Wedding Planner Elopement: Professional Services Guide

So You Wanna Offer Elopement Planning Services

Okay so elopements are basically everywhere now and honestly they’ve completely changed how I run my business since like 2020. If you’re a wedding planner thinking about adding elopement services, you’re gonna need a totally different approach than your standard 150-person ballroom wedding.

First thing – elopements aren’t just “small weddings” and I cannot stress this enough. I made that mistake back in spring 2023 with a couple who wanted to get married on a cliff in Big Sur and I quoted them like it was a micro-wedding. Wrong. So wrong. The logistics were actually MORE complicated because we had to get permits, hike gear to the location, have a backup plan for weather, coordinate with a photographer who specialized in adventure sessions, and… yeah. Charged way too little for that one.

What Elopement Clients Actually Want

Your elopement clients are usually looking for intimacy, adventure, or they just don’t want the traditional wedding stress. Some are second marriages, some are introverts, some literally just want to spend money on an amazing honeymoon instead of feeding 200 people chicken or fish. They’re not hiring you to manage a seating chart – they’re hiring you because they want something meaningful without the overwhelm or because they’re planning from across the country and need someone local.

The services you’ll offer are gonna be super different:

• Location scouting and permits (this is HUGE and so many planners forget about permit requirements)
• Vendor coordination for small teams (usually photographer, officiant, maybe hair/makeup)
• Timeline creation for the day
• Backup planning for outdoor locations
• Local expertise and recommendations
• Day-of coordination or full planning
• Help with legal requirements and marriage licenses

Pricing Your Elopement Services

This is where it gets tricky because you can’t just divide your wedding package price by the guest count. I typically charge between $1,500-$5,000 for elopement planning depending on complexity. A simple courthouse elopement with a nice dinner after? Lower end. A multi-day adventure elopement in a national park with multiple locations and activities? Higher end, sometimes even more.

You gotta factor in:

• Travel time to remote locations
• Permit applications and fees
• Your expertise in knowing the best spots and times
• Vendor relationships you’ve built
• Risk management for outdoor/adventure elopements

One thing that really annoyed me when I started offering these services was other planners saying I was “overcharging” for elopements because there were fewer guests. Like… do you know how much work goes into finding the perfect secluded beach that’s accessible, legal to get married on, has good light at 5pm in October, AND has parking nearby? It’s not less work, it’s different work.

Building Your Elopement Packages

I usually offer three tiers because people like options but not too many options:

Simple & Sweet Package – This is for courthouse or backyard elopements, maybe a nice restaurant after. You’re basically doing vendor recommendations, helping with timeline, making sure they have their marriage license sorted, and being available for questions. Usually 2-3 planning meetings and day-of coordination. I charge around $1,500-$2,000 for this.

Destination Elopement Package – This is my bread and butter now. Full planning for couples getting married in a specific location (beach, mountain, desert, whatever). Includes location scouting, all vendor coordination, permits, timeline, backup plans, day-of coordination. Usually involves at least one site visit if it’s local or extensive virtual planning if it’s not. I’m at $3,000-$4,500 for these.

Adventure Elopement Package – For couples who want to hike to their ceremony spot, get married at sunrise, maybe do a multi-day experience with different activities. This requires the most expertise and often means I’m hiking with them at 4am or whatever. $4,000-$6,000+ depending on how wild they wanna get.

The Logistics Nobody Tells You About

Okay so permits are probably the thing that’ll make or break your elopement planning business. Every location has different rules and some places are shockingly strict about this. National parks require special permits and many have blackout dates or restricted areas. State parks are usually easier but still need advance planning. Beaches can be city-controlled, state-controlled, or private. I keep a massive spreadsheet of permit requirements for locations in my area and it’s honestly one of my most valuable business assets.

My cat literally walked across my keyboard while I was filling out a permit application once and submitted it half-finished… that was fun to explain to the parks department.

Working With Elopement Photographers

You need relationships with photographers who GET elopements. Traditional wedding photographers sometimes struggle with the documentary style and adventurous nature of elopement work. The best elopement photographers are down to hike, they know how to work with natural light in challenging conditions, and they’re not gonna freak out if there’s no getting-ready photos or formal family portraits.

I always recommend photographers first because honestly the photos are usually the main thing couples want from their elopement besides the actual marriage part. They’re gonna spend more on photography than anything else typically. Make sure your recommended photographers understand timing for golden hour, have backup equipment, and are cool with potentially weird locations.

Legal Stuff You Can’t Ignore

Every state has different marriage license requirements and you need to know them. Some states have waiting periods, some don’t. Some require witnesses, some don’t. Some licenses are only valid in certain counties. I’m not a lawyer obviously but I make sure every client has a checklist for their specific location’s requirements.

Things to cover with clients:

• Where and when to get their marriage license
• How long the license is valid
• Witness requirements (and who will serve as witnesses if needed)
• Officiant requirements and registration
• How the license gets filed after the ceremony

I had a couple almost not get legally married because they didn’t realize their license was only valid for 30 days and they’d gotten it too early. That was stressful and taught me to be super clear about timing.

