# Elopement checklist > An elopement checklist for just the two of you: location, permits, the marriage license, witnesses, photography, weather plans and telling family. Source: https://readytoweddy.com/wedding-checklist/elopement Publisher: ReadyToWeddy (https://readytoweddy.com) · Last updated: 2026-09-18 An elopement is a wedding for just the two of you, sometimes with a photographer, an officiant or a couple of witnesses, often somewhere that means a lot to you. Planning shrinks to a few things done well: the legal side, the place and its rules, the weather, the photos and how you share the news. ## How do you plan an elopement? Plan an elopement by choosing a place that means something to you both, then checking what it takes to marry there legally: [the marriage license](https://readytoweddy.com/guides/apply-marriage-license), witnesses and any officiant rules. Get permits for public or outdoor land, book a photographer who knows the area, plan for the weather and decide when to tell family. ## What’s different about a elopement - **Just the two of you:** No guest list, invitations or seating, so planning centers on the place and the moment. - **The place sets the rules:** Permits, group limits and rules on photos, décor and access vary by location. - **The law still applies:** License, officiant and witness requirements depend on where you marry, so check early. - **Photography is the main vendor:** Your photographer often helps with timing, locations and permits as well as the photos. - **Weather and access matter:** Outdoor spots need a backup plan, comfortable outfits and time for travel or walking. - **Sharing the news is a decision:** Decide when to tell family and whether to host a celebration later. ## Start here The first two weeks - [ ] **Agree on your top wedding priorities** (Essential) — Agree on three to five shared wedding priorities before you book anything, so every later decision about budget, venue and vendors has a clear tiebreaker. - [ ] **Set your working budget** (Essential) — Set a working wedding budget before you contact venues or vendors: agree on a total, decide who contributes, keep a contingency, and split the rest by your priorities. *For a elopement:* Most of the budget usually goes to travel, the photographer, outfits and a special meal or stay. List those first, then decide whether you’re also setting money aside for a later celebration. - [ ] **Talk about family contributions** (Recommended) — Talk openly with family about any financial contributions early in planning, including how much, when it arrives, and whether it comes with expectations about guests or decisions. - [ ] **Estimate your guest count** (Essential) — Estimate your guest count before shortlisting venues, because the number of people you invite drives venue capacity, catering costs and most of your budget. *For a elopement:* Decide who, if anyone, joins you: a photographer, an officiant, witnesses, or one or two people you love. Some locations and permits limit group size, so check before you invite anyone. - [ ] **Choose a season or date range** (Essential) — Choose a season or a range of possible dates early in planning, rather than one fixed day, so you have flexibility when checking venue and vendor availability. - [ ] **Decide where you want to get married** (Essential) — Decide the general area for your wedding early, whether close to home, near family or a destination abroad, since location shapes your budget, guest list and legal steps. *For a elopement:* Choose somewhere that means something to you both, then check the practical side: the season, travel time, any walking, and whether you can get there comfortably in what you plan to wear. - [ ] **Decide what kind of ceremony you want** (Essential) — Decide early whether you want a civil, religious or symbolic ceremony, and whether the legal marriage will happen separately, since this shapes your venue, officiant and paperwork. *For a elopement:* Decide whether the elopement itself will be your legal marriage or a personal ceremony. Some couples sign the paperwork at a local office first, which can make marrying far from home much simpler. - [ ] **Decide whether you need a planner** (Recommended) — Decide early whether you want a full-service planner, a partial planner or a wedding-day coordinator, based on your time, budget and how complex your wedding will be. - [ ] **Set up a shared planning system** (Recommended) — Set up one shared place for your wedding budget, guest list, vendor contacts, contracts and tasks at the start of planning, so both of you can see what’s happening. - [ ] **Insure your engagement ring** (Optional) — Consider insuring your engagement ring soon after the engagement, either through a specialist policy or your existing home or contents insurance, so loss or damage is covered. - [ ] **Share your news the way you want to** (Optional) — Share your engagement news in whatever way feels right, ideally telling close family