COVID-19 Q&A  ** UPDATED on JULY 2nd 

Things are crazy right now and changing rapidly every day. I will do my best to answer some common questions below that specifically relate to our approach to the pandemic, but please know that it’s so unpredictable that what I say now maybe be obsolete in two weeks. I will try to keep this updated as best I can.

Are we open? If not, when will you open.

Yes, kindof. We entered Phase 4 on June 26th which means gatherings of up to 50 people. That 50 does need to include your vendors and staff from what I’m hearing.

Restaurants are open for outdoor dining and 25% indoor. Most of the city is open, but unfortunately right now (July 2nd) the lakefront is still only open for running/walking and biking. No gatherings and none of the parks are open east of Lake Shore Drive, which means no Olive Park yet. And some of our favorite parks and indoor options aren’t open or have strict guidelines for masks at all time and/or are open but aren’t doing photo permits at this time.

Can we even get a marriage license? 

Yes!! They have been doing online licenses which has been an uphill battle to say the least, but couples have been able to get them. As of July 6th the Clerk’s office is supposed to reopen for in person appointments. We do no know yet if the hours will be different or if you can just walk in or need an appointment. No info on their website, but we will update next week!

When will City Hall open?

** The following is true as of April 2022, but things are always changing **

City Hall is appointment only. In person appointments are Wednesday- Sat. Monday and Tuesday appointments are Zoom weddings.

To make and appointment call 312-603-5660 with your preferred date and time or leave a message and they will get back to you.

New times for City Hall are 9-11:30 and 1:30-3:30 on Wednesday – Friday. Saturday is 9am

You are only allowed 2 additional people/guests beyond the couple for now and will most likely need to wear a mask in the building. Yes your photographer counts as one of those 2 people.

We do have 2 officiants on our team so if you’re looking for an option with more guests we are happy to marry you elsewhere in the city.

What does a social distancing wedding even look like?

Well it’s new to us too, but better a socially distanced wedding than no wedding! Basically if you’re having any guests that aren’t in your immediate circle of people that you’ve been quarantining with you will need to maintain the 6 foot distance recommended by the CDC. It will be on the couple to make this call on what if any guests are present and be responsible for them maintaining those rules. This is problematic for family photos we realize. So it may come down to inviting only those that you have already been around, been hugging etc. until the rules are loosened.

I, as your photographer, will also be abiding by that limit and wearing a mask. As will our officiants.

Obviously our hair & makeup stylists can’t do their job from 6 feet away. But they will following all precautions for masks and sanitation.  In their downtime Kate and her whole team have done Barbicide recertification just to refresh in sanitation standards for their industry.

Indoor options during COVID times

One of the top questions we get is what to do if you’re planning an outdoor ceremony and it rains. Now more then ever our indoor options are almost non-existant. We can’t just pop in somewhere and wait it out like we used to. The couple of places that did allow indoor options with no permit or a quick permit you could get same day have not even reopened and we don’t know if those will still be options when they do.

So we STRONGLY recommend that if you aren’t doing an actual venue or restaurant with indoor space that you get a hotel suite or airbnb that you are comfortable using as a Plan B in case of bad weather.

What if we need to postpone or reschedule our date? 

Given the crazy times we are in we’ve adjusted some of our policies. If you need to postpone or reschedule your wedding date because of gathering limits, the venue not being able to open, travel reasons or anything else, you can transfer the retainer payment you made when booking to the new date as long as we are available. We have extended the rescheduling time from 6 month to one year. So you can reschedule up to one year from your original date. If you move from a Monday to a Saturday we will adjust the pricing as our Saturday rates for some services are more.

The retainer payment you make when booking is non-refundable. We put in a lot of work before the wedding day (emails, timeline, suggestions on locations, hotels etc.). That retainer is not only for that work, but for all of us to turn down other work for that date and timeframe and all the additional pre-planning that will take place before the day. For instance, the officiant will have your entire ceremony script ready before the wedding day, so that work is done even if the event doesn’t proceed as planned.

What other safety measures will be have in place? 

