Why Hire An Elopement Planner: The Tapestry Event Co. Experience
Trust me: We realize how ironic the phrase “elopement planner” sounds to a lot of people. Isn’t the point of an elopement to keep it minimal? Who needs a planner to run off to the courthouse together? Is there anything that needs planning? These are questions that come up with the “old school” notion of elopements. But there’s a new school of elopements in town these days, and we’re here to shout it from the rooftops! So what do they look like? What does it take to pull them off? And who is best served by an elopement planner? Read on, my friends…
The old school style of elopement — where Vegas or a courthouse were the only venues available to host an intimate, run-away celebration — have new competition in town. The new school is full of possibility. The new school houses elopements and intimate weddings in epic outdoor destinations with a schedule of sight-seeing activities and a roster of creatives supporting a celebration of love. These elopements are an opportunity for the couple and a tight-knit group of loved ones to experience something new and walk away with bonds that last. These elopements are created to embrace what the couple values most, rather than push away or hide from the expectations of others. These elopements feels as grand as the couple’s love. Enter the new school of elopements, where anything is possible with a creative couple unafraid of a “new way to wedding” teamed up and a small group of humans passionate about building your custom celebration.
WHO IS BEST SERVED BY AN ELOPEMENT PLANNER?
A couple who is traveling from out of state and is unfamiliar with the venues, locations, and accommodations in the area.
You could spend HOURS on the internet looking at options and scouting photos, but there is nothing like the confidence that comes from having boots on the ground. We travel to throughout the Pacific Northwest year-round to host weddings, elopements, styled shoots, scouting missions, and venue tours. We make it our responsibility to know the exact experiences that we recommend to our couples. Our expertise saves you hours of remote research, inquiry forms, and trip report reading. Instead, we spend time getting to know your style of adventure and your expectations for the day and put together custom recommendations that fit like a broken-in trail boot. We also assemble contingency plans based on the season, local weather patterns, and up-to-date climate reports so that you know the day will be a success no matter what Mother Nature has in store.
A couple who leads busy lives and, while they may have creative opinions on the style of celebration, is unfamiliar with how to navigate local vendors for availability and fair pricing, nor has the time to do so.
Your time is so valuable! No matter what kind, size, or scale of celebration you are planning, it takes a lot of time to put together and plan the day. Can you do it yourselves? For sure. The internet is a vast and valuable resource…perhaps more vast than anything. There are many vendors that can fulfill any need you may have. But are they licensed? Do they travel? Are they available? Do they fall in your price range? Are they offering fair prices? What is their track record? How do they show up on the day of your event? Will you “click” with them? Will they set the right tone? One of my favorite ways to think about planners is as navigators. We are here to get to know the two of your FIRST, then recommend a support system of vendors that check all of these boxes. No internet wormholes, no hours spent on the couch ignoring each other on your phones to do research. Instead: More time to do what you love, to get outdoors and enjoy life together in the months that lead up to your celebration. You’ve already built a life you love; why ditch it now to become part-time planners for a single life event?
A couple who may have had some success identifying a few key details and/or vendors for their day, but is having a hard time completing the picture and feels stuck.
Like I said, the internet is vast and full of ideas. You may have already found some yourself! We love when you come to us with decisions and hires already made, or a Pinterest board in hand. Where a couple often gets stuck, or encounters a block, is in the areas that they aren’t as passionate about, don’t have a vision for, or don’t know where to start. Us planners can work with a partial vision, distill the intention and vibe, and color in the rest of the picture with you. That’s what makes us professionals. ;)
A couple who knows that, while they may have planning prowess, this day is NOT something they want to be in charge of.
You want a professional to own the process and ensure the day comes together in a beautiful way. You want to be held by the experience, rather than orchestrating the experience that you are supposed to be receiving. This is something that many couples—regardless of their style of celebration—can overlook. I’ve talked to lots of elopers who are confident and research-savvy and able to figure out a lot of components from afar. They have the time to dedicate to the planning process and perhaps find joy in having a heavier hand on the planning side of the equation. But when it comes to execution, they realize that they don’t want to have their cell phones on them all day in case someone is running late, they don’t want to be the party in charge of weather contingency plans and communication, and they don’t want to be the octopus pulling all the moving parts into alignment on the day of their ceremony. Some couples also have a hard time mentally shifting from planning the event to receiving the event. As planners, we take special care with couples who have housed significant portions of the planning process. We download the information from you in a timely and organized manner so that you can ease into receiving the experience of your marriage day.
HOW DO YOU DETERMINE IF AN ELOPEMENT PLANNER IS RIGHT FOR YOU?
