What is an elopement?

Over time, the definition of eloping has changed in a huge way! You used to elope by running away from your home with your partner, getting married in secret, and telling almost no one. Which sounds exciting but can be rushed and leave out guests and planning (the fun stuff!)

The 2025 definition of eloping is really just the act of getting married with intention. That means paring down your guest list a bit, having your ceremony somewhere other than a traditional wedding venue (like the great outdoors), and bringing the focus of the day back to you as a couple.

How to Slow Down and Be Intentional on Your Elopement Day

As for number of guests, the general consensus is somewhere fewer than 20-30 guests, but can be as few as no guests! There’s no hard and fast rule and varies a lot between photographers and other elopement vendors.

In general, eloping is:

✨Doing whatever YOU want✨

That’s the most important thing here, friends. The idea of eloping can be incredibly freeing - there are no expectations for what you say during your ceremony, what you wear, what activities you do together, who is invited, and the general vibe of the day.

Keeping it Low Stress

Wanna know what THE most important thing is to me being an elopement photographer?

Hint: it’s not the photos. CUE A COLLECTIVE GASP.

I’m here to tell you that your elopement day experience is the most important facet of your day. Even more than the photos you receive when all is said and done! Similar to what Maya Angelous said: “people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” If your day winds up being rushed, jam-packed full of events, or includes things you’re not actually stoked about, you’re going to remember that feeling for a looooong time.

Just think about anyone you’ve ever asked about their wedding: “it flew by!” or “I barely remember the day because it all happened so fast!” are common responses. That’s not what we’re going for around here.

(BTW, epic and timeless photos are preeeeeetty high up there on the list of things that are important to me, so don’t you worry. We’ll get those photos that feel like you.)

How to get the *BEST* experience out of your elopement day

The reason I say all of this? It’s going to be the ultimate key to keeping your day low-stress and easy breezy. Are you ready for it?:

Hire an experienced and knowledgeable elopement photographer

**and not just a wedding photographer or someone with a nice camera!

Not only will I do SO much more than just leave you with some memorable photos, I’m going to leave you with a day that you just don’t want to forget. Ever. Like finding the most perfect and new-to-you location to say your vows, walking you through building a timeline that isn’t rushed or too packed, and being your sounding board from start to finish. Believe me when I say I’ve seen a thing or two since my first elopement in 2020!

How to choose your elopement photographer

7 Ideas to Make Your Elopement Day Completely Epic

I’ve put together a list of my favorite ways to make your day memorable, elevated, and beyond anything you’ve ever dreamed of. Let’s dive right in!

1. Go somewhere you’ve never been together before

Whether you’re born and raised in Washington or you’ve never left your home state, trust me when I say we have *so* many legendary locations all around the state that can fit just about any scenery you’re looking for.

If you’re not married to (hehe) the idea of going somewhere special you’ve been to together in the past, why not go all in and get married at a spot that you knocks your socks off when you see it for the first time?

I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve taken couples to locations that they audibly gasped at, cried over, or gushed about for the entire day. Seriously!

And if you ever want to renew your vows, go on a honeymoon, or just visit your elopement spot again, you’ll be going back to an absolutely beautiful spot. Cool, right?

Best Washington Mountain Locations to Elope At

2. Schedule time away from guests/photographer

As much as I most definitely want to spend the entire day with you, I cannot urge you hard enough to specifically plan time away from everyone and everything so the two of you can really soak in your elopement day. Relish how it feels to be present in your body and mind. Take a mental picture of where you are and how you felt.

You could plan something really simple like going back to your AirBNB, throwing on sweatpants, and just being with each other for an hour. Or go on a walk with your boo and leave your phones on Do Not Disturb. Or you can have some fun with it and plan a really special hour or two doing something you love like sitting in the sun (YES we have sun in Washington, I promise) or taking a drive with your favorite playlist on.

I’m going to help you stick to this plan even if things don’t go to plan for the rest of the day. It’s too important to skip!

3. Splurge on a vendor to elevate your day

When you hand off a part of your elopement day to an expert, it can be a little bit nerve wracking, but it should be exciting that your day is going to be that much more extraordinary! This can be anything from vendors who prepare food for you to playing live music during your vow reading. Here are some ideas to get your brain going:

Book a hair and makeup artist - if you’re anything like me, you’ve got your day-to-day look nailed down but doing things for a WEDDING? Sheeeeesh, that feels like a little too much pressure. Even if you’re going for a casual ‘no-makeup makeup’ look or just want some soft curls in your hair, it can be totally worth it to hand off that responsibility to someone else who has done this a million times.

