Simple elopement hacks you'll love

Because they are so much easier to plan than typical Weddings, you could say that an elopement is already a great “wedding hack,” but even the most effortless elopements come with their fair share of planning and little hurdles.

It doesn’t matter what stage of the planning you’re on, we think you’ll benefit from a few tips that will make your magical day even more enjoyable.

With just a few small adjustments, you can save a ton of work and really make your elopement an incredible flawless experience.

Focus on the Moment

Don’t worry about what other people are thinking when it comes to your elopement. Actually, don’t think about anything else at all.

Your elopement should be about you and your significant other. Not fancy stories on Instagram, not living it up every minute, not showing off, nothing like that.

To truly get the most out of your elopement, be mindful of the time you share with your partner, and any family and friends who are with you. These are moments you’re going to want to remember for a lifetime.

You’ll also appreciate the small things more if you aren’t mentally caught up in everyone’s perception of your elopement or what life will be like after you get home. None of that matters, it will work itself out.

The moment is all that matters.

Don’t Try and be Your Own Photographer

You’re not as savvy with a camera as you think you are!

It’s so important to hire a decent photographer and / or videographer for the elopement ceremony and any other events or parts of the elopement you want to capture.

There’s nothing wrong with taking plenty of pictures yourself with your phone, but when it comes time to really capture the moments that matter, you’re going to want to leave it to a professional.

When it comes to eloping, the lion’s share of the money you want to spend services on should be in the photography. This is not something you want to leave to chance.

Plus, having a good photographer means you don’t really have to think too much about the photography at all. They will be there to capture all the right moments, leaving you to focus on the actual elopement.

Save yourself a headache and don’t skimp in this department. Find a solid photographer in the area you are getting eloped at, and let them handle that aspect of the elopement.

Get the Legal Stuff Over With ASAP

Can’t stress this enough. Don’t leave the legalities of your elopement till the zero hour.

Actually, once you decide on a location and begin the initial steps to planning your elopement, this is when you want to contact the local municipal authorities or look up online exactly what you need to do in order to get married legally in that state or city, and then do everything in your power to take care of it then and there.

This way, when you arrive for your elopement, there won’t be any surprises. Nothing can put a damper on a fantastic elopement quite like legal snafus.

Pick a Theme and Stick to It

Early on in your elopement planning you should pick the location you want to get married in, and also choose an overarching theme.

This will make planning the smaller aspects of the ceremony easier. This includes what to wear and the location of the actual ceremony, as well as possible events before and after the ceremony.

For instance, if you have a general idea that you want to get eloped on a beach, you will want to craft your ceremony around this theme. This means that it’s probably a good idea to account for the weather and environment by not wearing an excessively large gown or anything that would make the ceremony uncomfortable.

Is your ceremony going to feel like a party or be more casual? Will it be intimate and romantic or exciting and fun?

Picking a theme will automatically reduce the amount of choices you have when thinking up color schemes, clothing options, or anything else you want to incorporate into the elopement, making the entire process of planning everything far easier.

A Little Goes a Long Way

One important thing to remember about your elopement is that you don’t want to try and cram too much in or be too elaborate.

The whole point of an elopement is to reduce the stress and clutter that sometimes comes with your average wedding. In fact, because of how easy it is to plan an elopement in comparison, some couples tend to want to tack on a bunch of events or ideas at the last minute.

This is something you want to avoid. A little goes a long way with elopements. The less you have to pack, the less engagements you have to attend, the less you feel like you’re being shuffled from one event or sightseeing spot to another, the better.

You want to capture a feeling of freedom in your elopement. You want to leave space for you and your significant other to relax, and allow the magnitude of the marriage to sink in.

Don’t feel pressured to turn every minute of the entire elopement stay into an Instagram photoshoot or wild thrill. You’ll appreciate everything a whole lot more if you have downtime between the events you have planned.

This goes for the day of the ceremony as well. Don’t try and turn the elopement ceremony into a 10-step extravaganza. Simple and small is almost always better.

Want more elopement hacks? Check out our tips on getting eloped on a Budget!