7 Ideas for Creating Meaningful, One-of-a-Kind Celebrations
As elopement photographers, we do so much more than just show up with our cameras and photograph your wedding day. Head over to our Elopement Experience page and you’ll see all the ways we help couples navigate an experience that is so different from anything they have known before.
Some questions we do hear over and over are:
- How can we make our elopement special and unique?
- What are some things we should do?
- What should we bring?
If you’ve ever asked yourself these questions, you’re in the right place. In this blog post we are sharing a few ideas our past couples have loved, plus tips on how to make your elopement special and create a day that is filled with personal, heartfelt moments. We hope these ideas will help inspire you as you start dreaming up your beautiful day.
Why Your Elopement Should Feel Personal
Choosing to elope already means that you have chosen intimacy over tradition. When you elope, you are giving yourself the chance to create an experience. Your elopement is a time to celebrate your love story the way you envision it, not just a day curated for social medias.
Here at Henry Tieu Photography, we believe that your elopement should be a reflection of the relationship you have already started building with your partner. You aren’t just beginning a brand new chapter. Rather, you are continuing to write the one you’ve already started together.
When sitting down and planning your elopement day, instead of asking yourselves, “What are some cool elopement ideas we should do?”, a better question is, “What experiences do we want to have?” or “What places feel most meaningful to us?”. The answers to these questions will help you decide how to make your elopement special and unique to you!
7 Ideas for How to Make Your Elopement Special
1. Choose A Destination You Love
When it comes to elopements, one of the most important question is always “Where should we elope?”. The location you’re going to for your elopement dictates the vibe of the entire experience. Are you thinking of a low-key warm day running on the beach for your elopement? Or are you thinking about hiking up the mountains and say your vows in front of some grand, dramatic snow-capped mountains? Truly, the location does matter a whole lot as it creates the entire feeling and backdrop of your day.
Some of my couples choose to elope at a place that means something to their relationship. Maybe it’s the first place they did a road trip together. Maybe it’s the place where they first met. For example, in the photo above, you see Jess and Vanesa eloped at this gorgeous trail looking over Mount Rainier because this is where the very first trail they hiked together when the couple first moved to Washington State. Although the couple has been here before, it has been years since and to them, their elopement day at this exact same trail feels so new and different but at the same time very nostalgic. Click here to read all about their picturesque elopement day at Mt Rainier National Park.
On the other hand, some of our couples choose to elope somewhere totally new that none of them has ever been to. Did you know that an average wedding costs around $33,900, whereas an average elopement costs around $15,350? You can read more about how much it costs to elope here.
For some couples, investing in a new experience and traveling somewhere they have never been allows them to let go of unwanted traditions or expectations, and fully immerse themselves in the experience of celebrating their love in their own way. Choosing to elope at a brand new destination is not only exciting, but also an important way for them to kick off their marriage without feeling like they have to compromise for happiness. Nancy’ and Tim’s Positano elopement in Italy is a perfect example of a couple who invested in their experience and traveled to a new destination to celebrate their love their own way.
As destination elopement photographers, we’ve gotten to experience the world with our couples. We’ve learned some life lessons that you can’t find in textbooks. Lessons that can only be learned from experiencing something for yourself. We’ve also learned about some breathtakingly gorgeous places to elope both in Washington State and all around the world. Click on each of the photos below to see some cool collections of best places to elope.
2. Focus on Your Experience
When it comes to eloping, your experience matters!
The freedom of an elopement or adventure wedding is amazing, but since you are no longer following the “rules” of what weddings are supposed to be, there are endless possibilities on how your day can look. With so many options, a lot of couples feel like they don’t know what they should do next. Some even change plans entirely and resort back to wedding “formulas” they’ve seen or follow outdated advice from old wedding magazines; all of which can result in an experience that they didn’t want or expect for this elopement journey.
In our blog post, 6 Things to Consider Before Eloping, the very first tip we share is “Don’t Think With Your Head, Think With Your Heart”. What do you want your wedding day to feel like? What you want to experience? And, after everything is said and done, what you want to remember the most?
These are the questions that will help you decide how you truly want your experience to look and feel. And the answers to them are the things that will truly make your elopement special and personal.
3. Add a Unique Adventure (Something You Would Never Do Otherwise)
One of the most unique elopement activities we’ve photographed is a helicopter ride.
Kim and Chris booked us for their Alaska elopement and helicopter wedding where we got to witness the beauty of Alaska for the first time!
Nicole and Chris also travelled to Alaska for their helicopter elopement and had the best three days exploring all this stunning location has to offer!
We could share more about the beautiful places to go, like Canada , Iceland , and New Zealand, however, you really have to check out these blog posts to see for yourself!
*Pro Tip – within the mainland U.S., helicopter landings on mountaintops are generally not allowed (except in Alaska!). If you’re dreaming of landing somewhere jaw-dropping for your vows, places like Canada, Australia, or New Zealand are incredible options.
