Top 5 Tips for the Perfect Elopement
After more than a decade photographing couples who ditch the rulebook and run toward something that actually feels like them, check out my guide to the top five things I wish I could tell every couple before they start planning their elopement.
1. Choose a place that feels like you—not a backdrop you think you “should” pick
Forget the Pinterest/instagram pressure. Your location doesn’t need to be “epic” to matter. It just needs to feel right and it needs to still feel like ‘you’. If you’re quiet souls who come alive in the forest, go there. If you want the sounds of the ocean to drown out the rest of the world, let’s do it. If you want to scramble up a cliffside just because it feels a little rebellious—honestly, I’m already grabbing my boots.
2. Build a timeline that breathes
Elopements feel best when you’re not racing the clock. Give yourselves space to wander, to warm up with a coffee or pop some bubbly, to laugh when the weather does something ridiculous, because let’s be honest, the island can be a bit unpredicatable.
The best photos always come from the moments in between—the pause to look at each other, the deep exhale when you realize, “We actually did this.”
A loose timeline means a way more relaxed day.
3. Embrace whatever weather you get
Let go of any expectations of the weather. I cannot stress this enough! I know we all want a beautiful sunshiney day to say our “I do’s” however, Mother Nature does her own thing—especially on Vancouver Island. Sun, fog, sideways rain, all in a single morning? Totally normal.
And honestly? Weather is where the magic happens and helps tell the story of your elopement day. What is more memorable than a snowstorm the night before or torrential rain on your elopement… not that we want that but hey, some of my couples favourite moments have been when things didn’t go according to plan. Wind tangled in hair, rain catching the light just right, fog turning the world soft and moody. Lean into it. Let the magic of it shape the story.
4. Keep the guest count small enough that you still feel like yourselves
Elopements are about stripping away everything that doesn’t matter. And sometimes—sorry, Aunt Linda—that includes people.
If someone’s presence shifts the energy, you’re allowed to keep it just the two of you. Or maybe a couple of your absolute nearest and dearest humans. Choose your people intentionally. The vibe of the day depends on it.
Real talk here. One of the main reasons couples elope is because the expectations and opinions of guests takes over.
5. Make the day about more than the ceremony
Your elopement isn’t just the five minutes where you say vows. It’s breakfast together, the drive out to the trailhead, the playlist crackling through the speakers, the muddy boots, the celebratory snacks after or that shot of fireball.
Add experiences that feel like you:
A cold plunge
A fireside picnic
Reading letters from loved ones
Jumping into the ocean because why the hell not
Make it a full story, not a tiny chapter.
In the end… The perfect elopement isn’t polished. It isn’t heavily curated. It’s honest. It’s the two of you choosing each other exactly as you are, in a place that feels like home, without anyone telling you how it “should” look.
If you chase meaning instead of perfection, the day will be unforgettable. And I’ll be right there, camera in hand, cheering you on.
VENDORS:
Planning and photography: Vancouver Island Elopement
Second photographer: Bluminessence Photography
Celebrant: Celebrations by Sherry
Hair and makeup: Shelby-Lynn Makeup Artistry
Florals: Wild Flower Farms
Glamping tents: Smith Lake Farm
