So you’ve made up your mind. You’re going to throw tradition to the wind and have your dream elopement instead! Congratulations! I couldn’t be more excited for the two of you. But as a destination elopement photographer, I know the anxiety that can come with planning an elopement due to the lack of guidelines or an elopement planning checklist for you.

So while it’s liberating to free yourself from the checklists and the “must do’s” of a traditional wedding, it can also be stressful!

It may feel as though the pressure is solely on the two of you to remember all the legalities. And the anxiety may even be worse if your elopement is out of state.

But I’m here to help!

Welcome to my elopement planning checklist of what to NOT forget!

In my experience, these 8 things on my elopement planning checklist are the top things that couples will forget to take into consideration. Or things that throw a wrench in the works because the aren’t done as far in advance as they need to be!

The top thing I would put on your elopement planning checklist is Timeline Development

Part of the joy of eloping is the stress free allure of breaking from the traditionalism. But I like to emphasize the importance of cementing this aspect of a timeline into your day. If you don’t organize your thoughts your mind will be in chaos. Similarly, if you don’t organize what time things will take place, how long they will take, the order of your locations and so on, you’ll be running behind and left with a chaotic day.

So how do you develop a timeline?

Make sure to sit down and ask yourself HOW you want your day to develop.

Such as:

Is hiking required?
What time is sunrise?
What time is sunset?
How long will hair and makeup take?
How long do I want my ceremony to be?
What is the weather like in this location this time of year?

Also I think it’s important to leave time in your day for those moments of spontaneity!

Here is a example of an 8 hour timeline:

12:30pm: Let’s get ready! Your hair, makeup, getting dressed, all the fun beauty things.
1:50pm: Start heading over to the first look location
2:00pm: Your emotional first look
2:15pm: Head over to the ceremony location, take amazing photos along the way.
2:45pm: Ceremony time
3:15pm: Time for a picnic! Bring finger foods like cheese and crackers. Bring your favorite bottle of wine or that aged bourbon you’ve been waiting to open.
4:00pm: explore, adventure, all the epic location photos
6:00pm: Golden sunset and the final portraits for the night.
7:00pm: hop back in your car with “just married” written on the back window and head back to your Airbnb
8:00pm: Back at the Airbnb, you enjoy some champagne and desert or maybe a bonfire in the yard
8:30pm: we say our goodbyes and I get out of your hair.

Obviously, timeline are unique and fully up to what will work for your vision! I’m happy to help talk through specifics and come up with at timeline that works for you!

Required Permits

Depending on your ceremony location, you might need a permit, especially for ceremonies in National Parks or National Forests! So how do you find out if the National Park/Forest or other location you chose requires a permit? Check on the National Park Service Website for the most accurate up to date information! More and more National Parks are requiring permits and reservations that must be approved so true spontaneity is kind of going to the wayside and some planning is required.

National parks aren’t the only locations that will need a permit! Beach weddings, resort weddings, or most ceremonies on state property will also need a permit.

This is one that you will not want to leave for the last minute. Some locations have limits for how long before the ceremony you have to apply for the permit to be able to get married on that day. It would be such a bummer to have to change your date or your location because of an oversight!

Officiant

This depends on where you’re planning to elope and whether your elopement day is symbolic or your legal ceremony. Some states will require you to have an officiant on your wedding day if you want to be legally recognized as married. Some require a judge or minister to be your officiant.

And there are 4 states that recognize self-solemnizing as a legal option!

Self solemnizing is legal in Colorado, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Washington DC. Now, you will still have to go through the process of filling out your marriage license and filing it with the state. But you get to sign as your own officiants!

If you want to elope in a state that isn’t on the self solemnizing list but you still aren’t keen on the idea of having a stranger marry you, you still have some options.

You can choose for your officiant to be a family members, a friend, or someone else who is important in your lives. That way you are freed from the potential awkwardness of having a stranger be such a big part of your wedding day! Another option is a commitment ceremony during your elopement! Meaning you leave the legalities to another day and your elopement is more symbolic in nature.

Marriage license requirements

Lucky for you, getting your marriage license is relatively easy.

For most states there’s no waiting period for your marriage license or for being able to use it. But, a few still have a 3 day waiting period, (whether it’s between applying for the license and receiving it or between getting your license and getting married.) For all the laws surrounding wedding licenses check out the U.S. Marriage Laws Website!

You’ll definitely want to make sure you aren’t filing too soon or too late, so be sure to check the time limits.

Next on the elopement planning checklist is pack Safety gear for your adventure elopement

Most adventure elopements have a hiking aspect to them! And because of that they share a few things on the list of essentials.

Here are a few that you will need to pack with you:

Hiking boots
Flashlights or headlamps
Comfortable backpack
Matches, lighter or a fire-starter
Map of the trail or a Compass
Water and Snacks
Pocket knife and a First aid kit
Sunscreen and Bug spray
Waterproof bag or ziplocks
Blanket or a carpet
emergency tarp or tent for the weather and a changing tent
Battery pack for phone
Candles
Deodorant
Tissues

Leave No Trace principles

What exactly are the “Leave No Trace” principles? Simply put it means leave what you find and leave no trace you were there.

It encourages us to minimize site alterations by avoiding things such as digging tent trenches, cutting branches from live trees, hammering nails into trees to hang things, clearing an area of rocks or twigs, or removing other natural items that you found there.

The seven principles are:

Plan ahead and prepare
Travel and camp on durable surfaces
Dispose of waste properly
Leave what you find
Minimize campfire impacts
Respect wildlife
Be considerate of others

Pack outfits that match your scenery according to your elopement.

Just like with your timeline (and most everything else on this elopement planning checklist) you have to take the location into consideration when packing and planning your outfits for the different parts of the day.

For example, say you have to hike 5 miles before you get to your ceremony location. wear workout clothes for the hike so you don’t get your dress all sweaty and instead pack wedding dress to change at the location.

Pack shoes that will keep your feet comfortable and safe from getting hurt by things on the trail. High heels will most likely not be your best bet for an adventure elopement, hiking shoes will be your best friend! And pick the rest of your attire with that in mind as well! (We’ll talk more about elopement attire soon!)

And my last elopement planning checklist point is to find and research Vendors in your elopement location

When it comes to vendors for your elopement, you might be surprised to realize that you can still have as many as you would for a traditional wedding. This is all depending on your personal taste and needs.

Because you will be selecting your vendors off of their online presence, you will need to be very diligent in your research. Check reviews, check their Instagram, their website, and schedule a call to get to chat with them!

Some vendors you’ll want to be sure to check into are:

Florist
Hair and makeup artists
A travel planner for your airbnb or hotel
Videographer
Private caterer or nice restaurant to end your elopement
And there might be some others depending on your location restrictions or your particular dreams!
Such as:
Musicians
Live painters
Elopement Planners

And that’s all!

My top 8 things to keep on your mind when planning your elopement. If you have any questions on this elopement planning checklist don’t hesitate to drop a comment below or contact me here.

And happy elopement planning!