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!
Elopement in sunny south!
FEATURED IN THE GUARDIAN
So it has become a mission of mine to help create the best unique experience possible for the couples who want something different. And I’m excited to share this with you. But not just that…
Something unbelievable happened to me on my birthday in April.
I was interviewed by The Guardian on the new trend for elopements! The interview came out on the 18 June as a part of a large article on wedding photography industry. You can read the full article here, while here is the part of the interview with me:
In the growing trend for micro weddings, or “elopements” – where there are few guests or sometimes none at all – the photography can take on an even bigger significance. “Your friends and family are only going to experience the day from the photographs,” says Alina Pullen, a London-based wedding photographer.
Sometimes it’s just her and the couple. “A photographer becomes way more than just the photographer,” she says. “I don’t consider myself just someone who comes in on the day and observes from afar.” She is often there from the start to help a couple to plan their elopement, with extensive meetings to talk about their interests and what kind of day would suit them. On the day, she says, “it’s not a photoshoot, it’s not a styled thing where people are static; it’s all in motion, it’s all happening”. One of her favourite weddings – a symbolic, rather than legal marriage – was last summer in a lavender field, where the couple went for a walk and had a picnic, then said their vows at sunset. “And then we walked back through the fields capturing more of a twilight look as well. So that was a whole day of an intimate experience, with the two people just by themselves.” She is booked for a sunset beach wedding and treehouse ceremony next year, but she says an elopement doesn’t necessarily have to be in a dramatic or remote location. Last week, she shot a couple, their maid of honour and best man, in a city wedding in London. “A lot of couples just want to do something in the city that they love.”
