How to Plan an Elopement Wedding

Planning a wedding is a huge commitment. Even a simple wedding gets complicated - and expensive. It takes time to figure out venues, catering and vendors. Then there’s the personal issues. Maybe your families live far away. Or maybe there’s just too much drama.

Some couples don’t want to be the center of attention. Or maybe you’re not into a traditional wedding. Everyone has their own style and if the thought of a full production turns you off, consider eloping.

If you like the idea of a simple, inexpensive and intimate ceremony, an elopement wedding could be the perfect choice for you.

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What is an Elopement Wedding?

Traditionally, an elopement was done without telling anyone at all, including your parents. And most couples didn’t plan a reception afterwards. If you want a true elopement, book your wedding ceremony and a small celebration for just the two of you.

If you’d like to invite your parents or a few friends, make sure the ceremony venue can fit them. Depending on where you’re holding your ceremony, you can usually show up with your officiant and say your vows. But if there’s going to be more people attending, you might need to book ahead or apply for a permit.

If you decide you want to invite people, consider planning a small wedding or a micro wedding instead of an elopement. If you have a guest list you’ll need to figure out venues, seating and food for everyone.

Planning a Courthouse Wedding

If you’re looking for a simple and inexpensive elopement, a courthouse wedding or city hall wedding is the perfect choice. It’s stress free - all you need to do is get your marriage license and book a date. If you want to celebrate afterwards, you can plan a nice dinner for two. Consider your wedding done and get started on your happily ever after.

The rules and fees for courthouse weddings are different in every city. If you’re planning a courthouse wedding, check with your local city hall and find out:

How do you schedule your wedding ceremony. Is it done on a first come, first serve basis or can you book ahead?
How much does the ceremony cost?
How do you apply for your marriage license?
How much does the marriage license cost?
What ID do you need to bring?
Do you need witnesses?

Pros of an Elopement Wedding

You don’t need to spend an entire year planning.
You don’t need to hire a ton of vendors.
You won’t stress over a guest list or seating charts.
By keeping your wedding intimate, you can save a lot of money.
If you book a package elopement, all you need to do is show up with your outfits and your wedding rings.

Cons of an Elopement Wedding

You need to be ready to get married soon. Most elopements can’t be booked more than a few months in advance.
People may feel left out or offended that they weren’t invited.

How Much Does it Cost to Elope?

The cost for an elopement depends on where you want to elope and what elements you want to have. The least expensive elopement is a local, courthouse wedding. You’ll have to pay for:

Marriage license
Officiant
Wedding rings

Once you’ve budgeted for the basics, you can add some optional items to your elopement wedding. You might want to add:

Wedding dresses or suits
Hair and makeup
Photographer
Bouquets
Decorations
Champagne
Wedding cake

How to Elope

Before you start planning, think about the reasons you’re eloping. Is it because you’re both practical and want to be married without a fuss? Or are you eloping to save money, save time or preserve relationships? If you want a no-fuss, easy elopement, keep each step as simple as possible. If you’re on a tight budget, it’s ok to skip the things you’re not excited about.

If you’re looking for more romance, you could plan a beautiful, meaningful marriage ceremony. Take your time choosing your ceremony venue. Consider writing your own vows. And if you’ve got the budget, buy new outfits, shoes and some beautiful flowers for your elopement. Plan a romantic dinner for two, or splurge on a night away to celebrate your marriage.

Steps to Plan an Elopement Wedding

1. Set Your Budget

An elopement wedding can be a lot less expensive than a traditional wedding, but you’ll still need at least a few hundred dollars for your marriage license and an officiant. If you can set aside a few thousand dollars, you can plan more elaborate elopement. Decide how much you want to spend, then make plans to fit your budget.

2. Decide On Your Location

One of the best things about eloping is that you can do it absolutely anywhere. You don’t have to ask guests to travel or hike or spend time outdoors. You don’t need to figure out the logistics for a bunch of other people. The only opinion that matters is yours and your partner’s. If you want to hike to a mountaintop, all you need is a willing officiant.

Spend some time thinking about what’s most important to you. Do you have hobbies or outdoor activities that you’d like to incorporate? Is there a location that has sentimental meaning for you? Or do you just want some fabulous photos? It’s ok to choose a place just because you like it, so go ahead and be creative when you start thinking about locations for your elopement wedding.

Best Locations for an Elopement Wedding

If you have a bigger budget, you could travel for a unique and fun elopement. There’s lots of great locations in the US. Here’s just a few to get started:

Las Vegas for a classic elopement
Red Rock Canyon or Joshua Tree for a desert elopement
Rocky Mountains for a mountain elopement
Yosemite National Park for an adventure elopement
Hawaii or Florida for a tropical beach elopement
Washington or Oregon for a rustic beach elopement

If you’d like to plan an international elopement, you can choose any place in the world. Bonus: your honeymoon is included! Some popular spots to elope:

Paris for a romantic elopement
Italy for a sophisticated elopement
Ireland for a Celtic elopement
Mexico for a beach elopement
Jamaica for a tropical elopement

More Ideas For Elopement Wedding Locations

If you’d rather stick to your hometown for your elopement wedding, you can still find a fantastic spot to hold your ceremony. You can look for pretty spots in local gardens or parks. Or you can book a traditional venue, but at a non traditional time.

