience. The experience is only for you, so creating a true-for-you-day should be the foundation of everything in detail! People think that as a photographer, I’m just there to snap the photos, but I’m invested in every couple’s day as a whole and will do everything in my power to help make the day as special as you envisioned. It’s easy to get caught up in the looks of things and obvious elements of planning a wedding. Today, I’m going to share with you the little things that are often overlooked, from small details to unique experiences to make the most out of your elopement!
SPLURGE ON THE DETAILS
Forgoing a traditional wedding means you’re in total control of where you want your money to go and allocating it to only the things that are meaningful to you. The bulk of your budget will go towards wedding attire, travel expenses, and your photographer/videographer (I highly recommend you budget those out first!). If you’re wanting flowers or a makeup artist then look into local vendors. A great place for finding those special vendors is instagram, but don’t forget to cross reference reviews of the ones you like on google!
CREATE A WEDDING DAY PLAYLIST
Nothing solidifies a memory like some killer tunes! The songs you play throughout the course of your wedding day will always be tied to your memories whenever they come on the radio or yours wanting to reminisce. Turn on a killer playlist to set the mood whether that’s when you’re getting ready, on the drive, during your hike or softly playing while you exchange vows.
Here are some of my suggestions for wedding day playlists:
Definitely spend some time curating a playlist that is full of songs you love to set the mood!
PLAN ACTIVITIES
Planning activities for your elopement day outside of the actual ceremony and pictures is typically where couples get stumped. Without a bunch of people to entertain or a traditional timeline to adhere to, what do you do? Here are some of my favorite elopement activities.
These are all intimate and low maintenance options for any couple that wants to do a little something extra on their elopement day!
- Making a bonfire at the end of the day (if they’re permitted at your location)
- Having a little picnic
- Getting in the water to trash the dress
- Watching the sunset and stargazing into the night
- Facetiming loved ones
- Going on a hike
- Grabbing some drinks at a local bar
- Riding a gondola up the mountain
Now, for the couples that are looking for an experience for their elopement, I’ve got you covered! Look up for different experiences offered and guides available in the area of your elopement.
- Hot air balloon ride
- Helicopter tour
- Renting kayaks
- Snowshoeing
- Dog sledding
- Sunset boat tour
- Cliff jumping
- Getting tattoos
BRING A SPECIAL TREAT
Whether you bring champaign, cake, or a local delicacy. A special day deserves special treats, regardless of how many people are in attendance! Nothing is stopping you from enjoying an entire pizza on a mountain top if you so choose! A lot of couples love to bring something sweet, a local delicacy, or favorite food to enjoy. Having some champagne is also a CLASSIC. Pop some bubbly or crack open your favorite craft beer. If there was ever a time to cheers, your wedding day is a total no brainer! It’s always nice to pack a little picnic basket or bring a cute backpack to bring to your location.
GET AN AIRBNB
If you have family/friends accompanying you on your elopement a great route to go is an airbnb. There are many airbnb’s across the world that are equipped to accommodate small weddings. It is an added level of intimacy and comfort! Here is a list of well known airbnb’s in the US and a list of gorgeous airbnb’s across the world. A lot of them have intimate ceremony areas and wonderful entertainment spaces for small gatherings.
Getting an airbnb is also nice for simply having a cozy homebase to get ready before your elopement and to relax afterwards. A lot of them have extra amenities to enjoy such as a fire pit, hot tub, private waterfall (yes, you heard that right. Who would want to have a magical wedding day Saturday and go back to the office on Monday? Sometimes people don’t have the capacity to go on a full blown honeymoon after their wedding or want to have separation between the two, so planning a little 3-4 day mini-moon at an airbnb is a nice way to extend your time together and celebrate.
PRACTICE MINDFULNESS, DON’T RUSH YOUR DAY
Okay, so this may seem like a wild card, but it will definitely have one of the biggest impacts on your elopement. It’s easy to get caught in the hustle and bustle of getting to your location, making sure everything is just right, and adhering to some kind of timeline. Getting out of that headspace is challenging, even if you leave the big wedding behind! A great way to get out of that mindset is by reminiscing on the past and dreaming of the future. Ask one another questions, have your first dance, or enjoy a beverage. Remember to build in chunks of time to just be with one another and soak up everything around you.
ELOPEMENT ADVICE
There are endless ways to celebrate and details to personalize when it comes to eloping! It’s important to plan the entire day, not just the location of your ceremony and photos. There’s something extra sweet about sharing your vows, first dance, and toast between just the two of you. How you plan your elopement day is totally on your terms and I hope this inspired you to add in extra things to make it that much more special! No detail is too small and this is definitely just the tip of the iceberg. If you’re looking for more advice for planning your elopement I’m just an email away, I’d love to hear from ya!!