Hire a private chef - this could be for your dinner at the end of the elopement day, a small charcuterie lunch for your guests, or even having a chef come and cook you breakfast before the day gets going! With a custom menu catered to all your dietary needs and preferences, what better way to feel nourished and ready to get married than having someone feed you!

Dog attendant - Yep, you read that right! A newer type of elopement vendor is someone who will get to know your dog and then take care of them on your elopement day, specifically so you can have your pup present for photos and some parts of the day, but then have a reliable place for them to be when you have other things to focus on. Incredible, right?!

4. Have your dog sign your marriage license (kind of)

Even though in Washington, you cannot have a dog sign as your witness, there’s still a way to include them in the paperwork!

When you apply for your marriage license, you’ll receive a packet of info including your marriage license that will be returned to the government for filing (where the human signatures are required), but you’ll also receive a marriage certificate that is just for you to keep (and isn’t legally binding), and you absolutely can have your favorite pup sign it!

My favorite way to do this while keeping the mess at a minimum is buy something like an inkless paw print kit. Basically one side of the card has ink on it so when you set it on a piece of paper and press your dogs paw into it, the only ink that will touch the paper is their paw print! Their paw stays clean, you can practice a few times (most kits have enough ink to get 3-4 solid paw prints out of each card), and you’re done!

How to plan a dog-friendly elopement

5. Get elopement day tattoos together

Because we’re already on the topic of ink… why not get wedding tattoos?! Anything goes - your elopement date, an outline of the mountain you said your vows on, or just something you both love (matching or not!).

That could look like hiring a tattoo artist to come out to your cabin or hotel for an hour or two on the elopement day, or stopping in a city that takes walk-ins. You KNOW we’re gonna get some cool photos of that experience.

6. Turn your elopement trip into a honeymoon

Eloping in Washington (or anywhere cool, really!) is such an easy excuse to turn your elopement into a longer stay!! Imagine taking off of work or getting into Washington, heading off to your cozy cabin or hotel and settling in, getting married (!!!), and then having a few extra days or weeks to adventure around the area. Awesome, right?!

You could plan a longer hike that you don’t want to do on your elopement day, drive to different National Parks, spend some time in the fun cities like Seattle or Bellingham, and make more memories together!

You already know I have tons of places to recommend - backpacking loops, where waking up for sunrise is worth it, little diners and breweries to check out, and even some campgrounds you’ll enjoy.

7. Plan an adrenaline-pumping Activity

If you’re looking for a way to include something exciting on your wedding day, look no further. Because eloping literally means doing whatever the hell you want, why WOULDN’T you kick it up a notch and try something thrilling?

What month should I elope in Washington?

Some adrenaline-pumping ideas:

Cliff jump in your wedding clothes (be careful with big dresses and research your location for safety!)
Skydiving - no explanation needed!
Sled down a big hill together and aim for aaaall of the jumps
Take a private helicopter or seaplane tour
Rent a 4x4 to go off-roading
Rock climb your favorite pitches and belay each other
Cold plunge into a lake, with towels and a warm drink at the ready (how about this floating sauna where you can jump into a Seattle lake and then immediately warm up?!)
Canoe out to a private beachfront
Take a paddleboard to the middle of a lake - what if you said your vows out there?!
Rent a car or get on your motorcycle for a scenic drive with the windows down

Bonus idea: Get the outfit you’ve been dreaming of!

I’m sure you’ve had some ideas of what you’re going to wear on your elopement day, whether that be a custom-tailored suit with your date embroidered on the inside, a totally badass gown with an epic cape to match, or even something like a wedding day jumpsuit!

Maybe you already have your clothes chosen, but what if you added an accessory that will just level up the whole look?
A long, gorgeous veil that you only wear for part of the day (they make for incredible photos, trust me)
A tie with the topographic map of your elopement location designed on it
Earrings from your favorite local artist that match your wedding outfit
A second outfit (yes, I’m serious! How fun!)
Cufflinks made from a special material or in a fun shape

Are you ready to make your elopement day completely epic?

This blog post isn’t comprehensive or exhaustive - it’s also here to help you dream about what else you can do on your elopement day in addition to committing your lives to each other. It’s doing something unforgettable that will make the best memories. It’s saying “remember when we did XYZ on our wedding day? How cool are we?” when you get home (trust me, people love these stories).

Book your epic elopement photographer

If you’re looking for the most incredible elopement experience, look no further! I’m Van and I think you’re going to love what we can create together.