Everything You Need to Know to Plan an Elopement in Illinois

If you know me then you know that I absolutely LOVE my elopements! Between the creative freedom they make space for, and the intimate, more personal feel they have to them, elopements are such a genuine celebration of the love between two people that I just can’t get enough of! If you’ve ever been considering planning your own elopement here in Illinois, or you’re looking to learn more about what makes them so special, this article is for you. Let’s go through everything you need to know to plan your own elopement to see whether it’s the right fit for your day!

What is an Elopement?

First and foremost, what exactly IS an elopement? You may have heard the term before and thought that it’s a simple ceremony where the couple runs off to have their wedding in secrecy. While this was true in years past, today elopements are much more celebrated and talked about! The small scale is still there, with guest counts usually falling between 0-10 for the day, but everything else about them is fair game for the couple to customize as they see fit. 

Want to have your ceremony in the morning followed by some newlywed portraits before a lunch with the family? Go for it! How about an afternoon ceremony followed by a quick stop at your favorite ice cream shop in your wedding gear? You can do that too! The real beauty in elopements is how they really do give each couple the space to create the wedding day that THEY want. There’s no pressure to fill the day with things that you feel like you should do, instead you get to create an experience that’s unique to you and your love!

Deciding if an Elopement is Right for You

So, is an elopement something you should do for your wedding day? The answer is something you have to decide for yourself, as every couple is different! Do you want a day where just the two of you get to celebrate your love together, or have you been dreaming of a day where you get together with all of your closest friends and family at your side? You also may have some expectations when it comes to your religion, family heritage, and traditions that make planning an elopement out of the question. If that isn’t the case though, and the idea of creating a more intimate celebration for your love sounds appealing to you, keep reading on how to plan an elopement here in Illinois to find out more about what it could look like! 

One important thing to note here, you don’t necessarily have to plan just one day for your wedding. Instead you can get the best of both worlds with an intimate elopement for just the two of you, followed by a reception at a later date with all of your people! 

How to Plan an Elopement in Illinois

Now that we understand what an elopement is and can be, it’s time to get into the details of planning an elopement here in Illinois!

Daydream About the Day Together

The VERY first thing you’ll want to do once you decide to have an elopement here in Illinois is to start daydreaming about what you want your elopement to be! From the setting you want, to the structure of the day, to who you want present for the different moments of the elopement, talk about it all with your partner. Plan some date nights together where you just talk about what your dream elopement would be. What does it look like? What does it FEEL like? Start to dream up the possibilities of the day so that as you get into the actual planning of the day you know what the two of you want your experience to be.

Choose a Date and Location

A huge part of the look and feel of your elopement will come down to the time and place your celebration takes place at. The great thing about planning your elopement here in Illinois is that every season has something unique to offer, and there are SO many fabulous locations to choose from as your venue. Whether you want something historic, something natural, something chic and modern, a courthouse elopement, or something else entirely, Illinois has you covered! Check out some of my favorite locations for picturesque elopements here for a bit of inspiration!

As for the season of your elopement, think about the experience that you want to have and what season lends itself best to that vision. What do you want your ceremony to look like? Are you planning on celebrating with your friends and family afterwards? Do you want to take portraits outside or indoors at a spot like the Illinois State Capitol Building? Again, know that there are no wrong answers here, it all comes down to what you want!

Decide on the Guests You’ll Invite

The next thing you’ll want to tackle when planning your elopement here in Illinois is deciding on who you’ll invite for it. Yes, you can have guests at an elopement! Typically the max guest count for an elopement is around 10 or so, anything more than that starts getting into micro/small wedding territory. Keep in mind that these guests don’t need to be present for the entirety of your elopement either. They definitely can be, or you can invite them just to the ceremony, reception, or simply for portraits. The choice is yours!

Lay Out the Timeline of Your Day

One of the biggest struggles of more traditional wedding days is trying to fit everything you want into the day itself. This struggle is almost completely eliminated in an elopement as the smaller guest count makes it SO much simpler to plan out the logistics! This is where a lot of that creative freedom comes into play as you can really lay your day out however you want. Just be sure to discuss your plans thoroughly with your guests and your vendors so that they understand where they need to be and when. Speaking of your vendors…

Book Your Vendors

Just like more traditional weddings, a big part of planning your elopement here in Illinois is choosing and booking the vendors that will help you create your dream elopement experience. While you technically don’t need as many vendors as a traditional wedding does, there’s nothing saying you can’t! This is yet another area where couples are allowed to get creative in the planning process of their elopement! Below are the typical vendors you’ll need for your elopement, followed by some you may want:

Must Have

• Photographer
• Officiant
• Venue (if Applicable)

Vendors You Might Want

• Hair and Makeup Artist(s)
• Florist
• Entertainment
• Catering
• Videographer
• Planner

For a closer look at what elopement photography consists of, and info on how long you should book your elopement photographer for, check out this article!

Get the Legalities Taken Care Of

Last but not least, you’ll want to get all the legal aspects of your elopement in order before the big day! Thankfully Illinois keeps things pretty simple here, so this shouldn’t be too much of a headache to take care of as you plan your elopement. 

First you’ll need to get your marriage license, which you’ll have to apply for in the county you plan on eloping in. Once you know where you’re eloping, head to the County Clerk’s Office to apply for your marriage license. To do this, you’ll need to provide the following information and documentation:

• Name, Address, and Date of Birth
• Names and Addresses of your Parents
• Information and Proof of Prior Divorce (if applicable)
• A Valid form of ID (Driver’s License, State ID, Passport, etc.)
• Pay the Necessary Fee (Varies from County to County)

Once you’ve completed this process you’ll get your marriage license which is then valid the following day. After this initial 24 hour period your marriage license will remain valid for the following 60 days, so all you have to do is have your elopement ceremony within that timeframe and then return your license to become officially married!

For the ceremony itself, Illinois keeps things pretty simple as there’s no witness requirement in order for your elopement ceremony to be official. You will however need an officiant for your ceremony. You can book an officiant for your ceremony if you’d like, or you can have someone important to you become ordained for a more personal touch to your ceremony. If that’s the case all they’ll have to do is follow these simple steps to do so!

Enjoy Your Elopement!

With all of the planning out of the way, it’s time to enjoy your elopement in Illinois! Be present in your day, take it all in, and enjoy this incredible time with one another. If you’re interested in having me document your elopement, and would like some assistance with location options, vendor recommendations, and more, send me an inquiry through my contact page ASAP!