Of course, a helicopter tour is not the only unique adventure you can add to your day. There is also getting matching tattoos with your significant other or jumping into a waterfall. The point is to think about activities you might not normally do together as they might inspire you to enjoy something new and meaningful on your wedding day.
Need some inspirations about what to do during your elopement? Check out our guide to 32 epic elopement ideas that will truly make your day unique!
4. Elevate Your Mode of Transportation
Whether you are off-roading through the mountains for your ceremony or riding a boat to a private adventure photo location, almost all elopements require some sort of transportation, so why not make that a special part of your experience?
Nancy and Tim chose a destination they love for their elopement, but they even went a step further to elevate their experience in the beautiful Amalfi Coast by riding into the ocean to take in the views of Positano.
And no, you don’t have to be in somewhere like Italy for a boat ride (though we have to say it is pretty incredible!). You can certainly have a special experience anywhere. Some other beautiful places for a private boat adventure could be Lake Powell in Arizona or anywhere in the Hawaii islands. Truly, the possibility is endless and we are more than happy to plan alongside with you.
Another option for how to make your elopement special with transportation is with by rending a fun car. With the rise of Turo, you can elevate your mode of transportation experience by renting a car that is not only beautiful but represents you and what you love. Some of our couples are into vintage cars and it’s part of their relationship, however, due to destinations, they cannot bring their own vehicles to the elopement, so renting a vintage car can become the next best option.
Erica and Alex took a ride down the coast of Big Sur in a fun, vintage automobile.
And it’s not just the vintage cars. Maybe you just want to feel bad ass and have fun and rent a convertible for an adventure car ride up the mountain, or ride in a G-wagon through the desert.
Jack and Rudy hired a shuttle bus and did a whole RuVeal (if you know, you know).
All that matters is what you want and finding a way to bring your vision to life.
5. Wear Matching Details
By matching outfits, we don’t mean to wear the exact dress or suit (unless that’s your vibe!). Even in same sex elopements, most couples want to wear an outfit that reflects their unique styles.
But one thing that you can personalize this experience is by wearing matching socks, sweatshirts, or even matching underwear (like our couple Leahmai and Chris did for their Yosemite elopement).
These are the details that may seem little, but really aren’t at all. They add so much personality and joy to your day and showcase that you can have your elopement however way you want. They show that elopements don’t just mean show up, say your vows and go home. It’s about making your whole experience an adventure full of personal details and experiences.
6. Personalize Everything
With platforms like Etsy, you can support small businesses and order all kind of cute, customized items for your elopement. In the photo above, Daniel and Cheyanne ordered this customized champagne bottle with their names and elopement date.
Other things our couples have also done are customized denim jackets, embroidered elopement date into their suit jacket or wedding dress, and customized socks with prints of their fur babies.
Personal touches like these make your elopement feel even more special, not to mention they’re keepsakes you’ll be able to treasure forever.
7. “Just Married” Sign
We love the “Just Married” signs because they are so nostalgic. They’re a beautiful way to modify traditions and make it unique and modern.
Some fun ways we have seen couples include these special touches on their elopement day are using them as decorations for their reception, tying them to their backpacks, or even putting them on their vehicle.
The Secret To How to Make Your Elopement Special
Here’s the real truth. The most special, meaningful elopement days aren’t made by checking off a list of cool ideas. They’re created by being fully present and sharing organic moments with your partner.
All the examples listed above are just some examples of what we’ve seen over the years of capturing couples in love. Ideas that meant something to the couple and helped tell their story in an even bigger and more meaningful way.
Making your elopement special really just means that when you choose to elope, you go all in. Dive in head first and let go of expectations, worries and concerns about “what ifs”. If it rains, get married in the rain. If it’s sunny, celebrate under a blue sky. If it’s snowing, keep warm with whiskey and kisses.
The best way to make your elopement unforgettable is to let go of expectations, trust your photographer, and embrace the adventure completely.
Still wondering if elopement is right for you? You can read all about 6 Things To Consider Before Eloping to decide for yourself.
And if you’re ready to elope, reach out! We can’t wait to help you start planning and come up with ways on how to make your elopement special and truly personal!
Meet Your Intimate Wedding & Elopement Photographers
We’re Henry, Sergio, and Nick, the faces behind these honest, meaningful, and artful photographs of couples eloping in the most beautiful places. Since 2018, we’ve photographed more than 200+ intimate weddings and elopements all over the world and on 6 different continents. Our work has been published on Junebug Weddings, Green Wedding Shoes, Brides, Dancing With Her, etc…We’ve won international awards for best wedding photos but what’s most important to us is actually winning our clients’ hearts with our art.
With 15 years of combined photography experience, we’ve learned that the only way to a beautiful wedding experience & photos is through intentionality.
We’re here for you and with you from “let’s do this” to “I do”, one step at a time, each step of the way. We’re in this together
