So… you’ve decided to elope. And now you’re staring at the calendar realizing your wedding day is only two weeks away thinking “Did we make a mistake, should we reschedule? How on earth do we plan an elopement in 2 weeks?!”
Cue the panic spiral.
Maybe the idea started out exciting and freeing, but now you’re wondering things like:
- How do people plan a wedding this fast?
- Did we make a mistake waiting this long?
- Is it even possible, what if we forget something?
- Should we just go to the court house?
First of all. Take a breath. You are not behind. Thousands of other couples have been where you are right now, panicking that they won’t have enough time. And they were able to pull off incredible elopements that were exactly what they had hoped for!
First off, one of the biggest misunderstandings about elopements is that they still need the same amount of planning, stress, timelines, and pressure as a traditional wedding. That’s just not the case.
The truth is, elopements are intentionally different. Made for couples like you who want something a little more intimate than the big show of a traditional wedding. They’re whittled down to the things that actually matter most: the two of you, your experience together, and a day that feels like it’s yours and yours alone. Which means they can be planned in a shorter amount of time if necessary.
And yes — you absolutely CAN plan a beautiful, emotional, intentional elopement in two weeks. Two months or more might allow for more planning, but that doesn’t mean you can’t pull off an incredible elopement in just two weeks. We’ve helped many couples do it!
We’ve seen it firsthand, and helped make it happen. Just take one of our fastest planning turnarounds for example, J Edward & Rico!
If they can, you can too! J Edward & Rico’s Vilano Beach elopement.
When J Edward and Rico reached out to us about their sunrise elopement at Vilano Beach, they had less than two weeks (about 10 days) to pull everything together. They already had their marriage license in hand and just needed to make it happen.
Like most couples planning on a short timeline, they were overwhelmed at first. There were nerves, uncertainty, and that lingering fear that everything would feel rushed.
But once we narrowed the focus down to what actually mattered everything became simpler.
All they really wanted was a morning that felt peaceful, intimate, and calm.
They arrived on the beach to lanterns swaying on shepherd hooks at the peak of sunrise. A small cake sitting on a light wooden table, and the seagulls flying around overhead. They exchanged vows as the sun came up over the ocean. Barefoot in the sand. No seating chart, No guests, No pressure.
Just the two of them, fully present together. And they (with some help from us) planned it in a little under 2 weeks.
And honestly? Their day felt more intentional because of how simple it was. They didn’t need extravagant flowers, runners, or arch setups. They used what the landscape around them offered, and took that as a chance to really focus on each other.
J Edward & Rico left their elopement feeling completely at peace, and connected. And you can too! I’ll break it into just a few steps to really get you started off on the right foot.
Step 1: Prioritize the Things That Actually Matter
If you’re trying to plan an elopement in 2 weeks, first simplify.
You really only need a few main pieces to get married:
- A location
- A marriage license
- An officiant (if required where you’re eloping)
- Attire you feel good in
- Someone to document it
- A loose plan for the experience itself
That’s it.
Everything else is optional. So before you start trying to cram every Pinterest idea you’ve seen into your day, sit down with your partner and make a short list of what is most important to you both.
Step 2: Choose how you want to FEEL
This is KEY! Because how you feel on your elopement day will dictate how your entire day goes and how positive your memories are.
So sit down together again, you can probably do this alongside step 1, and make a list of 3-5 adjectives you’d like to feel while you’re eloping.
Do you want it to feel:
- Intimate
- Peaceful
- Exhilirating
- Freeing
- Adventerous
- Wild
- Personal
- Scenic
Just to name a few examples. Your day can literally be anything you’d like it to, and you can feel however you want, even with a short time to plan! Knowing how you want to feel will give you a solid foundation to build your day around.
Now that you’ve figured out what’s most important, and what overall vibe you want to experience- let’s look at step 3.
Step 3: Choose a Location That Makes Things Easy
When time is limited, flexibility is your best friend.
This is why places like beaches, National Parks, mountain overlooks, Airbnbs, State Parks, and public lands are incredible options for short-notice elopements. Many don’t require extensive pre-planning.
Although keep in mind that some outdoor spaces like National Parks and State Parks may require an event permit (even if you’re only sharing vows). So it’s very important to partner with your photographer to find a location that does not require permitting or has a short permit turn around time.
The best places are free, or very low cost, with no permitting requirements.
This makes planning your elopement in 2 weeks very do-able! But remember to always follow Leave No Trace so that your location remains just as beautiful as it was on your wedding day.
Now that you have a better idea of where to elope, the last step is the fun part!
Step 4: Choose what you’d like to do- don’t skip out on the activities
When couples are figuring out how to plan an elopement in 2 weeks, one of the first things they assume what they need to cut is the experience itself. But that’s really not required, the fun activities you choose are often the part you’ll remember most.
Even if you’re planning quickly, we still highly recommend choosing at least 1 or 2 things that feel exciting or meaningful to you as a couple. Your elopement doesn’t have to be just a ceremony. You can really add some adventure to it and do so much more to commemorate the day you’ve chosen to commit an entire lifetime to your partner.
And no, adventure doesn’t have to mean hanging off the side of a cliff at sunrise. But if that’s your vibe- we’ll point you in the right direction.
You can always be adventure-ish!
Wedding day activities can look like:
- kayaking together
- renting bikes and exploring a beach town
- hiking to a scenic overlook
- taking a sail boat tour
- having a private picnic
- going horseback riding
- snorkeling or diving
- taking a helicopter or sea plane tour
- renting a jeep for the day
- watching the sunrise with coffee in hand
- making s’mores around a campfire
- soaking in a hot spring
- Sharing a cake or other sweet treat
Some couples want a full-day full of high adrenaline adventure. Others want something slower and more relaxed. Both are equally valid.
If you’re not sure what to do, we’ve actually created a blog with 101 Elopement Activity Ideas that can help you figure out what kind of experience sounds most like something you’d enjoy. Just to make things even easier on you!
Also- here’s a little insider tip for planning on a short timeline: Call companies directly.
Whether it’s a helicopter tour company, kayak rental, boat charter, horseback riding excursion, or flight experience, many businesses have last-minute cancellations or openings that never make it onto their online booking calendar. A quick phone call or email can sometimes open up way more opportunities than you’d ever expect.
We’ve seen couples book incredible last-minute experiences simply because they asked. Honestly, we’ve booked them ourselves too!
So even if your timeline feels tight, don’t assume you have to settle for a bare-bones day with zero personality. You still deserve an experience that will leave you thinking “I can’t believe we got to do that!”
Just a Gentle Reminder- Give Yourself Grace
If you’re planning an elopement in two weeks right now, there’s a good chance you’re feeling a mix of excitement and absolute chaos.
That’s completely normal.
But you don’t need to have every detail perfectly figured out right now. You just need a starting point.
Focus on the feeling instead of perfection.
Pick the location.
Choose the experience you want to have together.
Find your attire, and work with your photographer/videographer to bring it all together.
It’s really that simple. The rest tends to fall into place much faster than you’d expect.
If you’d like us to be the ones to help you through every step, and beyond, send us a message HERE to schedule a free planning consultation and we’d be glad to help!
