Gather Everything You Need & Pack
Whether you’ve been planning your elopement for one year or one month, it’s probably felt like forever to get to this point—but you’re finally getting married. It’s time to pack! Use this checklist to pull together everything you need for your day. The sooner you begin to set things aside, the less stressed you’ll be when the time comes to travel to your elopement destination.
It's time to pack those bags, and finish the remaining details!
05
Get Ready to Go
Your Ready to Go Packing List
Necessities
Permit (if needed)
All important travel ID’s & documents
Marriage license
Water bottle & water
Snacks
Sunscreen
Sunglasses
Bug spray
Extra socks
Boots/shoes with good tread
Wedding Attire & Ceremony Things
Vows
Rings
Ring box
Paper invites, announcements, or postcards
Flowers
Wedding attire for partner 1 (dress, suit, jumpsuit, skirt, undergarments, etc)
Wedding attire for partner 2 (dress, suit, jumpsuit, skirt, undergarments, etc)
Accessories partner 1 (jewelry, veil, cape, watch, cufflinks, tie, bowtie, socks, pocket square, lapel pin, hair piece, etc)
Accessories partner 2 (jewelry, veil, cape, watch, cufflinks, tie, bowtie, socks, pocket square, lapel pin, hair piece, etc)
Perfume or cologne
Makeup & hair supplies
Garment bags for wedding attire during travel
Champagne or sparkling water
Plastic champagne flutes
Tissues or hankie
Speaker for music
Adventure Gear
Backpack(s)
Rain jacket
Jacket (very warm & windproof)
Warm layers (skin-toned fleece leggings)
Hand warmers + body warmers + toe warmers
Traction (YakTrax, microspikes, and/or snowshoes)
Gloves/mittens
Headlamps
Umbrellas
Blanket to sit on
Don’t Forget Your Marriage License!
You will need to attain your marriage license in advance! Even if you are having myself or another officiant sign, you are required to apply for your marriage license yourself. Marriage license requirements vary state-by-state and country-by-country, so it is always important to research your elopement location’s requirements ahead of time.
Guest Preparedness
In order to have your guests be as prepared as possible for your elopement day and to avoid any awkward situations that could arise from miscommunications, you should consider sending your guests a pre-wedding email that preps them on the following:
What to bring, including what sort of attire they might need to be comfortable in the climate, season, and time of day at your chosen location
What not to bring, such as pets (if your location is not pet-friendly) or distracting electronics
Timeline information of your day and when they need to be ready and when they need to arrive at certain locations
Directions and location information including any maps, GPS coordinates they might need, and a description of the accessibility and terrain of the spot that you’ve chosen
Whether or not the area you picked has cell phone reception (and if they will need to download any maps onto their phone ahead of time because of it)
Parking instructions, especially if there is not a designated lot
Safety information, including any wildlife that might be nearby, difficult travel conditions, or potentially unfavorable weather
What restroom facilities are around—especially let them know if there aren’t any nearby
Leave No Trace considerations, such as what materials you absolutely cannot have at your location (i.e. rice or confetti), any place that you might not be able to go because it would violate
Leave No Trace ethics, and what you need to make sure that you pack out
By being upfront about these topics beforehand, you set expectations with your guests and help them also enjoy your wedding day as much as possible!
Unplugged Weddings
For many reasons, I highly recommend asking guests to “unplug” and be fully present for your wedding day, especially when it comes to your ceremony. When your guests are distracted by taking photos or recording videos, it’s difficult for them to also be focused on what is going on around them—you know, you getting married! Cell phones, iPads, and other electronic devices will stand out and be a distraction in your photos. It also makes it very difficult for me to get candid photos of your guests' reactions and emotions.
I’ve found it’s most effective to give your guests a heads up that this will be an unplugged experience in the days or weeks leading up to your wedding day. There are numerous gentle and kind ways to tell them this. Consider also reminding them just before your ceremony begins. Let them know that you would like them to be fully present with you and that your photographer will do all the work to capture beautiful photos which they will be able to access through an online photo gallery. Remind them that they will have a sneak peek of beautiful and professional photos to enjoy very soon.
Communicating with Your Guests
Final Tips
For the flight, for the trek, for the day before, too—these last-minute tips are here to help you have the best elopement experience ever!
Start packing early and pack over a few days, so as you remember items you want to bring, you’ll have plenty of time to add them to your bag and make sure you don’t forget anything important.
If you’re flying, make sure you carry on the most important details of your wedding day, like your attire, ceremony details, rings, etc. Of course, what really matters is that you’re getting married, not what you’re wearing—but still, I’d love for you to have the day you’ve dreamed of in the attire you’ve dreamed of, so let’s not leave it up to chance!
If you’re traveling somewhere that’s a drier climate than you’re used to or a higher elevation, be sure to drink tons of water and take care of yourself and get acclimated. In the days leading up to your elopement, make sure you eat, hydrate well, relax, and get plenty of sleep—you’ll want plenty of energy on your day.
Most of all, RELAX—you’re about to have the best elopement day ever. You’ve planned a day that’s a true reflection of the two of you, and it’s going to be amazing
