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How to Plan an Elopement: The Wild North Elopement Planning Starter Guide

A preview to the Exclusive Guide provided to Wild North Weddings Couples

What Is an Elopement? A New Way to Get Married Intentionally

Why Eloping Isn’t “Running Away” — It’s Choosing Intentionally

 

Eloping isn’t about skipping something.
It’s about choosing something.

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It’s choosing presence over pressure.
Meaning over expectation.
Experience over performance.

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At Wild North Weddings, I believe your wedding day should feel like you—not like a checklist you’re trying to survive. Elopements create space for connection, adventure, and authenticity in a way traditional weddings often can’t. They let you slow down, breathe, and actually feel your day.

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This Starter Guide is here to help you begin imagining what your elopement could look like.

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My booked couples receive my full private Wild North Elopement Guide with everything you need to plan your day from start to finish—logistics, timelines, ceremony structure, packing lists, guest prep, and more.

This version is just the spark.

What an Elopement Day Looks Like (With or Without Guests)

There’s No One Right Way to Elope — And That’s the Magic

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An elopement can be:

  • Just the two of you on a mountaintop

  • A lakeside ceremony with your parents and siblings

  • A sunrise hike + sunset champagne

  • A cozy cabin morning followed by an adventurous afternoon

  • A travel day + vows + celebration meal

 

There is no script. Your day can include:
✔ A first look
✔ A ceremony
✔ An adventure
✔ Portrait time
✔ A celebratory meal
✔ Guests—or not

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What matters most is that your day feels intentional, unhurried, and true to who you are together.

Bride and groom walk on the red grounds of Sedona with mountains in the background at sunset.
A bride and groom elope in front of a waterfall at Rickett's Glen State Park

How to Plan a Meaningful Elopement Ceremony

Your ceremony doesn’t need to follow anyone else’s rules.

 

At its core, a ceremony is simply:

  • Two people

  • Making promises

  • In a place that means something to them

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Your ceremony might include:

  • Personal vows

  • Ring exchanges or symbolic tokens

  • Music

  • Letters from loved ones

  • A unity ritual

  • A quiet moment together

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Whether you keep it simple or layered with meaning, your ceremony should feel like a reflection of your relationship—not a performance for others.

The 5 Elements of an Incredible Elopement Experience

 

What Makes an Elopement Truly Unforgettable

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  1. Presence – You’re not rushing. You’re actually there.

  2. Time & Space – Your day has room to breathe.

  3. Connection – With your partner, your environment, and your experience.

  4. Intention – Every part of the day has meaning.

  5. Flexibility – You’re open to the adventure unfolding naturally.

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When those five things are in place, the day stops feeling like an event… and starts feeling like a memory you’ll carry forever.

A bride and groom running through water on the back in Hawaii on the island of Oahu.

Elopement Timeline Examples & Day Flow Ideas

A Few Timeline Snapshots

Here are a few big-picture examples to get your imagination going:

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Just the Two of You

  • Sunrise first look

  • Hike to ceremony spot

  •  Vows + champagne

  • Picnic + portraits

  • Sunset exploring

 

With Family

  • Private morning adventure

  • Afternoon ceremony with loved ones

  • Family photos

  • Dinner, toasts & celebration

 

Multi-Day Elopement

  • Day 1: Travel + portraits + ceremony

  • Day 2: Adventure day together

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Your real timeline is always built around you, your location, and your priorities. 

 

(My booked couples receive full example timelines + custom planning guidance in the private guide.)

A bride and groom stand on a rock holding hands. The groom is looking at the bride. In the background are dramatic tall red rock formation in Arches National Park.
A bride and groom walking through the snow with pine trees and mountains in the background. They are in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado.

How I Support You

 

From “We Want to Elope” to “That Was the Best Day Ever”

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When you work with me, you’re not just hiring a photographer.
You’re getting a guide, advocate, and experience designer.

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I help with:

  • Location ideas & scouting

  • Timeline flow

  • Ceremony structure

  • Experience planning

  • Photography (and officiating when applicable)

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My job is to help you feel confident, calm, and excited—not overwhelmed.

A bride and groom face each other reading vows while standing on a rock in the middle of a river. There are forest covered mountains behind them. They are eloping.

Want the Full Guide + Full Support?

 

This preview guide is just the beginning! â€‹My booked couples receive my complete private Wild North Elopement Guide - a step-by-step planning resource I’ve built over years of photographing and guiding elopements all over. It includes...

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Legal Planning • Packing Lists • Guest Communication • Detail Ceremony Flow • Timeline Design • Experience Strategy • And Much More!

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If this guide helped you start dreaming, imagine what we can create together!.​

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