Scouting a ceremony site
What I check on a walk-through a month before an elopement: light, wind, the path back, and where everyone stands.
A month before every elopement I walk the route at the same time of day as the ceremony.
Light
I note where the sun is, where the shade falls and how quickly the light changes. Ten minutes can be the difference between a lake in full glare and one lit from the side.
Wind and sound
A beautiful ridge can be too windy to hear vows. I stand where the couple will stand and talk at normal volume.
The way back
Everyone has to walk out, often in good shoes and sometimes in the dark. I time the return and mark anything tricky.