Elopements are kind of my jam. After planning & celebrating my own, as well as helping tons of couples bring their unique vision for their elopements to life, I’ve really fallen head over heels for elopements as a whole. Don’t get me wrong, I still LOVE both large & intimate weddings, but elopements really do just hold a special place in my heart. It’s why I’ve put out so many guides for planning elopements in places like Puerto Rico, Chicago, & Michigan, but today I’m staying a little closer to home. Today, we’ll be taking a look at some of my tips for planning an elopement in Indiana, as well as covering my new & updated elopement packages which I am SUPER excited about. Let’s not waste any time & get right into it!
Why Choose Indiana for Your Elopement?
The better question is why wouldn’t you choose Indiana for your elopement! In all seriousness though, Indiana has a LOT going for it when it comes to hosting elopements. Whether you’re travelling from out of state, or you’re a Hoosier yourself, Indiana makes a great case for hosting your elopement. From the abundance of beautiful locations to choose from, the simple marriage laws, & the freedom to create an experience truly unique to you (all of which we’ll be taking a closer look into soon), Indiana has it all. It’s one of the many reasons why I’m so glad I get to call this state my home, & part of the reason I’ve expanded my elopement package options to better help more couples make the absolute most of their elopement experience!
Tips for Planning an Elopement in Indiana
Before we check out my updated elopement packages, let’s check out some of my top tips for planning an elopement here in Indiana. If you’re familiar with the elopement planning process from reading some of my other articles, & are just looking to read about my package options, feel free to scroll down to the end of the article.
Take Care of the Legalities Early
One of the biggest tips I have to make your elopement planning process as smooth & stress free as possible is to take care of the legalities early! Let’s face it, obtaining the marriage license hasn’t ever been anyone’s favorite part of their elopement experience, so it’s best to get as much of it out of the way early so that you can focus on the other areas of your elopement. In order to receive your marriage license in Indiana you’ll need to meet the following requirements & have the proper documents:
- You Both Need to Be Over the Age of 18
- Provide Valid Forms of ID (Birth Certificate, Passport, Driver’s License, etc.)
- Proof & Date of Prior Divorce if Applicable
- Social Security Number (not the Actual Card)
- Parents Names, Last Address, & Birthplace
Have all this information prepped & ready to go well before your elopement, & start the application process early through this link. That’s about as much as you can do prior to your elopement, as you’ll need to go into the County Clerk’s Office in person to receive your license.
While in person you’ll need to present the information & documents we covered earlier as well as pay the standard fee ($25 for residents, $65 for non residents) to get your license. Residents must apply for their license in the county they live in, while out of state couples must apply in the county they plan to elope in.
Once completed & you receive your license which is valid that same day, & will be valid for the following 60 days. Make sure you have your elopement within this timeframe! The only other thing to note is that Indiana requires an officiant for your ceremony, but no witnesses are needed.
Consider the 4 W’s (Who, When, Where, & What)
One of the biggest tips I have for planning elopements & weddings alike is to consider the 4 W’s, who, when, where, & what. These simple questions are the guiding force in almost every decision you’ll make when planning your celebration, so be sure to work through them together with your partner.
Who Will be Present?
Believe it or not, you can have people present for your elopement! While elopements in the past were a more secretive way for couples to run off & get married without anyone knowing, today they’re much different. Many couples still do elope with just the two of them present, but that’s by choice rather than necessity. The truth is you can actually have a few guests present & still consider your celebration an elopement, Simply Eloped considers anything under 20 guests to be an elopement. With this in mind, it’s crucial that you & your partner decide who will be present for your elopement, & what parts of the day they’ll be present for. Are you planning on inviting a few guests to the ceremony, or do you want to get together with friends & family afterwards for an intimate celebration? The choice is yours!
When Will Your Elopement Be?
Deciding when to have your elopement is another huge decision that will impact pretty much every area of your celebration. An elopement in Indiana during the summer is going to feel drastically different than one in the winter as an example! Here’s a quick breakdown of the pros & cons of each season here in Indiana:
Fall
One of the most beautiful times of year for an elopement, fall is also one of the most popular. If you plan on having an outdoor elopement, you’ve likely considered doing so in the fall as the colorful landscapes of Indiana really are gorgeous this time of year. This is when things really start to cool off though, & the weather is just overall pretty unpredictable year to year. This tradeoff makes fall a tricky season to choose for some couples, but personally I’m a huge fan of the fall! Even with its challenges, it’s still very much possible to have THE best experience with a fall elopement.
Winter
Winters can be pretty tough here in Indiana. Being in the Midwest means that frigid temps & snowstorms are staples of the winter months here. This does present a bit of a challenge for couples planning an elopement, but also an opportunity. If you’re the type of couple that loves the season & want to experience the beauty of winter on your wedding day, Indiana has a LOT of great options for you to enjoy. There’s nothing like taking portraits after a fresh snowfall, giving you that true winter wonderland experience.
