What does it mean to Elope?

Alright, let's clear up this elopement vs. wedding confusion. Elopement? It's basically a wedding with a chill, personal vibe!

Now, you've probably seen your fair share of traditional weddings – the whole shebang at a fancy venue with a hundred or more folks, following a strict schedule, dressing to the nines, posing for a gazillion photos, tossing bouquets to the single ladies... you get the picture. These are undeniably beautiful affairs, and there's something truly special about gathering everyone you know to celebrate your love.

But here's the deal – sometimes, amidst all the planning, the magic can get a little lost. There are rules for this, templates for that, endless tasks to tackle, stress levels through the roof, people to wrangle, and maybe even some family drama thrown in for good measure. Sometimes, when the guest list keeps growing, the day starts feeling like you're planning a shindig for your guests rather than a celebration of your love.

So, why elope?

The biggest difference you'll get when choosing to elope is - intention. The door to endless possibilities swings wide open. What you really get is an experience that is personal to you, and exactly how you want it to be. That's it! The logistics become much more in your control. Less variables mean more immersion in your experience.

This day should be about you and your partner sharing your commitments to each other and establishing a foundational day for this next chapter in your life together. You'll want to actually enjoy it and remember it fondly, not just rush through it to get it over with! Putting on a big production for others that's geared toward entertaining guests can sometimes really take the fun out of the day. Save the big family party for after you get back!

Eloping brings a wedding back to its true meaning and intention. An elopement can even look similar and share many similar traditions and steps as a traditional wedding! I'm just here to encourage you to throw out the rulebook, don't be afraid to make your own checklist for the day instead of following someone else's.

Where and when will you elope? Make sure to consider potential regional weather and climate conditions for the date you're looking at. I love planning trips and locations so if you'd like any tips, advice, or examples, definitely utilize all of my previous travel experience and I'll help you pick the perfect spot for you!

As you start to brainstorm, I'll help you figure out the details for things like permits and necessary vendors. Not all locations require permits but some do. Don't worry, it's not as scary or expensive as it sounds. I may sound biased, but I definitely recommend you hire your elopement photographer first, as they'll be able to help you with the rest of your planning process.

For officiating your wedding, you have a few options. You can hire an officiant, have a loved one officiate (you could also have a friend or family member get ordained), run the ceremony yourselves, or file all of your paperwork before your elopement adventure.

Not all locations require an officiant to be present in order to be legally married there. I'm also ordained, which means I can sign your marriage license if you so choose.

If you'd prefer a more full experience of having an officiant craft your ceremony script and walk you through it all, make sure to consider where you're planning to have the ceremony and that the officiant can accommodate your elopement needs, such as hike to your ceremony spot with you.

For hair and makeup, hire an amazing hair and makeup artist! There are definitely some adventurous HMU artists out there who are willing to wake up early, travel, or even hike out with you!

You can do your own, but it's nice to get pampered on your wedding morning and also make sure your look will last throughout the day and any activities we'll be doing!

You could even book a private chef or live music to join in on the day. The possibilities are quite literally endless!