and friends personally before posting online, and without committing to wedding details yet. *For a elopement:* Decide together whether to tell family before or after, and who hears first. Either way, telling your closest people personally before anything goes online usually lands more kindly. ## Months 1–3 Book the big pieces while dates are still open - [ ] **Research and shortlist venues** (Essential) — Research and shortlist three to five wedding venues about 12–18 months before the wedding, filtering by guest capacity, budget, location and your preferred dates. - [ ] **Visit your shortlisted venues** (Essential) — Visit your shortlisted venues in person, ideally at the same time of day as your wedding, with a list of questions about capacity, rules, costs and backup plans. - [ ] **Book your venue** (Essential) — Book your wedding venue 12–18 months before the wedding, and earlier for popular dates, once you’ve compared quotes, read the contract carefully and confirmed your date. - [ ] **Secure your ceremony location** (Essential) — If your ceremony will be somewhere other than your reception, such as a place of worship or registry office, secure that location around the same time as your venue. *For a elopement:* Reserve the exact spot if the land manager allows it, and consider a weekday or a quieter time of day. Scout a second spot nearby in case of crowds, closures or wind. - [ ] **Know what to check in every vendor contract** (Essential) — Before you sign any vendor contract, check what’s included, the payment schedule, cancellation and postponement terms, substitutions and, for photos and video, usage rights. - [ ] **Confirm your date and tell key people** (Essential) — Confirm your wedding date once the venue contract is signed and ceremony arrangements are secure, then share it with close family, your wedding party and priority vendors. - [ ] **Consider wedding insurance** (Recommended) — Consider wedding insurance soon after booking your venue, checking what’s covered and excluded, and whether your venue requires liability coverage for you or your vendors. - [ ] **Start researching wedding outfits** (Recommended) — Start researching your wedding outfits 12 months or more before the wedding, setting a budget, checking production lead times and booking first appointments if needed. - [ ] **Book your wedding photographer** (Recommended) — Book your photographer 9–12 months before the wedding, after your venue and date are confirmed, or up to 18 months ahead for popular peak-season dates. *For a elopement:* Your photographer is often the main vendor, and sometimes a witness where that’s allowed. Look for someone who knows the area, understands its permit rules and can suggest timing for light and crowds. - [ ] **Decide on a videographer** (Optional) — Decide whether you want a wedding videographer around the time you book your photographer, and if so, book one whose style and deliverables fit your budget. - [ ] **Book your officiant** (Essential) — Book your officiant 9–12 months before the wedding, making sure they’re able to perform the kind of ceremony you want and, if needed, the legal part of your marriage. *For a elopement:* If your spot is remote, look for an officiant who is comfortable with travel, early starts or a short hike, and ask whether they can also act as a witness where that’s allowed. - [ ] **Book your florist** (Recommended) — Book your florist 9–12 months before the wedding, once your venue and color ideas are settled, so you can secure their date and plan around seasonal flowers. - [ ] **Book an engagement photo session** (Optional) — Book an engagement photo session 9–12 months before the wedding if you’d like one, ideally with your wedding photographer, so the images are ready for save-the-dates. - [ ] **Check permits for a private or outdoor venue** (Recommended) — If you’re marrying at a home, park, beach or farm, ask the local authority and landowner 9–10 months ahead which permits, insurance and rules apply to your event. *For a elopement:* Parks, beaches, forests and other public land often need a permit or special-use approval, even for two people. Ask about group size, photography, drones, décor, confetti and time-of-day rules. - [ ] **Book hair and makeup** (Optional) — Book hair and makeup artists 9–12 months before the wedding if you plan to use them, since good artists take limited bookings on busy weekends. *For a elopement:* Some artists travel to on-location elopements. Ask about travel fees, early starts and how to keep hair and makeup comfortable in wind, heat or damp air. - [ ] **Book your getting-ready space and wedding-night stay** (Recommended) — Book your getting-ready space and wedding-night room about 9 months ahead, choosing somewhere near the venue with good light and room for hair, makeup and photos. *For a elopement:* A cabin, inn or hotel near your spot can double as your getting-ready space. Check the drive or walk from there to the ceremony