HOW TO MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR ELOPEMENT
Sami Moore, owner of @appaloosa_boutique and I sat down to talk about her perfect elopement. If you know me you know that elopements are my favorite thing to capture, I even offer discounts to certain places! I chose to have Sami on the podcast to help all my brides out there who want to elope but aren’t quite sure how. Less than a year ago Sami and her husband chose to go to Las Vegas for their elopement. In this post we are going to talk about what her schedule looked like for the weekend, what she would have changed, her guest list, what unique touches she added, and even a glimpse into her honeymoon!
Guest List
Considering who you want to invite to your elopement may be one of the hardest parts. If you do want a wedding surrounded by lots of family and friends, eloping may not be the best idea. If you and your spouse have a small number of people you are close to then eloping is perfect for you! Though it is not impossible to get married with a large group of people it is easier because you will need to book a hotel large enough to accommodate, flights, and money. Sami and her husband chose to invite three of their closest friends and their spouses for the trip.
Schedule
When eloping you have the choice to not just the wedding day but you can also plan a whole weekend too. For this elopement they arrived in Las Vegas on Thursday and flew back on that Sunday. Having a day in between your arrival date and wedding date is a huge plus. This provided them with the opportunity to spend the day with their side of the wedding party doing things they enjoy such as shopping and golfing. Saturday morning both parties got ready at the hotel and once they were ready, limousines picked them up to go to the venue for the 5:30PM ceremony. Once the ceremony ended, one limousine took the wedding party to the restaurant and the other stayed with the bride and groom to stay back and take pictures.
Regrets
Sami’s biggest regret was not having her family there. This is something that many brides struggle with when making the decision to elope or not. If you are looking for a way to incorporate your family in the wedding there is a way to do this for those who aren’t able to physically attend. Some venues include a live stream of the ceremony, this way family and friends can still tune in and be a part of your big day. In this case, the bride was not only provided with a link to the live stream but the venue also gave her a video recording of the whole thing that she could cherish forever.
Favorite Part of Eloping
Eloping definitely has its perks. For Sami, it was being surrounded by all her favorite people, exploring a new place, and tying the knot. As you get older it is hard to get all your friends and family together. Eloping gave them the opportunity to spend time with all their favorite people in one place. Sami’s other favorite part of the weekend was taking her wedding pictures. While her guests went to the restaurant after the ceremony they went to the neon sign museum and Old Vegas to take their photos. This provided not only an intimate moment between her and her husband but also special pictures for them to look back on.
Special Touch
If you are someone who wants to do something different at your elopement then you are going to love this! Sami adds her own unique touch to the day by not wearing a traditional wedding dress. Instead, she chose a beautiful white bridal jumpsuit. If you are someone who wants to be comfortable then a bridal jumpsuit is perfect. Not only was it comfortable but it also completed the Vegas vibe that she was looking for. When wedding dress shopping it is a good idea to keep in mind your location and vibe of the wedding.
Planning
If you are planning to elope don’t let the planning phase scare you! There are great resources out there to help you make the process a little easier. Taking things day by day will not only help you but will help your guests too. Some venues may have on their website packages that come with a coordinator to help you plan the day. In this case Samis’ venue included a minister, flowers, and music. Sami chose to do her own research on Vegas wedding photographers and the limousine service (plug for me hehe, I do now travel for wedding and elopement photography – so hit me up first)!!!. When planning events for the weekend such as dinners and activities you want to have a dollar amount that you can tell your guests to plan for.
Honeymoonin’
Many times we are so focused on the wedding day people never talk about the honeymoon! From Vegas Sami and her husband flew straight to Hawaii to enjoy 2 weeks of islands and fun. When planning your honeymoon after eloping, consider the distance. If you are planning to elope it is a good idea to honeymoon somewhere that is a short flight or drive away since you are already on the road.
Weather
Vegas is a great place to elope because it almost always has perfect weather. If you are planning to elope, ensure that you check the weather for that time of year in that location. You don’t want to go to the beach and elope during prime hurricane season. You also don’t want to go somewhere that you will be sweating your makeup off during the day. Think about what time of year is the best time to visit that specific location!
Conclusion
If you are on the fence about eloping, take this post as your sign to do it! Elopements truly are one of the best ways to tie the knot. Since starting my photography career I have loved being able to travel with my brides to capture their love in special places. I hope that all of these 8 tips help you plan your elopement! Make sure to save this post or share it with a friend you know who is considering eloping!
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