Why You Need an Elopement Planner
The Benefits of Hiring a Planner for Your Elopement
You’re over the moon about your recent engagement, and now you’re deep into the initial planning phase. You and your partner have already decided that an elopement is best for the both of you. But now what? Sure, there are seemingly a lot less details to consider when the wedding you’re planning doesn’t involve a 200 person guest list. But the little details are still piling up, and you start to realize that some of them may actually be more difficult to tackle than if you had settled on a large party. That is where an elopement planner is ready to swoop in and save the day!
Maybe your reason for downsizing your wedding is because your wedding budget is lower, and you are hesitant to book a planner and add that cost. Or maybe you wanted an intimate wedding for a more personal feel, and you are afraid that bringing in a planner will strip your day of that. In reality, a great planner will only make your day feel unique to you, AND will streamline the organization of details in a way that ultimately stretches your budget further! But, we know this is not always an easy decision, so we’ve created this post to cover all the reasons why you should hire an elopement planner for your epic day!
Let’s first cover the most important question…
What does an elopement planner do?
Elopement planners wear many hats and every individual vendor has a different approach, but generally all planners offer a variety of these three services:
Location Scouting: They use their local expertise to find the perfect location(s) for your elopement ceremony and activities.
Plan your day to a “T”: Elopement planners are experts at organizing epic events! They handle vendor communication and booking, secure permits and create back-up plans for weather or closures, and also plan our your entire elopement day timeline for you.
Day-of-Coordination: Coordinate your elopement day including set-up and tear down, and coordinate schedules with any guests so you can be fully present and stress-free.
We’ll break these three items down in the next sections, so you can fully understand whether an elopement planner is the right fit for your wedding experience!
Location Scouting
Your elopement planner will commit the time and energy required to seek out the absolute best spot for your vows! They act as your local guide with feet on the ground, traveling to and testing out the possibilities. You communicate your non-negotiables (or preferences)- i.e. sprawling mountain views, a quiet pine forest, wheelchair accessibility, etc, and your planner puts in the work to find just what you are looking for. Vows aren’t their only priority, though. An amazing elopement planner will take it upon themselves to scout the entire area, searching for other places and activities that will make your day unforgettable! For example:
Love coffee? Your planner will find the perfect coffee shop for you guys to grab a cup o’joe on route to your elopement spot.
Want to go on an afternoon kayak adventure? Your planner will figure out where this is possible, and how to make it happen!
Want to meet some friends at a local brewery after your ceremony? Your planner is on it! Not only will they gladly seek out the best brewery to fit the vibe of your day, but they will do the necessary communicating with the brewery as well!
Ultimately, your planner knows just how important location is to your elopement, and it is not something they will take lightly. They will communicate with you every step of the way to ensure that you are ecstatic about the choices being made. At the end of the day you will find yourself eloping in a location so much more unique and personal to you than you would have been able to find through a google search of “places to elope in _.”
Plan your day to a “t” AKA “Logistics”
A common misconception that people have is that eloping is easy. However, it isn’t as simple as just finding your dream location and showing up. Sure, it may not be as stressful as a traditional big wedding, but it still requires logistics to be planned. There are many restrictions surrounding where you can elope, and even restrictions on when. Luckily, if you have an elopement planner, you don’t have to worry about these, they will take care of them for you! Some details that your planner will deal with include:
Permits: Many places where you would like to elope (National Parks, Recreation Areas, National Forests, etc..) require permits to do so. A planner will do the necessary research to ensure that all of the legalities of utilizing the land are being taken care of. This includes knowledge of the rules for eloping in any particular place as well.
No-go’s: Public land is not always accessible for every purpose. It is possible that your dream location is off limits for elopements entirely. Your planner will do their best to find an alternative with similar offerings.
Closures: It is not uncommon for roads in certain areas to be closed for weather or other reasons throughout the year. Your planner will make sure to be aware of any possible road closures that could affect accessing your spot. They will have alternative routes or a back-up location on the ready.
