As an elopement photographer and planner that has also photographed (and attended plenty of) big weddings, there’s one thing that I see engaged couples stress about more than anything else: their timeline. The timeline for a big wedding can feel like a stress-inducing list of to-dos, of things that must go right or else their whole night is ruined. But when you decide you don’t want a big wedding and you instead want to get married in a more intentional and private way, oftentimes an elopement timeline just gets thrown out the window.
And that makes me so sad every time. Because a good elopement timeline should feel like a safety net, not a never-ending task list. A well-built timeline is a tool that helps eloping couples experience everything they want to on their elopement day and protects their energy throughout the process. If you’re searching for the happy medium of organization with room for spontaneity, you’re in the right place. Let me share a few tips and examples of timelines that can allow your day to feel both exciting and relaxing.
I want to show you what’s possible for your elopement, and how to fit everything into a day that still feels way more relaxed than a big wedding ever could.
Elopement Activity Inspiration
Before we dive into how to create a timeline, I want you to take a moment to imagine what the best day could actually look like. Your love deserves so much more celebration than just a quick “I do” and signing paperwork. You deserve a day that’s just as grand and joyous as a big wedding; it probably just looks a bit different.
A lot of my couples started out by imagining a quiet little ceremony, signing paperwork and taking a few portraits. But once they started thinking about what would feel best to them, they decided to spend their day doing things that make them feel present, loved and celebrated. Here are just a few activity examples that you could enjoy on your wedding day.
Exciting Elopement Activities
- Hiking or backpacking
- Scenic flight or boat ride
- Whale watching
- Rock climbing
- Sky diving
- Hot air balloon ride
- Mountain biking
- Get tattoos
- Sing in the car or go on a joy ride
Relaxing Elopement Activities
- Have a picnic
- Making each other coffee
- Go thrift shopping
- Beach combing
- Cook dinner together
- Canoeing or kayaking on calm waters
- Have breakfast in bed
- Smoke a joint
- Relax in a hammock together
- Go wine tasting
Sentimental Elopement Activities
- Read letters from friends and family
- Write each other letters for your first anniversary
- Look back at old photos together
- FaceTime friends, family, or pets
- Purchase gifts for each other
- Take polaroids of each other
- Play music, serenade each other, or share a first dance
How to Create an Elopement Timeline
The best part of eloping is you don’t have to stick to a super-packed timeline, but it’s best to have some structure to make sure you have the best experience. Once you decide what activities you want to do, or what sights you want to see, it would be a shame to not be able to actually get to everything due to poor time management. Your day should be the perfect mix of fun and relaxing. Here are some tips to make sure you have the best of both worlds on your elopement day.
Start with the knowns.
Some things are already set in stone. Check times for things like the sunrise or sunset, when the stars fade, low tide or high tide, or when gates to the park open. Then structure the most important parts of your day around that moment. Everything else on your day is much more flexible.
For example, if you’re dreaming of doing a hot air balloon ride as a part of your day, and the tour company only does rides starting at 5pm, structure the rest of your day so you can get to that spot in time for that experience.
Add in extra buffer time.
Give extra buffer time for everything. Most people haven’t listed out every little detail of what it takes to do what seems like just one task before. Things just take more time than you think. “I’m ready to go now” quickly turns into “Just let me put on my shoes and unplug my phone charger and fill my water bottle then we can go.” There’s nothing wrong with that! It’s just something we need to plan for so you don’t feel rushed.
For example, if you’re having your ceremony at a spot that’s 30 minutes away from your AirBnb, give yourself at least 45 minutes of drive time to account for putting things in the car, stopping for gas or coffee or that random beautiful spot on the side of the road. Plus, once you get to that location, add an extra 5-10 minutes to unpack or have a quick bathroom break before jumping immediately into your next activity.
Go slow.
