Elopement First Look Dilemma

Hello Erin, perhaps your hotel has a getting ready suite that you can use to get ready while your fiancé uses the room? My hubby and I stayed together the night before our wedding as we had already been living together and to get ready I used a bridal suite and he used our room. I think it would be beyond difficult to get ready in the same room without ruining a first look.

Maybe your fiancé can get ready early and wait in the lobby or somewhere nearby when you’re finishing up.

The easiest and most convenient solution would likely be to just book another room for him. The only other alternative I can think of would be inquiring with the hotel as to whether they have a space available that he could use. Or you could go to a salon for hair and makeup while he uses the room.

We're planning on having him get ready early and then go get a coffee and play on his phone somewhere else 😂

This is sooo on time… thank you!!!! It’s like you were reading my mind. At the end of August (2 months before the wedding) we canceled all plans and decided to elope in Oahu with just the 2 of us instead. So, I’ve only mentally been in elopement planning mode for 1 month out of an extended 3 year engagement. Lol!! But earlier today this exact thought crossed my mind and I haven’t fully decided on a plan yet.


We’re doing 1st look pics. So, one thought is for FH to be present during the beginning of my hair and makeup (which I don’t mind because it’s not the full look anyway). Then I step in the bathroom or somewhere else while he gets dressed (FH won’t take more than 10 mins) then he goes to the lobby. I’ll get dressed and the photographer will coordinate when I come down for the first look. Otherwise I’ll look into the hotel allowing FH to get dressed somewhere besides our room. So I’ll call tomorrow. But we’re definitely not going to book a whole separate room just for an hour of getting ready. Especially when there’s no one to sleep there that night (total waste).
I’ve already seen what FH is wearing, but I haven’t seen it on him. The only reason I would step away and not watch FH get dressed is because…. this evening he bought the shoes he’s wearing and I asked him to put it on all together to see if everything works. He said, “OK. I’ll put it on when you’re not here. I want you to see it for the first time on the wedding day!!” I had no idea that he wanted that moment and it made me melt inside a little 🥰❤️

So I guess I should have specified that we are staying at a private/ small B&B that only has two suites available. We’re staying in one of them and the other one is already booked online. So booking another room or a bridal suite there isn’t an option.

Can he get mostly ready in your suit and move to another common room/area or outside to finish details & accessories while you get ready in your suite? Or Is there a nearby accommodation where you could each get ready separately?