Gatlinburg Elopement Checklist
One of the biggest misconceptions about eloping is the lack of planning it takes. It isn’t as simple as showing up and getting married. You still have planning to do, even if it is significantly less than a traditional wedding. I get asked a lot as a Gatlinburg photographer for an elopement checklist, and today I am going to deliver! Here are the basics to planning your elopement!
Book Your Date
The first thing you will need to do before any vendors will work with you is to have an elopement date set in stone! How is this done exactly? If you choose to have a venue, then this is where you will solidify your date. Go in with an idea of when you would want to get married, and see what exact dates the venue has available. If you are not eloping in a venue, then use this same idea but with your Gatlinburg photographer.
The reason why an elopement photographer would set your date is because most wedding vendors can take multiple weddings a weekend. Whereas photographers can only photograph one to two elopements in a day.
Traveling From Out Of State
Next up on the elopement checklist is to plan your travels! If you a local, then this will be as easy as booking your lodging. However, if you are traveling from out of state, consider if you are flying in or driving in. If flying, then you will need a rental car to get around. Book all of these things as soon as you have your date!
You will also need to look into lodging and make reservations for any activities, restaurants or spa days you plan on enjoying while in Gatlinburg and the Smoky Mountains. There is so much to do in the Smokies, I definitely recommend spending a while and honeymooning here! Reach out to me for my honeymoon guide here!
What Do You Want?
Part of planning a Gatlinburg elopement is deciding what exactly you want. Every elopement I shoot looks different. So here are a few questions to ask yourself while planning:
Do we want guests? How many? Just family, or friends too?
How are we going to celebrate afterward?
Do we want to have private vows before, or personal vows during the ceremony?
Do we want a first look?
Is documenting getting ready photos important to us?
Should we have an extended photo session?
Vendors
And finally, when planning to elope to Gatlinburg, consider what vendors you want to include! I recommend booking your officiant first, then prioritizing your other vendors after. Here are the most common wedding vendors:
Venue
Photographer/Videographer
Caterer
Florist/Decor Specialist
Wedding Planner/Coordinator
Officiant/Celebrant
Baker/Bakery
Entertainment/DJ/Band
Hair and Makeup Artists
Rental Companies
Florist
Ceremony Musicians
Looking for a more detailed Gatlinburg elopement checklist? Reach out to me over on my Elopement Planning page to get your own copy!