location. - [ ] **Set up your registry** (Optional) — Set up a registry around 9–12 months before the wedding if you want one, so guests invited to early celebrations have options. Include items, experiences or funds that suit you. - [ ] **Order your wedding outfits** (Essential) — Order your wedding outfits 9–12 months before the wedding, since made-to-order pieces can take several months to arrive and alterations need time afterward. *For a elopement:* Choose outfits and shoes that suit the terrain, the weather and any walking. Plan layers, and something comfortable to change into for the trip back. - [ ] **Book your cake or dessert supplier** (Optional) — Book a cake or dessert supplier about 9 months before the wedding if you want one, after confirming what your venue or caterer already includes and allows. - [ ] **Research marriage license requirements** (Essential) — Research marriage license requirements around 9 months before the wedding with the official authority where your legal ceremony takes place, so you know when to apply and what to bring. *For a elopement:* Check the rules where you’ll marry, not where you live: documents, fees, any waiting period, whether you both must appear in person, whether an officiant is required and how many witnesses you need. - [ ] **Book the remaining vendors** (Recommended) — Book any remaining vendors around 6 months before the wedding, choosing only the services that support the priorities the two of you agreed on at the start. - [ ] **Review your budget against real quotes** (Recommended) — Once your main vendors are booked, compare your original estimates with real quotes and deposits paid, add hidden extras, and decide where to trim before the final months. - [ ] **Check venue rules for vendors and décor** (Recommended) — Check your venue’s rules for vendors and décor around 6 months before the wedding, including noise curfews, candles, confetti, preferred suppliers and insurance requirements. - [ ] **Plan the ceremony structure** (Essential) — Plan your ceremony structure around 6 months before the wedding with your officiant, including the order, readings, music, processional and roughly how long it will last. - [ ] **Plan your honeymoon** (Optional) — Plan your honeymoon around 6 months before the wedding if you’re taking one soon after, so you can book flights and stays and check passport and entry requirements in time. *For a elopement:* Many couples fold the elopement into a longer trip. Decide whether the honeymoon starts the same day or after a few quiet days at home. - [ ] **Request time off work** (Recommended) — Request time off work about 6–7 months ahead, covering the final days of preparation, the wedding, a day or two to recover and any honeymoon travel. - [ ] **Review accessibility and guest needs** (Recommended) — Review accessibility and guest needs around 6 months before the wedding, checking step-free access, seating, hearing support and a quiet space, so every guest can take part comfortably. - [ ] **Book transport for the two of you** (Recommended) — Book transport for the two of you around 6 months before the wedding, covering getting to the ceremony, moving between venues and leaving at the end of the night. ## 1–3 months before Invitations, details and confirmations - [ ] **Buy your wedding rings** (Essential) — Start shopping for your wedding rings about 3–4 months before the wedding to leave time for sizing, engraving and insurance. Allow 4–6 months for custom designs or engraving-heavy orders. - [ ] **Finalize your menu and tasting** (Essential) — Finalize your wedding menu about three months before the wedding, ideally after a tasting, including dietary alternatives, children’s meals and any late-night food. - [ ] **Plan the bar and drinks** (Recommended) — Plan your wedding bar about three months ahead: choose a drinks package or supplier, add good alcohol-free options, and confirm licensing and service rules with your venue. - [ ] **Finalize flowers and décor** (Recommended) — Finalize your wedding flowers and décor about three months before the wedding, confirming quantities, setup, cleanup and whether any arrangements will move between spaces. *For a elopement:* A bouquet and a buttonhole are often all you need. Check the location’s rules on petals, confetti and décor, and plan to leave the spot exactly as you found it. - [ ] **Buy shoes and accessories** (Recommended) — Buy wedding shoes and accessories about three months before the wedding, so you can bring them to your first fitting and your outfit is altered to the right length. - [ ] **Agree on a wet-weather plan** (Essential) — Agree on a wet-weather plan about three months ahead, confirming an indoor or covered backup, any tent or heating costs, and how guests will stay comfortable in rain, wind or heat. *For a elopement:* Outdoor elopements depend on the weather. Agree on a backup spot, a flexible time window or a covered option with your photographer and officiant before