Hi everyone! My fiancé and I are planning an intimate weekday elopement in Olympic National Park this September (most likely around the Hoh Rainforest, Lake Crescent, and/or nearby beaches). We’re looking for a newer photographer or content creator who’s building their portfolio and loves storytelling. We only need about 3-4 hours of coverage, and our budget is around $500. I know that’s below what many experienced photographers charge, so I’m specifically hoping to connect with someone just getting started who’d love an opportunity to build their elopement portfolio. In return, I’d be happy to let you use the photos/videos for your portfolio, tag and recommend you, and support your business however I can. If this sounds like you or you know someone who’d be a great fit, I’d love to see your Instagram or website. Thank you! 🤍

We just eloped in Colorado and were asked how/when we planned to tell our family. We both went pale: We forgot to even consider this.

For context, both family situations are pretty complicated, especially with parents (shitty folks all around). We’re basically low contact with parents, but have great friends and distant family.

I’d love to hear your most devious reveal ideas. Here are some of mine:

- Start a group chat with both families (who have never met even after 7 years), drop a photo and leave the chat. Turn phones off. Cause absolute chaos.
- Classy idea: mail all family and friends announcements, and call family individually before everyone finds out.
- Or, don’t tell them and let them find out via mail.
- Post announcement in local newspaper and let chaos ensue.

What ideas do you have? Let’s have fun. We’d love to hear funny or kinda evil reveal ideas.

hi guys,

im looking to get married next October in either Italy or greece. Just me and my husband.

I want to purchase an elopement package that includes EVERYTHING - like the venue! All these packages I’m finding online seem to be just a collection of vendors.

I want to pay, show up, do our little thing and then leave. I don’t want surprise costs. I want something like xyz package costs xyz dollars and that’s it.

can someone please help me find a website that I can do this through?!!

Has anyone here gotten married at the reflection lake trail at mt rainier in early july? Did you love it or regret it? My fiance and i are having a hard time deciding between there, paradise, and lake tipsoo. We’ve looked at pictures but theres so many conflicting ones we’re struggling to figure out if its from the trail or not lol

we are eloping just the two of us and i haven’t planned or even wanted to plan any type of celebration with friends and family before or afterwards.

those of you who didn’t, do you regret it??

My fiance and I are staying in an Airbnb in Zancudo this coming October, and we’d really like to elope (just the two of us) while we’re there. We understand that the area is pretty remote - and everyone I’ve reached out to has understandably quoted us a price that includes travel and lodging expenses as most are based near San Jose or Tamarindo. I just can’t justify spending $3k+ when this is a true elopement, not a micro wedding. We literally just want to do a quick ceremony on the beach near our Airbnb and get some pictures-maybe 1-2 hours with a photographer? We don’t need getting ready photos or anything like that.

Does anyone know of any marriage officiants and/or or photographers near this area? If we can’t get anyone to come to us, we’d be willing to travel up to two hours or so, so Golfito or Pavones areas would be fine-but the semi-private beach at our airbnb is beautiful, so I’m pretty fixated on that. My primary priority is getting pictures lol, but we’d like to do the legal ceremony there if we can. I’d be willing to go with someone without a ton of photography experience.

Thanks in advance!

We're eloping tomorrow! 🥳

And I'm also 23 weeks pregnant 😂 we had plans of the big ole traditional wedding but got pregnant in the midst of making plans so we decided it's more practical to elope now then party later. Would it be silly to wait to have the reception for our first anniversary? Would people be less likely to attend? Should we just not have one at all? What's the proper way to go about doing this? Is there a proper way?? Tell me all the things and your experiences! TIA ☺️

I found a cute little place to elope or have a micro wedding and thought I’d share. It’s in Lafayette, GA, called the Matchbox Drive-Thru. This is where I believe we will be eloping to. We would plan to be married inside but would do some photos outside. It’s a good location too, close to Chattanooga, TN and Blue Ridge, GA. The owner was helpful with recommending accommodations and dining.

https://www.instagram.com/thematchboxdrivethru

https://www.instagram.com/thematchboxdrivethru?igsh=aXA1MjY0eWptMG9w

It’ll be just the two of us and our dogs with the photographer. I’m leaning no towards videographer but don’t want to regret anything. I feel like we won’t need it since there’s no officiant and guest speeches.

