How To Elope
The Ultimate Elopement Planning Checklist:
14 Steps You Need to Know
Updated March 18th, 2025
Why You Need an Elopement Checklist
How great is the feeling of relief when you decide to ditch tradition and expectation and elope in the mountains? Incredible, right? The next feeling, however, the one that hits when you realize that there are near-infinite options and not enough resources when it comes to planning said elopement, that feeling isn’t as good.
When we decided to head to the Isle of Skye, Scotland for our own elopement, we realized how daunting the freedom of eloping can be. For a traditional wedding, most of us know what we need, and if you don’t, there are thousands of free resources on the internet. But for eloping, you probably aren’t inherently familiar with what to do and there are far less reliable resources available.
When you can do whatever you want, where do you start? Well, with this checklist!
We’ve taken our own experience of eloping, and the knowledge we’ve gained over a decade of helping over 250 other couples elope, and distilled it down to an easy to follow, step-by-step checklist that should cover most everything you’ll need to know to plan your own elopement.
Before We Begin
Many of the items in this checklist will be done for you, or at least made simpler, if you hire an elopement photographer at the beginning of your planning journey.
If you’re considering an elopement in Colorado or Utah, click here to see how we can make this process even easier for you!
The beauty of eloping is that you can really make it whatever you want. If there’s something you don’t see here that you know you want to do, you totally can!
Eloping internationally or out of state can make some of the licensing items more difficult. So if you need help, reach out to a local elopement specialist who knows the legality of their area.
The Elopement Checklist
Click on a checklist item to skip to that section
1. Where would you like to elope?
Second, only to your marriage and the love you share, one of the most important things on an elopement day is often the setting. So when you picture your dream location ask yourself, do you see yourself on a mountaintop, with a view that stretches for miles? Or on a hike that meanders through the pine trees? Maybe even standing at the edge of an alpine lake, nestled against the base of a towering peak? A cliffside beach, or flowing sand dunes?
Sometimes the right location can even have several different types of terrain, but deciding what view is most important to you is the first thing you should do when planning your elopement.
Brainstorm the kinds of landscapes that inspire you the most.
Do you love mountains with views for miles? Consider eloping in:
The San Juan Mountains of Colorado. Click here to see an example. Click here to see an example.
The Cascade Mountains of Washington. Click here to see an example.
Do you love otherworldly desert landscapes? Consider eloping in:
Moab’s canyons and sandstone arches. Click here to see an example.
The red rock formations of Sedona, Arizona. Click here to see an example.
Sand dunes in Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. Click here to see an example.
Are you most at home in National Parks? Consider eloping in:
Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. Click here to see an example.
Olympic National Park in Washington. Click here to see an example.
Arches National Park in Utah. Click here to see an example.
Yosemite National Park in California. Click here to see an example.
Joshua Tree National Park in California. Click here to see an example.
Glacier National Park in Montana.
Do you love having your feet in the sand on the beach? Consider eloping in:
Hawaii’s volcanic beaches. Click here to see an example.
Oregon’s rocky coast. Click here to see an example.
Do you love exploring lush forests? Consider eloping in:
Hoh Rainforest in Washington. Click here to see an example.
The Redwood Forests of Northern California.
Many elopement photographers are willing to help you find the right area! We love listening to our couples’ visions and helping pair them with the perfect elopement locations!
Pick Your Elopement Views
2. Are you planning on bringing guests?
One thing that our couples often struggle with is deciding who they want to invite to their elopement. Your guest count will have a huge impact on what your elopement day looks like, what locations you have to choose from, and your budget. The guest count may vary, but many people consider any small wedding with just a handful of guests to be an elopement still.
Your guest count will have a huge impact on what your elopement day looks like, it dictate what kinds of locations you can choose from, the types of spaces available to you when you get there, and the budget you’re going to need.
Remember, higher guest counts (anything above 10 or so guests) mean you’re likely going to need a reservable ceremony space that can range in cost from a couple hundred dollars to a few thousand.
