What Do You Do on the Morning of Your Elopement? (With Activity Ideas)

planning
Written By Andrea Doss

One of the ways I find elopements to be incredibly personal is what takes place during the morning portion of the day. Whether your day begins before sunrise or you decide to sleep in, there are several things you can incorporate into your elopement morning that can make the start to your day feel peaceful, enjoyable, and just plain “you.”

To start, here are 3 reasons you should consider including “getting ready” photos into your elopement!

1. You get to spend plenty of time together

When you elope, you get to spend every second together! It is your wedding day after all, so why be apart for any of it? Even if you choose to get ready separately and do a first look, the time you’d spend apart is small. Whether it’s just the two of you or you invite your family and friends along to celebrate with you, there’s no pressure to follow outdated traditions or do anything that doesn’t make you happy.

2. You can follow your normal morning routine

If there’s something the two of you typically like to do on your average morning, including that in your elopement is a really great way to infuse your personalities into your day! Do you make breakfast together? Sit and drink coffee while doing the crossword? No matter what it is, incorporating pieces of your normal routine into your elopement day helps create an experience that expresses the authenticity of your relationship.

3. You don’t have to rush

Part of what makes eloping such an enjoyable and fulfilling experience is the calmness it can bring. Getting married tends to be coupled with a lot of stress, and I think that’s the absolute last thing you should have to deal with on your wedding day. And I don’t mean you just block it out or choose to ignore it because it’s your big day—eloping can actually give you a wedding day with no stress!

Eloping vastly reduces the amount of stress you’ll have to deal with on your big day, which is a huge win in my book. While there’s certainly items you’ll need to keep track of and certain details to be remembered, crafting an elopement experience that actually excites you leaves so much more room in your brain to keep track of all the logistics. When you’re stressed, there’s a much bigger likelihood you’ll forget something or slip up on an important detail. But if the experience that lies ahead is something you’re actually looking forward to, you’ll be able to soak in every moment. And ultimately, that’s the goal with eloping anyway, right?

I offer custom timeline building in all of my photography packages which allows us to work together to plan a day that has enough space for everything you want to include! You don’t have to feel rushed to get to the next item on the agenda or feel pressured by anyone around you with all the little details.

How much time should you spend on the “getting ready” portion of your elopement?

The “getting ready” portion of your day is more than just doing hair and makeup and getting dressed. It’s about capturing the way your morning felt and how the two of you interacted. It’s about that anticipation, the underlying excitement and happy nerves the two of you will be feeling leading up to your day together. Your getting ready photos can even include writing your vows or doing a laid back activity together.

Every elopement is completely unique, and how much time your getting ready photos will take depends on a few factors: where you are (Airbnb/hotel or out in nature), whether you’re getting ready separately or together, and how much work will go into getting you ready. Generally speaking, I usually suggest reserving about 1-2 hours of your day for the getting ready portion.

Check out my blog post on how much time you need for your elopement (with timeline examples!)

What if we don’t know if we want getting ready photos or not?

I always recommend having at least some of your getting ready process documented in order to capture the full story of your elopement day. Even if the “putting on your dress” photo isn’t that important to you, I’d ask you this: when you look back on your elopement, what do you want to remember most? When you get your photos back for the first time, do you want to relive every little detail from start to finish, or would you prefer for things to begin at a later chapter of your elopement day story?

I like to tell my couples to think of it like their favorite movie. You know, that one that you know every line to and know exactly how it’s going to make you feel every time you watch it. When you look back on your elopement, would you rather jump right to your favorite part halfway through, or would you prefer to savor every minute of it, watching from beginning to end? How your elopement story is told is entirely up to you, and I think the most captivating stories are the ones you get to see from the very start.

Elopement morning activity ideas

Need some inspiration for some things you can do on your elopement morning? Here are a few activity ideas:

  • Cook breakfast together

  • Make coffee or tea together

  • Make mimosas

  • Go on a peaceful walk together before getting into your elopement attire

  • Play your favorite board game

  • Play pool or ping pong

  • Write your vows

  • Have a relaxing bubble bath or soak in a hot tub

  • Take a dip in a nearby hot spring

  • Help each other get ready

  • Get ready separately and do a first look

Your elopement is not an all-day photoshoot

One thing I want to make clear is this: the main focus of your elopement is not getting all the best photos. While that may sound counterintuitive coming from an elopement photographer, let me elaborate on what I mean.

Your elopement photos are meant to capture the feeling of your day from the very beginning to the very end. But if the thought of having your picture taken all day long feels scary, you’re not alone. I’m pretty uncomfortable in front of a camera too, and I want to ease the nerves you may be feeling right now by telling you I do not just show up and take thousands of photos of you all day. I capture things from a documentary, journalistic perspective, highly prioritizing a hands-off approach. That doesn’t mean I won’t guide you or help you figure out what to do in front of the camera, rather I simply try to document your day from a “fly on the wall” POV. Part of how this is achieved is with a really great timeline, getting to know the two of you personally throughout the planning process, and gaining an understanding the kind of elopement experience the two of you really want.

Your elopement is all about you, your relationship, and the love you share. Amazing photos are part of it, but what’s most important is that the two of you get to experience a day that completely fulfills you. Expressing the authenticity of your relationship and making sure you’re taken care of all day long are my highest priorities, and I believe great photos are simply a result of that connection.

In terms of getting ready photos, I know the idea of having a camera in your face first thing in the morning sounds intimidating and unpleasant and believe me, I’d feel the exact same. So, when I arrive to your location on your elopement day, the first thing I’m going to do is give you a huge hug—no cameras! We’ll have been communicating for a long time about your elopement, and at this point, we’re going to be pretty great friends. Meeting in person for the first time is one of my absolute favorite feelings; there’s just not a whole lot that matches it (well, maybe except for the moment you two officially get married. That’s pretty dang exciting.)

I always like to give the two of you a little bit of time to get comfortable with me being around with my cameras before I take a single picture of either of you (I’m seriously just a goofy weirdo so there’s absolutely no reason to feel intimated, promise), so typically the first thing I’ll take photos of is your details. This would include things like your rings, shoes, dress and suit, bouquet, vow books, jewelry, and any other special items you’re including in your day. During that time, the two of you can be doing the basic getting ready prep like starting on hair and makeup or warming up for your day with a cup of your favorite coffee or tea.

How you get ready for your elopement sets the tone for your entire day

Whether you’re incredibly excited for the beginning portion of your elopement day or you feel a little nervous about it, what matters most is that it creates an atmosphere the two of you can be comfortable in. I really mean it when I say I want you to be able to look back on your elopement experience with zero regrets, and attaining that kind of euphoric memory begins with a good morning with the love of your life.


Ready to begin planning your own elopement experience? Get in touch with me and let’s make your wedding day dreams a reality.

Andrea Doss https://andreadossphoto.com
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