We've had a few more enquirers about providing photography for a smaller gathering and we decided to do a little post about what exactly an elopement can be!
What is an elopement?
An elopement has thankfully gone beyond the old fashioned definition of getting married in "a sudden and secretive fashion" - it is instead a way to get married in a way that is a bit more all encompassing and fun! It's a way to redefine your wedding so that it becomes more focused on you as a couple rather than the pure action of getting married - it is so much more.
As a more intimate gathering, it means you can think less about catering to your guests and more towards what the day means to you, how you incorporate little details during your day to truly reflect you and your partner - a wedding day between you and your chosen loved one only comes once and an elopement is one way to make it a great one in a stunning location.
Does it have to be a short day?
This comes down to how you plan your elopement. Just as a wedding needs planning, so does an elopement. The ceremony part with your celebrant can only be a small portion of your elopement if you'd let it - the rest is up to you! Maybe having breakfast with your guests, having a forest walk or relaxing by a lake is more your speed at the beginning of your day. It can then roll into your afternoon ceremony before evening hits, watching the sunset together.
Your photography is a perfect way to capture a beautifully thought-out day in an stunning location. When getting a more journalistic photographer, their unobtrusive approach perfectly compliments a day like this - and who doesn't love a little sunset photography on a special day.
A fun way to change up an elopement is to have multiple outfit changes and maybe your guests, if you've chosen to include them, are part of a full day of celebrations - it really is up to you, to break the mold a little on day that celebrates you and your partner.
How do we plan the ceremony?
If you decide to include a ceremony as part of your elopement, just in the same way that your photographer is an integral part of your day (😁), your choice in celebrant or humanist will also play a strong part in the personality of your day. Discussing music or personal rituals such as hand-fasting or a personal exchange, your celebrant or humanist will help connect your ideas up and channel a ceremony that authentically reflects both you and your partner.
To make sure everything goes smoothly on the day, the only big thing to remember is the legal stuff. If the person doing the ceremony or the location you're in isn't legally recognised for marriage or civil partnership, you and your partner will need to schedule in the registry part before the elopement, either on the same day or ideally, to allow for maximum flexibility on your elopement, on a separate day before your elopement. This isn't as uncommon as you might think - a lot of multi-cultural weddings follow this same approach where celebrations last over several different days - each day being a meaningful part of a couple's union! It mean's that having already signed the official documents, your elopement truly becomes a celebration of you and your partner.
What are the benefits of having an elopement over a wedding day?
In this post, we've used words and phrases like:
authentic
breaking the mold
intimate
truly reflect you and your partner
And we think this is basically the benefits of an elopement in a nutshell! For some couples, having a large wedding can feel very much like your day is running away from you, becoming less centered on you and your partner and more about the family and friends which as a couple, may not seem like a happy scenario - and it's honestly alright to feel that way. As a couple that has decided to make this special step, something intimate and a little less structured or traditional can end up being so much more relaxing and can allow you to truly reflect on the commitment you've chosen to make to each other.
If you feel like an elopement is something that you might want to consider, get in touch and let's have a chat!