How Much Time Do You Need for Your Elopement?
Planning elopements can be an overwhelming experience. I should know—I planned one myself. We all know how a traditional wedding day goes—but when you decide to elope and have a wedding day that’s authentic to you, all the typical standards and traditions go out the door.
This is good—you get to craft an elopement day that’s perfect for you and yours. But we know that planning can be difficult, and one of the questions we get the most is: How much time will I need to elope?
The answer depends on so many factors:
Where are you eloping and what will travel be like? Depending on the location you get married in, there might be long travel times between areas, or you might want to check out a few spots in the park you’re headed to.
How many people are coming? The more people, the more interactions they’ll have. It’s likely your friends and family will be excited to celebrate and will want to chat. You might factor in downtime with them into the schedule.
Are you having any traditional activities? Are you having a first look? A reception? A picnic? There’s a lot you can do with your elopement or wedding!
What kind of activities are you including? If you want to hike, go offroading or climb—you’ll need the time to do so!
Here are some typical times we’ve seen in the past two years of outdoor weddings and elopements:
Getting Ready: 1-2 hours
First Look: 5-15 minutes
Ceremonies: 15-20 minutes
Family photos: 15-20 minutes
Portraits: 1-2 hours
Activities: 1-2 hours
Meals (lunches, dinners, and picnics): 30 minutes-2 hours
Reception: 1-3 hours
Now that we’ve tackled some of the basics, let’s break down a few examples of how an elopement is scheduled. Keep in mind that this is YOUR wedding day—and you are welcome to celebrate it however you choose. But a word of advice: Think big! Don’t resign yourself to just a few hours. This is your wedding day after all, you might as well celebrate exactly the way you want to. Picture your ideal wedding day and go after it—adventures and all!
Four-Hour Wedding Schedule
These are the short, sweet, and chill elopements for very small weddings. You have time for two to four locations, such as an Airbnb and a spot or two in a national or state park. Here’s a REAL intimate, four-hour wedding schedule:
Getting Ready: 1 hour (Airbnb or hotel)
First Look & Photos: 30 minutes (Airbnb or hotel)
Ceremony: 30 minutes (Location 1)
Family Photos: 30 minutes (Location 1)
Couples Photos/Activity: 1.5 hours (Location 1 or 2)
Chloe and Matt’s four-hour wedding was the right amount of time for this small commitment ceremony. The couple was legally married in their home state, but still wanted a ceremony overlooking the coast in Malibu, California. They got ready with their closest family, had a fun first look with a shot of Fireball, then headed to Malibu for the ceremony. After the ceremony, we parted ways from their family and had a lovely time exploring the coastline and the epic spring super bloom.
Six-Hour Wedding Schedule
Four and eight-hour packages are the most popular bookings—but if you can’t decide, there are always six-hour packages. This is great for weddings where you want to have more activities with you and yours or your family and friends. Here’s a REAL six-hour wedding schedule:
Getting Ready: 1 hour (Airbnb or hotel)
First Look & Photos: 30 minutes (Airbnb or hotel)
Ceremony: 30 minutes (Location 1)
Family Photos: 30 minutes (Location 1)
Family Meal: 1 hour (Location 1)
Couples Photos: 30 minutes (Location 1)
[OPTIONAL BREAK]
Couples Photos/Activity: 2 hours (Location 2)
Yooree and Jarrod were married in Yosemite National Park. Their six-hour elopement was packed with Korean traditions, making those six hours the ideal time allotment for their wedding. They started with getting ready and the first look at a cabin inside the park, followed by a gorgeous wedding ceremony underneath El Capitan. But then, she changed into a traditional Korean Hanbok for photos with the matriarchs of her family. After a picnic, we parted ways and met up later for sunset photos. This time, she wore dress number three! The sunset overlooking Yosemite Falls and Half Dome was so pretty in the park—and we had just enough time for all the activities the couple wanted to fit into their day.