As mentioned we all plan on wearing masks. If you do flowers the delivery will be contactless. Our hair & makeup stylists have always and will continue to sanitize over and over. They can answer specific questions about their procedures if you have them.

Photographers and officiants will practice social distancing. Which may mean your partner will need to practice their dress fluffing and train straightening as I won’t be able to do it, but we will make it work! Normally we would jump in a cab or uber together to get to and from locations. We can take separate vehicles if need be to maintain distance. That will be your call on what you are comfortable with.

For any other questions, whether COVID related or not please email us at info@elopetochicago.com or fill out the contract form in the link above. 

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GENERAL QUESTIONS:

Why are your all inclusive packages only offered Monday- Friday? Our entire team is made up of professional wedding vendors who own and operate their own businesses. Weekends are the most popular dates for large scale weddings and we book those dates months and even years in advance. Therefore Saturdays are reserved for larger scale weddings for some services. Some of our vendors are not open on Sundays (it’s nice to take one day a week off! ) therefore their services aren’t available on those day either.

Photography and Officiant services are available on weekends based on our availability.

** Please note that our services are not available on holidays even if they fall on a weekday. These include but are not limited to : New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Memorial Day (and the Friday before), Fourth of July, Labor Day (and the Friday before), Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

Do you offer discounts? No. These packages offer professional vendors services, some at an already discounted weekday rate so no additional discounts will be given.

How far in advance should we book?  Although the true definition of elopement is to “run away suddenly and secretly to be married” we do need a little notice to put all the pieces together for you. Keep in mind in Cook County there is a 24 hour waiting period for a marriage license. We ask that we have at least 3 days notice to allow our vendors to prep and consult with you on the planning. Our florist needs a few days in advance for some of the bouquet options.

How far in advance is too far? Please note that we don’t accept bookings anymore than 6 months in advance. As mentioned before we all do weddings full time and large Friday weddings are becoming more and more popular. At 6 months we usually have a good idea of what large weddings are on our calendar and what our availability looks like for weekdays. We understand that if you are having guests or traveling in from out of town some advance planning is necessary, but we feel the six month window is still plenty of time to put the pieces together. And we are here to help as well.

Can I have a wedding party? Of course! We never want to stop you from having your friends and family around on the wedding day! We do limit the wedding party to 4 people total (not including the two of you).

What do I need to do to legally to get married in Chicago? In Cook County you must head downtown and get a marriage license in order to be married. There is a 24 hours waiting period and the license is valid for 60 days. You do not need a witness! More information can be found HERE.

After the wedding the officiant will fill out the license. You can return it in person yourselves if you need copies right way or want to avoid the mail. Or the officiant will return it and you can request copies 10-14 business days later.

More info on that HERE.

How do I know if you’re available for my date? To check availability please fill out the contact form with your specific dates and we will get back to you ASAP with our availability.

Can you help me find a location? We are happy to make suggestions and provide you with a list of venues that cater to smaller weddings if you need a venue space vs. an outdoor location.

What if it rains and we’re planning an outdoor ceremony? This is one of the top questions we get asked. Unfortunately we can’t control the weather, nor do we have a better idea of what the weather will be like than you do. We’re looking at the same radar!

Usually if Mother Nature doesn’t agree with us and it’s raining, or it snows at the end of March, or is -20 out we will move the ceremony inside to your hotel room or suite. Almost all of our couples, including those that live in the city, will get a room for the night. So when booking at place to stay (especially Nov- April) be sure to think about the size of the room and what is looks like if that ends up being the back up option. And it’s best to book 2 nights so that you don’t have to worry about not being about to check in early enough to get ready or having to check out on the day of the wedding.

We are happy to suggest hotels as well. We have some favorites for sure! We also have a collections of giant umbrellas and a few hidden spots up our sleeves that are covered, but still outside in the event that it’s just a drizzle or light rain not a downpour.

What if I’m getting married in the suburbs? All of the pricing is set up to include weddings in the city of Chicago. If you are getting married in the suburbs (we love a good backyard wedding!) additional travel fees may apply. Contact us for more information.

