How to Plan an Elopement: A Step-by-Step Guide for Couples
Whether you’ve decided to elope just the two of you or host a few loved ones for a microwedding, chances are you went the non-traditional route because you envision a stress-free wedding day. But just because an elopement or microwedding is a more intimate affair doesn’t mean there won’t be some planning involved to make your day absolutely perfect. I don’t expect my couples to go into the elopement planning process with any idea of how an elopement works—that’s my job.
However, a general idea of what you do and don’t want on your big day is helpful as you start exploring eloping, especially in a place you don’t live. This guide will walk you through 9 useful steps to plan your elopement, ensuring your day is everything you pictured and more.
1. Discuss Your Vision
Start by discussing your vision for the day with your partner. This is just a time to sit down together and consider how you want the overall day to feel and flow. The details will come later, so dream big and don’t limit yourselves with logistics quite yet! Here are some baseline questions to get you started:
What kind of location do you both envision (beach, mountains, lake)?
How far do you want to travel for the perfect location? Do you prefer drivable locations or are you dreaming of an international destination?
Do you want it to be just the two of you or invite a few close friends and family?
What’s most important to you on your big day (seclusion, a specific location, the photography, accessibility, adventure, relaxation, etc.)?
Keep in mind the answers to these questions may change as you start the planning process, and that’s okay! Having a baseline idea of your wedding day ensures that you’re on the same page as you start connecting with your photographer and vendors.
2. Determine the Cost of your Dream Elopement
Having a rough idea of your budget is immensely helpful before you start the elopement planning process, because it helps you understand the total costs and set expectations about what you can expect to spend on your elopement, so there aren’t any surprises when it comes time to start putting down deposits and making payments. Here are just a few things to include in your overall budget estimate:
Elopement photographer and videographer
Travel and transportation (flights, rental cars, gas, etc.)
Lodging
Flowers
Hair and Makeup
Attire (dress, suit, accessories, shoes)
Wedding bands
Wedding cake
Food and drink
Details like vow books, personalized mugs or glasses, decorations, etc.
Permits
Marriage license costs
It’s also essential to prioritize higher costs for the vendors and things that are most important to you. If you want an elopement photographer with years of experience planning and capturing elopements in a specific location, you may want to spend extra on that. If having a venue in a popular mountain town where all guests can stay in the same place is high on your list, expect to pay extra for lodging.
3. Choose a Timeframe
While you don’t need to choose a specific date before contacting your vendors, it’s helpful to set a general timeframe so you have an idea of what to expect regarding weather, seasons, and travel. This also helps when you start reaching out to your initial photographer choices to confirm availability. While elopements can be planned from over a year to under 3 months, elopement photographers typically start booking about a year to 6 months in advance.
Having a general timeframe will also help you narrow down your locations since specific areas may be more accessible during certain times of the year.
Pro Tip: Eloping on a weekday is the best way to avoid crowds and have these beautiful spots all to yourselves on your wedding day!
4. Brainstorm Location Options
Consider a few general locations that interest you. This can range from an entire state to a specific location that is meaningful to you. You can change your mind once you have the support of a local photographer to guide you, but generating some ideas will help you research vendors who service those areas, like elopement photographers and planners, who can help you with your planning efforts!
Consider the time of year and weather conditions at each location, as well as any legal requirements for marriage there. Colorado, for instance, is a self-solemnizing state, meaning that you do not need an officiant or witnesses to get married legally. Check out the full guide on self-solemnizing in Colorado.
5. Book Your Elopement Photographer
It might seem early in the planning stages to hire a photographer, but for elopements, an experienced photographer can handle much of the planning. Elopement-specific photographers can help you with everything from choosing a date and providing specific locations to vendor recommendations and lodging. Photographers who specialize in elopements can also help you brainstorm what your day could look like by offering suggestions for unique details, adventurous activities, including family, and more.
All of my couples receive end-to-end elopement planning, timeline creation, vendor recommendations, and more included in my packages, which take the guesswork out of planning an elopement in Colorado, especially when you’re coming from out of town!