Communicating with vendors: Sure, there are definitely less vendors involved with elopements than a traditional wedding. But that doesn’t mean that there aren’t any! This could include your officiant, any food/dessert vendors, the companies you are using for any activities, or the state park that runs the campground you want to use for an evening bonfire. They will recommend/help you choose vendors, and also manage the bulk of the communicating so you don’t have to.
Day-of-Coordination
Having a planner will take the organizational and detail-related stress off of your shoulders on the day of your elopement, especially if you are utilizing their day-of coordinator services. From start to finish, your day has been carefully curated with their professional input and assistance. Every detail has been tended to and confirmed. In the event that something does go astray, your planner will be present to take care of it while you are busy living in the moment. Here are some ways in which your elopement planner makes your day worry-free and smooth-sailing:
Planning and Packing Checklists: By providing you with checklists that help reassure you that nothing has been overlooked or forgotten. You won’t have that lingering “I am definitely forgetting something” feeling hanging out in your consciousness the whole day, because everything will be acknowledged and accounted for.
Providing you with an Elopement Timeline: Don’t know how to plan an elopement timeline? No worries! Your planner has mapped out all travel time and considered any potential roadblocks for the day. They have factored in buffer time in case there is traffic, or you are feeling like you would like to linger over your morning coffee together just a little longer.
Managing Gear & Supplies: They keep tabs on the things you will definitely need, and have the things you might need- just in case. From keeping your marriage license and vow books safe while you hike, to having printed copies of all activity reservations, to carrying an emergency lint roller and bobby pins, your planner will make sure everything is in order.
Decorating & Setting Up: They handle the check-ins and set-ups so you can focus all your time on each other! Enjoy the views while your planner sets up your mountain top picnic, or sit by the water while your planner checks in with the campground host.
At the end of the day, your planner’s job is to ensure that you have the best elopement day possible. This means allowing you the freedom to enjoy every moment of it without worry. They are cool, calm, and collected, and create the space for you to truly relax into your day.
How do you decide if an elopement planner is right for you?
Whether you are planning a large scale wedding, a 20 person micro-wedding, or an intimate elopement, wedding planning takes time- and lots of it. An elopement planner invests the time and energy needed to make your day exactly how you envisioned it, so you don’t have to manage the research and keep track of all the little details! If you’re still on the fence, here are some final reasons why an elopement planner might be right for you:
You are BUSY - you value quality time with your partner, family, and friends and want to spend as much of your little free-time doing things that you enjoy, and searching on Google is not one of them.
You feel overwhelmed- you’re not planning a 200 person event, but you still don’t want it to be simple either….all your research is leading to more logistics to consider and it’s feeling like A LOT.
You have a specific budget - you and your partner have decided to allocate a specific budget to your elopement, and really want to stick to it!
You don’t live in the area where you want to elope - you want your elopement to be a brand new travel adventure or are planning to elope out of state, closer to family. You don’t even know where to start with finding vendors, vetting locations, or even handling the legalities of getting married in the area.
You’re inviting guests - you want to have your core people present on your elopement day, but don’t know how to best manage their needs on top of your own! You don’t want them (or yourself) to feel stressed or burdened with DIY-ing everything.
You’re super organized, but want some help - maybe you LOVE to plan and build a good checklist, but also are stressed you might miss something or just want accountability and professional assistance to keep everything on track.
When it comes down to it, there is a reason that a wedding planner is a wedding planner. They are creative and detail-oriented people, who care deeply about providing unforgettable memories for your big day. Just because you have chosen to go the non-traditional route for your wedding does not mean you have to, or should, sacrifice the professional expertise that planners bring to the table. Between the time they will invest, the knowledge they will provide, and the details they will tend to that would likely otherwise be overlooked, hiring a planner for your elopement is a decision you will not regret.
