ELOPE DEFINITION. ELOPE. ELOPEMENT.
What comes to your mind when you hear the word elopement? Perhaps a couple in a poorly decorated Las Vegas Chappel in front of an Elvis impersonator and officiant, or a runaway couple getting married behind their families back because of their impossible love? Well, maybe you have watched too many movies.
The modern definition of elopement has nothing to do with those scenarios. Couples set the bar high with breathtaking natural landscapes and locations you did not know existed on earth. Eloping is not about hiding your marriage but about giving your marriage space and meaning that it truly deserves.
Before 2020 eloping was rising in popularity, but the pandemic caused by COVID-19 and the restrictions that came with it
only boosted the trend. Since authorities restricted large gatherings,
the only option many couples had to tie the knot in the short term was eloping.
While some couples chose to postpone their big celebration indefinitely, others decided it was time to take the step, even if that meant doing it alone with only an officiant and their elopement photographer. And along the way, they found out how amazing it was to plan their marriage without having to stress about the budget, family traditions, finding a large enough venue, and of course, providing dinner and drinks for everyone.
But what exactly is an elopement, you might ask? In all honesty, there is no one size fit all definition. Although some general characteristics are the intimacy, which means your ceremony could have non to few attendants. And the adventure, because elopements are not the same as courthouse marriages, involves uncommon locations and traveling at least some miles to find the right place to tie the knot
and take some awesome photos.
If you are still hesitant about planning an adventure elopement because you cannot wrap your head around the idea of getting married in a paradisiac destination without guests and the usual wedding-related traditions, let me show you what an elopement day would look like. Nevertheless, keep in mind that you write the rules when you elope, so your elopement day could be however you want it to be.
Location, location, location.
Every elopement starts here; the first step is choosing the location. And I am not talking about knowing the exact coordinates of where you will tie the knot, but at least a general idea of the region or country you would love to visit.
The magic of choosing your destination is how special the experience will be, because how many couples can say they got married on top of a mountain with views of the ocean or an ancient forest? And how about exchanging vows in the middle of a national park or an infinite desert. You can even get married in a snowed peak or a glacial lake and enjoy the experience of connecting with nature while you declare your love to your partner.
The place you choose to say I do will never look the same in pictures even if another couple marries there; the ever-changing nature will give you a unique landscape for your big day. Nature does not look the same during winter or fall, and it will not look like a traditional wedding venue.
Elopement timeline.
Well, eloping sounds quite fun, you might say, but unlike a typical wedding, there are many activities you will skip during the day; there are no family pictures, meeting and greeting every guest, or spending the night on the dancefloor. Having no guests might leave you thinking about what will happen during the whole day if a ceremony lasts one-hour tops.
Believe it or not, your day will be full of things to do, but just not the usual stressful running from here to there and smiling the whole time, even if you wish you could sit and enjoy your dinner. On the day of your ceremony, you will do whatever you want to; you can do your hair and makeup, you can hire someone to do it. You can go out and have breakfast with your partner, or you can chill until the moment of getting ready arrives. Your elopement will be unique, but there are some common parts regardless of your chosen style and location, and I have listed them below.
- Starting the day
Your day could start in a picturesque cabin in the middle of the woods with your other half enjoying a morning coffee. Or it could begin with a power hike to the location where we will take amazing photos. Depending on the scenario, you might get ready in the city, your hotel room, cabin, or the middle of a natural preserve.
And do not let the fact of not having guests put your style down; eloping is not a synonym of looking like a regular day. It is your wedding day, and you should be as stunning as you want to because you are doing it for yourself, so wear those pointy heels for your photos and have your hair and makeup on point.
- First look
After your glam time is over, it is time to unveil the result, and what better and most romantic way than with a first look. Since you will not be walking down the aisle with hundreds of guests analyzing you, this will be an experience full of meaning and love. You are not worried about what your cousin will say about your hair or what if the train of your dress gets stuck and you trip over.
Just imagine walking in a path surrounded by tall pine trees; you can smell the fresh air and hear the wind blowing over the mountains. Now you get to a perfect little spot from where you can see a river flowing below. You hear the steps of your partner walking towards you, and your heart races like the first time your held hands and kissed years ago. It is funny how excited you are to see each other as if it was the first time. You turn, and you cannot even open your eyes quick enough, but once you do, you see it, the love of your life standing there looking beyond you imagined, and you hold each other so hard you become one.
