Have you ever wondered how to plan an elopement timeline? Are you looking for elopement ideas for your big day? Like what in the world can you even do for an elopement? You are in the right place. Let’s dive into what eloping actually means, over 20 elopement ideas for activities to include in your all-day elopement, an example of an elopement timeline to use for inspiration, and I will answer the most frequently asked question when it comes to hiring an elopement photographer. Let’s get excited about all the possibilities we’re about to dig into! Are you ready?!
Let me ask you a question… when you think about eloping or elopements in general, is there a taboo that crosses your mind? Do you envision a rebellious couple heading to Vegas against the wishes of friends and family? Or maybe a couple who doesn’t care about including others to witness their union? If you see it that way even in the slightest bit, we’re about to bust some myths, my friend. You’re going to want to read this, no matter where you stand.
My definition of eloping is when you choose to have an intimate, personalized, unique wedding celebration where the focus of the day is about you two becoming one. You’re not choosing to elope because you don’t care about the significance of your marriage or wedding day… you’re choosing to elope because you want the events of your day to truly reflect who you are. These moments that you’re able to personalize become the perfect illustration of your love and connection!
One question I always ask my couples is this: If you and your lover could plan out the most special date day and do everything that you love together, what would that be?
Do you want to hike to a mountain’s summit at sunrise to share your vows? Are you wanting to pop champagne to celebrate with your lover? Or, maybe you’re envisioning getting married in a downtown city hall or going on an epic adventure? Are you planning on it being just you two? Or can you imagine having your closest 15 people there to witness your union? Above all, whatever it is you are envisioning, it’s totally up to you and that’s the beauty of choosing to elope.
Many of the wedding traditions in the current culture are stress-filled and pressure-causing. There’s the pressure to deliver a fun event for everyone you’ve invited as a guest, but when you decide to keep it close to your inner circle, the focus becomes about you two and the union you have just made! Because of that, there’s little to no stress involved and it’s very joy evoking. Is there less planning involved with eloping? Not so much! Once you dive into planning your elopement, it can actually feel quite stressful for many couples because the world is at their fingertips. The possibilities become endless and there’s no actual formula to follow. That’s where I come in – I’m here to help you make these epic ideas the reality you will live out one of the most significant days of your life together – however it is that you envision.
So you may be thinking, I hear how great this can be, Claire, but what in the world do I incorporate in my own elopement timeline? To get you inspired about your own vision for your day, here is a list of 20+ ideas you can incorporate into your elopement timeline!
If you’re having a hard time envisioning what an all-day elopement can look like, here is some inspiration for you! Click on the Asheville timeline below to see what your all-day elopement could look like!
Asheville – Example of All-Day Elopement Timeline
From the example of the elopement in Asheville, are you able to see how an elopement day (aka: YOUR WEDDING DAY) coverage can last the entire day? Are you able to envision yourself in the shoes of J + E? Being able to take in the in-between moments making breakfast with your family, having the details that matter to you captured, sharing private time with your lover doing what you enjoy most, and still having your closest family and friends there to celebrate at the ceremony and intimate reception? Maybe this day doesn’t look exactly how you would plan your own. Maybe you would include more of a hike in your wedding attire and getting some epic pictures in a location that inspires you. That is the beauty of being able to plan your elopement timeline, every single detail, where it matches exactly what you envision. As your photographer, I do not believe in selling yourself short on photographs on one of the most special days of your life.
Consider these tips when planning your all-day elopement timeline:
Find a unique event space for an intimate reception here: Peerspace, Airbnb, VRBO
Deciding on where to choose to elope: Adventure Instead Blog
Learn more about what Claire does for you and her elopement packages here: Elopement Packages
Learn more about Claire here: About Me
Claire!! I LOVE these tips SOOOO much!!! All the ideas you gave are so awesome I want to do them all!!! Seriously don’t know how I’m supposed to decide what to do for my elopement because everything seems so awesome! I love how much help you offer your couples as well, so good!!
Aw wow! amazing guide, thank you so much.
So many great tips in here to help us plan our elopement and ideas for our timeline . X
This is a great resource for anyone wanting to elope but not sure where to start! The included example timeline is AWESOME for helping to picture how my day could go!
I LOVE all these ideas! I love how you show how personalized your elopement can and should be! This is an incredible resource, great job!!!
Claire,
This is amazing! Love your ideas for ways to celebrate and the example timeline has really helped us shape our day. Thank you for sharing ?
OMG I love all the ideas to fit in an elopement and seeing the example of a timeline definitely helps!
First off, I love this entire article! I think it speaks volumes as to how much experience you have with elopements! Second, that leather jacket in that last photo is amazing!!! haha so cool!
This is great info thank you for sharing!
Amazing guide and tip for anyone looking for an elopement ideas and what to do.
So many fun ideas for what to do on your elopement day! Definitely lots more to do than just say your vows and go home.
Wow! So many helpful ideas! Love this guide
Bernadeta! Thank you so much for the love! I’m really glad it has been helpful to you to read through!