Eight-Hour Wedding Schedule
Everyone knows how a traditional wedding usually goes. Well, eight hours for an elopement just means you can do all of that and more! Eight hours is wonderful for couples who want the schedule of a big wedding with the feel of an elopement. But it’s also good for couples who want to have an epic day FULL day for their wedding!
Option 1
Getting Ready: 1 hour (Airbnb or hotel)
First Look & Photos: 30 minutes (Airbnb or hotel)
Ceremony: 30 minutes (Location 1)
Family Photos: 30 minutes (Location 1)
Family Meal: 1 hour (Location 1)
Portraits: 30 minutes (Location 1)
[OPTIONAL BREAK]
Couples Activity: 2 hours (Location 2, 3)
Starry Night Photos: 2 hours (Location 4)
Option 2
Couple’s Activity: 1 hour (Location 1)
Getting Ready: 1 hour (Hotel)
First Look: 30 minutes (Hotel)
Ceremony: 30 minutes (Location 2)
Family Photos: 30 minutes (Location 2)
Couples Photos/Activity: 1 hour (Location 3)
Reception: 2.5 hours (Airbnb or hotel)
Starry Night Photos: 1 hour (Location 4)
Janee and Ryan had their elopement all planned out and ready to go—until their family found out and insisted on coming. So we turned their elopement into an eight-hour day, and it was glorious! They got ready together, had a first look, then headed into Joshua Tree National Park for their ceremony at Cap Rock. After the ceremony, they had a picnic and climbed on the boulders with their guests. And because they knew they wanted some private time together, we met up later in the day to explore the park together and watch the stars at Split Rock and Live Oak. We couldn’t leave before sharing a Joshua Tree mezcal at their Airbnb. What an epic way to spend an eight-hour wedding!
Two-Day Wedding Schedule
Who says you have to have only one day for your wedding? There are plenty of reasons to have a two-day wedding—especially if you can’t decide on a wedding or elopement. This is awesome for people who want both. You can have an intimate adventure elopement with just you and your partner on Day 1, and then have a wedding or reception with friends and family the Day 2. Or maybe you have a four or eight-hour elopement on Day 1 and have a “day after” photoshoot the next day. Either way, this is a fantastic way to celebrate!
Option 1
Day 1—Just the two of you
Getting Ready: 1 hour (Airbnb or hotel)
First Look & Photos: 30 minutes (Airbnb or hotel)
Ceremony: 30 minutes (Location 1)
Couples Photos/Activity: 2 hours (Location 2)
Day 2—The family joins
Family Photos: 30 minutes (Venue)
Reception: 3 hours (Venue)
Couples Photos: 30 minutes (Venue)
Option 2
Day 1—Wedding
Getting Ready: 1.5 hours (Airbnb)
First Look & Photos: 30 minutes (Airbnb)
Ceremony: 30 minutes (Venue)
Family Photos: 30 minutes (Venue)
Couple’s Portraits: 2 hours (Location 1)
Reception: 3 hours (Venue)
Day 2—Couple’s Photos
Photoshoot at an Airbnb, hotel, or nature location
Olya and John knew exactly what they wanted for their wedding day! They split the festivities over two days, having their intimate wedding ceremony at SF City Hall. They got ready at an adorable Victorian hotel in San Francisco, skipped the first look, and had a ceremony on the fourth floor. Afterward, we explored the beautiful and iconic city hall together. Later that week, they had a reception at the swanky restaurant Tanner’s in Southern California. Their friends and family all joined for a meal and reception, as well as cake cutting, dancing, and the champagne tower—can’t forget the tower! Splitting the days up like this allowed them to have the best of both worlds—an intimate ceremony and a super fun reception!
Ready to Book Your Adventure Wedding or Elopement?
Ultimately, what your elopement looks like is totally up to you. That’s the beauty of elopements—you get to choose the best day ever for you and yours.
Got questions about timing and scheduling? Consultations are free! Let’s hop on the phone and chat about your best wedding day.
REAL Elopement Stories to Get You Inspired
