How to Have a Peaceful + Relaxing Elopement

Every couple has their own vision and expectations for their wedding, but many are looking for an elopement that feels peaceful. As someone who is always seeking out peace in my own life (Enneagram 9 here!), I’m all about making that happen for couples. A lot of the elopement planning assistance services I offer are focused on achieving this, and I’ve come up with some specific ways to craft a peaceful wedding day.

“Peaceful” can look very different for each couple – for some that means quiet in nature, for others it could be high energy adventure, or even a busy city. It could mean packing your wedding day full of activities and events or keeping it super simple.

Whatever your idea of peace is, here are 7 steps for crafting your perfectly peaceful day!

Start with a Plan

Having a solid plan in place really helps you feel at ease on the day of your elopement! When you don’t have to worry about figuring things out as you go you can relax and enjoy your celebration.

If you’re not big on planning or feel overwhelmed by trying to figure it all out on your own, I would love to help you! As an experienced elopement photographer, I assist couples with the planning from finding a location down to the last final details. This means you can have a solid plan without all the time and stress of putting it together yourself! Imagine all that peace in the planning process too. 😉

It’s also super smart to have a backup plan in case of poor weather, road or trail closures, etc. If something like that does come up, you can quickly make changes and continue celebrating without stressing out. I do this for all my clients so that they can have peace of mind and fully enjoy their elopement experience.

Choose the Right Environment

Where do you feel most at peace? 

Where you get married matters, and it plays a big role in whether you feel peaceful and at ease. It could be somewhere familiar or somewhere totally new. It could be the backyard you grew up playing in or a cozy cabin in front of a fireplace. 

My clients love the quiet of nature, and I enjoy helping them find incredibly beautiful yet private locations. When you have the area to yourselves on your wedding day, you can really enjoy the nature around you and feel the peace that it provides. 

Choose your ceremony spot wisely!

Who do you feel relaxed with?

This is a little bit of a difficult topic to bring up, but who you invite to your celebration definitely makes a difference in the peacefulness of the day. The truth is, sometimes the people you love most can stress you out a bit. Whether it’s a strained relationship, an overbearing personality, or just the stress of logistics for a group of people, it can feel tense.

Be realistic with yourself about the kind of experience you want versus what you think will actually happen if you invite the people on your guest list. If the two don’t match up, it’s time to look at your options. For some people, eloping alone is the solution that feels best. A great compromise is to split your celebration time into two sections – time with your guests, and separate time for just the two of you. A two day elopement is ideal for this situation! (More on that below.) 

Include Activities That Fill You Up

Some activities drain you, and others fill you up. Make a list of things you and your partner love to do together that refresh and refill you and consider adding some into your elopement day itinerary. This looks totally different for every couple, but it can be a really great way to personalize your experience.

Another way to personalize your day and nurture connection is to consider your love languages. Your love languages are the types of love you receive that make you feel the highest amount of love from your partner.

They are acts of service, quality time, words of affirmation, receiving gifts, and physical touch. Intentionally including your and your partner’s love languages into your celebration will make you feel extra loved and at peace!

Have a Relaxed Timeline + Down Time

You know what doesn’t feel peaceful? Running from one thing to the next and constantly being worried about being late! When you’re planning out your elopement or micro wedding, give yourself a relaxed timeline.

This is my approach for my clients, and I can tell you it makes a world of difference. I include a buffer of time in multiple spots of the timeline so that there’s no stress if something takes longer than we think, there are traffic delays, or they just want to take more time doing something.

This also allows for more spontaneity and a totally relaxed vibe! I also make sure we have plenty of time for photos so that the day doesn’t feel like a constant photoshoot and I can achieve more candid, natural feeling photos.

Your elopement celebration will likely be full of excitement, activities/events,  and emotional moments, but don’t forget to schedule some down time too. Experiencing so many incredible moments can be a little tiring, so taking time to relax can help you feel more energized and not miss a moment.

A great way to do this is to have a picnic or slow meal together, relax in hammocks, read books, soak in a hot spring, or even take a midday siesta.

Schedule Some Time to Yourselves

It’s awesome to include friends and family in your celebration, but it can definitely feel tiring or draining (especially for introverts). Everyone wants to talk to you, the attention is centered on you and your partner, and there’s always something to do.

Intentionally carve out time for just the two of you so you can fully enjoy each other, recharge your batteries, and help you feel more in the moment.

Having a two day elopement is an awesome way to keep your celebration chill! If you’re having an elopement or micro wedding with guests but you also want some alone time, splitting the celebration into two days is the perfect solution.

You can use one day to fully focus on enjoying time with your loved ones, talking with each guest and taking part in all the festivities. And then the other day can be all about you and your partner relaxing, connecting with each other, and doing the things you love. 

I recommend having your “just us” day FIRST so you can start off with super chill vibes and an experience that’s centered around each other. This is a great opportunity to read emotional vows to each other, have some adventures, and relax. Then, end with your loved ones in a slightly higher energy celebration, whether that’s a ceremony, a meal, activities, or just hanging out.

Set the Right Mindset

The mindset you have for your elopement day has a big impact on how your experience feels. If you fixate on the little imperfections that pop up, you’ll look back at the day and see those. But if you start your day with the mindset that you’re going to have an amazing, relaxing day celebrating the love you share with your partner, that’s what you’ll experience and remember.

Let’s be real– sometimes things don’t go according to plan on your elopement day. But when you say, “that’s okay” and continue to enjoy your elopement, you’ll have a better experience. Rolling with the punches will help you feel more at peace when things go awry.

Notice the Little Things

As you go through your day, find the beauty in your surroundings – the beautiful light filtering through the trees, a perfect little leaf, a cute furry face, a colorful pebble. 

Savor the lovely “in between” moments as well. What was around you as you walked with your partner to your ceremony spot. The smell of the air as you sat together watching the sunset. The sparkle in your partner’s eyes when they made a silly joke.

It’s only when you’re feeling relaxed and at peace that it’s easier to notice the little things around you that bring joy. You’d be surprised how much this enriches your experience and how many of the little moments will be some of your most cherished memories of your elopement.

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