Based in:
As an elopement photographer, I meet a lot of couples that are toying with how to plan their elopement day. There are so many options when figuring out how to sculpt your elopement day. Besides, they are extra fun because they are all about you and what works best for your situation. I often get the question… “what do we do with 5 or 6 hours for our elopement? Because we just want to do a ceremony and photos in an epic place”. So, I put together an example elopement day timeline for a half-day elopement to inspire your own!
Besides, I get that you don’t want to do the things that people expect for a more traditional wedding. That’s why you’re choosing to elope instead! But, what I do want to tell you is… your elopement is a wedding! It deserves as much time and attention as anyone else’s wedding! Especially because you are eloping! So capturing the beauty all around you on this day is more important because everyone is not there to witness it with you.
With that being said, I love half-day elopements. It’s a happy medium of celebrating your journey together AND not having to be all dressed up all day so it’s more relaxing! Another great aspect of choosing a half-day elopement timeline instead of a full day is that if you have kids (like the lovely family in these pictures above.) you can easily include them without having to worry about tiring them out before pictures or interrupting their nap time! It’s a much easier way of incorporating certain aspects of your life in the day while still having an epic elopement in an epic place.
So to give you some inspiration for what an elopement day timeline for a half-day elopement could look like here is an example timeline. This example is set in Grand Teton National Park!
So picture this.
It’s truly a quiet and slow morning. The sun is beaming through the windows and bathes the room in the most beautiful shade of golden warmth. You and the love of your life wake up so peacefully in a cabin in the mountains. The day starts by putting on a playlist of your favorite artist and dancing your way to the small kitchen. Then your partner joins you and starts making some coffee while you enjoy the beautiful mountain views.
Then slowly making your favorite breakfast together and eating while you talk about how excited you are for the day! It’s so beautiful outside that you can’t resist taking a little walk in the warm sun together to reflect on the day ahead.
So, you start preparing and the excitement begins to build as you slowly sway to a love song.
Then in the afternoon your photographer and other guests show up to join the party with the rest of the day looking like this…
Timeline:
11:00 am – You are so excited to see your favorite Photographer and guests arrive!
11:30 – 1:30 pm – You eat a fancy a catered meal together because being hangry is not what you had in mind for you and your guests.
1:30 – 3:30 pm – Then you start getting ready! Your photographer takes pictures of the quiet moment and also gets some detail photos.
3:30 – 4:00 pm – You get into your wedding attire!
4:00 pm – We excitedly get the first look pictures at the Cabin.
5:00 pm – We head to the ceremony location together and take epic photos along the way on the breathtaking trail.
6:00 pm – The ceremony of your dreams. (Can you close your eyes and imagine it?)
6:30 pm – First we take some family photos. Then the family heads back to the cabin and we take the most beautifully romantic couple’s photos as the sunset starts creeping in.
7:30 pm – The sun is now behind the mountains and the night has come, ending the photography part of the day and the festivities can begin!
Photo Coverage Ends.
9:00 pm – Then we head back to eat dinner with your loved ones at the cabin to officially celebrate your love.
10:00 pm – After a delicious meal together, you hang out with your loved ones. You have your first dance and then you eat dessert by a bonfire while stargazing.
How special does that example elopement day timeline sound for a half-day elopement?!? Can you picture yourself doing something similar?
Oh, so you’re more of a visual person and that didn’t fully cut it for you? Worry not my friends, I know a picture says a thousand words so I came prepared!
I have some more beautiful pictures to share of a Grand Teton National Park elopement day right here.
