How to Cancel Your Wedding and Elope
When it comes to your wedding day, the most important thing is to follow your heart. This means that sometimes you’ll need to make big choices to make sure that your day is everything you dreamed it would be. Sometimes you might even find that the idea of a traditional wedding just isn’t calling your name anymore and that an elopement is more in line with your unique vision for your big day. It’s important to remember that this is totally fine! This is your choice to make, and you should never compromise when it comes to the most special moments of your life.
If you’re planning on canceling your wedding and planning an elopement instead, I’ve got you covered! I’ve seen many couples go through this before, and I’ve learned a thing or two along the way about how to elope instead of having a wedding. Here’s everything you need to know about how to cancel your wedding and elope!
Common Reasons To Cancel Wedding Plans And Elope
There are many different reasons why you might want to cancel your plans for a traditional wedding and elope instead. Here are a few that I’ve encountered the most often:
Budget: An elopement is usually more cost-effective than a traditional wedding. The guest list is smaller (sometimes limited to just the two of you!), and you don’t have to worry about booking a venue!
Family Pressure: Families are complicated, and sometimes that means wedding plans will change.
A Low-Stress Option: Elopements are more streamlined and simple than traditional weddings, and there’s so much less to worry about!
More Intimate: Since the guest lists for elopements are smaller than traditional weddings, your elopement can be a truly intimate occasion — whether it’s just you and your partner or a small group of your most cherished friends and family who mean the most to you.
More Adventure: When you plan an adventure elopement, you’ll often find yourself venturing off the beaten path as you go searching for that perfect location!
Steps To Cancel Your Wedding And Elope
Let Your Vendors Know About The Update
Be sure to review any contracts you’ve signed with your vendors and then let them know that your wedding plans have changed. Many vendors will probably be flexible, but you will have to honor any cancellation fees you might have agreed to beforehand.
Tell Your Guests
Letting your friends and family know that your wedding plans have changed can be difficult. However, it’s important to remember that these people are in your life because they love and support you, and want you to be happy — that’s why you invited them to your wedding in the first place!
Here’s how to tell guests your wedding is canceled:
Enlist the help of family members and close friends to help deliver the message. This can make the process go more smoothly and ensure that everyone receives the news that your wedding plans have changed in a timely fashion.
Announce that you’re now planning to elope! You can send formal updates to your guests — printed or email — or simply tell them in person to make it more personal.
Consider whether you want to invite guests to your elopement. It’s totally up to you, and whatever your heart tells you is the right path forward! If you do, elopement guest lists are naturally smaller than traditional weddings so you’ll only need to send invitations to a select few close friends and family.
Steps For Planning An Elopement
Once you’ve let your guests know that you’ve altered your wedding plans and will elope instead, the next step is to get everything ready for your updated ceremony! Fortunately, planning an elopement is way more streamlined and low-stress than planning a traditional wedding, and you might even be able to use some of the vendors and amenities you’ve already booked for your original wedding plans.
Here’s a quick overview of the necessary steps for planning an elopement once you’ve decided to cancel your wedding and elope instead.
Find A Location
One of the most important parts of any elopement is choosing that perfect location that fully encapsulates who you are as a couple and helps you realize your vision for your big day. Gorgeous states like Washington, Oregon, and California all offer a wide variety of stunning locations that would be perfect for any type of elopement you’re dreaming of.
Whether you’re looking for deep, enchanting forests, epic coastlines, or awe-inspiring mountain trails, you’re guaranteed to find exactly what you need.
For a more detailed overview about how to choose an elopement location, check out my blog post on How to Pick the Ultimate Elopement Location!
Determine Your New Budget & Check With Your Vendors
Once you’ve figured out where your elopement is going to be, the next step is to figure out all the budgetary logistics for your new elopement plans.
Check with your vendors to see if they have the flexibility to accommodate your new date and location. After all, these are expert professionals whom you chose because you felt a connection with them! It would be awesome if they were able to stick with you for your new elopement plans.
Some of your vendors won’t be able to make the necessary changes to their schedules to match your new plans — and that’s okay! There are awesome pros out there who will be able to deliver exactly what you need for the perfect elopement. I guarantee you’ll be able to find someone amazing who is available for your new elopement date and meets your budgetary requirements.
For more info on how to budget an elopement, check out my blog post How Much Does an Elopement Cost? I go into more detail about all the ins and outs of perfectly budgeting an elopement in a way that works for you!
Your elopement is definitely going to cost less than a traditional wedding, but these details are important to pay attention to while you’re budgeting your new elopement plans.
Legal Requirements, Witnesses & Officiants
Be mindful of the different legal and administrative requirements to get married in your new elopement location. Depending on which state you get married in, you might need to pay a small fee for a marriage license, and if you’re eloping in a national park it might be necessary to secure a permit, which might also require paying a small fee.
You’ll also need to make sure you have the required number of witnesses and a legally recognized officiant who can oversee your ceremony.
Create Your Ideal Elopement Timeline
Consider what you want your elopement to look like! I’ve put together some great sample elopement timelines to inspire you and help you craft your perfect day. This is your chance to really make the most of a wedding day focused on the two of you!
Let’s Start This New Chapter Of Your Journey
Have you made the choice to cancel your traditional wedding and elope instead? I’m here for you! If you’re looking for an elopement photographer in Washington, Oregon, or California, then we should definitely chat. I’d be honored to be part of this next chapter in your journey and to be a go-to resource to help you through every step of the process.
Hey, I’m Sally! I’m a destination adventure elopement photographer based in Washington, but traveling worldwide!
CHECK OUT MY FREE ELOPEMENT PLANNING GUIDE & CHECKLIST!
This freebie gives you a step-by-step guide on exactly how to plan your dream adventure elopement.
