How to Plan an Elopement – Your Sample Elopement Timelines
How Do You Make an Elopement Timeline?
Are you diving into planning your elopement but feeling overwhelmed by where to start with your timeline? While planning should be thrilling and fun, it’s common to encounter various forms of stress along the way. Just because you’ve opted out of a traditional wedding doesn’t mean you’re immune to planning pressures. But fear not! As your elopement photographer, planner, and guide, I’m here to lend a hand in craf
Elopements can span a single day or stretch out over multiple days—it all depends on your vision! You might opt for a family celebration one day, followed by a scenic hike in Colorado the next, or perhaps a romantic beach ceremony followed by a cozy bonfire. You could even extend the festivities with an extra day exploring lush fields of flowers in Telluride after your vow ceremony. The possibilities are truly limitless!
By following this elopement timeline guide, I can assure you’ll have the wedding day of your dreams with minimal stress. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the tasks to tackle in the weeks and months leading up to your big day, along with two sample elopement timelines, ensuring everything falls into place seamlessly!
STEP 1 ― PLAN OUT YOUR EXPERIENCE
- Hire a bad ass photographer that will help you plan, coordinate and capture your big day! Find someone that shares your vision! Your photographer should be there to help you tell your story without pushing you outside your comfort zone. It’s about working with someone that will help nudge you in the right direction, and help create a day that will be an unforgettable elopement schedule from start to finish!
- Write a list of what you would like to include on your elopement day. Try and find a place that feels like “home” for you to share your vows! Is there somewhere special you’ve visited together before? A place you’ve seen and imagined yourself getting married at? After choosing your spot, you should settle on a month and date for your big day. I suggest looking at days during the middle of the week so you can enjoy more privacy and seclusion!
- Find cool ways to incorporate your passions into your big day! Do you like to eat sweets or drink whiskey together? How about playing disc golf or maybe you share the same energy and passion for yoga, cliff jumping, kayaking or hiking? Take a helicopter ride or backpack through the mountains of Colorado. Think of some fun things you enjoy doing together and add that into your elopement timeline!
- Get your friends together and shop for your attire. This is a fun way to include those that might not join you on your elopement!
- Book your accommodations. Elopements aren’t traditional and your accommodations shouldn’t be either! Find some fun options that will make you look back on them forever. Check out these for inspiration!
- Start booking vendors. You will find plenty of people that will be so elated to be part of your elopement and I will even help by giving you a preferred vendor list! Make sure to let your photographer know that you have hired vendors so they can account for them in your elopement timeline.
Some of the vendors you might want to consider are:
- Celebrant/officiant
- Videographer
- Hair/makeup stylist
- Florist
- Baker or desert specialist (because who doesn’t like sweets?!)
STEP 2 ― IDENTIFY YOUR ELOPEMENT TIMELINE ESSENTIALS
Your vision is coming together and you can see the big day in the site. Now is the time to talk over your elopement schedule with your photographer. This is a great time to talk about your ideas for the big moments you envision on your special day!
Some of the things you might want to consider adding into your timeline are:
First Look
First looks are probably my favorite part of the entire day. They’re like a rollercoaster of emotions, that evaporate all those pre-wedding jitters into thin air. Suddenly, you’re smack dab in the moment, waiting for the other person to cry first. These moments are so fun to capture and are a great way to kick off your day!
Pre-Ceremony Decisions
The two big things you have to consider are if you want to self-solemnize yourselves or have guests involved. Some couples do both and have two ceremonies, but that requires adding more time into your timeline and splitting the day up. It’s completely up to you and how much time you have booked with your photographer, but start with whether you want to do it solo or with friends and family. Having a hard time deciding? Check out this guide on how to include your family in your elopement.
Day Of-Ceremony Decisions
Now, you have to decide on what kind of ceremony you want to have. There are a ton of options outside of reading traditional vows, so make sure to check out the lowdown on unique elopement ceremony ideas before finalizing your timeline!
Unique Celebration Ideas
Following the ceremony, myriad cool, unique, and enjoyable elopement activities await to celebrate and create memorable photos. Among my favorites are indulging in a champagne toast and spray, savoring a celebration dessert, sharing the first dance, and engaging in adventurous pursuits such as hiking, skiing, rock climbing, ice climbing in winter, or gathering around a bonfire—whatever suits your fancy!
