how to plan your elopement
Planning your elopement can be a little overwhelming so here are some tips to ease the process.
Start by thinking about what kind of experience you want to have. Take some time to get a clear image of what you want your day to feel like before considering how it should look. Would you like it simple and elegant? Maybe more casual and adventurous. Think on what makes your relationship special and try to incorporate it into your day.
Once you have an idea of what you want your day to feel like, we can team up and make a game plan.
Start by choosing a general location you love – This doesn't even need to be a specific location yet. If you love the Redwoods but aren't sure exactly where you'd be able to elope, we can start throwing around ideas. If you love Big Sur but aren't sure where would be the best time and location to avoid crowds, I can help find the perfect spot and time of day. And the cool thing about Santa Cruz and the Bay Area is if you want to make it a day of exploring the forest and end your day at the beach, we can fit it all into your elopement timeline.
Book + contract – Once you have an idea of how many hours you'll need us for and which package fits best with your vision, I'll send over a contract to make it official! This will lock in your date and give us the green light to start doing all the research needed to make sure this is the best day ever.
Figure out Permits – Once the contract is signed and the deposit is paid, we can plan out specific locations for your elopement! Depending on the location, we can figure out any fees or permits required for the area.
Flights + accommodations – Once we have the specific location(s) for your elopement all figured out, you can sort out travel and accommodations with your family and friends!
Coordinate with vendors – I’ve worked with some of the coolest wedding and elopement vendors in the Santa Cruz and Bay Area so if you need any help with hair, makeup, florals, arch rentals etc. we can coordinate with them to put together a dream team for your day. And if your wedding is elsewhere, I can still help find and reach out to vendors!
Create a timeline of your day – Once we have all of the details in order, we’ll take our time in creating a timeline for your day. This will take into account getting ready time, lighting, travel, the ceremony and photo/video time all while making sure it’s as laid back and easy going as possible so you guys can focus on each other.
Elope! – THE BEST PART! After all of our planning, you get to ride the wave of one of the best days of your life! I’ll be there to capture the whole thing.
Sneak peek – Your day might feel like a dream so I’ll be sure to send you some sneak peeks right after your elopement. This usually means 10-20 photos emailed in a little mini gallery that you can download to your computer or phone :)
You get your photos + video(s) – The turnaround time for photo is usually quicker for photo (1-2 months) than video (2-3 months) but once your elopement is all edited I’ll send you a link to your online photo gallery with a print shop attached and a link to your video(s) where you can download all of them at full-resolution! Then you can relive the best day over and over again!