In this post, I'm going to share my favorite do's and don'ts for the best elopements. Gone are the days that eloping meant running away last minute to get married. Times have changed and nowadays couples are turning to eloping as a choice for a lot of reasons.
Some of the reasons couples elope today are:
- they're less stressful then the traditional wedding
- more romantic and intimate
- you have the "just us" experience beyond the 30 minutes allotted for newly weds
- more economical
- you can combine your honeymoon
Not enough time to prepare for your elopement
Try to plan at least 9 months to a year in advance. That way you have time to do all the logistics. If you're having a destination elopement, you'll find cheaper flights and hotels if booked early. You'll also have more availability with preferred vendors and venues. For example, some of the best photographers are booked 1-2 years in advance.
You also need time to get permits and licenses so you want enough time to iron out any issues you might run into. If you're jetting off to an exotic location, you want to check the local laws and make sure everything is valid in your country or state.
ELOPING DO'S AND DON'TS: DON"T ARRIVE AT YOUR LOCATION LAST MINUTE
Let's say you're eloping to Italy from USA. There are 6-9 hours of time change and you'll probably have some jet-lag. You want to be fresh on your wedding day. You'll also want to have some time to get acquainted with the area and have time do any last minute fix-ups like iron your dress.
If possible, try to meet with your vendors especially with your photographer before your elopement day.
My suggestion is to arrive at the destination at least 2-3 days before your elopement.
DO HAVE A COHESIVE THEME
To have everything cohesive, you want to try to blend with the environment both for colors and textures. Try to stick to 2-3 overall colors. Look at the destination of choice and see the natural colors are.
For example, Positano is all about pastel colors. Kauai is colorful with lots of vivid greens, reds and blues. Rome is more elegant and neutral.
My suggestion is start with a basic theme and then elaborate. Do you want a boho, classic, romantic or minimalist styled elopement? Then ask what would look best at the location or venue?
I highly recommend buying your dress and the attire after you have chosen your location. I've seen way to many dresses that just clash with everything and the reason is that bought the dress first thing before booking the venue. Colors are completely off and so is the style.
Every detail should be intentional especially for an elopement.
(If you want to DIY, then I created an online course called "DESIGNING YOUR DREAM ELOPEMENT" which will help you plan step-by-step the elopement of your dreams. One that resonates with you as a couple instead of the cookie-cutter elopement packages that flood the market).
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AVOID WEEKENDS & HIGH SEASON
Elopements are all about intimacy so want to avoid weekends. For popular locations like the Amalfi Coast, Santorini or Kauai, you want to avoid the high season as they tend to get flooded with tourists.
DO research of the destination
If you planning to extend your elopement and include your honeymoon (the best), research places to eat and fun activities to do on your honeymoon.
Find out what will the weather be like?
If you're traveling to a foreign country, try mingle with the locals and avoid being a tourist. Time permitting, try to learn a bit of their language as well - at least a few phrases. Duolingo is a great app to learn some keywords.
ELOPING DO'S AND DON'TS: DON'T DOWNPLAY YOUR ELOPEMENT
Splurge on what is important to you. Buy your dream dress, get a beautiful bouquet with your favorite flowers. Enjoy the whole day with a beginning and end your day with a candlelight dinner for two.
Don't have a cookie-cutter elopement even if you are on a budget. Make your intimate wedding as personalized as a big, traditional wedding! You want to make your day truly your own and do what you love to do.
Incorporate your values.
Lastly, hire a photographer who knows the area. If the photographer is local, make sure they speak your language so that you understand them (vital for obvious reasons). You should not only like their photography but also like them as a person as they'll be with you the whole day. To have natural and authentic photos, you need to feel at ease with your photographer.
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