One of my favorite things about eloping is how intentional it is. There’s so much more room to be truly present and take it all in. But you can’t do that if you’re running from location to location or activity to activity. Make sure to give yourselves extra time for any activity that you’re doing to allow for a slower pace.
For example, if you’re hiking, don’t base your timing off of your normal hiking pace. Moving around in a wedding dress or suit, sometimes in the dark, with extra gear takes longer than your usual “just me and a water bottle against the world” pace. Plus we want to make sure the whole experience is intentional, slow, and sweat-free. Plan to go slow and enjoy the views along the way instead of rushing to the destination.
Don’t be afraid to take breaks.
Again, one of the best things about eloping is how flexible it is. You don’t have to pack everything into 6 hours or 8 hours or even just one day. You know yourself better than anyone. Think about how you usually feel on vacation or when you travel. On paper maybe your itinerary looked good, but once you’re there doing all the things, how do you feel? If you’re the kind of person who loves a jam-packed, busy day and then a full day of relaxation after, then plan for that. But if you’re the kind of person who gets cranky half-way through that day out in the sun, don’t do that to yourself on your elopement day. There’s simply no need.
For example, if you’re trying to go star gazing and see the sunrise in the mountains, and also want to watch the sunset on the beach, maybe consider taking a mid-day nap or even splitting your elopement experience into two different days. You can do it all, but there’s no need to burn yourself out in the process.
Real Elopement Timeline Examples
With all of those tips in mind, let’s look at some real elopement timelines that I’ve put together for my couples. These range from 16-hours to 8-hours and include a range of different activities and locations. Notice where there’s extra buffer time or breaks built in. This is what an epic and relaxing day (or days) looks like.
16-HOUR (2-DAY) STARS + SUNRISE IN THE MOUNTAINS AND PRIVATE CHARTER BOAT SUNSET
DAY 1
- 1:00am Arrive at the Mt. Baker parking lot
- 1:15am From parking lot, short hike to Artist Point
- 1:45am Take star portraits
- 3:30am Find a spot for the ceremony
- 3:45am Get settled at ceremony spot
- 4:00am Ceremony under the stars
- 4:30am Hike back to parking lot, taking blue hour photos along the way
- 5:00am Hike trail to lake, taking photos along the way
- 5:49am Sunrise along the trail
- 6:30am Arrive at lake, set up picnic, sign paperwork
- 7:30am Hike back to parking lot, photos along the way
- 9:00am Arrive at parking lot, pack up
DAY 2
- 1:00pm Arrive at pizza place in Bellingham
- 1:30pm Order pizza, take fun beer photos, pick out beer for boat ride, eat lunch
- 2:30pm Head to the marina
- 3:00pm Meet the charter boat company
- 3:30pm Safety talk + load up
- 4:00pm Anchors away, photos along the way
- 5:00pm Arrive at the state park island
- 5:15pm Explore the island, woods portraits
- 6:00pm Find a private stretch of beach
- 6:15pm Beach portraits
- 7:00pm Relax with a beer, watch the sun start to go down
- 7:45pm Head back to the pier
- 8:00pm Board boat back to Bellingham
- 8:30pm Sunset portraits in Bellingham Bay
- 9:00pm Arrive back in Bellingham, photo coverage ends
12-HOUR (2-DAY) CEREMONY WITH FAMILY AND PRIVATE COFFEE + TATTOO DATE
DAY 1
- 8:00am Photographer arrives & checks in with group
- 8:30am Getting ready candids & find spot for first look
- 9:00am First look
- 9:30am Travel to Hoh Rainforest
- 10:30am Arrive at Hoh
- 10:45am Walk to ceremony location
- 11:30am Ceremony
- 12:00pm Portraits with family
- 12:30pm Walk back to car
- 12:45pm Family goes back to AirBnb, couples portraits
- 1:15pm Drive to Forks