The world of elopements planners is small, but growing every day. Every planner will have their own program and approach and will be happy to share their process with you. When looking to hire an elopement planner, here are the things to ask about:
Experience in the great outdoors. When venturing out into the woods (or beach, or desert), know who you’re taking with you. Do they have a passion for spending time outdoors? Both for work and for fun? Your elopement planner should be able to speak to travel preparation and provide a recommended packing and purchase list to you. Do they visit a variety of locations in the region? An elopement planner should be able to build a list of trip and accommodation recommendations based on your desired travel plans to the area. Do they regularly grapple with the unknowns of planning a day in the great outdoors? They should have a “Plan A” and a “Plan B” elopement itinerary based on local weather patterns and risk factors. What is their baseline level of outdoor education? Your elopement planner should also be able to read a map, carry a compass, pack the 10 essentials, abide by “Leave No Trace” principles, and practice respect for the land and its stewards.
Familiarity with trails and venues. Every couple has a different definition of “adventure”. Sometimes, the adventure you would take on an average camping weekend is NOT the adventure you want to take on your elopement adventure. And that’s okay! Your planner should be able to host a conversation where they reveal how you want to spend the day, including the sightseeing priorities, duration, rigor, and length of elopement. After you book, they should be able to research and make recommendations with sample itineraries that reflect your style of adventure. Ask about how they assess trails and opportunities and, if staying off the beaten path is a priority, ask about how they locate new and unknown areas for a more intimate experience. They should also help facilitate the booking process alongside you to ensure that all your logistical bases are covered and clearly communicated to your team. Be sure to ask your planner about how they conduct vendor connection, permit application, and execution portions of the process alongside you.
Samples photos, blogs, and projects that reflect the experience of working with them and the end result on the day. A blog can tell you a lot about a planner’s experience. Take a stroll through their website or written library and see samples of their work and the adventures they create with their clients. Do they strike the right tone for the day? How do you like the locations they select? Do they focus on the pieces that are important to you and your partner? In the absence of a blog library or elopement examples, you can always ask for sample galleries of past elopements. Sure, it won’t give you the full story as compared to blog posts, but pictures paired with an curious consultation are the next best thing.
Resources they make available for client education and preparation. This is something we are very passionate about at Tapestry Event Company. We believe that couples who are well-resourced are best set up to enjoy their elopement. We also believe in full transparency when it comes to our process. Our solution was to create an online portal where our adventurous clients can peruse location inspiration, how to articles, recommended vendors, accommodations by location, event best practices, packing and preparation articles, and address other frequently asked questions. Be sure to ask any planner what they have in the way of client education and resources before you hire so you understand the support they offer you along the way.
Resources they have available for elopement-specific clientele. Planning an elopement and planning a wedding can have their similarities, but assuming that a wedding planner can jump into the world of elopements with ease is a false assumption. Planners spend a lot of time, energy, and resources getting to know the members of their community so that they can make confident referrals to fellow business owners. If a planner is primarily operating in the world of indoor weddings, chances are they do not have a vast network of outdoor-proficient and -available vendors that will fit your needs. You want to make sure that your planner is connected to other artists who share a passion for the great outdoors, a proficiency for supporting events held in nature, and offerings that are a fit for elopement-specific needs.
WHAT IS THE TAPESTRY EVENT CO. ELOPEMENT EXPERIENCE?
If you’ve stuck with us this long, chances are that our approach to this work resonates with you. To that we say: HELL YEAH! The values we talk about in this article are a priority and are woven throughout our planning and execution practices. Here is the high-level overview of what it looks like to plan an elopement with us:
Location Selection — with an introduction to the planning road map, access to our planning portal, an exercise to determine your values for the day as a couple, and a location guide to help inspire your decisions.
Timeline Creation — with resources and guidance to identify what makes your elopement adventure yours, as well as resources and best practices to get you and your loved ones outdoors safely.
Needs Assessment + Vendor Hires — with the creation of a visual directive to align your team of creatives, custom vendor recommendations to take the whirlwind out of your inbox, and integration of each of your hires into the big picture.
Flawless Execution — with communication and an eye for detail housed under our stellar team of event professionals.
What are you waiting for?
“Kate is truly one of a kind! My husband and I traveled across the country to Washington to Elope, just the two of us, and Kate made us feel incredibly at home and at ease. It was like we had known her for years. The ceremony that she crafted for us was personal, heart-felt and truly special. Not only did she make our wedding day magical, but she also made it incredibly fun! We could rave about her all day, but the bottom line is that if you are getting married and you want your day to be incredible then you need Kate.”