the day. - [ ] **Confirm transportation details** (Recommended) — Confirm wedding transportation details about three months ahead, giving the company every address, pickup time, passenger estimate and a wedding-day contact who isn’t you. - [ ] **Choose your key music moments** (Recommended) — Choose the music for your key wedding moments about three months ahead, including the processional, recessional, first dance and last song, so musicians have time to prepare. - [ ] **Schedule hair and makeup trials** (Optional) — Schedule hair and makeup trials about 2–3 months before the wedding, ideally after choosing your outfits, so you can test the look and adjust it in good time. - [ ] **Write your vows** (Optional) — Start writing your wedding vows about 2–3 months before the wedding, after checking what your officiant allows, so you have time to draft, rest and revise without pressure. *For a elopement:* With no audience, your vows can be as personal as you like. Some couples read them aloud at the ceremony, others exchange letters beforehand. - [ ] **Confirm your officiant can legally marry you** (Essential) — About 2–3 months before the wedding, check with the official authority where you’re marrying that your officiant is authorized there, and what they must sign and submit afterward. *For a elopement:* If a friend is officiating somewhere other than where they live, check whether they need to register or be appointed there, and who submits the signed paperwork afterward. - [ ] **Attend your outfit fittings** (Essential) — Attend your wedding outfit fittings starting about 2–3 months before the wedding, bringing your shoes, undergarments and accessories so alterations match exactly what you’ll wear. - [ ] **Apply for your marriage license** (Essential) — When to apply for your marriage license depends on where you marry. Check the official authority for the application window, any waiting period and the expiry date, then apply within that window. - [ ] **Finalize ceremony details** (Essential) — Finalize your ceremony details about 6–8 weeks before the wedding with your officiant: readings, participants, music cues, processional order, microphones and any legally required wording. - [ ] **Create your wedding-day timeline** (Essential) — Create your wedding-day timeline about 6–8 weeks before the wedding, building it around fixed moments like the ceremony, meal service and venue close, then adding buffer time. *For a elopement:* Plan around light, travel and access. Include travel time, any walk to the spot, the ceremony, signing, photos and a meal, with a buffer for weather or trail conditions. - [ ] **List every final payment** (Essential) — List every final wedding payment about two months ahead, including vendor, amount, due date, payment method, who pays and whether gratuity is already included. - [ ] **Share a must-have photo list** (Recommended) — Share a short must-have photo list with your photographer about 4–8 weeks before the wedding, focusing on family groupings and key people they might not recognize. - [ ] **Arrange vendor meals** (Recommended) — Arrange meals for vendors working through the wedding about 4–8 weeks ahead, checking contracts for meal requirements and including them in your caterer’s final numbers. - [ ] **Buy gifts for your wedding party and parents** (Optional) — Buy thank-you gifts for your wedding party, parents and key helpers about 4–8 weeks ahead, leaving time for personalization and deciding when you’ll give them. - [ ] **Set the exact weather decision point** (Recommended) — Agree who will make the final weather call and by when, often the day before or morning of the wedding, so vendors know when your backup plan becomes the plan. *For a elopement:* Agree when you’ll decide on plan B and who makes the call, then tell your photographer and officiant so they can adjust travel and timing. ## The final month Turn plans into confirmations - [ ] **Do a final venue walkthrough** (Essential) — Do a final walkthrough of your venue with your coordinator about a month before the wedding to check layout, power, access, storage and timings. - [ ] **Choose your wedding-day point of contact** (Essential) — Choose one wedding-day point of contact, a planner, coordinator or trusted friend who isn’t either of you, about a month before the wedding, and share their details with every vendor. - [ ] **Check mobile signal and Wi-Fi at the venue** (Recommended) — Check mobile signal and Wi-Fi in every part of your venue about a month before the wedding, since weak coverage affects vendor payments, guest photo uploads and coordination. - [ ] **Confirm vendor arrival and access times** (Essential) — Confirm when each vendor can access the venue, where they load in and park, and the setup and cleanup windows, about a month before the wedding. - [ ] **Assign wedding-day responsibilities** (Essential) — Assign wedding-day responsibilities about a month before the wedding, naming one trusted person