- 2:00pm Arrive in Forks, pick up lunch
- 2:15pm Drive to beach trailhead
- 2:45pm Arrive at beach trailhead
- 3:00pm Short hike to beach
- 3:30pm Picnic lunch, reaching letters from friends + family
- 4:15pm First dance
- 4:20pm Quick beach portraits
- 4:30pm Wrap up on beach, hike back to car
- 5:00pm Drive back to meet family for celebration, photo coverage ends
DAY 2
- 10:00am Meet at a coffee shop in Port Angeles
- 10:15am Coffee date
- 10:45am Walk to tattoo shop
- 11:00am Flash tattoos
- 1:00pm Photo coverage ends
8-HOUR RELAXING OLYMPIC ADVENTURE WITH KAYAKING AND BEACH COMBING
SEE PHOTOS AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR DAY HERE
- 8:00am Getting ready at AirBnb with music playing
- 8:30am Make bridal bouquet
- 9:00am Detail shots while drinking coffee with pastries
- 9:30am Get dressed
- 10:00am First look on the lawn
- 10:15am Traditional portraits (bride and groom)
- 10:30am Ceremony on dock with vows, ring exchange and jumping a paddle
- 11:00am Pop “champagne” (sparkling water)
- 11:30am Kayaking on the lake
- 12:30pm Chill lunch (camera break)
- 2:30pm Hop in car to head to beach
- 3:00pm Arrive at beach, portraits on the way
- 3:15pm Explore beach, prompted portraits
- 3:45pm Beach-combing, look for rocks
- 4:00pm Sunset photos
- 4:15pm Watch the sunset with sparkling water
- 4:30pm Blue hour photos with lanterns, exploring tide pools
- 5:00pm Head back to AirBnb, photo coverage wraps
The Best of Both Worlds
I truly want you, whoever you are, to have the absolute best day possible. Your elopement should feel like a day you just don’t want to end, and you should feel celebrated and loved. That means balancing epic scenery and exciting activities with your energy levels and social batteries. If you’re looking for some help creating a customized timeline, please reach out! We can hop on a free consultation call and I can walk you through what your elopement day could look like.
As an elopement photographer and planner that has also photographed (and attended plenty of) big weddings, there’s one thing that I see engaged couples stress about more than anything else: their timeline. The timeline for a big wedding can feel like a stress-inducing list of to-dos, of things that must go right or else their whole night is ruined. But when you decide you don’t want a big wedding and you instead want to get married in a more intentional and private way, oftentimes an elopement timeline just gets thrown out the window.
And that makes me so sad every time. Because a good elopement timeline should feel like a safety net, not a never-ending task list. A well-built timeline is a tool that helps eloping couples experience everything they want to on their elopement day and protects their energy throughout the process. If you’re searching for the happy medium of organization with room for spontaneity, you’re in the right place. Let me share a few tips and examples of timelines that can allow your day to feel both exciting and relaxing.
I want to show you what’s possible for your elopement, and how to fit everything into a day that still feels way more relaxed than a big wedding ever could.
Elopement Activity Inspiration
Before we dive into how to create a timeline, I want you to take a moment to imagine what the best day could actually look like. Your love deserves so much more celebration than just a quick “I do” and signing paperwork. You deserve a day that’s just as grand and joyous as a big wedding; it probably just looks a bit different.
A lot of my couples started out by imagining a quiet little ceremony, signing paperwork and taking a few portraits. But once they started thinking about what would feel best to them, they decided to spend their day doing things that make them feel present, loved and celebrated. Here are just a few activity examples that you could enjoy on your wedding day.
