Think about the last truly amazing travel experience you had. I’m willing to bet it wasn’t the day you raced between five “must-see” attractions, barely catching your breath before checking the next item off your list. It was probably the afternoon you stumbled upon that hidden beach, or the morning you lingered over coffee at that local café, watching the world go by. The moments that stay with us aren’t usually the ones we meticulously scheduled – they’re the ones where we gave ourselves permission to be fully present.

So here’s a thought that might just change everything about planning your elopement: what if you approached your wedding day the same way you’d approach your dream vacation? Thoughtful elopement planning means treating your wedding day like a well-crafted journey, not a sprint to the finish line. (Ask me how many couples have ended their coverage time with me saying, “How is this day already over?? We don’t want it to end!” Countless.)

This travel-inspired approach to wedding planning draws from the principles of what The Good Trade calls ‘slow travel’ – an alternative to the rushed, see-everything approach that prioritizes meaningful connections over packed itineraries. Just as you benefit from a slower pace when you’re exploring new places, I believe your elopement deserves the same thoughtful approach.

The Paris Problem 

Question for you: if you’d saved for years to visit Paris, would you try to “do Paris” in just 8 hours? Would you race from the Eiffel Tower to the Louvre to Notre Dame, giving yourself exactly 45 minutes at each before hustling to the next spot? Probably not. If you’d kept the City of Lights on your vision board for years, imagining all the ways it might feel like to finally be there experiencing it, odds are that you’d be dreaming about a slower pace to fully soak up the magic of it – and not treat it like any other checklist item. 

Yet somehow when it comes to wedding days, we’ve normalized cramming one of life’s most significant transitions into a single jam-packed day. There’s this strange pressure to “fit it all in.” The getting ready, the first look, the ceremony, the portraits, the celebration – while it’s exhilarating, it often leaves couples exhausted too. My hot take: your wedding day timeline deserves the same spaciousness you’d give to planning a dream vacation itinerary.

Experienced travelers know that the stories they’ll tell for years rarely begin with “everything went exactly as planned.” Instead, they start with “we didn’t plan this, but…” – those serendipitous moments that become the heart of the experience. Not to mention those great moments when you wander through a new city or landscape without any agenda at all, free to go where your curiosity takes you.

When we give ourselves permission to slow down and you’re not rushing from one activity to the next, you actually get to feel the weight of the moment, and to fully immerse yourself in the experience of marrying your person – just like if you dedicated a week to Paris, rather than one day.

The Photographer’s Perspective: Why Time Creates Better Images

As your photographer, I want to share something from behind the lens: time is the secret ingredient to creating truly magical images. Think about it — when was the last time you felt your most natural, authentic self while rushing? When we rush from one location to another with tight timeframes, I’m often thinking about the clock, and that can interfere with my ability to be present with you and draw inspiration from you and the setting we’re in to create the most artful photos possible.

The best photographs happen when couples have time to settle into a space, to forget about the camera, and to simply be together in a beautiful setting. I’ve seen this play out countless times—couples who allocate at least an hour per location (more for expansive areas with lots of exploration potential) end up with a gallery that captures not just how their day looked, but how it felt. (Check out this post for what this looks like in practice. This couple has told me over and over how much they’re in love with their photos, which is a direct result of the fact that we had a lot more than the “standard” time to spend creating the epic wedding portraits they wanted!)

This isn’t about having more time for posed shots. It’s about having the freedom to explore and giving yourselves space to have genuine moments together that I can document authentically.

Your wedding photos are one of the few tangible items you’ll keep from your day—everything else is experienced and then lives on in memory. When we build plenty of breathing room into your timeline, I can create art that genuinely reflects your connection, and you get to fully experience every moment rather than watching the clock (or watching me watch the clock).

The Travel-Wedding Philosophy & Approach to Elopement Planning

Practical Planning Through a Traveler’s Lens

When planning a dream trip, you start with possibility rather than limitation. The same goes for your elopement. Begin by asking: “If time and logistics weren’t factors, what would make this day feel most meaningful to us?” Then create your framework from that place of expansiveness. Whether you’re designing a local celebration or a destination elopement abroad, the principles of travel planning apply equally.

To get you started with planning your own travel wedding, here are some of my tried and true suggestions:

• Establish a “home base” – Choose accommodations that feel special to you both and plan to stay there for at least 2-3 nights. This eliminates the stress of changing locations and creates a sense of ritual. Look for places with beautiful morning light, outdoor spaces for relaxing, and enough room that you don’t feel cramped during getting-ready activities.
• Have a “weather flexibility matrix” – If you’re planning far in advance for a shoulder season (spring or fall, when weather can be unpredictable), create a simple grid matching activities you might like to include to weather conditions. If it’s sunny, maybe you’ll do the coastal hike; if it’s cloudy, the forest ceremony might feel more magical. This prevents weather stress and keeps you flexible. (Not to mention it’s a great way to soothe anxiety about endless “What if” scenarios our brains like to conjure up) Once you get closer to your elopement and the weather forecast starts to firm up, you can narrow down your options.
• Create a “no rush morning” ritual – Design your getting-ready experience with the same intentionality as the ceremony. Perhaps that means breakfast in bed, a sunrise walk, or simply lingering over coffee while journaling about the day ahead. Starting slowly sets the tone for everything that follows.
• Remember the travel wisdom of “less is more” – Choose a handful of meaningful locations rather than trying to incorporate every beautiful spot in the area. This prevents the exhaustion of constant movement and allows you to truly connect with each place.

