From Booking to “I Do”

Written By Susan Kelleher

How Our California Elopement Package Works

You’re engaged, Congrats! We’re so happy that you’ve found your person! Now it’s time to start planning your big day, and if you’re feeling overwhelmed, you’re not alone. That’s where we come in; we’re Range Of Light Wed, a full-service California elopement planning team here to take the stress out of planning one of the best days of your life. We understand that you want to marry your adventure buddy in the great outdoors, and we fully support you! We make it easy to book an elopement package and handle all of the details so you can focus on your love story. Whether you’re looking for an adventure in Yosemite or a romantic setting in Joshua Tree, our California elopement packages make it easy to curate the best day of your life. 

Range Of Light Wed 

We're Range Of Light Wed, your elopement planning dream team. We are a group of seasoned local wedding professionals who want to support your elopement or small wedding journey. Our biggest goal is to give you a meaningful experience that feels just how you want it to.

We delight in sharing our home, the Sierra Nevadas, with couples ready to start their lives with big adventures or quiet moments. For us, it's not just about your elopement itself. Instead, it's about the experience of connecting with nature and each other in a deeply personal way. 

Let the California adventure elopement planning begin…

Choosing to have an adventure elopement over a large wedding is a big deal; it’s a brave choice, and we’re here to make sure you have a beautiful experience. But where do you even begin with California elopement planning? Let’s dive in…

Enjoy A California Adventure Elopement Experience That Pushes The Bounds Of Tradition With Range Of Light Wed

Guest Hair & Makeup Artists - @nikivantassel

Step 1: Inquiry & Choosing the Perfect Elopement Package

Choosing the right people to be a part of a very personal and intimate day can be intimidating. We take pride in being there for our couples from start to finish in the planning process. You can easily browse our California Elopement Packages anytime and send an inquiry asking any questions.  

There are a few things to consider when choosing the elopement package that's right for you. 

Consider The Location

Choosing a location is one of our FAVORITE parts of the elopement planning process. It's so fun to brainstorm ideas for locations, and it sets up the base for everything else you want to do or include in your day. 

Is there a location that means something to you as a couple? Do you want to travel somewhere new and make an adventure out of it? You name it, we're here for it! 

Our California Elopement Locations Include:

How Do The A La Carte Service Work?

We understand that some people want to pick the services they want for their elopement day, and we respect that. 

Our A La Carte services are a great way to offer more options for a personalized elopement experience. These services are available in Yosemite, Mammoth Lakes, Eastern Sierras, South Lake Tahoe, and Sonora Pass. Inquire for rates outside of these regions.

A La Carte services include…

  • On-site hair and makeup (prep beginning before 6 AM may incur an additional charge.)

  • Personal florals for 2 people

  • Officiant

  • Elegant Picnic Lunch for 2 people

  • Sweetheart Cake (6 inches, gluten-free, organic, non-GMO)

  • Extravagant Charcuterie Spread

  • 8 Hours of Photography Coverage - including timeline planning, location scouting & suggestions, full-resolution image printing rights & online gallery

  • Videography available soon

  • Full-Service Design & Rentals - (for 2 people) including arch or ground florals, sweetheart table, flatware, tableware, blankets, solar lights, personal florals (bouquets and/or boutonnieres), water, coffee, tea, champagne, set up and clean up. (As permitted by law and location.)

Guest Hair Stylist @mirrormirrorsalons

Step 2: Booking & Initial Consultation

Once you send an inquiry, we’ll have a consultation to get to know you better. This is one of our favorite parts. First, you’ll meet our client liaison, Vanessa, and she’ll ask you a few questions to get the ball rolling and the wheels turning on how we can make your elopement dream a reality. In the spirit of being intentional about the kind of elopement day that suits you as a couple, we need to go beyond surface level. 

We’ll discuss your vision, preferences, and logistics, but our main goal here is to get to know YOU better as a couple. We want to determine what’s most important to you and honor that with a personalized elopement planning process. Once you’ve decided that Range Of Light Wed is an excellent fit, we can officially book your big day! 

We’ve made the booking process incredibly easy and hassle-free! 

Step 3: Planning & Logistics Made Easy

We want to take the stress out of planning your big day, and that includes every aspect of the day. Joleen loves to provide Range Of Light Wed couples with incredibly detailed timeline options that take all the guesswork out of planning. She knows your day is worth celebrating in the way that gives you the most fulfillment and excitement. You should include all the things that make you happy and nothing that stresses you out. 

That's why we provide a comprehensive timeline to all our couples, and we love sharing our secret spots in the Eastern Sierras. 

We’ll walk you through the process of securing any necessary permits,  and we are here to help guide you through the California marriage license process (don't worry, it's very easy). 

No Need To Find Vendors

You won't need to find additional vendors or coordinate them; we will do that for you! All of our California elopement packages include: 

  • On-site hair and makeup 

  • Personal florals for 2 people

  • Officiant 

  • Complimentary Champagne 

  • Gourmet Picnic Lunch

  • A personal cake

  • A table for 2 where local laws allow

  • A ceremony arch or ground florals

  • Seating for up to 15 when selected

  • Collaborative Timeline Planning

  • Location Suggestions

  • 6 Hours of Photography Coverage (with option to extend)

  • Full Resolution files with printing rights.

  • Online gallery for printing and sharing.

  • NO TRAVEL FEES

We can also recommend accommodation if you're traveling to the Eastern Sierras for your elopement. 

