10 Ways to Have a Special & Memorable Elopement

planning
Written By Andrea Doss

Odds are, one of the reasons you’re thinking of eloping is that you want a more personal wedding day experience. If you don’t know where to begin when it comes to planning, you might be feeling some pressure on how to make it as intentional and meaningful as it can be.

Every elopement is unique, special, and meaningful in its own way, and yours will be too if you consider my 10 tips to make your elopement memorable!

Tip 1: Choose a location that matches your vision

Choosing a location for your elopement is one of the first steps in the planning process, and it carries a lot of weight in the kind of experience you’re going to have. Every location varies in weather, climate, accessibility, and the overall atmosphere you’ll experience on your elopement day, so it matters that you choose a place that can live up to the kind of day you’re envisioning.


In a practical sense, you’re not going to be able to enjoy your elopement if it’s miserably hot, for example. So, if you picture yourself standing beneath one of the beautiful rock formations in the desert while you say your vows, consider eloping there in the fall or winter when the weather is more pleasant!


In an emotional sense, some locations might have a certain memory or feeling that matters to you to experience on your elopement day. Whether it’s a place the two of you have traveled together or a place you’ve always felt drawn to, I believe there should be a certain level of inspiration connected with your elopement location. For example, I’m not a tropical weather gal, so if I chose a Florida beach for my elopement, I probably wouldn’t enjoy it nearly as much as if I were somewhere with mountains as I’ve loved mountains since I was a little girl. Follow your natural intuition and select a location that feels right, and we’ll figure out the details from there!

Tip 2: Create a day filled with intentional experiences

Imagine you wake up to the sound of your phone playing a gentle wake-up song as you lay in the bed of your Airbnb. The sun isn’t up yet, but you’re wide awake. The two of you begin making your way to the kitchen, where you start cooking some breakfast together in your pajamas. Just as the food begins sizzling, you hear a knock at the door. You smile at each other; you know exactly who it is. When you open up the door to see your elopement photographer standing there (that’s me!), you begin to feel the excitement. This day really is real. The two of you continue with your slow, quiet morning together while I photograph your details and your wedding attire before you get dressed. As you help each other get ready, I’m quietly snapping away, documenting every special moment the two of you are sharing from a journalistic, fly-on-the-wall perspective. You smile, knowing you’re just minutes away from heading out for your sunrise ceremony, realizing this is just the beginning of an already perfect day.

Having an intentional elopement day is about choosing each event for a meaningful reason. If the two of you don’t want to spend a single moment apart, you can help each other get ready and not do the first look. Or if you’re picturing the surprise of seeing each other for the first time all put together, go ahead and include it! Intentional elopements create space for you to take in each and every moment without feeling pressure to do things a certain way, or fear that you don’t have enough time to really savor each moment.

When thinking of the kinds of events you want to include in your day to create space for that organic, interactive connection between the two of you, think through these questions:

  • Is there anything the two of you have always talked about doing together, like off-roading or kayaking?

  • Is there an activity you already enjoy doing together, like hiking or rock climbing?

  • Is there something you’ve always pictured yourself doing on your wedding day?

  • Do you want a balance between adventure and calm? Do you want your whole day to feel exciting? Low-key?

Tip 3: Invite only the people you want present to share in your joy

Wedding horror stories often go back to a person or people causing some kind of drama, and you deserve so much better than that for your elopement.

I also want to say that even if you have wonderful relationships with A+ human beings, you still may feel more excited about the idea of having your elopement be just the two of you. That is absolutely okay. Just because you love your people doesn’t mean you necessarily want them there for such vulnerable and intimate moments, and there’s nothing wrong with that.

For some ideas on how to include your family & friends into your elopement (whether they’re physically present or not), check out this post.

Tip 4: Incorporate things you enjoy & let your relationship story be told

If I asked you what your perfect date day looked like, what sort of things come to mind?

My husband and I often love to wind down in the evenings by playing a few games of chess. Do you have an activity the two of you love doing just for fun? Is there something you’ve been doing since you started dating that has become a regular part of your relationship? Do you have a “Saturday morning routine” you’d like to do on the morning of your elopement? Is there an activity you’ve both always wanted to try? Your elopement is the perfect time for all these things!

All elopements are special and unique simply because every couple is special and unique, but yours can be even more personal if you incorporate things that feel the most “you.” The story of your elopement day goes beyond simply spending the day in a beautiful location and having photos taken while you say your vows. It stretches all the way back to the first day you met, through the ups and downs over the years, the day you decided you were going to commit your lives to one another, the process leading up to you choosing an elopement over a big wedding—your elopement encompasses your entire relationship story. It’s my job to tell it well, and the best way for that to be made possible is by the two of you creating a day that honestly reflects who you are.