** COVID update– with so many people opting for backyard weddings we are doing a few more in the suburbs. There may be travel fees that apply. I typically just have the flowers delivered to me and bring them with in this case as they only deliver in the city.

So don’t hesitate to reach out to us during this time even if you’re not doing the city. We’re being a bit more flexible than normal!

PHOTOGRAPHY QUESTIONS:

Do we get to choose where we go for photos? Of course! Becky can provide you with some popular locations and some of her favorites, but ultimately you can decide on the locations you would like to go for photographs. If any permits are required to shoot at those locations it up to the couple to obtain and pay for those ahead of time. Based on how many hours of photography you book Becky will guide you on how many locations you have time for. If you are wanting 2 stops that are on opposite sides of the city we need to factor in travel time and things like that.

Can I book a package without photography? Sorry, but no. Since the site was founded by me (Becky) all of the packages must include photography. I don’t want to help plan a wedding I don’t get to photograph!

What if I just need like a couple of photos? Can you do that? If you ask any professional photographer there is no such thing as “a couple photos.”  I know it sounds easy to just show up for 20 minutes and take a few photos, but it’s easier said than done. In order to reserve our time and talent we require a two hour minimum. That allows time for the ceremony as well as portraits of the couple around the city and or any guests. On Saturdays we require a 3 hour minimum. Saturdays in the city (especially summer and fall) equal lots of traffic. There are many more tourists than weekdays, there are festivals and concerts and street closures etc. Photo stops that are usually quick can take longer to get to and we may have to wait our turn to access popular spots on Saturdays. Also on weekends we find that more couples have guests and more guests = most photo requests and combos. We are happy to do them, but they do take more time than if it’s just the couple.

HAIR AND MAKEUP QUESTIONS: 

Will I get to do a hair and makeup trial? Trials are not included in the packages, but they are available at their studio in West Town. Trials typically take place on weekdays. Contact us for pricing.

Where do I go to get my hair and makeup done? Kate, our wonderful hair and makeup artist, or one of her talented team members will travel to you on the wedding day to do on location hair and makeup as long as it’s in the city. Usually that will be at a hotel, but if you’re local and not getting a hotel she can come to your place or you can go to her studio in West Town. Kate does most of the elopements herself, but she also has a great team of stylists that will step in when she is not available. She will assign someone to you ahead of time so you can send styles and ideas.

What if I want to do hair & makeup for my mom or sister or bridesmaid? No problem! We love to glam up everyone. You can add on an additional person for $190 each. We do limit this to 2 people in addition to the bride since it will just be one stylist per event.

What if we are two brides? Even better! Just double the price and then knock of $50!

FLOWER QUESTIONS:

I see that bouquets and boutonniere’s are included – what if I want centerpieces or other flowers? No problem! If you would like to add centerpieces or ceremony flowers etc. please contact our florist directly (http://christinejanda.com/) Only the flowers listed in the packages are included. If you choose to add more you will be separately invoiced by Christine and may be required to sign a contract from them. She is also a planner so she can help you out with anything!

We do offer the following add on’s – matching petite bouquets for bridesmaids for $75 each and bouts for groomsmen for $35 each. You may also add coursages for $35 each and flowers crowns for $50 each.

What if I don’t like any of the flower options? The idea of this site is to keep things simple for you by providing streamlined options that stay within a certain budget for the packages.We’ve done our best to choose gorgeous options that cover a variety of colors and styles. However, we still want you to be able to customize and get the right fit for you. Please note that some of the options do come in other colors aside from what is shown in the photos and Christine can always work with you to create something truly unique by choosing the custom option.

OFFICIANT QUESTIONS:

Can we write our own vows? Of course! Our officiants will work with you to personalize the script for the wedding ceremony before the date. You’ll have a chance to chat with them and make decisions to customize the ceremony!

Why should I choose an officiant over City Hall? I get this question often and I always tell couples that having an officiant really allows you to personalize the ceremony. Not only the script and the vows, but the time and location as well. The officiant will travel to your location in the city. So if you want to get married at sunset on the beach you can do that! If you want to get married with the city skyline as your backdrop you can do that! If you want to get married at your favorite hot dog joint we can do that too!