Why should you elope?
Usually when you think of the term "elopement" you may think of a couple sneaking away in the middle of the night to get married in secret or on a whim off in Vegas. Now a days, elopements are more like mini weddings. Typically with guest lists under 20 and as little as just 2 (the couple) and planned in as little time as a day or two or 6-12 months in advance.
For me, an elopement is when two people celebrate getting married in an untraditional fashion in a more intimate setting. It's a day where the focus is on the couple without all the stress of a big production of a traditional wedding. It's intimate, fun, and filled with activities that you as a couple would want to do on your big day. Take the things you want from a traditional wedding and throw everything else out the window.
You don't care about tradition. If the thought of doing a carter toss, inviting people you have only met once, or feeling obligated to have a big wedding "just because" makes you want to gag, no need to have a big wedding just for the sake of "traditions".
You would rather spend more money on activities together or a honeymoon. If you would rather spend your money hiring a private chef, taking a hot air balloon ride, and renting a gorgeous Airbnb in the mountains than spending money on essentially a large party, and elopement might be for you.
You love the outdoors and want to be surrounded by nature. Let's face it, many wedding venues may have gorgeous interiors, but who wants to be stuck inside or under a tent all day?
You don't want your day to be stressful. Weddings can be extremely stressful with strict timelines, feeling rushed, and not very many moments simply to "just be" and live in the moment. Many couples often feel like they never got to have real quality time with every one of their guests.
You value experiences over things. If you would prefer to have your day as an "experience" vs. worrying about things like center pieces, decor, and favors, an elopement might be for you.
You want a "just us" experience. You really just care about getting married to the love of your life. Nothing else really matters.
You want to make a honeymoon trip out of your elopement. Maybe paying for both a wedding AND a honeymoon is not feasible so you instead would prefer to take a trip to somewhere new (or somewhere familiar but with upgraded activities and accommodations) and simply make a honeymoon trip out of your elopement.
You are already legally married but want photos to celebrate. Maybe you never hired a wedding photographer and you regret it or even worse maybe you regret the photographer you hired and you want a "redo". Have photos you could be proud to print and have on your walls.
You simply want epic photos in an epic location that couldn't happen during a traditional wedding timeline. Traditional wedding timelines can be extremely tight, and maybe you have always envisioned an epic shot on top of a mountain at sunset in your wedding attire. That can happen when you don't have guests waiting on you.
So what can you cover for 4+ hours of an elopement?
When I look back to the day my husband and I eloped, there was no way we could only have a photographer for an hour or two. We knew we wanted our ceremony, some shots together with our family, photos around some iconic San Diego locations, our dinner at a fancy restaurant, and sunset photos on the beach. When a couple comes to me saying they only want 1 hour, they are still in the mindset of what the old school definition of what an elopement is. The problem is, even though you are eloping, it's still your wedding DAY! The only thing that's different is the activities that you are doing. Every couple should still have their day documented from beginning to end just like any traditional wedding (and some even more than 1 day!). Detail shots, getting ready, first look (if you wish), exchange of vows, and activities the two of you want to do. Below is an example of what a real elopement day could look like:
GOLD CREEK POND ELOPEMENT
1:00pm - Getting ready and detail photos at Airbnb
2:30pm - First look outside of Airbnb
3:00pm - Drive to Gold Creek Pond
3:30pm - Exchange of Vows and 1 mile hike around pond while taking photos
5:30pm - Head to Dru Bru Brewery for drinks and dinner
7:00pm - Sunset photos near by
7:30pm - End of day