Elopements Without Guests
You may be drawn to the romance and freedom of eloping just the two of you. Eloping without any guests gives you the ultimate choice when it comes to planning your elopement, allows you to make decisions solely for yourselves, and gives you more location options. For our couples who choose to elope without guests, we are happy to help brainstorm ways to include still your family and friends in your elopement day. Examples of this include having your loved ones write letters for you to read before your ceremony, or even making time for a Zoom/FaceTime call.
Han + Kelsey’s Elopement with 0 Guests
They chose to elope with just the two of them and their pup. This meant that the only restriction they had to consider is whether the locations were dog friendly. Luckily, Colorado tends to be, so they were allowed the freedom to plan an elopement day solely for themselves.
Megan + Ty’s Elopement with 0 Guests
Some of their friends made the trek out to the mountains of Colorado with them, but they eloped just the two of them. During their picnic they read letters their friends and family had written ahead of time for this moment. It was a great way to have their adventurous elopement day, but still keep their families involved.
Elopements With Guests
We believe that an elopement isn’t just a wedding with zero guests. Many of our couples still have an amazing and intimate wedding that celebrates their time in the outdoors while still having a small number of their favorite people with them. Other Being surrounded by the people you love the most is powerful and important to many of our couples (us included). Throughout the planning process, we work with our couples to give them time with their guests as well as time alone to really take the day in.
Hailey + Mitch’s Elopement with 8 Guests
They invited their families up to the mountains of Colorado for a family-centered elopement. Both families stayed in one large home together, allowing them to spend quality time as a group. On the day of the elopement, Hailey and Mitch balanced time with their families with time for just the two of them. They even hosted a “traditional” reception with dancing, a privately catered meal, and speeches.
Clara + Ty’s Elopement with 12 Guests
They split their elopement into two days. The first was a mountain adventure just the two of them with a private vow exchange. The second was focused on their families with a formal ceremony, speeches, dancing, and dinner. Their two-day elopement gave them the ultimate elopement experience with plenty of time for adventure, but also quality time with their loved ones.
Eloping in Colorado?
Check out our full guide on how your elopement guest count will affect your location options, budget, and plans!
3. Pick your elopement date
If you know there’s only one date for you, then this may be the easiest item on the list. But if not, now is when you should consider what time of year you can take off from work and when the weather in your location is going to be best for your plans. Consider the weather that you want on your elopement day. Do you want warmer temperatures? Are you looking for snow? You should also consider foliage, are you looking for fall colors or wildflowers? Are you looking to stargaze?
If you’re looking for a more private elopement experience, avoid holidays and weekends if possible when there tend to be more crowds. Feel free to keep this flexible until after you reach out to a photographer, because it might be the difference between getting your first choice, and finding out they’re already booked.
4. Set your elopement budget
According to The Knot, the average wedding cost in the United States is $33,000. Many of our couples tell us that they decided to elope after starting to plan a traditional wedding after feeling overwhelmed with decisions, high costs, and the opinions of their families and friends. The beauty of an elopement is that you get to make the rules! Go all out and plan the elopement day of your dreams, or keep things a little bit simpler and save thousands of dollars on your wedding.
Like with a traditional wedding, there are a lot of variables that go into the average cost of an elopement. When you’re planning your elopement, you get to prioritize what you spend your money on.
What to budget for when planning your elopement
Travel - flights, rental cars, accommodation, etc.
Ceremony Site
Florals - bouquets, boutonnieres, decor
Wedding Attire - dress/suit, accessories, shoes, etc.
Hair + Makeup
Officiant
Marriage License
Elopement Meal
Professional Photography, Videography, and Planning
How to save money on your elopement
Keep your guest list very small. The more people you invite, the larger your budget will need to be. Eloping with no guests or just a few guests may mean that you don’t need to pay for a traditional ceremony space. It also cuts down on the amount of money you will have to spend on catering.
Choose your ceremony location wisely. Eloping at a state park is going to cost less than eloping at a high-end ski resort. To save money, you may need to compromise on the views and your drive times.
Consider eloping closer to home to help cut down on travel costs.
