As 2020 arrived, many of us were daydreaming about the wedding year ahead. Will it be a scorcher like 2018, with perfect skies for those outdoor venues? Or, will the sporty couples be planning their wedding days around the Euro 2020 schedules, Wimbledon matches or the Olympics?
Oh 2020, how wrong we were! Our lives and the year ahead now seemingly in limbo, along with lots of wedding plans. With the restrictions in place on how we work, travel, socialise and even celebrate, life all being viewed through an alternative lens. A set of circumstances thrust upon us, but perhaps what this is now teaching us all, is the importance of both simplicity and the things that really matter. Perhaps, (along with hand washing) love can still conquer all?
As we watch the world and society find ingenious ways to adapt to its restrictions, our wedding plans too are being reimagined. Discussions now being had around the size of gatherings, and the idea of bringing everyone together from around the world is most definitely no longer an option. Instead, we see the possibilities of still being able to marry your significant other but on a smaller scale, the Pinterest folders now filling with searches for “Intimate Weddings” and “Elopements”. Instagram #tag searches showing that elopement is now a far cry from the typical notion of running away to secretly marry, but instead bringing back images of stylish couples celebrating their special day to the back drop of jaw dropping scenery. The internet delve providing material that shows that elopements are no longer beholden to idea of a “Shotgun Wedding in the Chapel of Love” but instead highlighting a whole host of welcome nuances. Something we need more so than ever before.
So, why elope? This may have been your idea of perfect anyway, but for those of you not yet convinced, read on.
Freedom and Flexibility
So, elopement might be something you had already been considering? Maybe the larger wedding isn’t for you? Or, the traditional agenda items don’t seem to suit you as a couple? I’m not sure that no cake is ever an option, but each to their own, and that’s the beauty of eloping. By tearing up the rule book it gives you the freedom to create your own way of showing and celebrating your commitment to one another.
Low key doesn’t mean low style
Small and intimate doesn’t have to mean that style needs to be compromised! Without the need to feed and entertain 100+ guests (what was your Mum’s, Aunt’s, Neighbours name again?) couples can keep their budgets in check, providing you with the opportunity to do things that are just for the two of you. So it doesn’t mean you have to skimp on those dream Choos, “The Perfect Dress”, or that beautiful bouquet (that you really didn’t want to throw into a -insert collective noun for an excited group of yet to be wed women, now masquerading as potentials for the England Rugby Squad).
No Pressure, No Stress
Ok, I can’t guarantee you won’t feel any stress, but eloping allows you to focus on what is important-each other, and maybe a small select few. If your venue isn’t licensed you might have chosen to wed at your local registry office mid-week in your jeans and favourite trainers without an audience, then follow up with a ceremony where the pressure is off in a location of your choosing.
Maybe you have a special place? A building or landmark in the UK that holds a real meaning to you both? So now, the side of a mountain at sunrise, a sweeping empty beach or a little secluded slice of heaven in a forest is yours for the taking, suddenly you are limited only by your own imagination.
Whatever you choose…
I’ll still film your wedding. I’m all about the adventure, so whether it’s on top of a mountain, on a beach, by a lake or just somewhere special to you, I’ll work closely with you to ensure your elopement is captured the way you want it to be remembered.
Inspirational Links
Here are some great examples for elopement wedding ideas.
Unique Home Stays
@uniquehomestays
Coco Wedding Venues
@cocoweddingvenues
Petite Weddings
@petiteweddingsuk
The Unbridled Photographer
@the_unbridled
Boho Cornwall
@bohocornwallelopements
The Cow Shed Weddings
@thecowshed
Euridge orangery Weddings
@euridge_events
The Lodge Scotland
thelodgeonlochgoil