If you aren’t sure how to plan your elopement, these easy steps should help you get started in the right direction. Planning a small or destination elopement doesn’t have to be the logistical nightmare it sounds like. It doesn’t mean you can’t get a gorgeous wedding dress, and it doesn’t mean you have to spend ‘beaucoup’ amounts of money to make it happen. You can do whatever you want, whenever you want, wherever you want! Whatever defines you two as a couple. And I’m here to help you make it happen.
“ACTUALLY, THE BEST GIFT YOU COULD HAVE GIVEN HER WAS A LIFETIME OF ADVENTURE”
– LEWIS CARROLL, ALICE IN WONDERLAND
So, you’ve decided to elope. To hell with giant wedding traditions, let’s start small wedding traditions!
I’ll make up an example and walk through everything I can think of that will get you on the right track to planning the most incredible day of your life.
1. Let’s pick a place first.
Whether it’s meaningful to you or it’s just the next place on your bucket list, you have the entire world to choose from. The best part about a destination elopement, aside from what I’ve already pointed out, is that it’s an adventure you get to plan together. Pick a spot for your ceremony, and go on a hike or a road trip to explore the country. Take a few weeks off and couple it with your honeymoon. I’ll choose Ireland for this example.
2. Now for the ceremony spot.
The Cliffs of Moher are pretty epic, and there are other locations like the Gap of Dunloe or Wicklow National Park that are just as breath-taking. Use Instagram and Pinterest for inspiration on ceremony locations. Once you have that nailed down, you’ll then want to find out if you need any sort of permit to do the ceremony. Typically for national parks, permits are required and some places will only allow one ceremony per day (hint: weekdays during slow seasons are usually open). A few more things to check on when you’re nailing down dates: average temperature during that time of year and some cities totally shut down during off-season, so be sure you can access roads and accommodation.
3. The photographer.
While you’re googling, instagramming, and pinning, keep an eye out for great photographers. You’ll want to start looking for one ASAP, since they typically get booked a year in advance for weddings and several months before for elopements. Find people who’s style you resonate with, the ones willing to travel and have traveled. You might like light, bright, and posed or dark, moody and candid. Whatever it is, find someone you love and invest in them.
I can’t stress enough how important the photography aspect of eloping is, but this goes for weddings in general. It’s the only thing you’ll really get to share from your ceremony with everyone. And it’s the number one thing people regret not spending more on. I’m not just saying that because we’re photographers. I’m saying that as a bride that eloped and happily splurged for my favorite photographer. My wedding photos mean the world to me and to my family. You won’t be spending the money to decorate an entire hall and feed 400 people. You get to put your money into what really matters and telling your story the way you want it to be told is one of those things.
If you would like to know more about how we plan and shoot, our style, and how we tell each couple’s unique story, you can read more about us HERE or get in touch. (Hint: your photographer can also help with ceremony locations and planning, don’t be afraid to ask. They can also act as witnesses to sign your marriage certificate if it’s just the two of you.)
4. An officiant is another important factor.
With a quick google search, I’m absolutely certain you can find someone local, or if you’re having a few friends attend, maybe one could get ordained for your ceremony. There are options here, it will just take some searching. We’ve also had people exchange vows on clifftops, and just go to the courthouse to make it official.
5. Next, flowers and details.
You can always hire a stylist/planner to help you with all of this, and they’ll probably have the network and resources for everything you need already. I would definitely recommend one if you want a gorgeous setup with all the pretty things. Instagram is a great resource for this. But, let’s go simple for the sake of this example.
All you really need are flowers for the two of you – bouquet / flower crown / boutonniere. Check out a few florists nearby, maybe even in the next city, and get a couple of quotes. The same thing goes for hair and makeup. You can do it yourself, or find someone locally.
6. While you wait for those, figure out the dress and suit.
If you’re on a budget, there are several places now online with affordable bridal collections like Lulus and ASOS. You could even check out Poshmark for used wedding dresses. To be honest, I ordered a dress from Lulus thinking I didn’t want anything fancy since I was eloping. The more I thought about it though, I realized I wanted an actual wedding dress. So, I went to a local bridal shop and found the one. And, it was so worth it!
For suits, I would suggest buying one. Suit rentals cost a couple hundred dollars, and they’re typically not tailored well. Ben went to Men’s Warehouse, which has great deals throughout the year, bought a suit and had it tailored for a few hundred bucks. He wears that suit to everything now and it looks mighty fine on him. (Hint: if you’re hiking for your elopement, you could always hike in normal activewear and change once you get the ceremony location – that will make for some interesting “getting ready” photos.)
7. After the ceremony
If you’ve eloped with with a few family members and friends as witnesses, you can plan to have dinner somewhere nearby or, for the sake of our example, at a real Irish Pub! If it’s just the two of you, you can do whatever. Go straight back to you room, order pizza, and have each other for dessert. My point is, it’s completely up to you.
Location: Ireland
Ceremony spot: Cliffs of Moher (check peak season/times, weather, permits, road conditions, etc)
Photographer: @benxvicky
Officiant: Local or friend
HMU: Yourself or local
Planner/stylist/florist: Google search for closest boutiques, ask for quotes
Wedding dress: Rue de Seine
Suit: Kenneth Cole
Witnesses: photographer or friends
Dinner: Irish pub or takeout
Road trip afterward: Ring of Kerry, Wicklow National Park, Dublin
Okay, so I’ve run through most of what you’ll have to consider when planning a destination elopement. Now, for the honeymoon adventurers. If I had to choose, I would take a couple weeks off, rent a car, and explore Ireland’s amazing coastline, drive the Ring of Kerry, do a hike in Wicklow, maybe even stay a couple of nights in Dublin.
Hope this helps!
xx Vicky
