Frequently Asked Questions
Would you like to elope Somewhere Crazy, but have some questions about the elopement planning and wedding day? Here, we've gathered all of our most frequently asked questions from our dear couples.
What is an Elopement Wedding?
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An elopement is a small intimate wedding ceremony with only the couple and a few important people there to make it all happen - the celebrant, planner, and perhaps a photographer and videographer.
While elopements tend to be an intimate event for just the couple themselves, you could also choose to have a handful of your closest friends and family present with you as witnesses to your special day.
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The ceremonies we tend to organize are classified as symbolic ceremonies or blessings, which are not legally binding. However, we have been able to also organize legal ceremonies for our couples in certain cases.
Please note: It’s not easy to get legally married in a foreign country. In many countries, an official marriage ceremony is not possible unless you are a resident or have been working there for a certain amount of time. Not having to work out the legalities of a specific country, translating documents, and having a standard official ceremony without your own touch, are just some of the reasons why we encourage our couples to go with the symbolic ceremony instead of an official one. Can’t decide? Read more about what type of ceremony is right for you.
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The duration of the elopement experience depends on the type of elopement you choose.
The Classic Elopement Package which you can tailor as you wish, is a half-day experience with 4 hours of photography coverage, all the essential vendors for your day, and two different locations to add variety to your photos.
The Luxury Elopement Package is a more complete, full-day experience with 6 hours of photography coverage that includes everything the Classic Package offers, plus a bespoke activity and an intimate private dinner curated just for the two of you to close the day. -
The Classic Elopement Package incudes full wedding planning- timeline, team & location, coordination on the day, a wedding celebrant and a customised ceremony, a 4-hour photography session, a flower bouquet and buttonhole, exclusive locations, venue and accommodation recommendations as well as a Dream Team of excellent local vendors.
The Luxury Elopement Package includes a two-day itinerary creation, including accommodation, restaurant, and activity recommendations. The Experience comes with not one but two photoshoots but with a hair and makeup artist. You’ll also receive art direction and styling by world-renowned photographers, whho we’ll fly into your elopement destination. We’ll connect you with premium vendors and book for you a dream location - ie. castles, historical venues such as an ancient theatre or iconic opera house.
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Yes! You’re very welcome to add the extra services of your liking, including videography, hair and make-up artist, extra hours of photography, private transport, and location-specific activities such as a boat or a helicopter ride, vintage car, picnic setup, etc.
Ask your wedding planner about the extra services available in your destination!
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In order to book your elopement, we’ll require a signed contract as well as a booking deposit which starts from €1,500 but could be higher based on several factors. If your booking is less than 6 months away, we’ll ask for two payment installments (the deposit and balance) however if your booking is further away, we could arrange three installments (the deposit and two other installments).
The payment installment depends on several factors such as the season, vendor availability, and proximity to the elopement date. Please check our Booking and Payment Terms here.
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We recommend booking between 1 year and 6 months before the elopement date. However, with popular locations in high season, we’d recommend booking as early as possible so that we can secure the date and location of your choosing.
As we have years of experience, we’ve also been able to plan a wedding in just 24 hours, however, it’s not something we’d recommend as it such weddings feel quite hectic.
The Elopement Planning Process
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Open your conversation with us by inquiring on our Contact page. You’ll receive an email with a quote for your inquiry together with informative videos on our services and the elopement destination. Then, book a complimentary call with our wedding planners who will answer any questions you might have. Once you’re ready to book, we’ll ask you to confirm your personal details and sign the contract.
Once the contract is signed, we’ll share with you our EPT also known as the Elopement Planning Tool which will contain all of the details of your elopement including the itinerary, vendors and services, your photography and makeup preferences, logistics, payments, and more. This all-in-one document assures smooth communication between you and your wedding planner and that nothing gets lost in the emails.
A day before the elopement, we’ll create a Whatsapp group that will include you, all of your wedding vendors, and your wedding planner, ensuring that everything flows effortlessly on your special day.
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Yes, definitely! Once you sign the contract, the wedding planner will send over a list of vendors for you to take a look at and confirm. The photographer and videographer are chosen based on your style preferences, availability, and the quality of their work. If you’d prefer to look at more photographers or videographers, simply tell your planner and she’ll send over more options.
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Yes, of course you can! Flowers are subject to floral availability during the time and season of your elopement. However, we will do our best to be able to accommodate your request.
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We recommend keeping your elopement at 10 guests maximum, to keep your wedding an intimate affair with a focus on the couple instead of guests’ wishes. In some locations, the couples may bring more guests: Please check with your wedding planner if you could do so in your elopement destination.
