An elopement is an unapologetically romantic way of getting married and it’s a wonderful alternative for couples who want something a little less traditional than a bigger wedding. You may also be surprised to know that eloping no longer means running off to Las Vegas in secret. In this day and age, it allows couples to create an intentionally intimate and authentic wedding experience with a considerably smaller guest list that avoids any social constraints.
If the thought of eloping has made you feel weak at the knees and you’ve now got your heart set on saying ‘I Do’ as just two, but you’re not sure how long it actually takes, don’t fret as you’re in the right place.
First things first, we must stress that just because you’re opting for a smaller guest list and avoiding any of the traditional wedding day structure, your elopement wedding planning is just as special. To work out how long you’ll need to plan your elopement, you need to consider what you actually want to do on the day of your elopement wedding! With that in mind, we’ve whipped up the Ultimate Elopement Checklist to effortlessly guide you through the elopement planning process.
While we offer two elopement packages here at Brickhouse Vineyard, including the ‘Sauvignon Blanc’ & ‘Pinot Noir’, you can completely tailor the day to be the perfect reflection of you both as a couple. The elements you plan on including within your elopement will help to determine how many days, weeks or months you need to get organised.
For example, an elopement doesn’t mean you can only book your photographer for two to four hours. For some couples this may be completely appropriate, however you may want to pack in lots of adventures prior to and post-ceremony. You could grab your walking boots and spend the morning hiking up the moors, enjoy a post-ceremony photo session on a beach, indulge in a decadent breakfast, take a dip in the sea or so much more! The options are endless, but you won’t regret hiring your photographer to be there to capture some seriously loved-up snaps. If this is the case, get in touch with your potential wedding photographer ASAP. Many offer smaller packages for elopements but if you want to extend the time and book during a very busy period, drop them an enquiry to avoid any disappointment.
So, before you dive into elopement planning, think about what you really want from the day and how you can make it feel like it belongs to you and only you. If you are wondering what to expect on the day you elope, we’ve put together a quick guide so you have a better idea of how your celebration can unfold – head to our What Happens On The Day You Elope blog to find out more.
You can plan an elopement as quickly as you want! It also depends on how long you want to soak up the excitement and anticipation of the planning process, or if you want to get married as soon as possible.
Here are a few additional things that will affect how long it takes to elope:
- If you’re choosing to elope at a particular wedding venue, you’ll need to get in touch to discover their availability (especially for couples who want to tie the knot sooner rather than later). Don’t be surprised to have to wait until a date is free if you know you want to get married at a specific setting – but it will definitely be worth the wait! The same goes for the rest of your wedding suppliers, including your florist, photographer, dress etc.
- Think about budget and the activities, extras and any other elements you want to include in your wedding day. If you want to go all out with your dining experience or you want to allocate your money on transport, you may need to work this into how long it will take you to save for your elopement wedding.
- If you do decide to have guests at your elopement wedding, consider how much notice they will need to book time off work or save for accommodation and flights if needed.
We’d love to welcome you to find out more about elopement weddings at Brickhouse Vineyard, so please do drop us a note to chat to a member of our weddings team or swing by Instagram to see our Devon wedding venue in action!
Images by The Unbridled