When you think of the word elopement, what do you think? Do you think of Gretna Green? Do you think of disobedience? Family politics? Or something else? It's amazing how many couples contact me stressing over things about their big wedding day because of XYZ reason or even contact me wanting to call it off because something has happened. And, I get it, I've been there, I see it a lot. We get so built up in this idea of the perfect white wedding that I think we sometimes miss the point.
It's not uncommon for me to remind couples that a wedding day ISN'T a marriage. And that in fact, a marriage isn't dependent on a “wedding day”. It is, actually dependent on love. And love is a funny thing in its own right. We quite often forget that love itself, is a verb. It's a doing thing. In doing we have a marriage those vows we say, in front of those witnesses, are a public declaration that you will, I will, we will, love. That we will try our best in sickness and in health. It's also admitting that sometimes we make mistakes and we mess things up. It's in these times that the verb, Love, actually starts to make sense.
Throwing away a marriage and relationship like this in the whole picture of things seems, you could say petty. Not getting married because of an unexpected pregnancy, or because you had a disagreement with the potential in-laws. In the heat of the moment can seem like the right thing to do. Maybe, here and there it is the right thing to do, I guess it all depends on you? and that's the point!
What I really want to point out though while I waffle on, Is that people seemingly are throwing away their potential marriage because of the stress and worries of a traditional wedding day. Traditional weddings are for some people and not for others and that's ok!
Elopement isn't a dirty word. The result of an elopement is the same as a traditional wedding. Marriage, Vows and the Verb, Love. You both still end up yelling “WHAT?!” from different sides of the house, you still spend 20 minutes deciding what to have for lunch because you both “Don't mind" and you'll still both wind each other up every now and then… and probably deliberately too.
Fed up of it all? Stressing out? Terrified of standing in front of everyone? We all are. We all were. But if you don't want to do all of that or cause all of that drama then that's ok! Why not elope? Why not run away with the person of your dreams and just marry them? Weddings are as bespoke as your relationship is, and as I tell all of my couples, you need to do what's right for you.
Eloping isn't cheating, it isn't cheeky and it isn't a dirty word. It is simply doing what you want and cutting to the chase. It's simply declaring your love for one another and starting the adventure of marriage.
Photographing an elopement is honestly beautiful. Being allowed to witness and enjoy such a personal moment is unlike anything I have ever done before. The passion, the intimacy and the romance of it all just screams out purity in a way I can hardly describe.
An elopement is the ultimate wedding: it’s all about your love, your way, and your day. You choose your stunning location and focus on the most important part of a wedding day: your vows, and I’ll document your memories to last a lifetime. Eloping is romantic, and it acts as a wonderful template for married life: authenticity, spontaneity, adventure, fun, creativity.
I Just wanted to tell you that, It's ok if you want to elope. Do what's right for you as a couple and what's right for the way you do your verb. Love.
If you would like to read more about my elopement photography then head over to my elopement page here, or contact me!
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