Prioritize the vendors that you hire. Doing your own hair and makeup, skipping florals, having a guest officiate your elopement, or having your family help cook your elopement meal can be an easy way to cut costs.
5. Hire your photographer and videographer
Once you’ve at least narrowed in on a general location or a vision for your elopement location, it’s time to start researching photographers and videographers! In almost all cases, the first vendor you’ll want to hire is your photographer (and videographer if you want one).
No one else is going to know the best locations, vendors, and time of year for your elopement quite like a local expert who has spent years of their life dedicated to it. In fact, you may want to stop right here and start your search for a photographer, because they’ll likely guide you through the rest of the process. Many photographers and videographers fill their calendars more than a year ahead of time, so planning ahead is recommended. Check out how we help eloping couples eliminate stress and have the elopement of their dreams!
For an elopement, the personality of your documentation team becomes even more important than it already is for a more traditional wedding. With the right team, you’ll spend a lot of time working closely with them planning your dream elopement day. Then on your elopement day itself, you’ll be with them for pretty much the whole day. Finding someone who you feel comfortable around and can help provide the amazing experience your elopement deserves might be the most crucial decision you make.
Elopement Planning
You’ve probably never planned an elopement before and are feeling a mix of nerves and excitement as you set off on your elopement journey. We’re here to demystify the process and make it easy and fun.
We’ll provide you with all of the resources you need and work alongside you the entire way while you plan your own elopement! Think of it like you are in the driver’s seat and we are your trusted copilots. We’ll be here, empowering you to craft an elopement day that feels just like you and exceeds your wildest dreams.
In addition to elopement photo and video services, each of our couples will receive:
Online Planning Portal + Mobile App
100-Page Elopement Planning Guide
Elopement Planning To-Do List
Location + Activity Ideas
Custom Elopement Timeline
Vendor Recommendations
Interactive Vow-Writing Guide
Non-Traditional Ceremony Ideas
Ideas for Eloping with Guests
Information on Leave No Trace Principles
Practical Elopement Information
6. Pick your locations
Now that you’ve decided on what you’re looking for, have hired a professional team to help you plan and document your elopement, you can start to find real locations that reflect your vision. Often, it can help to start by digging through Instagram, Google, or even travel and hiking blogs.
Now is the time to really narrow in. Maybe you know you want to get married in Colorado, but where? Near Denver, Estes Park, Telluride? Depending on the area of the state, you may need to fly into a different airport than just DIA. So working out the specific location you want to visit for your elopement will be important in order to make the best decisions for the next couple of items.
Choose your ceremony location
The most important things to consider when choosing your ceremony location is the number of guests you have and your budget. Elopements with more than just a few guests will most likely need to take place in a reservable or permitted site, as well as a location where you can Leave No Trace (which are guidelines for being respectful while in nature). This means that you shouldn’t expect to take your closest friends and family just anywhere in nature.
The important thing to think about here is where you can get a permit for your ceremony. The last thing you want is someone to interrupt you mid-ceremony, or shut you down before you can even start. It also gives a little bit of credibility if other hikers/tourists are around to let them know you’ve got a permit for that space. Sometimes you may not need a permit, but it’s important to look into the legal aspects of your ceremony before you get to your location. We are more than happy to help you through this process!
Choose your adventure locations
An adventure location is anywhere you go to explore on your adventure day beyond your ceremony. This could be a hike, an off-road trail, a waterfall, or even a boat ride on a lake. If you had to compromise on your ceremony location due to your guest count or your budget, the adventure part of your day could be your chance to explore some beautiful locations with your photographer.
Choose your “reception” location
This can be as formal or informal as you’d like. This could be a casual picnic, a meal at a restaurant, or even a meal made by a private chef at your accommodation.
Types of Elopement Ceremony Locations
7. Apply for your permits
The most common permits we see eloping couples need is for their ceremony and for their adventure. Some locations can be booked like a typical venue, others can be easily booked through websites like Recreation.gov (most commonly campsites and other locations within the National Forest), and others need to be applied for through an online applications (most commonly National Parks and State Parks).