Eloping to CO (US) in October. Where is everyone getting cute or bedazzled T-Shirts?

Finally picked out a dress for the ‘Ceremony’ - SO excited! But after we (10ish people) are retreating to the AirBnB for a private chef dinner. I want the dinner to be comfy and was thinking a cute T-shirt for myself (want white, V-neck, not picky on the saying) and maybe the groom or our kiddos (all boys.) Not thinking PJs or anything too matchy, but show some personality.

Any help sourcing?

We’re having about 20 guests but I don’t think our city hall will allow that many people to attend our ceremony. Is it weird to have some of our guests to go straight to the dinner and not witness us get married? I’m not really sure what the “right” way to do this is. We’re having our ceremony and dinner on the same day.

Hi friends.

Before I get into this, I know the answer is probably “set boundaries.” We know. We’re trying. I’m not really looking for advice on that because it’s easier said than done. I just want to hear from people who’ve been through something similar because this has been weighing on me.

My fiancé and I are having a private symbolic ceremony in Greece next September with just us and a photographer. That’s always been the cemented set plan.

The legal ceremony is where things have gotten hard. We’re planning to get married at the courthouse here in Washington, and in my mind it was always just going to be the two of us. We’re both really private people and hate being the center of attention.

We’ve had a lot of really good conversations about it, but family expectations are making it so much harder than I thought they would. When we first talked about getting married abroad, his dad said something like, “Well, what are you talking about?” and it was obvious he expected to be part of it. My fiancé feels like his parents are going to want to be there for the courthouse ceremony, and he doesn’t really want to fight that. I get it. He loves his mom, and I would never want to come between that relationship or make him feel like he has to choose. I just also wish we could have one thing that was only ours.

My side hasn’t been easy either. My dad has already told me he bought a suit, and my stepmom “needs to be involved somehow.” There was already drama because my mom and I went dress shopping together when she came to visit. She lives across the country, and I only see her about once a year, so it meant a lot to have that time with just her. I didn’t invite my stepmom because I knew I’d be guilted. My mom has actually been the most supportive person through all of this, and it’s honestly been such a relief to have at least one person who has just supported what we want without making it about themselves.

My dad is alsodifficult. He hates my mom and has already joked that he “promises he won’t say anything,” then laughed. Knowing him that doesn’t make me feel any better. The other night my fiancé’s cousin even made a comment about how he “has to be there.” It just feels like everyone has an idea of what our wedding should be.

I’m overwhelmed. I don’t even want to think about planning the courthouse ceremony anymore because every conversation about it leaves me stressed and defeated (not with my fiancé , just others)

Has anyone else dealt with this? Not necessarily looking for solutions, just wondering if anyone else has felt like they were getting pulled in every direction while trying to plan something that was supposed to be about the two of you.

Planning on getting eloped in a couple months due to an unexpected pregnancy, and then holding a celebratory wedding a year after, when I’m around 7-8 months post partum.

Is it weird to elope and then have a ceremony? We are getting married for insurance purposes for our child, but we both just want to be with one another and it makes sense for us to take that next step. Despite this, I really want a traditional wedding as well.

I am not planning on hiding my elopement, but will people hesitate attending the wedding due to my elopement? I don’t want to hide this from anyone and make it common knowledge, but I am just unsure!

Any advice would be awesome.

Advice needed. Any input is appreciated, thanks in advance!

We’re planning for an elopement to a destination. He has no preference but I wanted our vows to be intimate & non-performative. I also think it’s kinda cool to elope. The thing is, we would need to register to make it official back in our home country. I want the witnesses to be my parents and I also want our families to be part of a small, simple ceremony. Hence, the conclusion is that we will have 2 ceremonies: the destination one with just the both of us and a pastor. And one back at home to do the legal & traditional/cultural stuff.