for the rings, documents, gifts, vendor questions, rentals and end-of-night tasks. - [ ] **Decide who looks after gifts and cards** (Recommended) — Decide who will look after gifts and cards at your wedding about a month ahead, and plan a lockable box, a supervised spot and a safe way to take them home. - [ ] **Prepare your own thank-you words** (Optional) — Prepare a short thank-you, usually 2–4 minutes, a few weeks before the wedding if the two of you plan to speak, covering guests, family and anyone who helped. - [ ] **Send the final timeline to vendors** (Essential) — Send your final wedding-day timeline to every vendor and key helper about two weeks before the wedding, with arrival times, addresses and your day-of contact’s details. - [ ] **Reconfirm every vendor** (Essential) — Reconfirm every vendor about two weeks before the wedding, checking the date, arrival time, address, services included and who their on-site contact will be. - [ ] **Prepare final payments and tips** (Essential) — Prepare final vendor payments and any tips about two weeks before the wedding, paying balances that are due and putting day-of amounts in clearly labeled envelopes. - [ ] **Attend your final fitting** (Essential) — Attend your final outfit fitting about 1–2 weeks before the wedding, wearing your wedding shoes and undergarments, and arrange when and how you’ll collect the outfit. - [ ] **Send music requests and a do-not-play list** (Recommended) — Send your DJ or band your key songs, a short request list and a do-not-play list about two weeks before the wedding, including timings for each music moment. - [ ] **Start packing for the wedding and honeymoon** (Recommended) — Start packing for the wedding and honeymoon about two weeks ahead, separating wedding-day items, overnight bags and travel essentials, and finish the honeymoon bag in the final week. - [ ] **Review your backup plans** (Recommended) — Review your backup plans about two weeks before the wedding, covering weather, power, transport and illness, and make sure your day-of contact knows each one. - [ ] **Book pre-wedding grooming** (Optional) — Book haircuts, nails and other grooming for the week before the wedding, sticking to treatments you’ve had before so there are no surprise reactions. - [ ] **Confirm rental and décor deliveries** (Recommended) — Confirm rental, flower and décor deliveries about two weeks before the wedding, checking quantities, delivery times, the drop-off point and when items will be collected. ## Wedding week Handoffs and essentials - [ ] **Gather your marriage documents** (Essential) — Gather your marriage license and required identification about a week before the wedding, check the details and validity dates, and decide who will bring them to the ceremony. *For a elopement:* Keep the license and every ID in one waterproof folder with one person, and check whether your witnesses need to bring identification too. - [ ] **Check the rings are ready** (Essential) — Check your wedding rings about a week before the wedding: try them on, confirm the engraving is correct, and decide who will hold them until the ceremony. - [ ] **Stop making big changes** (Recommended) — In the final week, stop making big changes to the plan and only adjust what genuinely needs fixing. What you have now is ready. - [ ] **Pack a wedding-day emergency kit** (Recommended) — Pack a wedding-day emergency kit in the final week with sewing supplies, stain remover, pain relief you already use, bandages, chargers and snacks, and give it to a trusted helper. - [ ] **Save vendor contacts offline** (Recommended) — Save every vendor’s name, on-site contact and phone number offline in the final week, and give a printed contact sheet to your coordinator or day-of contact. - [ ] **Reconfirm pickup times and routes** (Essential) — Reconfirm transport pickup times, addresses and routes in the final week for the two of you and any guest shuttles, allowing for traffic, road closures and parking. - [ ] **Steam and prepare your outfits** (Recommended) — Steam or press your wedding outfits a few days before the wedding, then hang them with shoes, accessories and undergarments so everything is ready in one place. - [ ] **Plan food and water for getting ready** (Recommended) — Plan simple food and water for the getting-ready hours in the final week, so you and your helpers eat properly before a long day with little time to stop. - [ ] **Hand over vendor communication** (Essential) — Hand over vendor communication to your coordinator or day-of contact in the final week, and tell vendors to contact that person, not the two of you, from now on. - [ ] **Charge devices and power banks** (Recommended) — Charge phones, power banks, speakers, cameras and any other devices in the last few days before the wedding, and pack the chargers and cables you’ll need on the day. - [ ] **Check in with your coordinator** (Recommended) — Check in with your coordinator or day-of contact the day before the