Are you a bride that is considering an elopement for your wedding?
Eloping could be the solution to your problems if you are wanting an intimate wedding in a memorable destination, amidst all the uncertainty of this pandemic.
What does it mean to ‘elope’?
To elope means to spontaneously have a wedding in a private and usually secretive manner, couples will have many reasons for choosing to elope, ranging from excitement, family dynamics, saving money, or just to simply get married amongst periods of uncertainty.
Why is eloping becoming so popular?
With the recent pandemic and the changes that it has imposed on gatherings and weddings, there is no doubt that couples are frustrated at postponed weddings, uncertainty, financial changes and priority changes. Maybe you are a bride who has had your wedding postponed indefinitely due to restrictions in your country about the number of people who can gather, the vendors that are open and the logistics of domestic and international travel being halted.
If being married to your partner is simply what you want, consider that you could have an elopement ceremony, just between a very intimate, small group of people and have a celebration later down the track, when restrictions have eased, and travel is a viable option again.
Many couples are taking the opportunity that the pandemic has brought about to skip the big, expensive wedding and cut straight to the chase about what matters most to them, just being married.
The benefits of elopement
Eloping is not for everyone. If you want the big wedding with all your family and friends there, eloping may not be for you.
On the other hand, if you want an intimate ceremony between you and your groom and a couple of witnesses, if you want to save money that you would otherwise spend on guests and invest it into a travel elopement or even investing into buying a home instead, eloping could be for you!
Remember that if you elope for your ceremony, you can have a celebration together with your family and friends post-ceremony, you don’t have to have one or the other.
A big benefit to eloping in these uncertain times with the pandemic, is that you can have your ceremony without having to postpone indefinitely until circumstances change. Since the beginning of the pandemic, a worldwide trend in elopements has risen as couples gain control over their circumstances and decide that this is what they want.
The trickier points to navigate when eloping
When elopement is your choice, it may come as a bit of a shock to your family and friends, especially if they aren’t invited or if they are told after the ceremony was held. You may be surprised by the mixed reactions of relatives that range from disappointment at not being part of the event, to surprise and excitement to hear about your decision.
It is an important factor to note here that you cannot control the reaction of your family and friends to your decision to elope. What you can do, is to give them the news of your elopement in a kind and gentle way, perhaps even before the ceremony takes place, you can inform your parents or closest friends of your intentions so that they feel in the loop.
However if you and your partner just want to get married and surprise everyone, then don’t let anything stop you!
How to elope
The simplicity of an elopement is a big appeal for a lot of couples. You only have to organise the ceremony as well as your travel to and from the location. If it vital to consider the law in the chosen place of your elopement, because some states or countries will differ in what is considered a legitimate, legal ceremony such as how many witnesses must be present and the title of the celebrant.
- Decide if elopement is for you and your groom
- Decide on the location and date
- Research into what is required to legally wed in your chosen location
- Get together your elopement team
- Get married
- Announce and celebrate with your family and friends back home as a married couple
The elopement team
- Wedding planner
- Celebrant
- Photographer
- Hair and makeup artist
The wedding planner is an important part of an elopement team for some couples, especially if you want to delegate most planning tasks such as coordinating a ceremony location and hiring other professionals on the elopement team. By hiring a wedding planner, they will take care of practically everything to do with your elopement.
A celebrant is an essential part of your elopement team. In order to be legally married, most states and countries require a registered, licensed celebrant to officiate your wedding ceremony. Research the laws in your ceremony location to make sure that the celebrant you choose meets the criteria to officiate your legal wedding.
As with choosing your wedding photographer and bridal makeup artist and hair stylist, by hiring professionals who are local to the location of your elopement, you will save money as you won’t have to pay for travel fees as well as these local professionals will know the area better than you. These professionals will know how to cater their services to your elopement location, taking things into consideration such as humidity, weather, lighting etc.
For example, if you are eloping to Sydney for a summer wedding, by hiring a local wedding hair and makeup artist in Sydney, they will be able to provide you with the right makeup and hair products that will combat the humidity and the strong sun, meaning that you will feel and look radiant in your photos without looking shiny and avoid your hair from frizzing. Or by hiring a photographer who is familiar with the ceremony location, they will know the best places to get those stunning wedding photos.
Conclusion
Eloping is not for everyone. If you are excited by the idea of having an intimate wedding ceremony, in a spontaneous and private way, elopement could be a great option for you. Amidst the current world situation with the pandemic, an elopement may be a perfect way to get married and celebrate later down the track with your family and friends. Get the right team on board for your elopement to make sure that your experience is smooth, memorable and you have stunning photos to look back on and share with your loved ones.