The only schedule you need to worry about is your own. You don’t have to get married on a Saturday. If all the venues are booked up with traditional weddings, you can choose any time that suits you and your partner. If you’re eloping, you can get married on a Tuesday morning or a Thursday night. Bonus: you’ll save a ton of money!

Venue Ideas For an Elegant Elopement Wedding

Mansion
Winery
Historic home
Museum
Rooftop

Venue Ideas For a Romantic Elopement Wedding

Garden
Pond
Beach
Library
Terrace

Venue Ideas For a Rustic Style Elopement Wedding

Bed and breakfast
Ranch
Campground
Waterfall

Venue Ideas For an Adventure Elopement Wedding

Mountaintop
River bank
Glacier
National Park

3. Decide if You’ll Book an Elopement Package

Most major cities and tourist destinations have companies that will do all the planning for you. They’ll set up your ceremony, officiant and photographer. Most of them will help you figure out the paperwork you need and provide witness, if they’re required.

How Much Does an Elopement Package Cost?

Costs for packages typically start at a few thousand dollars, but they’ll vary, depending on the locations and what’s included. Most packages will include everything you need to elope:

Officiant
Witnesses if required
Assistance with your paperwork
Photographer
Ceremony location
Bouquet and boutonniere
Hair and makeup
Cake and champagne
Day of coordinator

4. Plan Your Elopement Ceremony

If you decide not to book a package, you can choose all the elements for your elopement on your own. Start by choosing your venue. Double check the permit situation - some venues will require a permit for the ceremony, plus a permit for wedding photography.

Once you have your venue, choose an officiant or schedule a call with your package officiant. Make sure they suit your personality. Some officiants may be spiritual and some may be secular or completely non-religious. Make sure to discuss the type of ceremony you want. If you want to write your own vows, talk to your officiant about how to include them.

5. Find Out How To Get Your Marriage License

The most important part of your elopement wedding is the marriage license. Every location has certain rules about when you need to get your license, how far ahead of time, plus any waiting periods. Make sure to research the location you’re getting married at and apply for your license in time.

If you’re planning to elope locally, check the rules for your city.
If you’re planning a destination elopement, check the rules for the city you’re planning to get married in.
If you’re thinking about eloping abroad, check the US Department of State Travel Website for more details: Marriage Abroad - US Department of State

Eloping Abroad

If you’re planning to elope in another country, your marriage will be considered legal in the US, as long as you met the local requirements. Check the local marriage requirements in the country you’ve chosen for your destination elopement.

Residency Requirements

Some countries will let you get married as long as you arrive 24 hours ahead of time. But other countries require you to actually live there. In some European countries you’ll need to arrive 30 to 90 days ahead of time. Before you plan your elopement, check the residency requirements for the location you’re interested in.

Language Requirements

If you’re planning to elope in a country whose official language is not English, you’ll need to have all your documents translated and notarized ahead of time. If you book an elopement package or hire a planner, they’ll walk you through all the steps.

Symbolic Ceremony

If you can’t meet the requirements to get married in another country, some couples have their legal marriage at their local city hall. Then book an elopement trip and have a symbolic ceremony at their destination. That way you can get the legal part done easily and still have the romantic ceremony you want.

6. Book a Photographer

If you haven’t booked an elopement package, or if your package doesn’t include a photographer, book one as soon as you choose your location and your wedding date. A photographer can be less expensive for an elopement, because you can choose a shorter package than for a traditional wedding.

Many photographers offer packages specifically for elopements. A basic package will include your ceremony, plus some portraits. Bigger packages can include extras, like getting ready or first look photos.

If you hire a photographer, remember to check with your locations. To take photos at some parks or gardens you’ll need to book a photography permit ahead of time.

7. Buy or Book Your Wedding Items

Once you’ve planned your marriage and ceremony, you can start buying all the extras you’ll need to make your elopement perfect. Now’s the time to book your travel and pick out your wedding rings.

Book your flights and hotel
Check your passports expiry dates
Buy your wedding rings
Order bouquets or boutonnieres
Buy your wedding outfits
Book hair and makeup appointments

8. Plan a Romantic Celebration For Two

One of the best parts of eloping is that it costs a lot less than a regular wedding. That means you might have some money left over to splurge with. If you’ve got the budget, you can plan a dinner at a special occasion restaurant. Or spend a romantic weekend away to celebrate the beginning of your marriage.

Should You Plan a Reception After You Elope?

If you want to celebrate with family and friends, you should absolutely plan a party. But it’s not a requirement. You don’t owe people a wedding just because you got married.

Remember the reasons you eloped in the first place. If you wanted to keep it simple, or intimate, don’t worry about planning a reception. It’s completely ok to skip the party.

How to Announce an Elopement Wedding

Once you’ve eloped, you’ll probably want to let people know that you got married. You should tell the most important people first. If you didn’t tell your parents beforehand, try to visit them and tell them in person. Any other important family and friends should be told in a call, a video chat or in person.

Once you’ve told your nearest and dearest, you can put the announcement in your local newspaper. Or you can mail out traditional printed marriage announcements with all the details.