wedding to run through the timeline, deliveries, open questions and who handles what tomorrow. - [ ] **Put rings, documents and outfits in one place** (Essential) — The day before the wedding, gather your rings, marriage documents, ID and complete outfits in one place, so nothing important has to be found on the morning itself. - [ ] **Hand over payment envelopes** (Recommended) — Give labeled final payments and any tips to your coordinator or a trusted person the day before the wedding, so vendors are paid on time without you handling money. - [ ] **Eat properly, drink water and rest** (Recommended) — The day before the wedding, eat regular meals, drink plenty of water and plan an early, quiet evening so you start the wedding day rested and steady. - [ ] **Set alarms and confirm the morning plan** (Recommended) — The night before the wedding, set two alarms and confirm the morning plan: wake-up time, hair and makeup order, breakfast, transport pickups and who arrives when. - [ ] **Write a note for your partner** (Optional) — If you’d like to, write a short note or letter for your partner the day before the wedding and ask someone to deliver it on the morning. ## Wedding day Nothing else to plan - [ ] **Keep your essentials with one trusted person** (Essential) — On the wedding day, give one trusted person your rings, marriage documents, vows, ID, phone, medication and room key, so the important things are always accounted for. - [ ] **Sign your marriage documents** (Essential) — Sign your marriage documents on the wedding day with your officiant and any required witnesses, and confirm who will return or register them afterward. *For a elopement:* Sign on the day with your officiant and any witnesses. Check the spelling of names and dates, and confirm who returns the paperwork and by when. - [ ] **Make sure you eat your meal** (Recommended) — On the wedding day, sit down and eat your meal before greeting guests, and ask your caterer to set aside a plate of anything you miss. - [ ] **Take a quiet moment together** (Optional) — On the wedding day, plan five to ten minutes alone together, often right after the ceremony, to take in the moment before rejoining your guests. - [ ] **Enjoy the wedding** (Recommended) — On the wedding day, let the plan work: the preparation is done, the people you trust have it handled, and the only task left is to enjoy it. Nothing else to plan. Go get married. ♡ ## After the wedding A few final things - [ ] **Collect and secure gifts and cards** (Essential) — Within a day of the wedding, collect all gifts and cards from the venue or your trusted person and store them somewhere secure until you can open them. - [ ] **Return rentals and borrowed items** (Essential) — Return rented outfits, décor and equipment by the date in each contract, usually within a day or two of the wedding, to avoid late fees and keep your deposits. - [ ] **Collect décor and personal belongings** (Recommended) — Collect your own décor, signs, guest book and personal belongings from the venue within the agreed pickup window, usually the night of or the day after the wedding. - [ ] **Check getting-ready and hotel rooms** (Recommended) — Before checking out after the wedding, check the getting-ready rooms and hotel rooms carefully for chargers, jewelry, outfit pieces, documents and gifts. - [ ] **Store your wedding outfits safely** (Recommended) — Within a day or two of the wedding, hang or lay your wedding outfits somewhere clean and dry, and note any stains before arranging cleaning or preservation. - [ ] **Confirm who has the marriage documents** (Essential) — Within a day or two of the wedding, confirm who holds the signed marriage documents and whether they have been returned or registered with the official authority. - [ ] **Back up your photos and videos** (Recommended) — Back up your wedding photos and videos soon after the wedding by keeping at least two copies in different places, such as cloud storage and an external drive. - [ ] **Settle final charges and deposits** (Essential) — In the weeks after the wedding, pay any approved final charges, check invoices against your contracts and make sure damage or security deposits are returned. - [ ] **Send thank-you notes** (Recommended) — Send wedding thank-you notes within a few weeks of the wedding if you can, aiming to finish within about three months, naming each gift or kindness and adding a personal line for every guest. *For a elopement:* If family or friends send gifts or messages after hearing the news, a short personal note with a favorite photo from the day is a warm way to reply. - [ ] **Leave reviews for your vendors** (Optional) — In the weeks after the wedding, leave honest reviews for the vendors who helped, mentioning specific details that will be useful to future couples. - [ ] **Clean or preserve your outfits** (Optional) — In the weeks after the wedding, take your wedding outfits to a specialist cleaner, then decide whether to