On your day, your love is the most important thing. It is not the size, the look, or even the activities. The most important thing is celebrating the special connection you and your partner share.
Times are changing, and traditions are taking on new forms. Couples everywhere are looking to celebrate their love in more meaningful, personal ways with only those closest to them.
Maybe COVID-19 flipped your original plans on their head, and you’re looking for a safe and memorable alternative. Or, perhaps, you’ve been dreaming of a non-traditional ceremony all along. Whatever the reason – let me assure you, you’re on the right path. You’re going to remember your unique celebration for years to come.
Your day is going to be amazing.
THE BEST PARTS ABOUT ELOPING
Made just for you
Whether your connection is shared best in a backyard with your closest friends and family or on a mountain top with just you and your partner, elopements can be tailored to support your love’s unique attributes. Your day will be like no other.
Less stress, more celebration
With less chaos, fewer participants, and fewer timeline items to juggle, there’s more time for you to spend together. So much of a traditional wedding day is taken by catching up with guests, entertaining family, and organizing the many details. You deserve a stress-free day with the one you love most, doing what you love most.
Intimate & emotive
There’s a kind of intimacy and closeness that comes with small weddings. With more time and more space for each other, you’ll create memories together that will last a lifetime. Be ready for a few tears and many, many laughs.
There are no rules
There are no rules when it comes to celebrating your connection. Elopements have no predefined structure, leaving you free to share your love wherever – and however – you see fit. Exchanging vows under a waterfall and then an afternoon trip to the coffee shop where you first met? Adorable! A weekend cabin trip for your closest family and friends? That’s going to be a wonderful time. There are no wrong answers.
Together, apart
Whether it’s because of distance, health reasons, or a worldwide pandemic, you can tailor your day to include calls or video chats with important family and friends that couldn’t be there in person. Eloping doesn’t have to mean being disconnected from your loved ones, it just means celebrating in new ways.
What does an elopement look like?
Elopements are no longer just a trip to the courthouse. Your elopement day can consist of anything! Think about what is special for you and your partner. Are there places that hold special meaning to you? Activities that you’d like to share together? Memories you want to recreate or pay homage to?
Small weddings and elopements can take on many forms. They may look like…
A picnic by the water
Get a bottle of your favorite wine, take-out from your favorite restaurant, and a comfy blanket and you’ll be ready for a beautiful day together. This idea is extra cute if you order from a restaurant that means something special to you and your partner.
An afternoon high tea
If you want to enjoy a fancy atmosphere without the stress of a large-scale reception, high tea would be a lovely smaller alternative for just you two or a small party of your family and friends. My favorites around Pittsburgh are The Inn at Negley, Mansions on Fifth, and The Betsey Shoppe.
A small, intimate ceremony
Looking for a low-stress celebration that still incorporates some aspects of a traditional wedding day? With a few chairs and some simple decor, you can set up a beautiful intimate ceremony location almost anywhere.
Getting lost in the woods
If you and your partner have a love for the outdoors, an adventure elopement might be the right path for you. Whether it’s hiking through the gorgeous forests of Western Pennsylvania or embarking on a destination adventure thousands of miles away, it will be a time you remember forever.
Sharing a special treat
From cutting a traditional cake to going on an adventure to the nearest Waffle House, there’s no wrong way to incorporate food into your elopement. My personal favorite idea? Cookie charcuterie!
Spending time with your pets
Who says your special day has to involve people? Bring your furry (or scaly!) friends along for a true family celebration. I say this from experience – dogs make the cutest ring bearers for ceremonies of all sizes.
“Nothing fancy, just love.”
unknown
In summary: elopements can be anything you want them to be! Not sure where to start with your planning? Already have some ideas and can’t wait to share them? Reach out to me! I’d love to hear all about them. I have photographed small weddings with no guests (me and my assistant were their witnesses!) and elopements with full-day timelines of stops to visit family and friends all over. I love sharing my experience with couples looking for a special, small celebration.
Previous Post:
@mayalovro
let's be friends on insta
Hi, this is a comment.
To get started with moderating, editing, and deleting comments, please visit the Comments screen in the dashboard.
Commenter avatars come from Gravatar.