Elopement Planner: Do I Need One?

An elopement planner probably isn’t the first vendor that comes to mind when you start planning your elopement. But somewhere along the way, you might find yourself asking, “Do I need an elopement planner?”

My super insightful answer to that is: maybe!

Elopement planners can take a lot of the logistics and not-fun parts of elopement planning off your plate, and work alongside your photographer to help you craft a stress-free day. Whether it’s helping you find the best local vendors, taking care of pre-elopement errands, or being there on the elopement day to make sure the moving parts come together, we’re there to make your life easier!

I’m not here to tell you that everyone needs an elopement planner, however. There are plenty of cases where it isn’t necessary. But if you fall in any of the below categories, an elopement planner can go a long way to making sure your day (and the planning process) runs smoothly. More than anything, we want to help give you the joyful and relaxed elopement day that you deserve!

Here are five reasons you might need an elopement planner:

1. You’re planning a celebration meal or picnic for your elopement

This is one of the most common reasons I see couples needing an elopement planner. If you want to host a small picnic or celebration meal on your elopement day, someone inevitably has to be the one to set it all up! Usually, that means either you or a loved one is going to have to do it. That’s where an elopement planner comes in. I’d be there to take care of all the set-up for your meal so you don’t have to worry about it. Elopements are supposed to be low-stress celebrations, and having to throw together an entire picnic yourself is definitely not low-stress. There are things like figuring out tables and seating, providing plates and cutlery, setting out food and drinks, adding decor, and cleaning up, etc. to consider. All of which an elopement planner can help manage!

2. You’re including loved ones in your elopement

Choosing an elopement doesn’t necessarily mean having to ditch all your loved ones on your wedding day. It’s quite common now for couples to include some of their closest family and friends in their day. However, once that happens, the elopement can start to feel more like a “micro-wedding” with extra moving parts and guests to consider.

An elopement planner can bring direction and organization to your day, helping to make sure your guests are taken care of and know what’s going on! In turn, this will give you a less stressful elopement experience. You can focus on spending quality time with your loved ones, instead of herding them around and answering questions all day.

3. You’re traveling from out of town and aren’t familiar with the area

If you’re traveling from out of town for your elopement, working with a local photographer will make sure you’re getting local expertise, suggestions, and tips specific to your elopement location. They have so much knowledge to share and will help you find the best spot for your special day! It can also be useful, however, to have another planning partner in the area who can help you figure out some of the other components of your elopement, once you’ve got a location nailed down. We can make sure you get curated, local vendor recommendations based on your vision and needs, provide guidance on specific logistics and even help with pre and post-elopement errands (maybe that’s picking up rentals or a cake, for example.) We’re essentially there to supplement your elopement photographer!

4. You’re super busy humans or just generally feel overwhelmed by all things logistics

One of the reasons you might have chosen to elope was to escape all the stress and moving parts that come with wedding planning. However, once you start planning your elopement you may realize there is more of that than you expected. Photographers can be a great resource for helping you plan your elopement, but sometimes it’s helpful to have another planning partner on board. We can offer advice and guidance on elopement details, big and small, and make sure that everything is on track. I can also help by taking different tasks off your plate so you can get time back to focus on all the other fun and important things in the lead-up to your wedding!

5. You’ve booked a more traditional photography package

Elopement photography often differs from more traditional wedding photography in that elopement photographers typically play a bigger part in planning the elopement. Elopement photographers can help couples find the best locations for their elopement, put together a full itinerary for the day, and provide support throughout the planning process. This isn’t always the case with more traditional wedding photography. So if you’re working with an awesome photographer who doesn’t play as big of a role in the lead-up to the elopement, it can be really helpful to work with a planner. We can fill in those gaps and make sure you’ve got all the support you need to plan out your elopement day.

Do you fall into one of the categories above? Check out our elopement services to see all of the ways we can help! We specialize in three unique packages tailored to different types of elopements. Or, you can go ahead and schedule your free (no-pressure) discovery call to see if an elopement planning service might be a good fit for you.