How To Choose Vendors for Your Elopement

One of the best things to come out of Covid? Elopements are having a serious moment! They are absolute magic and I am 100% here for it! They’re intimate, heartfelt, relaxed and all things good! They can be as easy and DIY or full blown as you want it to be. So many times, couples ask me questions like what’s normal, what vendors do I need, does that kind of vendor even do elopements? My best advice is to choose quality elopement vendors for the pieces and parts that make sense for you. Plus if you’re planning a midweek elopement, many of your top choice vendors will likely be available and would be stoked to work with you! 

You may want to handle it all yourself (big shout out to all my seriously talented DIY couples), but if you’re looking for help for any part of your day, I’m sharing all my tips for choosing the perfect elopement vendors! 

Here are some vendors to consider for your elopement:

1.     Planning + Coordinating

Planners are like your wedding day besties! They will make sure everything runs smoothly, coordinate the pieces and parts so you don’t have to, and remember all the things you may not. They literally bring the magic and let you be fully present. Not sure how to start picking a location, how to find vendors that fit your style and vibe or how you’ll ever make sure it will all come together? Timelines and vendor coordination is their jam! Hiring a quality planner can take all the to do’s off your list, and they will help make your wildest dreams a reality with their experience and connections. If you’re thinking about vendors, hiring a planner is my number one recommendation! 

2.     Hair and Makeup 

Yes, hair and makeup artists will absolutely do elopements and I promise, they love it just as much as me! Whether you’re a makeup queen who knows all the tricks or an au natural kind of girl, there’s a hair and makeup artist out there for you. I recommend looking at past work – hello Instagram! – and talking to them about your personal style and what makes you feel both comfortable and absolutely amazing! Professional hair and makeup can be the finishing touch. Bonus: hair and makeup artists know how to style for the camera and the specific lighting of your big day, whether it’s indoors or out. 

3.     Floral Designers 

While elopements don’t command a handful of bridesmaid bouquets or multiple centerpieces, they do allow for SO much freedom and creativity! Hiring a professional floral designer adds that element of magic because you get something created just for you! They can select unique blooms you may have never heard of, and since fresh flowers need to be arranged within a day or two of your day – it’s one less thing to worry about leading up to the wedding. Professional floral designers can also help pull your whole day together and they know how to design for things like an altar backdrop, your season, or remote locations. 

4.     Rentals

Dreaming of an intimate dinner party in the woods? Yes? ME TOO! Remember to select reputable rental vendors for things you may forget at first – like tables, chairs, lighting, altar backdrops and tabletop items like glassware, plates and flatware. Even if you don’t know what you need, a call with a rental partner will help you think through the details and logistics of your day – big or small. 

5.     Catering

Do you two love to cook? Or do you have a favorite restaurant? Maybe you want a private chef in your dream location to whip up something just for you? The options are endless. From cupcakes after I do’s to romantic restaurant nooks, if you want to celebrate with a meal or treat together – make it something special.

Here’s a fun idea: make sure to keep the recipe or menu to recreate for an anniversary down the road!

6.     Venue

When you envision your big day, is it somewhere remote at the end of a hiking trail? Maybe something more comfortable like an Airbnb, a familiar backyard, or on some private land? Depending on what you’re looking for, the location may require a few logistics. Remember to always clear your plans with the owner of the land or Airbnb in advance, or check local regulations for public land and spaces. If you’re planning for one of the many beautiful parks and public lands that Oregon (or anywhere else) has to offer, don’t forget to leave it better than you found it!

7.     Photography

I may be biased *cough cough* but I believe photography is one of the most important elements of your day. Whether your wedding day is big or small, it all goes by in a blink of an eye. Your photographer is your eyes for the day. We provide you tangible moments captured in time for you to keep forever. Elopements allow for so much personal time with your photographer! There’s a sweet intimacy about promising forever with just the two of you and maybe some of your nearest and dearest. Elopements can be so personal and emotional and I can’t say enough about how much I simply love them! It allows me to get to know you on a deeper level and I’m forever grateful to each and every one of my couples who invite me to be a part of their wedding day. As photographers, we also know of some pretty rad places to say I do. (Check out my post about the 10 best places to elope on Mt Hood) 

8.     Video

Your day will be a whirlwind and while elopements allow you to be so much more present, you’ll want to be able to look back and remember how you teared up as you walked down the aisle or how much you laughed at a joke in the middle of your vows. Wouldn’t you love to hear your partner’s laughter or vows in their own voice 30 years down the road? Video adds an extra element of movement and sound that photography can’t capture. My best advice – ask your videographer to get some behind the scenes interviews from you and any guests you may have about the emotions and excitement surrounding your big day. It’ll be something you cherish forever! 

9.     Paper Goods

Just because you may not send out hundreds of invitations, doesn’t mean you don’t want that keepsake. Big bonus – by not sending invites out to as many guests, you’ll have room to splurge on something like custom calligraphy to mark the occasion. Whether you want to have an extra special keepsake like your vows beautifully done, menus to remember your special meal or fun signage to direct guests to the location, there’s plenty of ways to incorporate some unique and beautiful paper goods into your day.

Tip - Make sure to bring the pieces on your big day so I can capture it too!

There’s no right number of vendors to hire for your big day. Whether you need 1 or all 9, what matters is that you have the team you need to make it all happen. Your day can be as simple as the two of you and me in the woods, or as elaborate as a private dinner with guests surrounded by mountains in the woods. The only right way to elope is the exact way you choose to! 

Did you find this post about how to choose vendors for your elopement helpful? Check out more wedding and elopement tips on the blog, or click here to learn more about Madeline Rose Photography!