Congratulations, you’re engaged! Now all of the planning can begin! If you’re on this blog, that means you’ve already made the first step — decided that you want to elope or have an intimate wedding, and are now wondering how to plan your elopement.
Decades ago the term “elopement” was used to describe a couple running off to get married without loved ones having any knowledge about the union. This type of way to get married might have been frowned upon then, but today, elopements are so much more than that. Eloping is the desire for couples to be uniquely themselves. They are adventure seekers and want the freedom of getting married THEIR way.
However, all of this freedom and creative flexibility means some planning must be done. If you think about it because you can get married practically ANWHEREEEEE, how do you possibly choose?! There isn’t a template on what an elopement day should look like and you are probably wondering how to plan your elopement if there are no restrictions... The freedom of being able to do whatever you want can be incredibly overwhelming.
While elopements and intimate weddings do not have the stress, pressure, and financial obligation of a large “traditional” wedding, don’t underestimate the planning it takes to bring your dream elopement or intimate wedding to life! We are by no means saying this to scare you or try to convince you that an elopement / intimate wedding isn’t the way to go (because it 100% is and we love them - if you don’t believe us, please view our reasons why you should elope), but it takes a little planning for your perfect elopement day!
The good news is that, in true Early Night fashion, we promise our couples that we will slap any and all stress in the face (gently) and put your priorities on a pedestal that no one can touch! So, we’ve got your back when it comes to planning your elopement and we’re here to make it easier on you — which is why we’ve put together this guide on how to plan your elopement! It includes some goodies, like our own personal general timeline you can use for planning your elopement or intimate wedding!
This is the perfect place to start planning your elopement. Think of what your dream day would look like and what that may include. Here are some questions that may help you think of what you want:
These components can be small or large, but they are what will make your day special, unique, and customized exactly to your elopement. Think about the events that you want to have captured as another starting point on how to plan your elopement.
Here are some ideas:
While having elopement photographers picked out to capture your special day is super important, there are quite a few other vendors you may need to consider hiring. The type of elopement you’re having will determine whether or not you need vendors with specific experience and also determines where to start in how to plan for your elopement. The more remote and wild the wedding location, the more important it can be to find vendors with an outdoor experience. If you have vendors in mind that you already know you want to work with, do not hesitate to reach out as soon as possible! Even in the elopement world, vendors are getting booked up a lot further than they were before. Once you have your date, definitely get in touch so you can work with your top choices!
An added bonus to working with Early Night - we help all our couples who are planning their elopement with their timelines. Once we nail down the location and important elements to incorporate, we craft your elopement timeline! We set realistic expectations if certain things won’t fit in your day and suggest alternatives! To give you a sneak peek, here is a real example of an eight-hour elopement:
Once you start considering all of these things, it becomes pretty easy to figure out where to have the most perfect day with your partner or decide what that perfect day means/looks like to you! There is nothing more amazing than creating a day that truly reflects who you are as a couple; we hope that this guide helps you to create the most intentional, meaningful, unforgettable, absolutely perfect day possible.
If you need some additional resources, check out more tips on our blog, or get in touch!
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