Spring
Another season where the weather is a bit more unpredictable, spring is still a great time of year for an elopement in Indiana. Yes rain is more likely, & if you plan on eloping outdoors where any hiking is involved you’ll probably have to deal with some mud, but that’s all part of the charm of the season. I love a good adventure elopement where my couples aren’t afraid to strap on some hiking boots & get after it. Spring is also the time of year where everything starts to bloom after the long winter months, offering a beautiful setting for an elopement.
Summer
Finally we have the summer months, the most consistent in terms of weather. Summer is understandably one of the more popular times of year for an elopement. While summers in Indiana can get pretty hot some years, that’s about the only weather related challenges you’ll have to deal with aside from the random rain shower from time to time. With how popular the season is, it can be more challenging to have a private elopement experience at one of the more public & popular locations in Indiana. You can mitigate this though through a sunrise elopement, which is a phenomenal option!
Where Will You Elope?
Much like deciding when to elope, choosing where to elope is going to be a very impactful decision you make in the elopement planning process. As you begin the search for an elopement location I want you to consider what you want your elopement to feel like. Talk with your partner about what you envision the setting of your day to be. Are you out exploring the natural beauty of the Indiana Dunes? Maybe you envision yourselves amidst the hustle & bustle of downtown Indianapolis? Or maybe you’re wanting to celebrate in the comfort of your own home?
Whether you want something natural, historic, cozy, modern, or any other style of space, trust me when I say Indiana has you covered! We’ll talk more about it later when looking at my elopement packages, but something I love to do when working with my elopement couples is providing recommendations for locations if they haven’t found the perfect spot yet.
What Do You Want to Do for Your Elopement?
The final W, & it’s a big one! What do you want to do for your elopement? This might seem like a question with an obvious answer, & for some that might be true, but in reality this can be one of the most challenging questions!
Ever since 2020, & even a bit beforehand, couples have continued to get more & more creative & expressive with their elopement experiences. From courthouse elopements, to booking a full on helicopter tour, the sky is quite literally the limit of what you can do. So what is it that YOU want to do for your elopement? Do you want to keep things local, celebrating your love in the spaces you feel most at home? Do you want to explore a new part of the state together? Are there any activities you want to include into your day, either as just the two of you or with your loved ones?
Knowing what you actually want your elopement day to be is SO important, as it will guide many of the decisions you’ll be making throughout the planning process. Talk with your partner, & be open & honest with one another about what you actually want your day to be. You have complete & total freedom to make the day whatever you want it to be, so do it!
Book Your Vendors Early
The great thing about the smaller scale of elopements is that they allow couples a great deal of freedom when it comes to choosing their vendor team. Unlike large or even intimate weddings, elopements don’t require nearly as many vendors on average to make sure the day runs smoothly. Couples of course can book any specific vendors they want for their day, but generally speaking you need a much smaller team of vendors to bring your elopement vision to life! Still though, the vendors you do intend to book for your elopement I recommend you book as early as possible. This is especially true for elopements during the more popular seasons of summer & fall.
Typical Vendors Needed for an Elopement:
- Photographer
- Hair & Makeup
- Officiant
- Florist
Additional Vendors that can Add to the Elopement:
- Videographer
- Catering, Desserts, & Beverages
- Music/Entertainment
- Planner/Coordinator
A Look at My Elopement Packages
Now that we’ve covered my top tips for planning an elopement in Indiana, it’s time to take a look at my different package options! I do have a similar structure for destination elopements, so if that’s more your speed be sure to send me an inquiry with your desired location. My 4 package options include:
- The Simple ( $800, 1 Hour Coverage, 4 Week Turnaround, *Available only in Indianapolis & Surrounding Counties*)
- Short & Sweet ($1,500, 2 Hours of Coverage, 4 Week Turnaround)
- A Day to Remember ($3,000, 4 Hours of Coverage, 6 Week Turnaround)
- The Experience ($5,000, 8 Hours of Coverage, 6-8 Week Turnaround)
All 4 package options include coverage of 1 photographer (me!), & an online gallery with high resolution & web resolution images from your elopement.
These packages all also include: Travel Costs, Elopement Planning Services, Permit Assistance, Timeline Planning, Unlimited Planning Calls, Family Formal Photo Organization, Previews Delivered in 48 Hours, & Print release.
To give couples as much freedom & flexibility in their experience as possible, I also offer an array of paid add-ons to choose from! These include an Engagement Session, Extra Hours of Coverage ($500/Hour), a Boudoir Session, Custom USB Drive & Box, & the option to add on a second photographer ($65/Hour).
Planning the Evolution of My Elopement Packages
As I kind of alluded to above, I’ve started to really take an all-in-one service approach to my elopement packages, & I plan to expand these offerings further! In addition to the already included planning service, permit assistance, timeline planning, etc, I also plan to include more offerings such as officiant services, floral design & preservation, & even content creation options. These offerings are still in the works currently, but I am SO excited to finalize them & start offering them to my couples!
Having elopement packages & offerings available where I’m able to take all the stress of planning & organization off your plate is the ultimate goal of these packages. I want you to be able to truly enjoy yourselves & this time of your lives, not spend it stressing out over every detail of planning it all! Keep an eye on my elopement page & Instagram for when these additional offerings go live, & if you’re looking for another elopement planning resource check out my planning checklist here.
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