What do we do on our elopement day? What time should I start? How long should we book a photographer for? These are all really great questions when planning your elopement timeline! Luckily, as your photographers, we will help you plan all of that and more while we are creating an elopement timeline!

First off, no two elopements are the same! Some couples want a little bit of structure in their day, while others are completely happy just to “fly by the seat of their pants” and enjoy the day as it unfolds. We hope that this resource helps you maximize your schedule and enjoy the timeline creation process!

Sample Full Day Elopement Timeline

11:00pm: Sarah + Sylvia arrive at the beautiful beach house you rented

11:30pm: Drinks with your lover before you get ready

12:00: You start getting ready! You’ll do this separately if you are planning on doing a first look.

1:00 Putting on the final touches! Write those vows to one another!

1:30 You and your partner will sneak out with us to a private first look beside your Airbnb

2:00 Wrap up last-minute packing and head out the door

2:30 Arrive to the cliffs and walk out to a beautiful spot to exchange your vows

3:00 Exploring, relaxing, talking, kissing, taking in views, climbing on rocks, seeing beautiful sights

4:00 Hop on a chartered catamaran sunset sail that will take you to a private space for a picnic dinner

4:30 Arrive to picnic dinner and enjoy champagne, dessert, and a first dance on a private island

5:15 Play around in the water for some sunset photos

6:00 Head back to St. Thomas and reminisce on your beautiful, perfect, wedding day

Sample Half Day Elopement Timeline

3:00 Hellos and hugs at your airbnb! Leave for hike!

3:30 Arrive to the cliffs and walk out to a beautiful spot to exchange your vows

4:00 Exploring, relaxing, talking, kissing, taking in views, climbing on rocks, seeing beautiful sights

5:00 Arrive to picnic dinner and enjoy champagne, dessert, and a first dance on a private island

6:00 Play around in the water for some sunset photos

Things to Consider Before Creating Your Timeline

All elopement timelines are completely customizable according to what the two of you want for your day! There is no right or wrong way to elope! Give yourself some time to think about what activities you’d like to do on your day to make it special and meaningful to you.

Here are some things to consider when planning your timeline:

• Think about the time of day (sunrise, sunset, or midday) and the lighting
• Consider cruise ship schedules, most popular times of day, and how private you want your ceremony to be
• Consider how far your elopement spot is away from where you are staying
• Think about what activities you want to do on your day
• Consider what “traditional” items, if any, you want to do on your day (first dance, champagne toasts, etc).
• Consider if you will have any guests in attendance
• Don’t forget about weather!

A Few Tips For Timeline Creation

When creating an elopement timeline we suggest:

• Add in travel time (driving) to various spots or hiking time to get to your elopement spot. Consider traffic too1
• Avoiding midday ceremonies for best lighting. We love sunrise and sunset!
• Aim for about 1n hour and a half for makeup and hair if needed
• Plan to elope on a weekday to avoid the most crowds
• Allow for at least 15 minutes to exchange vows, a few hours for couples photos, and time for any activities you want to do on your day.
• Give yourself breaks! It doesn’t have to be “go, go, go”. Enjoy the moments!

Activities For Your Elopement Day

There are a lot of activities you can do on your day to make it more meaningful and special to you. This is just a beginning list. Click HERE to see a full list of ideas for your elopement!

• Picnic
• Coffee together
• Helicopter Ride to a private space
• Read letters to each other
• Read letters from family
• Champagne Toasts
• First Dances
• Cake cutting
• Write letters to each other
• Have a campfire
• Gaze at the stars
• Cook together
• FaceTime Your Family

We hope you found this blog about creating and elopement timeline helpful! If we had one piece of advice for you on your elopement day it would be to take it slow! It never fails, the day is here and gone in a blink of an eye. Crafting a perfect elopement timeline can really make a difference in the amount of time you get to just enjoy the day. No hustle and bustle, no rush to get something checked off a list. Just you, your lover, and a carefully crafted day that just allows you to take it all in. Because when we think back to why many couples elope, it always comes back to making the day about the two of you.

XOXO,
Sam + Bryt