Elopement Checklist for JuMiBrides
10 things to do 1 month before your elopement
One of the primary reasons why we are seeing a lot more #JuMiBrides choosing to opt-in an intimate elopement is how less stressful an elopement can be.
Through our 10+ years of experience photographing and witnessing countless couples tying the knots, we absolutely agree!
That being said, an elopement is still a day of events and involves a bit of planning, preparation and details checking. Here at JuMi, we have summarized 10 things you should check off before your elopement/intimate wedding to keep you on track!
1. Elopement Timeline
While elopements tend to be much more flexible and relaxed than typical wedding days, it’s still a good idea to have a general feel and layout of what your day might look like, to make sure you know exactly where you’re supposed to be! Well, not exactly, because a lot of times plans change even last minute – but remember that this day is all about you and your SO, about what you want – one of the many plus sides of having a small & intimate celebration. Need time for a Starbucks run? Board Game in the morning? You can absolutely do them!
2. Vendors Check-in
Once you have the timeline firm and ready, make sure your vendors have a copy as well! If your venue has certain restrictions, whether it be take-down time, alcohol consumption or guest count limit from the most current health orders – double-check with them in case policies change due to unforeseeable events. We typically would ask for all the details to be finalized around this time (3-4 weeks in), as some of the photography-related details such as lighting, seasonal flowers, shooting locations may still be changing up to this point.
3. Rings
Get your wedding bands polished and ready to go! If you are planning with a short time frame, keep in mind that some jewellers take up to weeks to deliver your rings, so give yourself enough time and ideally pick them up at least 2-3 weeks before the big day.
4. Guestlist
If you are eloping on the top of a mountain, surrounded by epic clouds and sunlight – don’t worry about this one! For our #JuMiBrides who are hosting an intimate wedding and still have families and friends included as part of the celebration, do check in with your guests to make sure they are aware of the time, location, and any additional information.
5. Gifts for your guests and for each other
Part of the reason why JuMi loves small guest lists is so that we can spend extra time and budget on each and every one of them. The money you saved from doing large centrepieces can go into investing in some nice and thoughtful gifts for your partner, or your guests – the people who love you and come just to celebrate you. They don’t have to be super expensive, but we can assure you that your guests will have an unforgettable experience 🙂
6. Eyelash extensions, hair color, and beyond
Ladies, get pampered! You deserve to treat yourself to a manicure, a spa & massage with your girls before this day.
JuMi’s pro tips on beauty also include: starting a facial mask routine a month or more before, getting your hair colour right 1 week before, and having your lashes & nails done 3 days before! But don’t change up any beauty procedure the day or two before in case of sudden allergy reactions, rashes or other unwanted situations!
7. Emergency Bags
Make a mini packing list of everything you’ll need to bring to the venue, and start getting them ready in case you don’t have time to do so as it gets closer to the date! Little things like a makeup bag, oil blotting paper, deodorant, nude bra, extra pair of eye contacts, and sewing kits – these could come in handy if you don’t have any coordinator/other help!
8. Vows
We wrote our vows the night before we said I do… But you obviously don’t have to! It does take a push to get yourself the time and mindset to sit down with a pen and paper (We love this old fashioned way), think of everything you want to say to each other, and fold them away nicely until you are holding each other’s hands at the ceremony. Trust us when we say there’s some magic to the vows 🙂
9. Your dress
No matter what kind of ceremonies you are having, your wedding dress will thank you if you take it out at least a day before and check up on the wrinkles and folds. The same goes to veils if you are wearing any – if you are in a hotel and have no ironer/steamer handy, do what JuMi did: Hang them up on the washroom door and take a hot bath! Please feel free to email your wedding dress (prefer images of yourself wearing the dress) to JuMi 1~1.5 weeks before your celebration, we would love to visualize the photos
(For grooms, you might want to also check just a bit in advance to make sure the sizing is all right. )
10. Remember the “why”
After all the planning, it comes back down to the root. Remember why you are doing this — why you are choosing each other for the rest of your lives. As we see it, elopements and weddings are similar in the way that they are all celebrations of love, and love is what ties us all together. It’s easy to get lost in the little details of having a ceremony for the purpose of love, but at the end of the day, take a deep breath and remind yourself to pause, relax, look into each other’s eyes and know that as long as they are by your side, everything is gonna be okay. Plus, you have JuMi!
Most importantly …. Enjoy the day!
We hope that this checklist helped you feel a little bit more organized and relieved. Needless to say, we want you to soak in all the emotions, joy and excitement anticipating the day. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us!
See you soon 🙂
