How to have an all day Elopement

In the day and age of adventure elopements the idea that an elopement has to be just a courthouse appointment and a quick photo shoot after is no longer the norm. We see a variety of couples opting for an all day elopement, choosing to say their vows in a scenic location or combining their wedding day with the honeymoon. 

With COVID numbers rising again it’s not hard to see why some couples are opting for an elopement. Traditional weddings are a lot of stress with strict timelines and the seemingly endless amount of small details, an elopement- naturally- comes with less stress.

If you love everything about eloping but still want to include family, there are ways to elope with few guests in scenic locations like national parks, however it is important to keep in mind special use permits (the kind required for elopements) typically only allow up to 10 people. So if you have larger families a better alternative may be to invite them to dinner after the ceremony, or hold a reception after the elopement entirely.

When planning an all day elopement a lot of people often wonder what to do all day, we like to ask our couples what their perfect day together would look like. If they could do anything for all day for one day what would they do? And from there we build a timeline of activities to do before and after the ceremony takes place. Simple things like a picnic or stargazing, can become meaningful ways to spend time together on your wedding day, especially if you’ve traveled somewhere with amazing views.

If you’re wondering what an All day Elopement Timeline looks like, below there are example timelines for 6, 8, and even 12 hour elopement days.

This elopement is still short and sweet but follows more of a traditional timeline. Allowing buffer room when writing your elopement timeline is key, ensuring enough time to get to and from locations is vital.

Our most popular elopement we capture is 8 hours. This timeline allows for as little or as much as the couple wants to do on their wedding say. While we kept these timelines more intimate, one of the benefits of an 8 hour elopement is family and friends can still be at the ceremony and there will be enough time for family portraits as well as couples.

This timeline is more traditional with more activities and family involvement. However we added in a few still private and intimate moments just for the two of you! A 12 hour elopement day may seem long but a traditional wedding day is anywhere from 10-12 hours from beginning to end.

Although traditional elopements are seen as just a courthouse ceremony, adventure elopements are more unique and personal to the couple. Some couples choose to include activities like rock climbing or hiking while others opt for more simple and relaxed activities like a picnic together or swimming on the beach.

The best part about eloping is that there is no standard of what to do. Adventure elopements are designed for those who want to celebrate their love without all of the many many details of traditional weddings. If you prefer a more intimate elopement and then a reception with family and friends at a later date that works too! Like we said your elopement day is meant to be a celebration of your love and you can include as much or as little as you want.