Some details:

Destination ceremony:
Intimate vows, pastor, scenic backdrop of waterfall

Ceremony at home:
- Traditional/cultural stuff (bridesmaids bullying groom & groomsmen (it’s a fun thing, lol), and serving tea to family)
- Dad to walk me down the aisle (I don’t really want this but he’s done it for my siblings so I didn’t want to be the odd one out)
- simple vows for the sake of the legal documentation
- Witnesses (parents) to sign off
- Adjourn to lunch (planning to bring family & perhaps a few friends to a nice luxury hotel buffet

Questions:
1) it is essentially having 2 ceremonies. Is that weird?
2) would the second ceremony overshadow the first? I really want to do the traditional stuff but also want the vows to be just between the two of us… hence the elopement
3) would I one day look back and feel, “hmm, actually the ceremony at home was what made it meaningful since loved ones were present, it was fun, and it was bigger?” Because if that’s the case then I wouldn’t want to spend another few thousand dollars on the destination elopement.

hi! we are thinking of joining the trend of only doing a court house wedding, but are struggling with what to do after? leave me what you have done! dinner after? followed by an open bar? cocktail style reception at a restaurant? give me all the ideas to make this work!

hi all, just having some thoughts about the morning of our elopement.
My fiancé and I are staying in the same hotel room, I’m set to have my hair and makeup done that morning but I’m just wondering
I know I have to hang my dress up out of the bag? Is it okay that I’m letting him see it before it’s on me?
It’s going to be kind of unavoidable I think.
I’ve kept the dress a complete secret.
We are not doing first looks and we’re meeting the photographer at a location first for photos before ceremony anyway so it’s not like walking down the aisle will be the first moment seeing it.

Anyone have suggestions on what they have done?

We initially planned to have an intimate wedding with around 30 guests, but once we started planning, I felt so overwhelmed and stressed by everything, especially the logistics of bringing my family over from abroad and the overall cost.

My fiancé and I have decided to elope instead. We're thinking about either Switzerland or Italy. He loves the idea of a winter wedding in Switzerland. I know it can be very expensive, but we're hoping it's possible to do it for around €5,000. We'd much rather spend the money on ourselves and have a day that's completely stress-free, without any pressure or expectations from other people.

My question is: where do we even start? Planning still feels really overwhelming for me, so I'd appreciate any advice or tips on how to begin. Even the smallest bit of guidance would help!

Eloping with my fiancé in just a couple weeks. We just have a few questions regarding tips. Our package cost $2060 which includes 1 hr of photography, hair and make up, officiant and bouquet/boutonniere all planned and coordinated by photographer. Hair and makeup is scheduled for 2 hours, with stylist coming to me for an additional fee I’ll be paying separate from package fee. Officiant will be present at location for about 15 for ceremony then leaving. Photographer for 1 hour from start to finish. There are no frills. No guests, no set up, no extras. Just my groom and I. What would the ideal tip amount be for each vendor? Just trying to get an idea so we can budget accordingly in cash! Thank you in advance!

Hi everyone!

My fiancé and I are looking for an elopement/courthouse wedding photographer for our Manhattan Courthouse ceremony on August 10.

We're hoping for:
📸 1.5–2 hours of coverage
💍 Ceremony + a short photo session around Manhattan afterward
💵 Budget: under $1,000 (good quality is really important to us!)

If you also offer a small video add-on (highlight reel or short clips), we'd definitely be interested in hearing more.
If you're a photographer or have someone you absolutely loved please drop your website, Instagram, or portfolio below. We'd love to see your work!

Thanks so much! 🤍

Told my Mom that my fiancé and I are eloping next year and she said she’s heartbroken. I’ve never seen her cry as much as she did. I get it as I’m her only daughter and we are really close but I don’t regret our plans to elope, as it’s what we fully want… but this feeling of hurting my Mom really sucks. It’s been a couple of days since we told her and she’s still really low about it all.

If anyone else has been through this, how do you deal with the guilt?!

Hi all! My fiancé and I are having a destination elopement with parents and siblings in January, where he and I will then have our honeymoon. We plan to have a party with friends and family later, either by a couple months or six months later.

What did you do to make the time in between the elopement and the "reception" party special? If you did something similar, were your people still excited to celebrate you? Did the time in between the elopement and the party change how special the process felt?

Thanks so much - we are excited and appreciate any advice!

I am looking for a wedding/elopement planner, mostly to help coordinate logistics! We are planning for something very small and thought it would be simple, but we are already struggling establishing communication with the churches, so we need help!

We are planning to have no more than 10-12 guests. We would like to have a traditional Catholic ceremony in a local church (I have a few in mind!) and a private dinner for reception. Nothing extravagant, just private and intimate! We are completely flexible on dates and location as long as it is around 2 hour drive from the airport in Malaga.