preserve, alter, sell, donate or simply store them. - [ ] **Order certified copies of your marriage certificate** (Recommended) — Once your marriage is registered, order several certified copies of your marriage certificate from the official authority, and check every detail for errors as soon as they arrive. - [ ] **Update your name, if you’re changing it** (Optional) — If either of you is changing your name, start once you have your official marriage certificate, updating core identity documents first and then accounts, following the official authority’s guidance. - [ ] **Organize gifts and close your registry** (Optional) — In the weeks after the wedding, organize your gifts, handle any returns or exchanges, use remaining registry perks and close or update your registry. - [ ] **Update or close your wedding website** (Optional) — After the wedding, update your wedding website with a thank-you message and photos, or close it once you no longer need it. - [ ] **Follow up on photos, video and other deliverables** (Recommended) — After the wedding, track the delivery dates in your contracts for photos, video, albums and other items, and follow up kindly if anything is running late. - [ ] **Update finances, insurance and beneficiaries** (Optional) — In the months after the wedding, review your accounts, insurance, beneficiaries and emergency contacts together, and ask a qualified professional about anything that affects your taxes or legal situation. - [ ] **Choose photos for prints or an album** (Optional) — Once your full gallery arrives, shortlist favorite photos for prints, frames or an album, and check any album selection deadline in your photographer’s contract. ## What you can probably skip - Draft your guest list in three tiers - Collect guest addresses and contact details - Decide on plus-ones and children - Decide your dress code - Choose your wedding party - Choose wedding party outfits - Plan bachelor and bachelorette parties - Create your wedding website - Send save-the-dates - Design and order your invitations - Send your wedding invitations - Track RSVPs as they arrive - Follow up on missing RSVPs - Confirm your final guest count - Send final numbers to vendors - Send guests the final details - Reserve accommodation for guests - Confirm guest accommodation details - Plan how guests will get around - Prepare welcome bags or notes - Book your caterer - Book your band or DJ - Book rentals and equipment - Sketch the reception flow - Decide who will give speeches - Create your seating plan - Finalize the ceremony and reception layout - Print place cards and the seating chart - Plan signage and on-the-day stationery - Approve signs and printed materials - Test your printed QR codes - Decide on wedding favors - Choose a guest book or keepsake - Decide on an unplugged ceremony - Decide how guests will share photos - Set up guest photo sharing - Download guest photos and videos - Share photos with your guests - Hold your ceremony rehearsal - Plan a rehearsal or welcome dinner - Drop off décor at the venue ## FAQ ### What’s the difference between an elopement and a courthouse wedding? A [courthouse wedding](https://readytoweddy.com/wedding-checklist/courthouse-wedding) happens at a civil office on an appointment. An elopement is usually just the two of you somewhere you choose, often outdoors or while traveling, with your own officiant or photographer, and more planning around permits, travel and weather. ### Do you need witnesses to elope? It depends on where you marry. Some places require one or two witnesses, others none, and rules on their age and identification vary. In some places your photographer or officiant can act as a witness. Check with the official authority before the day. ### Do you need a permit to elope outdoors? Often, yes. Parks, beaches, forests and other public land may require a permit or special-use approval, even for a very small group. Ask the land manager about group size, photography, décor and time limits, and [agree a backup plan](https://readytoweddy.com/guides/agree-weather-plan) for weather. ### Should you tell family before or after you elope? Both are valid. Telling close family beforehand can soften surprise, while sharing afterward keeps the day entirely yours. Whichever you choose, tell your closest people personally before posting online, and consider sharing photos or inviting them to a later gathering. ### How much photography coverage do you need for an elopement? It depends on your plans. A short session can cover a simple ceremony, while a longer booking can include getting ready, a hike or travel between spots and a meal. [Compare coverage options](https://readytoweddy.com/guides/book-photographer) and ask about travel and permit fees. ### Can you have a celebration after eloping? Yes. Many couples host a relaxed party, dinner or backyard gathering weeks or months later. It can be as simple or as full as you like, with your photos on show and no need to repeat the ceremony.