Tip 5: Hire a photographer who can capture your day

This is where I come in! Hiring a photographer who knows how to tell the story of your elopement in an authentic, emotive way is one of the best ways you can ensure your elopement story will live on forever, as well as confidence that your day will be fulfilling and meaningful. I photograph my couples’ elopement days, as well as help plan so your entire day is intentional and thought out from start to finish (that’s the hack on how to get the best photos!)

You’re creating this entire elopement experience because you believe your wedding day should be really meaningful, and one of the most practical ways to make that happen is to intentionally hire vendors who can see your vision through.

Tip 6: Put your money towards the things you care about most

What makes your elopement special isn’t the “stuff” you include or how much money you spend. But, if you have a certain vision, you should see it through! One of my mantras is, “You deserve a day you can look back on with zero regrets.” I really, really believe that, and one of the ways I see couples do that is by not compromising on the things they want for their elopement.

Elopements are different from big weddings because even if you do spend the same amount you would for a big wedding, you’re getting a more intentional and quality overall experience. Your budget is being allocated very differently from a big wedding, which results in a better day all around for the two of you because you get to decide where to prioritize your money.

What if you allowed yourself to buy your dream dress, booked an aesthetic Airbnb that gave you a view of the mountains you’ll be eloping in front of, and hired a photographer who can capture it all with a documentary, storytelling approach? Remember, you deserve a day you can look back on with zero regrets, so don’t be afraid to go all in on the things that matter most to you!

Tip 7: Make your elopement a full-day or multi-day experience

I think one of the absolute best parts of an elopement is that feeling of calmness—the sense that no one’s in a hurry. Even if you’re having a day filled with exciting events, you’re not rushed or anxious because a full-day elopement gives you room to breathe. Expectations get thrown out the window, and you get to do what you want for yourselves and no one else. A full-day elopement ensures the story of your day is told completely, from the two of you getting ready to the last dance you share at the end of the night beneath the stars. How freaking romantic is that?

A multi-day elopement takes that up a notch, creating all the room you need to have a true-to-you adventure. Whether you spend one day with just each other and the next with your families, or you go on a 3-day backpacking trip into the wilderness, a multi-day elopement is a perfect opportunity to have a really unique experience together!

Just remember that no matter how long your elopement is, it’s not an all-day photoshoot, don’t worry! You’ll have plenty of room to enjoy your day & interact naturally without pressure to pose. I like to schedule between 30 minutes to 2 hours of “portraits” for my couples depending on the length of the day, and that looks more like the two of you exploring the environment and simply enjoying your time together rather than a set of pre-determined poses. You’re an outside-the-box couple, and you deserve an outside-the-box elopement.

See a full-day elopement timeline example here.

Tip 8: Deck out your adventure gear

Picture the traditional “Just Married” on the back of the car with the cans as a couple drives away from their wedding reception—Decking out your adventure gear is the same vibe, but way more fun!

Here are a few ideas to help you brainstorm how you can personalize your own gear for your elopement:

Couple Laughing in a Lake

Tip 9: Do something completely wild

To put the cherry on top of a truly exciting, memorable, unique elopement, consider doing something completely wild! This could be jumping into a lake (where allowed & safe), taking a helicopter to a remote glacier in Alaska, soaking in a hot spring, getting matching tattoos, or anything else that would make you feel totally free and alive on your elopement day.

While it may sound counterintuitive, creating space for these seemingly spontaneous moments actually starts in the planning process. If you have an idea, no matter how crazy it may seem, you should definitely bring it up early on! Since there will likely be some logistics involved in doing something like this, we’ll want to make sure we get all our ducks in a row so your vision can come to life. The earlier the better, so if you have a crazy idea for your elopement, go ahead and let me know in your inquiry or during our consultation call and I’ll do everything I can to help you make that dream a reality!

Tip 10: Don’t overthink it

While you may be feeling some pressure to live up to the expectation of what you see on Pinterest or Instagram, what matters at the end of the day is that your elopement feels true to you. Nothing you do should be to please other people, and it should leave you feeling so fulfilled and happy that you can’t stop smiling for days after. Someone else’s elopement vision isn’t going to give you that feeling, so just do what feels right for you and let yourself enjoy your day to the fullest. Your relationship story is about to turn to a new chapter, and the two of you deserve a day filled with all the things you want most.

Ready to make that day a reality? Just reach out and we’ll get started planning!

Andrea Doss https://andreadossphoto.com
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