Now, more than ever, couples are choosing to forgo or postpone larger weddings in lieu of smaller and more intimate celebrations. Back in the day, an elopement was perhaps a more scandalous way to tie the knot in a hush-hush way – running off to Vegas or maybe the courthouse to do the deed in secret.
However, a modern elopement is simply a smaller, more intimate celebration of your love for each other. An elopement can be absolutely whatever you want it to be, without all the added stress and production of a big wedding.
So, what exactly, is an adventure elopement?
An adventure elopement is an intimate and authentic celebration of you as a couple. It is about experiencing the joy and being with each other in a truly special and unique way to create the wedding experience of your dreams.
“Choosing to elope means choosing your love and your vision over any and every
obligation, expectation, and pressure you might be feeling.”
– Adventure Instead
Myths about elopements
Despite elopements becoming more popular in the past year or so, there are still many myths about what an elopement day is like. Here are just a few:
- Elopements are just for 2 people. Though they are much more intimate than the average wedding, elopements can range from two to 20 guests. Some couples choose to invite their closest family members, while some keep the celebration just between the two of them.
- An elopement needs to be EPIC and GRAND. If your elopement vision is a 3-day hike through Colorado or a helicopter ride above Hawaii’s islands, I’d absolutely LOVE to tag along! However, your elopement can be as simple or as complex as you’d like. Check out this recent elopement gallery from my backyard right here in Burlington, Vermont. It was a warm summer afternoon spent walking through the Red Rocks trails and watching the sunset at North Beach. Simple but perfect.
- We only need an hour or two of photography coverage for our elopement. I create custom timelines with my couples for their elopement day, and more often than not, they find that they end up wanting more than 1-2 hours of coverage. Just because you’re celebrating small, it doesn’t mean that you don’t deserve documentation of all the moments of your day. Check out the sample timeline below for an example of what a typical day of elopement photography coverage looks like.
How to plan your adventure elopement
Maybe you’ve decided that you want to elope together, that this is right up your alley and you’re pumped to start planning an amazing day!
The truth about elopements is that the day can truly be whatever you want it to be. However, with the sky as the limit, it can sometimes be difficult to figure out what exactly will make your elopement just as special as a wedding day.
Here’s one question I always ask couples when we start chatting about their elopement vision:
On your one perfect day, what would you do together?
On the East Coast, we are blessed with one of nature’s best playgrounds. The mountains, lakes, rivers, and sunsets are just a few examples of what makes this place so special. The southwest is stunningly vast with all the red rock formations and stunning valleys.
So when you think about your perfect day, start to envision where would you go, what would you do, what would you eat, who would you want to be there with you?
Here’s an example of a timeline from a recent adventure elopement:
- 2PM – Meet couple at Stoweflake Mountain Resort as they finish getting ready and have a bite to eat before the day’s events.
- 3PM – Head to the ceremony location at Timberholm Inn to meet up with family members.
- 3:30PM – Ceremony and exchange of vows.
- 4PM – Celebratory toast, cake cutting and hors d’oeuvres with family.
- 5PM – Adventure time! First, we walk to Moss Glen Falls in Stowe to check out the ice-blue frozen waterfall. Then, we hike up to the Lodge at Spruce Peak to capture the sunset and epic mountain views.
- 7PM – Head back to Timberholm Inn for family celebration & dinner.
This is just one example of a timeline that a couple created to make their day special and memorable, but the possibilities for your adventure elopement are infinite!
Just because you choose to celebrate small this year, it doesn’t mean that your day shouldn’t be as meaningful and memorable as a more traditional wedding. It’s so important to have a photographer to capture the moments of your elopement day and make it a truly special experience that the two of you can hold close forever.
Learn more about planning your adventure elopement with Amelia Marie Photography
If you’d like to learn more about planning your adventure elopement in Vermont, be sure to download the FREE elopement guide below!
