Elopements : Frequently Asked Questions
Considering an elopement or micro-wedding?
Here are answers to common questions couples ask us as they start to plan their day. Ready to learn even more or set up a call with our team? We’d love to hear from you!
What’s the best location for an elopement or micro-wedding? Each location has so many things we love about it and reasons it might be better for some clients versus others.
– Snooper’s Rock is best/most known for their epic sunrises overlooking the bend of the TN River, but really anytime is beautiful (except summer afternoons – the lighting is too harsh, plus it’s incredibly hot). This is best for weekday ceremonies because it is extremely popular on the weekends. Here’s a video showing the walk from the parking lot to the overlook.
– Tennessee River Gorge is located along the banks of the TN River and has sprawling views of the mountain, trees, and water. This location is best at sunset but beautiful anytime.
– Cloudland Canyon is lovely almost anytime and is a larger park with views at the top/overlook plus a hike to a waterfall. This location is a GA State Park, meaning there are bathrooms, lots of parking, and other amenities.
– Coolidge Park is an urban setting with views of the TN River, Chattanooga skyline, and famous bridges. There is ample parking and one of the more accessible locations.
– Sunset Rock has become so well loved with tourists, that we no longer recommend this location. It can sometimes work in the mornings, but not at sunset.
What is the backup plan for inclement weather? We watch the weather starting about 5 days before your ceremony. If rainy weather is in the forecast, we start a conversation about an alternative plan. Then about 24-48 hour we make the call to push your timeframe to before/after the weather passes, move to the following day (pending there are no other weddings booked), or clients sometimes book a backup, indoor location such as the Read House or Common House.
How do you keep hikers/other people from walking in on our wedding? These are all public spaces, and are first come, first serve. Joseph gets there about an 45 minutes to an hour beforehand to set up chairs and place “Wedding In Progress” signs nearby. We have found people to be respectful and not intrude.
What are the rules for obtaining a marriage license in TN? You apply through Hamilton County Clerk and then after the ceremony, if using our officiant, he will submit it to them. Georgia will only allow their marriage license to be used in Georgia, so you would need to obtain a TN license for your ceremony in Tennessee.
How many guests can we invite? We recommend 20 guests or so, but depending on the location, we can we can make we can easily accommodate more people. However, we have found that 20 to 25 guests is about the max before it starts to feel overwhelming and more stressful for the couple.
Do clients typically have a reception after their elopement or micro-wedding? Everyone is different, but yes, client are now starting to have some sort of small reception planned for after the ceremony. Elopement clients sometimes bring a small cake or cupcake to share. Here are the four most common reception ideas we’ve seen with these smaller weddings.
Can we bring our dog? Yes! We suggest having a guest help with handling your dog during the ceremony and for pictures (that it’s not included in).
Can we bring confetti/items to throw at the end of the ceremony? If your ceremony is at an outdoor location such as a park or overlook, we do no recommend it. We abide by the “leave no trace” mantra, and with these spots being public spaces, we need to leave them as we found them.
Should we have music? Yes! We definitely recommend having background music, especially as the bride walks in. This can be as simple as a smart phone + Wifi speaker a guest controls, or live music such as a guitar or violin.
Do you have chairs available to bring to the site? Yes, we have 26 black folding chairs we can bring.
How long will it take to receive our images? Our turn around time for the two-hour elopements/micro-weddings is about 4-5 weeks. We aim to get about 10 preview images to clients within a week of the ceremony.
How many photos can we expect in our final album? Approximately 200-300 images, with a mixture of color and black/white. It also depends on sticking to the timeline, arriving on time, variety of poses and more. We’re happy to send you a full gallery so you can know what to expect with your final gallery.
How do we lock in our date? We require a signed contract (we’ll send after we chat on the phone) plus 50% of your package. The remaining balance is due anytime before the wedding.