The answer up front
On our most popular package, the 1-hour Getaway Plus with a 4:00 PM ceremony, couples eat breakfast around 10, start hair and makeup at 1:30, dress at 3:00 and reach the venue by 3:45. The ceremony runs 15 to 20 minutes, the license is signed at 4:20, group photos follow at 4:30 and couple portraits at 4:45, and the photographer wraps at 5:30, leaving time for a 7:00 dinner. A 15-minute Just Married day takes about 45 minutes at the venue.
One of the most common questions we get during planning calls is: what does the actual day look like? Couples imagine the ceremony itself in vivid detail but have no mental model for the hours surrounding it. This guide walks through a realistic elopement timeline — hour by hour — based on what we've seen work best across thousands of ceremonies. It includes a default 1-hour package timeline, a shorter version for 15-minute Just Married ceremonies, and a longer version for Friends and Family packages with up to 20 guests.
Which elopement package do most couples book?
The most popular package across all our destinations is the 1-hour Getaway Plus. Here's how that day typically flows when a ceremony is scheduled for a 4:00 PM arrival — adjust the times based on when your ceremony is set.
10:00 AM — Breakfast and a slow morning
Sleep in. Order room service or walk to a local breakfast spot (Pancake Pantry in Nashville, Crockett's Breakfast Camp in Gatlinburg, Hominy Grill in Charleston). The worst thing you can do on elopement morning is rush — the rest of the day is better when the morning is calm.
12:00 PM — Marriage license pickup (if you didn't do it yesterday)
In Tennessee, Georgia, and Arizona you can apply for the license the same day as the ceremony. South Carolina requires 24 hours between application and license, and Charleston County emails it two business days after you apply, so apply several days ahead. Walk through the full state-by-state process in our marriage license guide.
1:30 PM — Hair and makeup begins at your hotel
Allow 2 hours for full hair and makeup if you're bringing in a stylist (most do). Light makeup and a simple style can be done in 45 minutes, but the relaxed pace is worth scheduling extra time. Have a small lunch delivered mid-session so you're not hungry by ceremony time.
3:00 PM — Getting dressed
Allow more time than you think for getting into your attire. Buttons, ties, adjustments — this part always takes longer than expected. Put on jewelry, take a quiet moment together if you're sharing a room, drink some water.
3:30 PM — Travel to the venue
Build in 15 minutes of buffer beyond what Google Maps tells you. The number-one cause of late-running elopements is traffic between hotel and venue, especially in Gatlinburg, downtown Nashville, and Charleston during tourist season.
3:45 PM — Arrive at the venue
Your photographer and officiant are already on-site. Quick walk-through: where the processional begins, where to stand for vows, where guests sit if any. The logistics were settled in planning; your only job is showing up.
4:00 PM — Ceremony begins
Processional (1–3 minutes). Officiant's opening words and a personalized ceremony script you've seen in advance (5–10 minutes). Your vows — read aloud from a card; see our vow examples and writing guide if you haven't written them yet. Ring exchange (1 minute). The pronouncement and kiss. Total ceremony: 15–20 minutes.
4:20 PM — License signing
Your officiant signs the marriage license. In Arizona, two witnesses age 18 or older also sign — any adult guests can, and we provide two if it's just the two of you. Your officiant then returns the license to the county: within three business days in Tennessee, 15 days in South Carolina and 30 days in Arizona, and by mail for recording in Georgia.
4:30 PM — Family and group photos (if guests present)
Quick set of formal portraits with everyone. Your photographer leads — couples who try to direct their own group shots end up frustrated. 15 minutes max for this, then guests are released.
4:45 PM — Couple portrait session
This is when the photographer earns their fee. 30–45 minutes of moving through the venue's best photo spots — the iconic shots, golden-hour silhouettes, intimate close-ups. Trust your photographer's direction. The best photos almost always come from the second half of this session when you've stopped feeling self-conscious.
5:30 PM — Package ends
Photographer wraps. You head off to dinner, your hotel, or whatever's next on your celebration list. Many couples have reservations at a special-occasion restaurant 90 minutes after the ceremony ends — gives a buffer for portraits running long.
7:00 PM — Dinner
Book somewhere meaningful. Many of our couples make their dinner reservation THE celebration. The Catbird Seat in Nashville, Blackberry Farm's Barn Dining Room near Gatlinburg, The Grey in Savannah, FIG in Charleston, or Mariposa Latin Inspired Grill in Sedona are all elopement-day favorites.
The 15-Minute Just Married Timeline
For the smallest packages (Just Married, 15 minutes), the rhythm compresses beautifully. Hair and makeup 1.5 hours, getting dressed 30 minutes, drive to venue, 15-minute ceremony, 15 minutes of portraits, photographer wraps. Total on-venue time: about 45 minutes. Many couples extend the day with a long lunch before or dinner after.
Does a 20-guest Friends and Family day need extra time?
Friends and Family packages with up to 20 guests need more buffer. Add 30 minutes before the ceremony for guests to arrive and settle. Build in 15 more minutes after for group photos. Plan a casual reception immediately after — a dinner reservation for 20, a backyard gathering, or a hotel reception suite. See our reception planning guide for formats that work.
After the Day
- After your day: Your edited photo gallery arrives in a private online gallery. Share with family, download originals, order prints.
- Once the license is recorded: Chatham County (Savannah) mails you the certified copy its fee includes; in Tennessee, South Carolina and Arizona you order certified copies from the county. Use one for name changes, insurance updates, etc.
- 3–6 months later: Many couples send printed announcement cards with a favorite photo to extended family and friends — a small but high-impact tradition.
Plan Your Day
Pick a destination first and the rest of the timeline falls into place. Browse our elopement destinations and our complete planning guide.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does an elopement ceremony actually take?
The ceremony itself runs 15–20 minutes: a 1–3 minute processional, 5–10 minutes of opening words and a personalized script you've seen in advance, your vows read from a card, a one-minute ring exchange, then the pronouncement and kiss. License signing follows immediately, then group photos if guests are present, then couple portraits.
What does a 1-hour elopement day timeline look like?
For a 4:00 PM Getaway Plus ceremony, the day runs: slow breakfast at 10, hair and makeup from 1:30, dressing at 3:00, travel at 3:30, arrival at 3:45, ceremony at 4:00, license signing at 4:20, group photos at 4:30, couple portraits from 4:45, and the package ends at 5:30 — leaving time for a 7:00 dinner.
How much time should I allow for hair and makeup before an elopement?
Allow two hours for full hair and makeup if you're bringing in a stylist, which most couples do. Light makeup and a simple style can be finished in 45 minutes, but the relaxed pace is worth the extra time. Have a small lunch delivered mid-session so you aren't hungry by ceremony time.
When should we get the marriage license if we're eloping the same day?
In Tennessee, Georgia, and Arizona both partners apply in person and can marry the same day, so a noon pickup before a 4:00 PM ceremony works. South Carolina requires 24 hours between application and license, and Charleston County emails the license two business days after a completed online application, so apply several days ahead. The fee is paid directly to the county.
How long after eloping does the marriage certificate arrive?
Your officiant signs the license right after the ceremony and returns it to the county: within three business days in Tennessee, 15 days in South Carolina and 30 days in Arizona, and by mail for recording in Georgia. Only Chatham County (Savannah) mails you a certified copy on its own; in Tennessee, South Carolina and Arizona you order one from the county. Use it for name changes and insurance updates. Your edited photos arrive separately in a private online gallery.