6. Invite or Inform Your Loved Ones
One of the most significant decisions couples face about their elopement day is whether to include guests. While you don’t have to decide up front, it’s helpful for a photographer to know an estimated guest count before providing location suggestions. It’s far easier to bring two people onto free public land locations than it is for me to find an outdoor location for 30 guests.
Decide Whether to Invite Guests
If you plan to invite a few family members and close friends, let them know as soon as you have a general location chosen with your photographer. This will give them ample time to book travel and lodging. Lodging in Colorado’s mountain towns books up quickly, especially during peak times in summer and fall. You can send e-vites and track RSVPs using platforms such as Zola, Greenvelope, and Evite.
When inviting guests, consider how much photography coverage you will need to ensure you also have plenty of alone time together during your elopement. I can help you decide between split-day and multi-day packages to make sure we can do everything on your list while still enjoying time to celebrate with your guests.
Share the News
If you aren’t inviting guests, you can either inform loved ones in advance and set expectations or share the news with photos and videos afterward. For me, I find it’s less stressful for a couple to let the people know ahead of time instead of keeping their elopement a secret, but it’s totally up to you!
If you do inform your friends and family ahead of time, let them know they can help with some of the planning, like helping you pick your wedding attire! Many people will also host pre-elopement celebrations for the couple.
Plan a Post-Wedding Celebration
If you will be eloping just the two of you, consider planning a post-elopement celebration with family and friends. This can be a casual gathering, such as an outdoor BBQ, a formal wedding reception, or anything in between! I eloped with my husband privately in a spot that was special to us before hosting a microwedding a month later with our loved ones. For us, it was the best of both worlds!
7. Organize the Details
Arrange Travel and Accommodation
Book your travel and accommodations early to ensure availability. As mentioned, lodging in particular areas books out well in advance, especially larger homes for big groups. I can provide a list of lodging options in each area to support your search. And I absolutely love when couples book unique and romantic lodging options, such as cozy A-frame cabins, boutique hotels, or luxury tents for their elopement day!
Choose Your Attire
Select attire that suits your location and personal style, and ensure it’s something you feel comfortable in all day! Consider logistics, such as weather, terrain, and the activities you plan to include. I always recommend flowy, lightweight fabrics for summer elopements and something a bit warmer for fall and winter wedding days. Avoid attire that you can’t move or breathe in!
Book Your Other Wedding Vendors
I provide each couple with a list of vendor recommendations for flowers, hair and makeup artists, activity guides, bakeries, restaurants, lodging, private chefs, catering, and more. It’s important to reach out to vendors you connect with in advance, as many book far in advance for larger weddings. September is the busiest month for weddings in Colorado, so ensure you book well in advance if you have a fall wedding to ensure you’re able to secure your dream wedding team!
8. Plan Your Experience
Choose Your Activities
I always have couples choose the activities they want to include in their day ahead of time so we can build them into their timeline and book any guides or rentals, if needed. Some of my favorite elopement activities include 4x4 driving, hiking, canoeing or paddleboarding, horseback riding, a helicopter tour, and a cooking class. Once we finalize everything you want to include, we’ll determine how much time you need.
For a full list of activity ideas, see my ultimate guide to elopement day activities.
Build Your Timeline
Each couple receives a detailed timeline for their day based on their desired activities and sights. Timelines lay out everything from drive times to multiple locations to time for setting up and enjoying activities and relaxation moments for the day, so you can focus on just showing up and experiencing your best day!
There are many incredible things you can include in your elopement day, so putting everything in your timeline helps you visualize how much time we might need and whether it makes sense to break your adventures into two consecutive days.
9. Enjoy Your Dream Day
My number one tip for planning your elopement is to be present! Focus on celebrating your love and the moments you’re sharing together. All the anticipation and planning lead up to this one day, and it goes by fast, so be present in every moment. Embrace the mishaps, bask in the incredible scenery around you, and enjoy the experiences you get to share together. Let go of the things you can’t control and remember the reason you chose an intentional elopement day instead of a big traditional wedding.
By choosing an elopement photographer who specializes in planning and curating your dream Colorado elopement, you can ensure it is stress-free, romantic, and perfectly tailored to your vision. At the end of the day, the most important thing is that your wedding day reflects the love and commitment you share with your partner. Focus on a day that is uniquely yours.