There are so many things to try to manage when planning an elopement, especially if you are planning one quickly. And I totally get that you want the day to go as smooth as possible, so here are some of the most common mistakes to avoid along with some amazing research and tips to help you plan the most dreamiest and stress free elopement day!

So without further ado, here’s 3 mistakes to avoid while eloping:

1. Don’t feel guilty or obligated

This is your big day and you guys should create a day that you actually dream of going through. I know that there is a lot of stress and a lot of pressure that can come from family, friends, and societal traditions that “should be” a part of your big day. There’s a lot of ideas and opinions – some good and some not so good.

So my suggestion to you guys is to sit down, just the two of you, and begin to dream of a day that you guys would love to spend together. Ask yourself:

• If I were to spend an entire day celebrating my love and a big commitment to one another how would we want to spend it?
• If it was both your guy’s golden birthdays, how would you plan the day? Don’t be afraid to get creative and plan your wedding that way!
• Is there anything you guys have both dreamt of doing together? This would be a perfect day to execute that!

There are tons of fun and crazy ideas out there, but ultimately just make sure that the day will be a day you look forward to and a day you’ll want to remember forever!

2. Don’t forget about permits, park fees, and your marriage license

Permits

If you are planning on eloping in a National Park or a State Park most of these locations require permits for using their land to get married AND ALSO to take photos/videos. Oftentimes these are two separate permits and most photographers you hire should/will notify you of these permits, but most of the times they require for you to pay the permit yourself. But you can always double check with the photographer you hire because some photographers will do an all inclusive price, but always make sure you read through your contract with them to double check.

For example – Rocky Mountain National Park only requires permits for getting married, you don’t need a separate permit for your photographer, but Garden of the God’s in Colorado Springs doesn’t require any permits. So it’s always good to double check with the parks.

If you are wanting more info on eloping at Rocky Mountain National Park here’s a link to their Wedding Information. Then here’s more information for eloping in Garden of the God’s in Colorado Springs.

Park Fees

This can be a hidden fee some people don’t think about. But in most national parks and some state parks it costs to enter the park, so make sure to count for your guests to be paying that fee and for your ride into the park yourself.

Pro Tip: If you plan on going to more national parks throughout the year or want to go into the park a couple times throughout the week leading up I HIGHLY suggest getting the America the Beautiful Pass. The pass is about $80ish and you have an unlimited pass to over 2,000 sites managed by the Forest Service, National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation, and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for a whole year. You can get these passes at REI, L.L. Bean, or you can order online through the official site.

Marriage License

Most people don’t ever really forget to get the marriage license, but it is a harder thing to find information on especially if you aren’t getting married in the area you live. So make sure you schedule out some time to research what the particular state, county, or country may need from you. If you are wanting general information about the marriage licenses in a particular area, check out this great website that will break it down for you.

I will say a typical practice if you are getting married in another country would be to hold a “fake ceremony”, and then get officially married in court either before your elopement day or after. It all depends on your preference. Finding international marriage laws can be extremely vigorous and time consuming. But if you are wanting more information about any of it here’s an awesome website that will break it down for you.

3. Don’t hire a photographer solely based on aesthetics

Although that’s MAJORLY important and you should totally be obsessed with your photographers editing style. You should be comfortable and vibe well with your photographer because this is the person you’re going to be spending the majority of the day with and you’ll be vulnerable in front of a camera. If you don’t vibe with your photographer then it takes away the trust between one another which is CRAZY important to create stunning photos for your special elopement day.

If you are wanting to know more about how to choose the perfect photographer for you, you should check out my past blog How to Choose a Boulder, Colorado Elopement Photographer , even if you aren’t in the Boulder area this blog would definitely be worth checking out. It’s full of great questions you should be asking your photographer to make sure you all are on the same page.

If you are interested in talking more about your dreamy elopement and need some more guidance on all the logistics of your day! I am so happy to help because that’s what I’m passionate about doing – serving people who are in love and creating an adventure for themselves.