Planning on Ditching your big wedding for an elopement?
The reasons for eloping vary greatly between couples. Some may choose to elope to avoid the stress and expense of planning a traditional wedding, while others may desire a more intimate and private ceremony. Additionally, eloping allows for more flexibility in terms of location and timing, as couples are not bound by the availability of wedding venues or the schedules of guests. In the end, the decision to elope is a personal one that depends on the couple's preferences and priorities.
You may be in the middle of planning your wedding right now and have the stress of venue availability, guests lists, seating charts… the list goes on. And, if you are here reading this blog you are probably tired of the stress and are considering eloping. Let me tell you this, you are in the right place.
As elopements become more and more popular in the wedding industry, I have had several clients of mine cancel their big wedding and elope instead. Trust me when I say, none of these clients have regrets about this decision. Here are my top ten recommendations when switching your big wedding into an intimate or private elopement.
First things first, contact your venue. Most of the time you will receive any payment made after your deposit and some venues will allow you to transfer your wedding contract to another couple to help regain the rest of the cost.
Choose an elopement location that you and your partner love! Wither you have decided to have a destination elopement or elope in your hometown choosing a location is extremely important before contacting your other vendors.
Contact your photographer, videographer, hair and makeup artist, and florist. Most likely these are the four vendors you want to still have during your elopement. If you are planning on a destination elopement, ask to see if they travel! If they do that’s amazing! Ask to have your contract revised to accommodate the new plans.
Reach out to your officiant. You may not have this vendor booked yet, if you do reach out and let them know the plan. Some officiants are only allowed to officiant in their home state where as others can travel throughout the USA. Be sure to find this information out and act accordingly.
Reach out to all other vendors you have booked, wedding planners, catering, etc. Determine if you need to cancel or adjust these contracts accordingly.
START PLANNING YOUR ELOPEMENT DETAILS! This is the fun part. You get to start planning your elopement exactly how you want it.
Make your guest list (if there even is one). If you have already sent out save the dates, be sure to reach out to your guests and let them know the change of plans.
Get with your vendors and create your elopement day timeline. Each vendor will need to have an input on the timeline. However, your photographer is probably the best person to work with when it comes to creating your timeline if you are not working with a planner.
Book your accommodations. If your traveling be sure to book your accommodations as soon as possible to make sure you get the Airbnb, hotel, flight, or car you want for your day!
Keep it stress free. As an elopement photographer and planner I try to keep your elopement as stress free as possible. I will take care of as much as possible to help you deal with as little stress as possible. I mean that is the point of eloping, right.
If you are considering this change for yourself please reach out. I can help make this switch as easy and stress-free as possible.