Every location will have its own requirements and booking timeframe. So always plan ahead, and before you fully commit to something, make sure you have it booked. The last thing you want is to make a bunch of non-refundable travel plans only to find out the location you fell in love with is already booked on your date.
8. Plan the rest of your elopement day
Now that the big stuff is decided on, it’s time to have some fun!
Part of this conversation might even happen while choosing locations, and that’s perfect. But here is where you’ll really start to discuss and put together all of the elements that go into making the events of your elopement day match your wildest dreams.
The first thing you should do when considering your perfect elopement day is to sit down with your partner and talk it through. Forget the elopement piece for a second and talk about what really speaks to the two of you as a couple. It could be the quiet time on a hike, honoring your love for boats, prioritizing food, experiencing something brand new to the both of you (maybe the northern lights, or a zipline through a canyon), bringing your pups with you all day, or watching the sun disappear and lingering until the stars take its place. It could be all of these things and more.
Now that you know what is most important to you, insert your elopement into that adventure. You could take that zipline and then turn around to see your partner zooming in after you for your first look. Use the hiking trail as the aisle that you walk down on your way to the ceremony. Have a charcuterie picnic complete with champagne on a mountain top. Have a family member officiate, or more than one family member, or have no one around at all. Decorate your ceremony space with an arch and flowers, or let nature do all the talking. When you elope your wedding can be whatever you want it to be, with all the bells and whistles or none of them.
Elopement Activity Ideas
Looking for some more unique ideas for your outdoor elopement?
Check out our 41 ideas for your outdoor elopement
9. Choose your elopement attire
Once you know where you’ll be getting married, what kind of weather you can expect, and what activities you plan to do, you can start your search for the perfect elopement attire! We recommend keeping your elopement plans and location in mind when picking out what you are going to wear. And don’t forget to leave time for alterations!
For winter elopements, make sure to pick out something warm. For those wearing suits, this could mean choosing thicker fabrics such as wool, flannel, cashmere, or tweed. For those wearing dresses, consider a dress with long sleeves, or buy a cozy wrap or shawl to put around your shoulders. A trick for staying warm in a dress is to wear fleece tights underneath!
For summer elopements, make sure your attire won’t keep you too hot. For those wearing suits, this could mean choosing thicker fabrics such as linen, cotton, or chambray. For those wearing dresses, consider a dress that has fewer layers, is lightweight, and more breathable.
If you’re going hiking up a mountain, make sure you can actually walk normally in the dress, or take big steps in the pants without ripping them at the seams.
Proper footwear is also important to think about! For couples planning an adventurous day, hiking boots might be necessary. If you’re getting married on a beach, you might forego shoes at all!
Traveling with your elopement attire
We cannot emphasize enough how important it is to carry-on your elopement attire if you are flying to your destination. If you’ve ever had your bags get lost by an airline, you’ll know how stressful it can be, now imagine if your elopement dress was in that lost bag! Anything you can’t live without on your elopement day should be packed in your carry-on.
Our favorite way to pack your elopement attire is to keep it in the garment bag and loosely and gently fold or roll it up to fit in your carry-on sized suitcase. This should help avoid too many creases or wrinkles, but you can also pack a portable steamer in your checked luggage (if the fabric of your attire can be steamed). Then hang your attire up as soon as you arrive at your destination.
10. Book your travel
Flights and accommodations are the most important parts here. Having a nice place to stay is going to be easier if you research well in advance and have the most options possible. Same for avoiding unnecessary layovers or red-eye flight. The key here though is that the longer you wait, the fewer options there are going to be.
One slightly different thing we recommend that you look for when booking your accommodation (beyond being well designed, cute, in a good location) is plenty of windows. We know that probably seems like a strange feature to be worried about, but it’s a photographer’s dream to work with, and the natural light will make any documentation taking place at the rental even more beautiful. If you’re unsure of a place, reach out to the team documenting your elopement and ask them what they think!
This is also a great time to start thinking about what other travel you need to book. This could include rental cars, trains, ferries, tours, and 4WD vehicles.
