You want an elopement day that feels like you – a day where you can slow down and be fully present with each other. You’ve chosen to elope somewhere beautiful and meaningful for the two of you, now it’s time to plan an intentional elopement that allows you to get married on your terms. 

Written by an elopement photographer who helps couples plan intentional elopements, this guide will help you plan a day that helps you feel grounded and connected.

How Do You Want to Feel During Your Elopement?

It’s important to start your elopement planning with your relationship at the top of your mind. Think about what helps you feel most grounded and close to each other. Do you thrive on quiet time together, a faster-paced adventure, or something else? 

Once you answer these questions, it can help you see what kinds of locations, timeline pacing, and activities to incorporate into your elopement. 

Tip: When you prioritize how you feel during your elopement, the epic photos will follow.

Be Intentional With the Location You Choose for Your Elopement

Your location(s) should support you both in feeling present and at ease during your elopement. 

• How your location(s) should make you feel: present, engaged, peaceful, impressed, connected, free, joyful, grounded, care-free
• How your location(s) shouldn’t make you feel: anxious, overstimulated, unimpressed, unhappy, overwhelmed

Often, natural locations can help evoke the more positive feelings I listed. That’s because in those locations, you can often slow down and connect with each other. You’re likely to be in an uncrowded location with beautiful views and the sounds of nature. 

Location guidance is something I help with as your elopement photographer, especially if you are unfamiliar with your elopement location. I can let you know the vibe of each location, anticipated privacy levels, and more. 

Prioritize Connection During Your Elopement

Your elopement isn’t just a wedding transplanted to a more beautiful location. It’s an opportunity to celebrate entirely on your terms, and you get to include only the activities and traditions that feel right to you.

It’s also important that your day doesn’t feel like a glorified photoshoot, which is why I always recommend including activities that bring you joy and make the day feel uniquely you.

Here are some example elopement moments that can help prioritize connection:

• Spend a quiet morning together getting ready. Start the day cuddling on the couch, making breakfast together, or sharing a cup of coffee. Picture your perfect morning together and incorporate that into your elopement day.
• Write vows together. Before getting dressed in your elopement attire, spend some time writing your vows together and thinking about how much you love each other. This is a super sweet way to start the day and can help you start focusing intentionally on your connection.
• Share private vows together with only the sounds of nature around. One reason you are probably eloping is that the idea of saying your vows in front of a crowd makes you feel super uncomfortable. Take this opportunity to say your vows privately in nature with only the two of you listening.
• Do something you love together. Whether that’s playing a favorite boardgame, kayaking, or birdwatching, it’s okay to incorporate non-traditional activities into your elopement day. Think about all your favorite things you love to do together and see what you can incorporate.

The key here is to focus on doing things together, not rushing from location to location to get more photos.

Choose the Best Adventure Level For the Two of You

Sometimes when couples think of adventure elopements, they assume you have to do some pretty extreme hiking or intense adventuring. That is not the case at all (though you are certainly welcome to if that’s your vibe). You can keep things moderately adventurous or not really adventurous at all. There’s truly something for everyone in the adventure elopement realm. 

Just remember that the goal here is connection. Choose a day that suits your adventure level and prioritizes your comfort. 

When I location scout, I make note of the adventure level of each location/trail. As your elopement photographer, I have suggestions for everything from trails that are wheelchair accessible to trails that require that more extreme adventure level.

Leave Room in Your Timeline

Part of having an intentional elopement day is leaving extra room to breathe in the timeline. You don’t want to be rushing to different locations (that’s why you’re eloping and not having a wedding…). Instead, it’s okay to plan fewer moments and give yourselves space to just be and soak up the emotion of your elopement.

Choose an Elopement Photographer Who Supports a Calm, Intentional Experience

For many elopements, it’s just you as the couple and your photographer. That means it’s super important that your photographer understand what eloping means for you and the kind of day you’d like to have. It’s also important that you vibe well and are a good energy match for each other. 

I always recommend couples work with someone who:

• Understands adventure elopements and is able to adventure with you
• Is comfortable with the kind of day you want to have (that could mean something super specific like being comfortable with dogs if you want to have your pups along, or it could be something more conceptual like being someone who knows your experience is most important and the photos will follow)
• Knows how to let you chill and enjoy your day without rushing

If you want to work with a photographer who has eloped and understands these things, you can learn more about my elopement photography and planning services here.

Free Yourself of Expectations

Full transparency, it rained my ENTIRE elopement day. We had maybe an hour of no rain in a ten hour day. But I still consider the day we had perfect. We spent intentional time together doing things we loved and we had so much fun despite the weather. 

So free yourself of expectations of what your day should be, and just allow it to be. Weather, emotions, and pace don’t need to be controlled (and often cannot be controlled). Prioritize being present with each other over chasing perfection, and remember the most meaningful moments often aren’t planned (like how my favorite photo from my own elopement is of my husband and I laughing and sliding through pure mud).

Get Help Planning Your Intentional Elopement

Whether you’re just starting to explore the idea of eloping or already have a vision in mind, I’m here to help you plan an elopement that feels effortless and true to you. I help couples with everything from choosing locations to planning activities and building an elopement timeline. Reach out here to get started.