10 Elopement Preparations You Need for the Big Day

Planning a wedding can get overwhelming. It’s no wonder why some couples decide to skip all the hassle and stress, and just elope. Talk about a bold move! But it’s not as simple and easy as it looks. Here are 10 things that you need to take care of first.

License

Iron out the technicalities of the marriage first before anything else. Generally, in the US, a couple needs someone to officiate the ceremony and a witness to be legally married. However, there are differences in laws and requirements for each state. Do a little research, or swing by your city hall to find out what documents you have to prepare or criteria you need to meet.

Rings

It turns out that rings are not a necessity in civil weddings. With or without them, you can still push through with your planned elopement. However, they’re an enduring symbol of the bond shared by a married couple, so leaving them out of the ceremony seems almost sacrilegious. If you do decide that you want perfect diamond rings, make sure to order ahead of time and bring them with you on the actual day of the wedding.

Vows

Arguably the most unique part of any wedding. While the dress may be from the local department store and the flowers copied from Pinterest, the vow is something that’s special for you and your partner.

Most civil weddings are quite short though, usually with the couples following the judge’s lead. But they’re flexible enough to accommodate a couple’s personal vows if they have prepared one.

Transportation

This will probably be the last thing on your mind if you’re just eloping in city hall. You can just use your own car or hail a cab. But if the location isn’t local or you’ll have to fly out, arrangements have to be made ahead of time.

Plane tickets are way too expensive if booked on the same day of the flight. Remember that you eloped to free yourself from stress. Neglecting your transportation just may give you heaps of it.

Clothing

Just because you’re eloping doesn’t mean you can’t add drama to the clothes you wear. The bride can wear a poofy big gown if she feels like it. For that dapper look, the groom can wear a suit and tie complete with fancy cufflinks, and a pair of leather shoes.

You have the license to be as creative as you want to. This is your wedding! Don’t let convention suck the fun out of your elopement.

Hair and Makeup

If you plan on getting married only once in your life, you should at least put an effort on how you look. Put on some powder, comb that tangled hair, and spray on perfume. Also, there’s absolutely no reason you can’t have your hair and makeup done professionally. Special occasions require a dash of help from the experts.
Photography

Weddings are once-in-a-lifetime moments. You’ll want to have pictures that capture the beauty of your special day, which you can revisit in the future. If you’re worried that having a photographer around will spoil the intimacy of the ceremony, don’t be. Professionals know that it’s their job to be as low-key as possible.

Or you can have the option of hiring a friend who’s good with a camera. That way, you won’t have to worry about a stranger intruding on your private moment.

Flowers

Flowers just add another level of sophistication to any event, whether as decorations or as accessory pieces to your dress or suit. Unfortunately, if your venue is city hall, you’ll have absolutely no say how the place will look like.

Then there’s the matter of the bouquet. That’s totally up to the bride if she wants to carry one or would she rather wear a boutonniere. You don’t have to hire a florist. Some local markets have pre arranged flowers.

Celebration

It is still a wedding, after all. You can head out to your favorite restaurant and have a formal dinner to celebrate your new life as husband and wife. Or you can share the love and happiness over a hearty spread of cheap wine and home-cooked meals with a handful of the closest people in your life. No matter what your preferences are, you should never skip on the after-ceremony celebration.

Announcements

After the elopement, you may not be able to send out marriage announcements just yet, but it’s never too early to plan it out. Of course, you can just post about it on Facebook and Instagram, but nothing beats the casual elegance of sending out well-crafted letters.

On top of telling the world that you’ve been hitched, you can also share some intimate photos from your special day. Chances are, you’ll also be getting wedding present if your recipients are gracious enough.