Exciting Elopement Activities
- Hiking or backpacking
- Scenic flight or boat ride
- Whale watching
- Rock climbing
- Sky diving
- Hot air balloon ride
- Mountain biking
- Get tattoos
- Sing in the car or go on a joy ride
Relaxing Elopement Activities
- Have a picnic
- Making each other coffee
- Go thrift shopping
- Beach combing
- Cook dinner together
- Canoeing or kayaking on calm waters
- Have breakfast in bed
- Smoke a joint
- Relax in a hammock together
- Go wine tasting
Sentimental Elopement Activities
- Read letters from friends and family
- Write each other letters for your first anniversary
- Look back at old photos together
- FaceTime friends, family, or pets
- Purchase gifts for each other
- Take polaroids of each other
- Play music, serenade each other, or share a first dance
How to Create an Elopement Timeline
The best part of eloping is you don’t have to stick to a super-packed timeline, but it’s best to have some structure to make sure you have the best experience. Once you decide what activities you want to do, or what sights you want to see, it would be a shame to not be able to actually get to everything due to poor time management. Your day should be the perfect mix of fun and relaxing. Here are some tips to make sure you have the best of both worlds on your elopement day.
Start with the knowns.
Some things are already set in stone. Check times for things like the sunrise or sunset, when the stars fade, low tide or high tide, or when gates to the park open. Then structure the most important parts of your day around that moment. Everything else on your day is much more flexible.
For example, if you’re dreaming of doing a hot air balloon ride as a part of your day, and the tour company only does rides starting at 5pm, structure the rest of your day so you can get to that spot in time for that experience.
Add in extra buffer time.
Give extra buffer time for everything. Most people haven’t listed out every little detail of what it takes to do what seems like just one task before. Things just take more time than you think. “I’m ready to go now” quickly turns into “Just let me put on my shoes and unplug my phone charger and fill my water bottle then we can go.” There’s nothing wrong with that! It’s just something we need to plan for so you don’t feel rushed.
For example, if you’re having your ceremony at a spot that’s 30 minutes away from your AirBnb, give yourself at least 45 minutes of drive time to account for putting things in the car, stopping for gas or coffee or that random beautiful spot on the side of the road. Plus, once you get to that location, add an extra 5-10 minutes to unpack or have a quick bathroom break before jumping immediately into your next activity.
Go slow.
One of my favorite things about eloping is how intentional it is. There’s so much more room to be truly present and take it all in. But you can’t do that if you’re running from location to location or activity to activity. Make sure to give yourselves extra time for any activity that you’re doing to allow for a slower pace.
For example, if you’re hiking, don’t base your timing off of your normal hiking pace. Moving around in a wedding dress or suit, sometimes in the dark, with extra gear takes longer than your usual “just me and a water bottle against the world” pace. Plus we want to make sure the whole experience is intentional, slow, and sweat-free. Plan to go slow and enjoy the views along the way instead of rushing to the destination.
Don’t be afraid to take breaks.
Again, one of the best things about eloping is how flexible it is. You don’t have to pack everything into 6 hours or 8 hours or even just one day. You know yourself better than anyone. Think about how you usually feel on vacation or when you travel. On paper maybe your itinerary looked good, but once you’re there doing all the things, how do you feel? If you’re the kind of person who loves a jam-packed, busy day and then a full day of relaxation after, then plan for that. But if you’re the kind of person who gets cranky half-way through that day out in the sun, don’t do that to yourself on your elopement day. There’s simply no need.
For example, if you’re trying to go star gazing and see the sunrise in the mountains, and also want to watch the sunset on the beach, maybe consider taking a mid-day nap or even splitting your elopement experience into two different days. You can do it all, but there’s no need to burn yourself out in the process.
Real Elopement Timeline Examples
With all of those tips in mind, let’s look at some real elopement timelines that I’ve put together for my couples. These range from 16-hours to 8-hours and include a range of different activities and locations. Notice where there’s extra buffer time or breaks built in. This is what an epic and relaxing day (or days) looks like.