11. Hire your vendors
Once your vision is really coming to life, it’s time to start hiring any additional vendors. Find a local florist, or buy a realistic faux floral arrangement that you can travel with. Pick a hair and makeup artist who will get up before sunrise with you. If you want an ordained officiant, reach out to a few and see which one matches your vision for the ceremony. Book a private chef, a table at a nice restaurant, or find a pizza place to pop in and grab a slice. Book a Jeep tour to take you to the top of a 4WD road. The further out from your elopement date you start this process, the more options you’ll likely have.
We provide our couples with a customized list of vendors to help further bring their elopement to life!
And don’t forget to buy your rings! Whether it’s a safe, silicone ring for your partner who works with their hands, a gold band from a small business, or a custom ring with hand chosen materials from an artisan on Etsy, any choice that suits you is the right choice.
12. Research your marriage license
Each state has a different process for marriage licenses, so you’ll need to find some local information. This can be in your hometown or in your destination, but either way you’ll need to know if an appointment is required, what documents you need, if there’s a waiting period, and whether you need an officiant and witnesses.
In most states, you will need to have an officiant lead your ceremony and sign your marriage license. In most states you can even have a friend or family member get ordained online and legally officiate for you. Other states such as Colorado and Pennsylvania allow you to "self solemnize" your marriage. This means that you are not required to have an officiant or any witnesses. And yes, it’s true, in many Colorado counties, you can put your dog’s paw print on your marriage license!
If you are getting married outside of your home country, it can sometimes be easier to handle the legal part in your home country and have a symbolic ceremony in your destination. When we eloped in Scotland, we found that you need a special marriage visa, so we decided to avoid jumping through legal hoops and get legally married at the courthouse at home in Colorado. It was quick, painless, and it gave us much less to worry about in Scotland! It also allowed us to have our ceremony in our own unique way, which meant not having an officiant present.
Do you have questions about elopement ceremonies?
13. Elope!
The day you and you partner have worked so hard to plan! Enjoy this celebration of your love, but don’t forget to submit your marriage license paperwork once you’ve filled it out on your elopement day. Each state has a different window in which you must submit, so look into what it is for your location.
Elopement Packing List
If you’re having an outdoor elopement, there are some last-minute, unique items that you may want to make sure you bring! We’ve compiled this list of things you might need:
Hiking Essentials
Hiking Backpack
Water Bottles + Reservoirs
Hiking Boots
Headlamps
Trekking Poles
Safety Essentials
First Aid Kit
Bug Spray
Bear Spray - Be sure to familiarize yourself with using bear spray before taking it out with you, check out this article from the National Park Service for more details.
Portable Oxygen
Cold Weather Elopement Essentials
Snowshoes
Microspikes
Hand Warmers
Base Layers
Wool Socks
Thermos for Warm Drinks
Dog Hiking + Adventure Elopement Basics
Dog First Aid Kit
Cooling Apparel
Warming Apparel
Packable Food and Water Bowls
Emergency Dog Carrying Harness
14. Announce your elopement
Often when family and friends couldn’t attend, they still want to see it. Many photographers provide a couple of your images within a few days of your elopement and the rest of them later on. Consider taking one of those first images you get and printing up a nice announcement card to mail to your loved ones.
If you’re planning a casual “reception” of sorts at a local park or brewery, you can even include the details of that on the announcement. If you hired a videographer, you may even have your elopement video by the time you get together with your people to show them a movie of your day!
Are you still looking for the perfect team to help bring your elopement to life?
Let’s start your elopement adventure together!
We’re Lisa + Alex, and we are photographers and videographers who focus solely on elopements. We are passionate about giving our couples a fun and easy planning experience and giving them the most incredible elopement day possible. We work closely with each of our couples to offer location options, vendor recommendations, and fun ideas to personalize their wedding day.
Each couple who books with us will receive their own, collaborative Elopement Planning Portal. We know that planning your elopement can seem overwhelming, but we’re here to make the planning process easy and fun!
Ouray, Colorado Elopement Photography + Trailer Film