Step 4: Final Preparations & Wedding Day Timeline

We'll help to finalize all of the details for your California elopement! Whether that means checking on the weather and coming up with a Plan B, or offering suggestions on what you should pack based on the season you're eloping in, we're here to make sure your day is perfect for YOU. 

Elopement Timeline

We want you to have a stress-free elopement day, so our timelines are incredibly detailed, so there is nothing to worry about on your end. From breakfast, to departing for the day, we have you covered. We like to think of your timeline as one of those choose-your-own-adventure books from when we were kids (remember those?). We can't wait to see what adventure you choose! 

Here's an example of a Range Of Light Wed elopement timeline: 

8 AM - Breakfast together - sharing quiet moments in the morning 

8:45 AM - Alyssa, our resident HMUA, arrives at our bride getting ready location (Airbnb, campsite, etc) 

10:15 AM - On-site floral delivery from Susan, our talented floral designer 

10:30 AM - Joleen, our fantastic photographer, arrives and begins prepping for the day

11 AM - Hair and Makeup Complete

11:15 - 12 PM - Photos of bride and groom details (getting ready, boutonniere, bouquet), portraits separately 

1 PM - Wildflower Picnic Lunch or First Look (your choice)

2-2:30 PM - Enjoy lunch and take photos at beautiful location 

4 PM - Get to the elopement destination 

4:30 PM - Set up sweetheart table, charcuterie, cake, solo stove

4:45 PM - Bride and Groom Change Clothing and sneak a fun dating ritual (optional) 

5 PM - Take some time to explore your elopement location together, enjoy the scenery, have a beer, enjoy some charcuterie, walk around, and choose a vow spot

6 PM - Private vow ceremony 

7 PM - Bask in the glow of being married! 

7:15 PM - Pop the champagne and cut the cake 

7:30 PM - Sunset photos (depending on the time of year and your preference for sunrise or sunset)

8 PM - Blue hour photos with headlamps 

8:30 PM - Depart and photography ends 

Of course, each timeline is very specific to our couples, and this is a general guideline of everything we consider when making your personal timeline. 

The anticipation and excitement leading up to your elopement day is one of our favorite aspects of the planning process. The nerves, excitement, and happiness are high. 

Step 5: The Elopement Day – Saying “I Do” in a Dream Location

On your California elopement day, you can expect to wake up to a stress-free day full of everything you love. Whether you want to sip coffee by a campfire together, or wake up early to take in the sunrise on your big day, we are here to support and encourage you. 

Range Of Light Wed’s detailed timelines ensure that your elopement day runs smoothly and provide the ultimate intimate adventure experience curated specifically for you and your unique love story. Things like your favorite shared hobby,  a date night tradition, or a bucket list item that would mean the world to complete together! 

Joleen will be there every step of the way to capture your beautiful moments and ensure they will last a lifetime. 

You can check out our, The Best Elopement Destinations In The Sierra Nevada Mountains, but some of our favorite Eastern Sierra elopement locations include: 

Guest Hair & Makeup Artist @heather_of_all_trades

Step 6: After the Elopement – Memories That Last Forever

Each of our couples receives an online gallery of full-resolution photos personally edited by the talented Joleen of Love Wildly. You’ll have printing rights to your gallery and can also download your images easily.

You can celebrate post-elopement with a large reception for your family, by sending announcements, or by going on an epic honeymoon. 

We love it when our couples share their love stories with us and allow us to be a small part of their adventure elopement day.

Leave No Trace

At Range Of Light Wed we always practice Leave No Trace, and our favorite places are often the most impacted by the presence of humans. If you’re familiar with this area in California, the growing popularity shows in terms of the amount of waste left behind. We love that people are getting outside and enjoying the Eastern Sierras, but it’s more important than ever to follow Leave No Trace (LNT) guidelines and protect these unique places.

Range Of Light Wed always follows Leave No Trace, but here are a few guidelines to keep in mind: 

  • If you pack it in, pack it out.

  • Dispose of waste in proper receptacles.

  • Obey signs telling you to stay on the trail.

  • Don’t disturb local flora and fauna.

  • Be aware of what flowers you bring into the area (e.g., baby’s breath is an invasive species—our Susan always considers this when planning your elopement florals). 

Our goal is to provide you with a stress-free and magical experience with our elopement packages. We want you to feel like you can trust us to plan all aspects of your day. No adventure is too big or too small for us! 

“After I got engaged, I was faced with the daunting task of planning my elopement. Even with a small elopement, there are vendors to find and coordinate, and I was overwhelmed with all the decisions that needed to be made.

Then, I found Range of Light Wed. The team at Range of Light Wed was phenomenal with the planning and execution of our wedding day. I worked mainly with Joleen (Love Wildly Photography), and she helped coordinate with the rest of the team for food, flowers, and hair and make-up. I was tasked with picking a date, a location (Joleen provided suggestions), picking some items off a menu for our elopement meals, and providing some floral inspiration photos. The team handled the rest.

Alyssa (Braided Blonde Locks) arrived at my AirBnB on my elopement day to do my hair and make-up, and Susan (Sweet Lilacs) brought my bouquet and flowers for my hair. Joleen arrived to take photos and had our cake and food that she’d picked up from the caterer.

My day was so stress free and I was able to focus on my husband and our elopement day instead of worrying about coordinating everything. It truly felt like a concierge service.

I would recommend Range of Light Wed again and again for anyone looking at an elopement or micro wedding in the beautiful Sierra Nevada.”
— Range Of Light Wed Bride, Krista

Let the stress-free California elopement planning begin!

Susan Kelleher
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California Adventure Elopement Guide