Wait, what's eloping?
There're many ways to describe what elopements are, and unfortunately, there's a lot of misconception around it. I'm not going to tell you about all of it; I instead want to tell you what's my definition of an elopement: It is a day that you choose for the two of you to celebrate your love, relationship, hardships in a place (or places) that is or will be special, where you can create new memories together.
Yes, elopements are real weddings. Yes, you can be just the two of you, or you can also bring your pets, family and BFFs along for the adventure. And yes, you can have an epic day even right into your backyard ( I mean that literally).
What sort of things can we do while eloping?
I can tell you from personal experience that planning an elopement is so much fun. My husband and I eloped in Tofino, BC. We had a blast getting married on the beach, then hanging out all day with our fur baby, friends and family.
We explored around town, stopped by a local coffee shop for a pit stop made of hot chocolate and donuts and finished the day on the beach looking for all sorts of sea creatures. We had such a blast!
What's excellent with elopement is that you can really tailor the day around your needs and personalities. Here are a few ideas:
- you could climb a mountain (or being dropped on top of one)
- have a wedding in your own living-room
- you can go out in town for your favourite treats and drinks with your BFFs
- play board games
- go out mountain biking
- go for a stroll (nature or cityscape, both work either way)
- dance in the middle of the street
- kayaking in the rain
- feeding ducks in a pond
- stargazing or drive around for a few hours stopping by some fantastic views
The possibilities are endless!
Timeline
So what does a day looks like? Well, here is how I usually plan my elopement coverage. It will, of course, really depends on what each couple will want. I love following the flow of people I meet, so every elopement feels really different!
This is also based on where I live, Squamish and Vancouver; it can be adapted to where you are.
Here is how a six-hour day might look like :
7:30 -9:00 AM: couple getting ready
9:15 AM: first looks, private moment, portraits
10 AM: leave for location by vehicle or foot.
10:15 AM: A pit stop at a coffee shop.
10:30 AM: arrive on-site, start hiking to a unique location/scenic landscape or cityscape
11 AM: vows, first kiss, portraits.
11:30 AM: head back to the vehicle.
Noon: brunch/ picnic at a local beach, first dance. Private moment.
1 PM: Closest friends and family portraits or couples' portraits on location, scenic Images. Heading to the water for a cold water dip/canoe or stand-up paddle.
I hope this is helpful, especially during this uncertain time where we are still in a pandemic, and downsizing weddings is the only option available.
Just know that you don't have to postpone everything; you can always make it happen in a way that will be unique to you!
Maïna