Weather and Backup Plans

If you’re planning outdoor elopements, you need backup plans. Always. I don’t care if it’s the desert in summer and it “never rains” – you need a Plan B. This is where your local knowledge becomes super valuable. You should know:

• Covered locations nearby
• Indoor alternatives that match the vibe
• How to reschedule vendors on short notice
• What the weather patterns actually are (not just what the internet says)

Summer 2021 I had an elopement planned for this gorgeous meadow and a freak thunderstorm rolled in like an hour before. We pivoted to this covered pavilion nearby that I’d scouted as backup and it actually ended up being more intimate and beautiful with the rain in the background. But I only knew about that spot because I’d spent time exploring the area beforehand.

Marketing Your Elopement Services

Your marketing needs to look different than traditional wedding planning marketing. Elopement couples are usually finding vendors on Instagram and Pinterest more than anywhere else. They want to see real elopements you’ve planned, actual locations, authentic moments. The styled shoot aesthetic doesn’t work as well here.

I focus on:

• Location guides and blog posts about specific elopement spots
• Real couple features with lots of photos from their day
• Instagram content showing behind-the-scenes planning and scouting
• SEO for terms like “elopement planner [your city]” or “[location] elopement packages”
• Partnerships with elopement photographers who tag you

The couples who want elopements are doing SO much research online before they reach out, so having detailed content about your process and locations is important or… I mean it has been for me at least.

What to Include in Your Client Process

My elopement planning process usually looks like this – initial consultation where we talk about their vision, budget, and must-haves. Then I send them a proposal with package options. Once they book, we do a detailed planning meeting where we nail down location, date, and start vendor outreach.

For destination elopements, I do a location scout either in person or virtually depending on distance. I take tons of photos, note parking situations, assess accessibility, check cell service (important!), and figure out timing for best light. Then we do another meeting to review options and finalize the location.

About 2-3 months before, we lock in all vendors and I create a detailed timeline. One month out, we do a final planning call and I make sure they have everything they need for their marriage license. Week before, I confirm everything with all vendors and check weather forecasts obsessively.

Day-of, I’m usually there 30-60 minutes early to set up any decor (elopements usually have minimal decor but sometimes they want a few things), coordinate with vendors as they arrive, make sure the couple isn’t stressed, and keep things on schedule. Then I’m there throughout to manage any issues and make sure everything goes smoothly.

Building Vendor Relationships

You can’t do elopements well without solid vendor relationships. I have my go-to people for:

• Elopement photographers (like 5-6 I recommend regularly)
• Hair and makeup artists who do on-location work
• Officiants who are comfortable with non-traditional settings
• Florists who can do bouquets and small arrangements
• Bakeries for small cakes or desserts
• Restaurants for post-ceremony dinners
• Accommodations (hotels, Airbnbs, unique stays)

The thing is these vendors need to be flexible and adventurous. A hair stylist who only works in salons isn’t gonna work for a beach elopement at sunrise. You need people who are cool with the unpredictability and unique challenges of elopement work.

Common Elopement Mistakes to Avoid

Don’t assume elopements are easier money for less work – they’re different work and require different skills. Don’t skip the permit research because that can completely derail a wedding. Don’t forget about accessibility when choosing locations because not everyone can hike three miles. Don’t underestimate how long it takes to get to remote locations or how weather can impact everything.

Also don’t forget that even though it’s just two people (usually), they still want their day to feel special and well-planned. The intimacy is the point, but that doesn’t mean they want it to feel thrown together or like you didn’t put in effort.

Handling the Emotional Side

Elopements can be really emotional for different reasons than big weddings. Sometimes couples are eloping because family doesn’t approve of the relationship, or they’ve been married before and want something private, or they have anxiety about being the center of attention. You’re often holding space for complex feelings and that’s part of the job.

I try to check in with couples about how they’re feeling about their decision to elope, especially if there’s family tension around it. Some couples need reassurance that their elopement is just as valid and meaningful as a traditional wedding. Others need help figuring out how to tell family afterward or whether to include anyone.

It’s kinda like being part planner, part therapist sometimes, which wasn’t really what I expected when I started offering these services but it’s actually one of the most rewarding parts.

Expanding Your Services

Once you’re established with elopements, you can expand into related services like vow renewal planning, commitment ceremonies, or even adventure wedding planning for slightly larger groups (like 10-20 people). The skills transfer really well and you’ve already built the vendor relationships and location knowledge.

Some planners also offer post-elopement celebration planning for couples who want to do a casual party with family and friends after they’ve already gotten married. That’s a whole other service you can package and price separately.

I’ve also started offering elopement planning intensives where couples can book a few hours of concentrated planning time with me to get all their questions answered and major decisions made, then they handle the rest themselves. That works well for budget-conscious couples who still want professional guidance.