And do it with us ;)
The beautiful thing about eloping is that there is no solid definition, no "traditional" way to do it. You can spend your day hiking, you can spend it in the clubs, you can wake up at 3 am to watch the sunrise over your favorite peak, grab a breakfast burrito, and be back in bed by 11 am if you want! The point is that your elopement day is whatever you make it.
The way you spend your wedding day is SO important and shouldn't be spent only doing traditions you feel required to do instead of things you actually want to do. Joel and I spent our elopement day hiking, eating muffins, and going swimming. We've had elopements where we went to Disneyland, elopements where we went hiking all day, elopements where we stayed at their Airbnb and made a home cooked dinner. So here is a bit of a tip on how to elope, where to elope, and why to elope.
How to Elope
It can be overstimulating at first once you've decided that you are going to elope instead if forego the traditional, big wedding. Even though you've decided to make your wedding smaller, it almost seems bigger because ALL options are on the table.
The things that are required to elope are :
- A Marriage License
- Just you two (and us, of course)
- A Location
- An Officiant (we can also officiate for you!)
- The Ability to be Madly in Love
Everything else is completely optional! When you book with us, we are EXTREMELY hands on in the elopement planning process, as many other elopement-specialized photographer and videographers are.
Most elopements we shoot are international or National Park based. With this, we can help you get the permits you need and show you a bit of the ropes! With some international elopements, it might be better to sign all the legal paperwork at your courthouse before leaving the country! This definitely makes the whole process easier, but it is completely possible to still get all the legal stuff done outside the country.
Now that all the necessities are covered, you can begin adding in things like :
- Outfits! Whether that's a dress, suit, or something in between
- Activites or an Itinerary
- Flowers! You don't need much at all (you don't even need any!)
- Small, meaningful details you want included (family heirlooms?)
- Your Vows!
- Hair + Makeup Stylist (or you can do it yourself)
None of these are required! All you need is what you want. If you aren't a flower person, ditch the flowers! If you love love love a good cocktail, bring a homemade one or plan to go out for drinks! At the end of the day, all you need is love and a license. Then you are ready to go!
Where to Elope
There are so many different places, the world is your playground. It is crazy how important the setting is for the rest of your day. Where you find yourself is going to shape what you do, when you wake up, what you wear, what your photos look like, how you feel, literally everything!
If you have a specific activity you want to do, maybe you're a hiker for example, locations like Patagonia, Scotland, Oregon, and Utah might be the spot for you to elope!
Maybe you're water-bug so locations like Greece, California, and Iceland are a better fit for you to spend your day doing what you love.
The beautiful thing is that, whatever your vibe is, we can find a place here in the United States or somewhere International that fits what you need. Want the greek vibe, but can't afford to travel so far? Check out Catalina Island! Want the beautiful waterfalls and moody vibes of Scotland, but can't get your passport in time? Check out literally anywhere in Oregon. Want Patagonia, but scared to travel internationally? The Tetons are an amazing replacement.
If you don't know exactly where you are wanting to go, that is what we are here for! We have so many locations that have been personally scouted and are incredible with google maps snooping, so we will always be able to find exactly what you need.
Why Elope
I will say this, I have never ever heard anyone who eloped say "Wow. I really regret eloping and wish I spent the day talking to my dad's old boss" but I HAVE heard newlyweds tell me that they wish they had just eloped instead of having a 200 guest wedding.
Of course, if your heart is dead-set on the Traditional Wedding... don't elope!! If you really don't feel it is the best fit for you, maybe it isn't. But, if you are convinced you want to elope, or are on the fence about it, there are so many reasons to decide to elope.
You get to spend the day with the person you are marrying instead of people you never talk to.
You get to lose the stress of planning napkins, menus, and groomsmen tuxes and can actually enjoy being engaged.
You can go somewhere INCREDIBLE and make a whole trip out of it.
You can feel at home doing what you love instead of posing for 500 family photos.
You can say what you actually want to say in your vows instead of making them crowd friendly to speak to everyone else.
There are so many reasons to elope and the great thing is that every couple has their own unique reasoning for it. Whether it's to ease stress, build excitement, open the door for romance and connection, there is never a bad reason to elope.
If you are ready to get the ball rolling, head over to our Contact Page and let's get to planning!