STEP 3 ― PUT IT ALL TOGETHER
Once you’ve outlined the essential elements for your elopement timeline, it’s time to bring everything together! This ensures that no crucial details are overlooked on your big day. Crafting an elopement itinerary is particularly beneficial for those who thrive on organization and structure, helping to alleviate any pre-wedding jitters and ensuring a smooth and well-coordinated event.
From the flight to the trek, even the day before—these last-minute tips are here to ensure your elopement experience is nothing short of extraordinary!
Begin packing well in advance and spread it out over a few days to ensure you remember all the essentials. This way, you’ll have ample time to add any overlooked items to your bag and ensure nothing vital is left behind.
Some things you can do in preparation for your final elopement itinerary:
- Write your gushy wedding vows
- Break in the new boots (no one wants blisters on their big day)
- Pick out your wedding attire
- Bring your marriage license
- Just like everything else in life, you will need to do a little planning for your elopement, too! You should start by packing for everything you might need on your big day!
- Plan any other activities for your day that will make it extra special
About one month out, you should be getting your elopement timeline from your photographer (see example timelines below!)
ELOPEMENT TIMELINE EXAMPLE
So now you have a better understanding of what an elopement timeline might look like, but it might be hard to outline this day in your head? You can check out Cody and Virginia’s elopement timeline example from Colorado for some inspiration! This elopement itinerary is probably the most common for my couples.
- 12:30 – Get hair and makeup done
- 2:30 pm – Meet at the parking lot of trailhead, Minturn, CO 81645
- Details: 3.1 miles up, 1,172 elevation gain
- Take photos and video along the way
- 5:30 pm – Arrive at Lake
- Get dressed for the first look (WEE!)
- 6:00 pm – First look!
- Portrait photos with lake
- Crack some celebration beers!
- Spray some bubbles!
- 6:30 – Vow Ceremony
- Handwritten vows
- Ring exchange
- 7:00 – Explore surrounding area
- More portrait shots!
- Gift exchange
- 8:00 – Alpenglow starts
- First dance!
- 8:45 – Headlamp shots by the lake!
SAMPLE SUNRISE ELOPEMENT TIMELINE
Now that you have a clearer picture of what an elopement timeline entails, you might find it challenging to envision how to incorporate your family into this special day. To help with that, take a look at Kelsey and Eric’s elopement timeline example for some inspiration! This sample itinerary, which is divided into two parts to seamlessly include family, is a popular choice among my couples!
- 6:00 am – Meet at parking lot, start hiking up
- Details: 2 miles up, 1,066 elevation gain
- Take photos and video along the way
- 7:00 am – Arrive at Lake
- Get dressed for the first look (WEE!)
- 7:20 am – First look at alpenglow!
- Portrait photos with lake
- Crack some celebration beers!
- Spray some bubbles!
- 7:30 am – Say private words with glowing mountains
- Handwritten vows
- Ring exchange
- 8:00 am – Sunrise, explore surrounding area & take couples photos
- Set up “breakfast” picnic
- 9:00 – Start hiking back down
- 10:00 am – Arrive back at car and head over to Airbnb
- 10:15 am – Arrive at Airbnb for freshen up photos
- BREAK UNTIL 12:45
- 12:45 pm – Go leaf peeping
- 1:45 pm – Head up to family ceremony spot
- 2:30 pm – Family ceremony with Jon officiating
- Kelsey walking down the “aisle”
- Jon officiates & exchange of vows
- Unity ceremony of dogs signing marriage license
- Exchange rings
- First Kiss (Jon please jump out for photo)
- First dance following
- Cake cutting & champagne for group
- 3:30 pm – Family photos
TEAM
Hey there, I’m Sean, and I’m thrilled to be your guide in crafting your elopement time! With a track record of assisting over 300 couples in planning their special day, I have a passion for tailoring timelines to perfectly reflect their vision.
Excited to have your elopement journey shaped with my expertise? Explore my Colorado elopement packages and reach out to kickstart the planning for your unforgettable elopement!
