Elopement Day Sample Timeline

Hello my eloping friends! I have created a ‘sample’ timeline to help with planning an elopement. Now of course, your day will probably look a little different. This is just to help you get an idea and maybe learn a few things!

First, I will include a few helpful tips and break down potential elopement day happenings. Then, I will include a half day elopement + a full day elopement sample timeline.

A Few Tips

1. End Time / Sunset : We often recommend working back from sunset time to plan your day. For example, if you have your photographer / videographer booked for 6 hours and the sunsets at 7pm, your team will probably be shooting you from 1-7pm – unless you have a dinner or something indoors planned after sunset. In which you would adjust accordingly to cover that element of your day.
2. Start Time: Once you know your end time, we can work backwards to figure out your start time for your vendors! Let’s pretend you have your photo/video team hired for 6 hours. In this scenario, you are having them shoot speeches at an initiate dinner at the end of your elopement day. Sunset is at 7pm, so you choose to have an dinner ready at 7:15pm. They shoot until 8pm, therefor your start time would be 6pm.
3. Hair and Makeup / Getting Ready: I love hair and makeup artists! And I encourage all my elopement bride’s to hire one. Although, they usually take a bit longer than they say they will. It just tends to happen. Plan for an extra 30 minutes here. Most photographers and videographers love to get the tail end of getting ready + any details. Planning for an 30-45 minutes here is perfect. In the example I shared earlier, I would tell your hair and makeup artist to be done around 2 / 2:15pm. Then your photo / video team can hop in at the very end of getting ready. We usually love to get a few shots of you zipping up in your dress or putting on a suit jacket and tie! You will chat with your HMUA (Hair and Makeup Artist) about how long it will take them to do the job!
4. First Look: Planning a first look with your spouse to be? Great! We love this on an elopement day. It helps ease nerves and often. Plan for 15-20 minutes.
5. Travel Time: Many elopement couples tend to be staying in a hotel or rental house. Traveling from wherever you are getting ready to where you are sharing vows / having a ceremony needs to be considered.
6. Ceremony: Most elopement ceremonies range from 10-25 minutes long depending on a few factors. Many couples choose to just share personal written vows and call it a day, while many others
7. Family / Guest Shots (If applicable):
8. Dinner / Speeches (If applicable):
9. Any Extra Activities:

Half Day Elopement Sample Timeline

Here is a sample timeline for 4 hours of coverage for an elopement day! In this scenario, let’s image the couple is staying in an Airbnb 20 minutes away from where the ceremony is taking place in the mountains. The photo and video peeps are hired for 4 hours. The couple choose to hire an officiant, and have no guests attend.

2:30pm – Hair and Makeup artist arrives

4:00pm – Photo and Video Arrive (Get started on getting ready + detail shots)

4:15pm – Hair and Makeup finishes

4:25pm – Couple gets dressed

4:40pm – First look with couple at airbnb

5:00pm – Leave to head to ceremony location (20 mins away)

5:15pm – Officiant arrives to ceremony location

5:20pm – Couple + photo / video arrive at location

5:25pm – Set up for ceremony

5:35pm – Ceremony conducted by hired officiant

6:00pm – Wrap up ceremony & sign marriage license

6:15pm – Bridal portraits location 1

7:00pm – Head to location 2

7:15pm – Arrive at location 2

7:20pm – Bridal portraits location 2

7:45pm – Champagne pop

7:55pm – Sunset Time

8pm – Photo and Video End

Full Day Elopement Sample Timeline

Here is a sample timeline for 8 hours of coverage for an elopement day! In this scenario, let’s imagine the couple is staying at an Airbnb 15 minutes away from where the ceremony is taking place in the desert. The photo and video peeps are hired for 8 hours. The couple choose to have a few guests attend (13 in total) and one of their friends is conducting the ceremony. They are also have an intimate dinner back at the Airbnb with a few speeches at the end of the day. The great thing about a longer elopement day, is time is less squashy and you can include more activities! In this scenario, the couple is going on a Helicopter tour. (Yes, I have really shot a scenario like this.)

12:00pm – Hair and Makeup Artist arrives

1:00pm – Photo and Video arrive + starts on detail / getting ready shots

1:30pm – Hair and Makeup Artist finishes

1:40pm – Couple gets dressed

2:00pm – First look with the couple at the Airbnb

2:30pm – Head to activity location

3:00 – 5:00pm – Couple + Photo / Video activity (Helicopter ride)

5:00pm – Head to ceremony location

5:15pm – Arrive at ceremony location. Freshen up. Set up.

5:30pm – Ceremony starts (Officiated by a friend)

6:00pm – Ceremony ends

6:10pm – Sign marriage license + congrats from guests

6:20pm – Guest Photos

7:00pm – Guests head back to Airbnb

7:00pm – Bridal Portraits location 1

7:45pm – Couple + Photo / Video head back to Airbnb

8:00pm – Couple + Photo / Video arrive at Airbnb

8:25pm – Sunset Time

8:15pm – Dinner & speeches from 2 guests

9:00pm – Photo and Video End

And there ya have it! I always help all my elopement couples plan out their timeline if desired. This is just to get a good idea of what your elopement day could potentially look like! I hope this was found super helpful! And if you are in need of an elopement or intimate wedding videographer, be sure to reach out! I also have great elopement photography recommendations!