Elopement Adventure
What comes to mind when you hear/say:
"Elopement. Eloping. To elope?"
If something like "running off to get married without families approval" or "not doing it the right way" comes to mind, you are not alone! That is exactly how the definition came to be - no longer.
Today an elopement is an extremely intimate, intentionally small, and very personal celebration of your unique bond, an adventure you take together to remember the day you join your souls in the most meaningful way without the stress and worry of pleasing anyone else.
If you've ever found yourself thinking, "I wish we could just skip all the fuss and elope," rest assured, you're not alone in seeking an intimate adventure over a grand, traditional wedding!
"Elopements are for the brave people who care so, so deeply for the person they love that they’re willing to take a bold leap away from the norm and choose something different, meaningful, and wholly intentional."
It is true, you have to be brave to know you would like to do something completely different from what the wedding industry might want you to do. The truth is, that the more parties are involved in your wedding day, the more decisions you have to make, the less personal it becomes. Many couples that I work with tell me they experience decision fatigue that increases leading up to their wedding day. My heart aches for them, as you absolutely do not want to feel depleted, tired and snappy on the most beautiful day of your life.
Luckily, planning an intimate elopement means that you can have your cake and eat it - quite literally!
There are about half the number of decisions to make, no worries about the numbers of guests, table charts, RSVSPs, large catering, dietary requirements of dozens of people, DJ, and drama.
This is just about you two together, doing exactly what you both want, and taking an adventure as unique as you are. There are no rules or obligations to follow, only the ideas that you have and the traditions that you want to observe or start.
where should we elope? Does it have to be somewhere crazy like iceland or mountain peaks?
You can choose to elope anywhere you like, as long as it is meaningful to you, it can be as simple or as grand as you want!
Whether it is your favourite spot in the city, your parent's backyard, a beach, lavender fields or a mountain top - there is no wrong place to elope. No place is "too boring" or "too pompous" if it is what you are called to. Deciding on the place where you'd like to elope is the first step in starting to plan your elopement. You can do that by getting comfortable and relaxed and visualising how your perfect day together would look like. Where would you wake up? What is the weather going to look like? What kind of views and things/places would surround you? What would you like to do on that day? You can also turn to your "couple bucketlist" of things you would like to do together. Is a hiking trip there? Or a city break in Southern Europe? Did you always want to visit the white cliffs or escape to a tranquil hideaway in a treehouse in Wales? Planning an elopement can be as exciting as actually eloping itself!
It's not a full-day photo shoot!
An elopement is not supposed to be all about the photos, locations and what anyone will think is/looks cool. No! It is completely opposite, as it is about you two spending a day doing exactly what you love and enjoy and having a special adventure that doesn't happen every day.
That's why it is extremely important to determine the activities you are going to do on your elopement day.
Just like with choosing the location, there are no wrong ideas about the activities for the day. Again, strategize by visualising your perfect day together, where it would be, and what activities are available to you.
Think about the activities for the entire day, not just the pièce de résistance, and you will find the true value in the Full-Day Elopement.
I have lots of ideas and guides with examples of elopement activities, but they don't have to be extraordinary! From having a picnic to going horseback riding, attending your favourite diner, and going to see a west-end show!
