Elopements are so special – Grant and I actually eloped in 2020 when we got married! With Elopements, you can toss all the traditional wedding planning out the window and create your own custom day. However, making those decisions can be overwhelming! From Pinterest to Instagram to blogs on the internet, there’s a lot of info out there. But you don’t want your day to look like someone else’s. In this blog, I’m going to help you pick some of the BEST elopement ideas!
When planning a traditional wedding day, there are checklists and boxes to check off, long timelines, and multiple photo lists. With elopements, you can start from scratch and create your own day.
If you want a low-key, relaxed, and intentional day, then an elopement is perfect for you!
How to Plan Your Elopement Day
If you’ve decided on a small, intimate day for you, then you’re in the right place!
When planning your elopement, I want you both to consider: “What is the most important part of our wedding day?” The most important part is that the two of you are getting married. So what does that dream look like to you? Where do you see it happening? What color are you picturing? What’s the feel you want to have? These are all great places to start!
1. Write down all the things you love to do together:
Make a list of the passions, activities, and interests you share and those you have individually. A few ideas could be: hiking, picnicking, hanging by the ocean, spending time at the beach, traveling with friends, mountain biking, reading, swimming, going out to eat, listening to local bands, playing video games together, flying, etc.
2. Brainstorm your favorite locations
When you think of spending time together, where do you want to do it? Are your favorite places hiking down a difficult trail? Are they walking through an old-growth forest? Do you enjoy lounging on the beach together, sipping mocktails? What about your grandparents’ lake house? Having an idea of a place that brings you both peace is a great way to narrow down the location you choose for your elopement. This could be a place you’ve visited several times, or it could be a place you’ve been dreaming of going to!
Think about saying “YES”. What does the scenery look like to you? If a specific location pops in mind, write that down! But if you have a vague idea of where you want to start, like a cliffside by the ocean, or a lush green forest, that’s a great starting point. As your elopement photographer, I can help you pick the perfect spot!
3. Start Doing Research!
Once you have an idea of where you want to go or how you want your day to look, it’s time to do the fun part. My favorite place to start is with Pinterest! There are so many good ideas on there that other people have saved. Don’t rely too heavily on this, just use it for inspiration. Ideas for ceremony spaces, bouquets, dresses, and smaller receptions are all on there. Look up locations on Google, or even search for blog posts on where you think you want to elope. Often, elopement photographers will make blogs about where they’re traveling, so they are a good place to look!
4. Create a budget
Elopements don’t have to cost a lot of money, but you can also look at your elopement as taking your honeymoon at the same time. When Grant and I eloped, we spent $5000 total, including our honeymoon. Our wedding probably cost us less than $1000 (including my dress!). The most important thing is to decide WHAT to spend your money on. The standard wedding in the US costs around $35,000. Your elopement can be as extravagant or as inexpensive as you want!
I always recommend to my brides who are planning full wedding days to pick three things to splurge on and cut their costs on everything else. The same thing applies to your elopement! If you are dreaming of flying across the country, then spend the money on your flight, hotel/Airbnb, and car rental. Or splurge on your dream photographer. If you want the most stunning floral bouquet, splurge on that! On average, couples can spend between $ 5k and $20k on an elopement. (Keeping in mind travel costs, permits, and stays where you are going).
5. Find your vendors
Make a list of your favorite vendors you want at your elopement. Whether that’s your favorite elopement photographer and videographer, or your favorite florist, start labeling them from most important to least. You can do whatever you want here – you can have all the vendors you want, or you can have none! This is YOUR day! I also highly recommend hiring an elopement planner to help you organize everything for your day so it goes smoothly!
Epic Elopement Ideas
Because you’re eloping, you can have as much fun with your wedding as you want! Couples I’ve worked with in the past have gone snowboarding the day after, gone swimming with sharks the day before, or gone fishing together the morning before they tied the knot. The most important thing is to know that you can do whatever you want. Your wedding can look as traditional or nontraditional as you want!
- Go Hiking
- Depending where you’re eloping, go hiking before, after or the morning of your elopement! If you want to hike to your elopement, wear your traditional hiking clothing and pack your wedding dress in your bag. This can be a unique option for a mountainside or clifftop elopement! Don’t want to hike? That’s okay too! There are so many amazing locations in the mountains we can find without having to hike to the views.
- Rent a unique Airbnb & have a cookout
- There are so many unique Airbnb and venues out there to rent for a small wedding party or group. We photographed an elopement in North Carolina, and they rented out a whole 18+ bedroom house for their party. And they had so much fun! Small doesn’t have to mean sloppy. It can be intentional and fun, with just a casual meal and time spent with people you love.
- Fly to your favorite country & have your honeymoon there
- The best part about eloping is that you don’t have to do what everyone else does! Want to see the sunrise over Florence? Plan your elopement there and stay for your honeymoon! Want to hike a glacier in your wedding dress? Fly to Iceland and get married on said glacier!
- Take a helicopter ride
- This could literally be anywhere, from flying over glaciers in Alaska to the coastline of Hawaii. Say I do somewhere remote that you can’t access by car, by renting a helicopter! This is SUCH a fun idea if you are really looking for something unique for your wedding day. Take couples portraits with it afterwards too!
- Go snorkeling
- Dreaming of a tropical location? Go snorkeling! Do it the day before your wedding, or the day after, and have a couples session right on the beach. I always encourage my destination couples to do a second session, either before or after their wedding, with their photographer, so they have a wide selection of photos from their destination.
- Have a winter sport incorporated
- Getting married in the winter? Snowboard, snowshoe, or dogsled to your location! Be as creative as you want!
- Go Kayaking/Canoeing
- There’s nothing more fun than hopping in a canoe or kayak in your wedding attire to grab some pictures! These can be intentional, I.E., taking you somewhere for photos, or you can just paddle around and get some great pictures on the water!
- Incorporate animals
- If you love horses, go for a horseback ride as part of your day! Or tie the knot on the llama farm your grandparents run. Ride a camel across the desert, or bring your dog along for the fun. Animals are such a unique and great option for creating a special elopement for you!
- Chase waterfalls
- If you’re an avid adventurer and love waterfalls, include a hike, walk, or drive to a waterfall! Bring umbrellas for the spray, a second outfit if you want to dip in, or just pose in front of it. There are so many great options!
- Have a picnic
- Want something super simple? Just have a picnic together. This could be a blanket and picnic basket, or card games in wildflowers. Bring champagne and a charcuterie board for food!
- Make it luxury
- Eloping doesn’t have to mean skipping out on fun things like a full table spread or intimate details. You can still do the candle-and-flower-lined table with gorgeous linens and name cards. Include it! Have a coastal setup right on a cliff, or a private meal in the middle of a lush forest. Have a private cabana set up in Costa Rica. If you want luxury for your elopement, don’t be afraid to go all out!
- Make it a multi-day experience
- Most of all, make your elopement an experience! From day one to leaving, do something intentional and new each day. Plan an activity around the two of you, or family and friends you’re including. Go mudding, explore Mayan ruins, go snorkeling, hiking, skydiving, surfing, etc. Don’t hesitate to make it a dream trip and your wedding all in one!
I hope these ideas spark some ideas and excitement in you for your day! Remember, your wedding day and elopement are all about the two of you getting married!
If you’re looking to plan your elopement and need a photographer, inquire here! Check out the blog for other posts about how to plan your elopement!