16-HOUR (2-DAY) STARS + SUNRISE IN THE MOUNTAINS AND PRIVATE CHARTER BOAT SUNSET
DAY 1
- 1:00am Arrive at the Mt. Baker parking lot
- 1:15am From parking lot, short hike to Artist Point
- 1:45am Take star portraits
- 3:30am Find a spot for the ceremony
- 3:45am Get settled at ceremony spot
- 4:00am Ceremony under the stars
- 4:30am Hike back to parking lot, taking blue hour photos along the way
- 5:00am Hike trail to lake, taking photos along the way
- 5:49am Sunrise along the trail
- 6:30am Arrive at lake, set up picnic, sign paperwork
- 7:30am Hike back to parking lot, photos along the way
- 9:00am Arrive at parking lot, pack up
DAY 2
- 1:00pm Arrive at pizza place in Bellingham
- 1:30pm Order pizza, take fun beer photos, pick out beer for boat ride, eat lunch
- 2:30pm Head to the marina
- 3:00pm Meet the charter boat company
- 3:30pm Safety talk + load up
- 4:00pm Anchors away, photos along the way
- 5:00pm Arrive at the state park island
- 5:15pm Explore the island, woods portraits
- 6:00pm Find a private stretch of beach
- 6:15pm Beach portraits
- 7:00pm Relax with a beer, watch the sun start to go down
- 7:45pm Head back to the pier
- 8:00pm Board boat back to Bellingham
- 8:30pm Sunset portraits in Bellingham Bay
- 9:00pm Arrive back in Bellingham, photo coverage ends
12-HOUR (2-DAY) CEREMONY WITH FAMILY AND PRIVATE COFFEE + TATTOO DATE
DAY 1
- 8:00am Photographer arrives & checks in with group
- 8:30am Getting ready candids & find spot for first look
- 9:00am First look
- 9:30am Travel to Hoh Rainforest
- 10:30am Arrive at Hoh
- 10:45am Walk to ceremony location
- 11:30am Ceremony
- 12:00pm Portraits with family
- 12:30pm Walk back to car
- 12:45pm Family goes back to AirBnb, couples portraits
- 1:15pm Drive to Forks
- 2:00pm Arrive in Forks, pick up lunch
- 2:15pm Drive to beach trailhead
- 2:45pm Arrive at beach trailhead
- 3:00pm Short hike to beach
- 3:30pm Picnic lunch, reaching letters from friends + family
- 4:15pm First dance
- 4:20pm Quick beach portraits
- 4:30pm Wrap up on beach, hike back to car
- 5:00pm Drive back to meet family for celebration, photo coverage ends
DAY 2
- 10:00am Meet at a coffee shop in Port Angeles
- 10:15am Coffee date
- 10:45am Walk to tattoo shop
- 11:00am Flash tattoos
- 1:00pm Photo coverage ends
8-HOUR RELAXING OLYMPIC ADVENTURE WITH KAYAKING AND BEACH COMBING
SEE PHOTOS AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THEIR DAY HERE
- 8:00am Getting ready at AirBnb with music playing
- 8:30am Make bridal bouquet
- 9:00am Detail shots while drinking coffee with pastries
- 9:30am Get dressed
- 10:00am First look on the lawn
- 10:15am Traditional portraits (bride and groom)
- 10:30am Ceremony on dock with vows, ring exchange and jumping a paddle
- 11:00am Pop “champagne” (sparkling water)
- 11:30am Kayaking on the lake
- 12:30pm Chill lunch (camera break)
- 2:30pm Hop in car to head to beach
- 3:00pm Arrive at beach, portraits on the way
- 3:15pm Explore beach, prompted portraits
- 3:45pm Beach-combing, look for rocks
- 4:00pm Sunset photos
- 4:15pm Watch the sunset with sparkling water
- 4:30pm Blue hour photos with lanterns, exploring tide pools
- 5:00pm Head back to AirBnb, photo coverage wraps
The Best of Both Worlds
I truly want you, whoever you are, to have the absolute best day possible. Your elopement should feel like a day you just don’t want to end, and you should feel celebrated and loved. That means balancing epic scenery and exciting activities with your energy levels and social batteries. If you’re looking for some help creating a customized timeline, please reach out! We can hop on a free consultation call and I can walk you through what your elopement day could look like.