Creating Intentional Space Within Your Travel Wedding Experience

Once you have your broader framework, it’s time to focus on how to structure the flow of each day to create those meaningful moments that become cherished memories:

• Apply the 1:2 Rule: However much time you think something will take, double it. A 30-minute hike? Block out 60 minutes. Getting ready and starting the day? If you think you need an hour, give yourself two. Not only will this extra buffer time allow you to skip all the usual stress of a nonstop wedding day, but it will create the space for those meaningful in-between moments to emerge (this post has some real-life examples).
• Plan one main event per day segment: Instead of scheduling back-to-back activities, designate one meaningful experience for morning, one for afternoon, and perhaps one for evening. This approach naturally creates a more stress-free wedding experience because you’re not trying to compress everything into a few breathless hours rushing through a checklist.
• Schedule transition periods: Don’t just account for the activities themselves – build in time for the journeys between them. This is the one area where couples are consistently surprised about time being sucked up! 
• Create deliberate pause points: Identify 2-3 moments throughout your day where you’ll intentionally pause to absorb what’s happening. Maybe it’s five minutes alone after getting ready, a private moment after your ceremony, or watching the sunset together before dinner. Mark these clearly in your timeline as protected space.

The Power of Presence 

When you approach your celebration with a traveler’s mindset – curious, present, open to the unexpected – you create space for authentic moments that simply can’t be scheduled (or often, predicted). The quiet look you exchange while getting ready, the way the light breaks through the trees during your ceremony, the impromptu dance in the meadow afterward.

These become your most cherished memories because they capture not just how your day looked but how it felt. And that’s the whole point: not just to have been married, but to remember what it felt like to make that commitment to each other.

Finding this balance between adventure and connection doesn’t happen by accident – it comes from intentionally designing your celebration with the same care you’d give to planning your ideal travel experience. Your love story has never been rushed, and your celebration of it shouldn’t be either. (Ask me how many couples have ended their coverage time with me saying “We don’t want this to end!!” Countless.)

By prioritizing experience over efficiency, you create a meaningful wedding experience that reflects how you actually live your relationship.

Ready to plan a slow and intentional wedding experience like this?

If this approach to elopement planning resonates with you, I’d love to help you create a celebration that feels as meaningful and immersive as your favorite travel experiences. Let’s talk about crafting your perfect adventure – one where you’ll never feel rushed, only present.

Get in touch with me here to start planning your elopement!

Travel Wedding FAQs

What’s the difference between a destination wedding and a travel wedding?

While destination weddings typically focus on a specific location with a traditional wedding structure, I like to think of a travel wedding as one that embraces the journey and experience as central to the celebration. Travel weddings often incorporate exploration, adventure, and meaningful activities spread across multiple days, treating the entire experience as part of your wedding—not just the ceremony. The emphasis is on quality time together rather than a single event. Couples also often use this as an opportunity to bundle their elopement and honeymoon into one trip!

Will our travel wedding photos look as good as traditional wedding portraits?

When you build generous time buffers into your travel wedding timeline, your photos often turn out even more stunning and authentic than traditional portraits. Natural landscapes provide incredible backdrops, and the relaxed pace allows for genuine moments to unfold naturally. The combination of beautiful environments and real emotions creates images that truly capture your connection—something that’s harder to achieve in rushed, formal settings.

How far in advance should we start planning our travel wedding?

For most travel weddings, beginning the planning process 9-12 months ahead gives you enough time to secure your ideal accommodations, research local requirements, and book key vendors. This timeline also allows for more thoughtful decision-making without the pressure of rushed choices. With that said, I’ve helped couples plan meaningful travel weddings in as little as 3 months when they’re flexible with their vision.

How can we make our travel wedding feel special without breaking the bank?

The beauty of travel weddings is that the experience itself provides much of the “wow factor” without needing elaborate decor or formal reception elements. Consider traveling during shoulder season for better rates, and focusing your budget on quality accommodations, meaningful experiences, and photography to document your adventure. 

How do we choose the perfect location for our travel wedding?

Start by reflecting on places that hold meaning for you both or destinations you’ve always dreamed of exploring together. It’s not uncommon for couples to choose places they’ve never visited before (what better occasion to explore them than your wedding??). Consider factors like accessibility, local marriage laws (or get legalities taken care of at home before you leave), seasonality, and the type of landscape that speaks to you. The perfect travel wedding location should feel aligned with your relationship and offer the right balance of adventure and comfort for your vision.