A guest coordination fee applies. -
An elopement usually consists of the ceremony and the photoshoot. After the elopement experience, you are free to head off and celebrate however you like. Ask your planners, as they’ll gladly recommend some nice restaurants or activities in the area for you!
The Elopement Ceremony
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The best outdoor light is usually around two hours surrounding sunrise and sunset, so we usually recommend that the ceremony be held around that time.
Depending on if you are a morning bird or a night owl, you can choose to have your elopement in the early morning or the afternoon.
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First, choose your elopement destination and let our experienced wedding planners advise you on the best spots for your intimate ceremony and unique vision of your wedding day.
Please note: If you’re getting married on public land, there won't be permits to apply for and pay for. However, if you choose a private location, you'll also need to pay a rental fee, which is an additional cost to your package.
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No, the only paperwork would be your contract with us as your planners, as for a symbolic ceremony there are no legal requirements to fulfill.
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Yes, of course you can! Our wedding celebrant will have a script template that they will personalize for you, and you are free to change, customize, and add to it as you like, to make it extra personal and unique to you.
What makes our elopements special is the fact that you're able to have your own vows during the ceremony, highlighting the love you have for one another. Our celebrants will be on hand to help you write the perfect wedding vows, reflecting your unique journey together.
The Elopement Day
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The duration of the elopement experience depends on the type of service you choose.
The Classic Elopement Package is a half-day event of 4-5 hours.
The Luxury Elopement Package, on the other hand, provides a longer, and all-inclusive elopement experience.
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We will send you the wedding day schedule weeks or even months before your elopement (depending on how long before the elopement date you’ll book). Every couple's wedding timeline is different, depending on the destination and season, but generally speaking, the ceremony is usually around 20 minutes long while the whole elopement experience including the photoshoot tends to be four hours long. We tend to organize the weddings either in the morning or in the afternoon, depending on your preferences.
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Rain on your wedding day? Although we admit to being control freaks, the one thing we unfortunately cannot control is the weather.
In the case of adverse weather (which we can usually prepare for a day or two in advance when checking the forecast), we will usually postpone the ceremony for enough time for the rain to pass. In the case of prolonged rain, we advise you to book your wedding night accommodation at a nice hotel, with a suitable communal area where we can hold the ceremony as a last resort.
However, don't get discouraged by unpredictable weather, as some of our favorite elopements consisted of just that. But don’t just take our word on it, take a look at the wedding gallery of Jess and Jake.
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Once the contract is signed, you’ll need to pay your booking deposit. If later, you have to move the date, there will be no need for a new deposit, but please note that moving dates can be quite tricky and it’s not something we can promise as it depends on all of your booked vendors.
In case of cancellation, the deposit and the already paid installments are not refundable.
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On the wedding day, you can expect the whole Dream Team to be there with you as you say “I do”. There will be a photographer, a celebrant, a florist who will bring your buttonhole and wedding bouquet. Your wedding planner will be controlling everything from the background with the help of the on-the-day coordinator who will be there with you the whole day, together ensuring you can a smooth and carefree elopement.
Depending on the type of package and extra services you choose, you could also be met with your hair and make-up artist, private chauffeur, videographer, and others.
After the elopement
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The photographer will be with you every step of the way - from getting ready and the first look photos to the wedding ceremony, your vows, and the celebration afterward.
We will deliver 200 edited high-resolution photos via an online gallery within 6 months after the elopement, but most couples will receive the photos within 3 months. If you’d like to receive a sneak peek before this, simply talk to your planner and they’ll do their best to arrange a few photos to be sent to you.
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The video of the elopement takes a while to edit, so you can expect it within 6 months after the elopement. Please note that this may depend on the season in which you eloped.
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We’re proud to say that all of our elopements have received nothing short of a 5-star review. After the elopement, we will get in touch, send you your elopement photos, and video, and ask for your feedback and an online review. This allows us to continuously grow and stay discoverable for future couples.
Book with Confidence
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If a world event prevents you from reaching your destination; an armed conflict, a government travel advisory, or a major disruption to commercial flights. We will help you reschedule your elopement to a new date. We will not charge our usual date change administration fee in these circumstances.
Vendor payments already made are subject to each vendor's own policy, and we will do everything we can to protect your investment on that side. The sooner you let us know, the more we can do.
Please note this applies to circumstances genuinely beyond your control, not to personal or financial changes of plan.
We would love to be
your elopement planners
Your story, your way
We believe love shines brightest when you can be entirely yourself, free from expectations and surrounded by only what truly matters.