The whole moment will feel like a blink, but you do not have to worry because I will capture every piece of it for you to relive it over and over.
- CeremonY
Traditional weddings are all about the reception; many guests do not even attend the ceremony because they are only there for fun. But if we give it a thought, the core of the celebration should be your ceremony, because it is where you make promises to your loved one, you exchange vows, and it is when your life as a married couple begins. If you believe your ceremony should be the main event of your wedding day and you want it to be full of meaning and love,
then eloping is for you.
When you elope, no distractions are keeping you from focusing on what matters, no calls from your uncle who does not know how to use technology and gets lost on the highway, no calls from your vendors asking about where they should set the tables, nothing but you and your partner surrounded by nature and living the moment.
And the best of all is you set the rules, so your ceremony can only include you as a couple, your officiant, and of course me, your photographer. If you want to have your nearest and dearest, that is also possible, you can invite a handful of your family and friends, and your ceremony can involve them or be all about your shared love.
Think about the type of ceremony you want to have; if it is only the two of you and you want to climb to the top of a mountain to shout your love for each other, that is fine. And if you are worried about how you will get your mom there, you can find an easy and accessible trail for your ceremony without sacrificing the natural backdrop.
- Celebration
Not having a large traditional reception does not translate into having a ceremony and call it a day. When you elope, you can have the celebration you want; it could be a picnic on a secluded space with a basket full of yummy treats and a bottle of champagne, or perhaps a catering service for two on your cabin with a
romantic table set in the middle of the forest.
- First dance
The idea of dancing to a romantic song, perhaps “your song,” while hundreds of guests stare and point their phone at you does not appeal to you? I do not blame you, who would want to spend such a meaningful moment, the first time you dance with your other half as a married couple, under those circumstances.
Your elopement timeline will be smooth and free; after you finish your delicious meal and relax for a while, it is time to play that special song, perhaps is sunset time or the moon and stars are already shining above you, nothing bothers you as you listen only to your song and the sound of nature. You will forever treasure this moment.
- Your golden hour
As the sun reaches the horizon and lightens up your skin with an incomparable golden tone, you hold each other and think about the amazing experience you just had. There was no rush, no traffic to get to your ceremony, nothing to worry about because all you did was savor the moment.
A moment of calm and gratefulness to the universe for putting you where you are right now, besides the love of your life, after experiencing all the gifts our planet has for you, it is a moment to enjoy and cherish. And I will be there to capture every emotion, but do not worry, you will not even notice me; the magic surrounding you will not even let you bother.
Now you know how wonderful your adventure elopement could be, and that is only the tip of it because, as I mentioned before, no elopement is like others. Your day will be as you want it to be there are no must or should;
you are free to spend the day the way you envision it.
I hope you are now convinced of the many benefits of eloping, and if you are on the look for your elopement photographer, please let me know; I will be more than happy to assist you and guide you through the process, and of course,
take unbelievable photos of your big celebration.
In Conclusion…
that's the elope definition: Elopements aren't for individuals who need to cop-out, hold back, or breeze through the main day of their lives — elopements are for the courageous individuals who care along these lines, so profoundly for the individual they love that they're willing to remove a striking jump from the standard and pick something other
than what's expected, significant, and entirely purposeful.
An elopement is for individuals who need just to go through, a day, two days — anyway long — luxuriating in the personal,
significant second where they decide to submit their lives to one another.
It's for individuals who look at their accomplice without flinching and realize that this day — their big day — is about them and them as it were. It's for the couple that realizes that on the day they vow themselves to one another eternity,
they need all out opportunity to say, do, think, and feel what they need.
Elopements Are not a couple of pictures, permit marking, and it's finished.
Elopements are against pressure, hostile to commitment, hostile to doing-what-every other person advises you-to-do.
Elopements are taking your accomplice's hand, hanging tight, and bouncing into a colossal experience
together in precisely the manner that you need to.
Deliberate. Bold. Engaging.
That is the thing that an elopement truly is. AND THIS IS THE TRUE ELOPE DEFINItiON.
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