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TIPS AND ACTIVITIES TO DO DURING YOUR ALL DAY ELOPEMENT
RAE ANN PHOTO | ELOPEMENT & DESTINATION WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER | NEW ENGLAND & BEYOND
If you've been researching about how to plan your elopement day you may have come across photographers offering 2 maybe 3 hours of coverage. While this might be short, simple and straight to the point for some, you want to incorporate all these fun activities together but don't know how to fit them all in. That's what leads me to tell you, you can fit all those activities into one to two days with all day elopements. Just like wedding days, your elopement day can be a full 8 hour day too! I gotchu!
an 8+ hour adventure elopement is truly possible it just takes planning
Booking all day adventure elopements to me is the same as when I book a full 8 hour wedding! I treat them the same because let's face it they're both similar celebrations :)
Except the true difference between weddings and elopements is "tradition" and "structure". Weddings are structured by time blocks that are similar to elopements. Elopements give you the freedom to choose where weddings are rigid and stiff. Don't get me wrong, I do love weddings but there's just something about elopements.
Let's dive in!
Why have an all-day elopement?
An all-day elopement is a very personalized experience and I aim to tailor the day to reflect your personalities, interests, and the unique story of your relationship. My goal is to create a day filled with love, joy, and memorable moments.
What does an all-day elopement looks like?
An all-day elopement is a unique and intimate celebration that spans the whole day! This allows you to spend quality time together, do fun activities and create long-lasting memories. While the specifics can vary based on personal preferences and your interests, here's a general outline of what an all-day elopement might look like:
1. Getting Ready Together (1-2 hours): Start the day by getting ready together. This could involve helping each other with hair and makeup or simply enjoying a quiet morning together.
2. Late Morning/Early Afternoon (1 hour):
Breakfast/Brunch: Share a special breakfast or brunch, either at a favorite restaurant, a cozy café, or prepared at home or your Airbnb.
3. First look (20-30 minutes): Share an intimate moment together before you say "I do"
4. Travel (1+ hours): In between certain items of your day you will most likely be traveling depending on how many locations you would like to go to!
5. Portraits (1+ hours): Portraits can happen any time during your day. They can be in between hiking, adventurous activities and what makes the most sense during your timeline and flow of your day!
6. Ceremony (1 hour): Add any rituals such as hand-fasting! Your ceremony doesn't have a time limit, it can be as along or as short as you want it to be.
Personalized Vows: Exchange personalized vows, adding a deeply personal and emotional touch to your ceremony.
5. Adventure or Activity (2 hours): Plan an outdoor adventure or activity that you both love to do. This could be hiking, biking, exploring a cool location, or any shared interest you have together.
Have a picnic: Hike to an epic location like the top of a mountain and relax after a long morning of hiking with some lunch!
Hiking: Hike to your destination - there are other options to do if you're not into hiking!
6. Dinner Celebration: Choose a special restaurant for a romantic dinner, or have a private chef prepare a meal for you at your chosen location. Some couples even opt for a dinner with family afterwards if they're doing a private elopement!
7. Night time activities:
Stargazing or Bonfire: If you want to end the day with stargazing or a cozy bonfire.
FUN ACTIVITIES TO DO DURING YOUR ELOPEMENT
Pop champagne
Take a hike for sunrise or sunset
Go skiing or snowboarding
Explore a waterfall
Explore a State or National Park
Take a helicopter tour
Intimate dinner after your ceremony
Have a picnic on top of a mountain
Have some s'mores around a campfire
Stargaze
Go camping
Play music together
Off-roading in a Jeep
Go canoeing or kayaking
Have a picnic
Ride in a hot air balloon
Get ice-cream together
Morning coffee at sunrise
Go rock climbing
Go canyoneering
Cook together
Plant trees together
Get tattoos together
Wine tasting at a vineyard
Get ready together
Have a dance party
Have a first dance on top of a mountain
Go for a motorcycle ride
Go sailing
Go snowmobiling
Go fishing
Go mountain biking
Create art together
Hire a private chef
Eat your favorite desert
Include your pets
Just relax!
Take a hot air balloon ride
Read books in a hammock
Light sparklers
Take in the views
Rent a van and take a mini roadtrip
Eat pizza + have a drink!
Have dinner in a forest
Go backpacking
TIPS FOR PLANNING YOUR ALL-DAY ELOPEMENT
Create buffers in your timeline to make sure you don't feel rushed during the day. The goal is relaxed, not stressed! Make sure you plan enough time :)
Create a timeline that fits you personalities and relationship.
The more activities you have, the better! Because it's not a traditional 8 hour wedding you're planning you have the freedom to choose to stay in one location longer, do an activity for longer and just have fun with it!
8+ Hours Timeline Example: Adventure Elopement
*Coverage hours are based on a Summer sunset elopement
* Times will vary depending one season, month and day
9:00 am Wakeup at Airbnb pack for hiking elopement
9:30 am Breakfast at a local restaurant or cafe
10 am Meet at trailhead
- 2-4 hours hiking to summit *depending on location
2:50 pm Summit mountain
- Rest time 25 minutes before photos
- Take time to change into wedding attire
3:15 pm First look
3:30 pm Ceremony/vows
4-5:00 pm - Sunset photos at the summit *dependent on sunset time
How to book me as your Elopement Photographer
I'm Rae an I'm an elopement + destination wedding photographer and planner that travels all over New England and beyond documenting intimate moments in big landscapes. I aim to capture timeless, epic and and unforgettable experiences for my couples. I am here to help you plan your dream elopement!
Just head to my contact page and fill out a form or you can email me at raeannphoto056@gmail.com when you're ready to start planning.