What is an elopement?
If you ever stumbled across the term “elopement” and didn’t know exactly what that actually means, we are here to help you out. Because if you ask us, elopements are THE NEXT BIG THING when it comes to weddings. More and more couples choose to ditch the big wedding traditions and opt for a more meaningful experience. But let’s start from the top shall we.
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1. What is an elopement?
There is no real definition of what an elopement exactly is but we will try to break it down. If you are strict an elopement wedding are just two people getting married and doing the things THEY love the most. Others might say that every wedding with up to around 15 guests counts as an elopement and it doesn’t have to mean just the two of you.
You could say that elopements might originate from the idea of driving to Las Vegas without telling anyone and coming back as a married couple. And maybe that’s where it all started, maybe not. But nowadays elopements seldomly mean driving or flying to Las Vegas and getting married by someone who is looking a lot like an older version of Elvis. Today couples choose to elope because they cannot resonate with the idea of getting married in front of hundreds of eyes directed right at them. They are looking for a way out of this, they don’t want to be confronted with traditions they don’t approve with. Instead they want to create their own traditions and they want to craft a day that has meaning to them and where they can be free to do whatever THEY want, because at the end of the day it is YOUR day and only you should decide what to do with it.
2. Reasons to elope
This is the perfect transition to our second point that we would like to talk about. Why do couples choose to elope? If we ask our couples that same question we usually get an answer that sounds something like this:
“We didn’t want to deal with all the stress and drama that comes with a big traditional wedding. We felt like the things that really matter would have been lost within this process. And more importantly we don’t feel very comfortable being the centre of attention and we always wanted to get married with nature in our hearts and around us. That’s why we chose to have a mountain elopement”.
But there are so many reasons why an elopement could be the perfect fit for the two of you, so let’s find out if any of the following reasons speak to you:
Less pressure and expectations from others: We know a lot of couples who regret having a big traditional wedding and said afterwards that they wish they eloped. Before planning your own wedding chances are that you have only been confronted with the “classic” idea of how a wedding should look like – big and fairytale-like. And let’s not forget PERFECT! A lot of us (including us) already feel stressed out when reading this and just want to hide from everyone under their warm and cosy blanket. And that’s exactly what an elopement should be for you: your warm & cosy blanket. So leave all the pinterest boards about “the perfect wedding” behind and focus on the things that truly matter to you instead.
Less stress: Celebrating a big wedding almost feels like organising a big event. What colours should our serviettes have, how do we make everyone feel comfortable etc. With all those questions it is easy to lose track of the one thing you shouldn’t lose track on – YOU TWO! But it doesn’t have to be like that. Yes, an elopement also requires some planning beforehand but the one big difference is, that you will absolutely love planning this epic adventure and you won’t feel stressed out by all the tasks.
More time: Sounds crazy, right? Aren’t 12 hours 12 hours, no matter how you spend them? Well we have a different opinion on that. Just imagine spending 12 hours with shaking hands, taking group photos and being forced into traditions you don’t like. Compare this with spending 12 hours in nature, hiking up a mountain at sunrise, flying with a helicopter to a secluded spot and exchanging your vows in complete silence with just those magical mountains around you as your witnesses. We would argue that the first 12 hours might rush past you without you being in the moment.
Sustainability and being mindful: Big weddings usually mean a lot of waste and consumption. With an elopement you have the possibility to reduce this drastically and instead you can focus on creating memories and having an adventure together.
Let your creativity run wild: You don’t plan an elopement for others, you plan it for the two of you. That’s exactly why there are no boundaries in how you want to plan your day. Just do whatever feels right to you and what you want to do on your wedding day.
Authenticity: Maybe you are more of an introverted person and therefore it would feel completely wrong being the centre of attention on your wedding and having to have conversations with so many people. An elopement gives you the opportunity to be just who you are without feeling the need to try to suit everybody.
An adventure just for you: Your wedding day should be something special, I think we can all agree on that. Why not do something you have dreamt about for a long time and spend that day in a way you will always remember. Nothing mainstream, nothing bog standard. Just imagine what a magnificent adventure you could plan when you have all the budget you saved from not throwing a big party.
Extraordinary photos and videos: If you are completely free to choose where and when you want to get married, a lot of couples choose to elope somewhere epic. Not because it is very instagrammable, because you should get goosebumps when you see your photos and your video for the first time.
One of the reasons you sometimes hear of is that an elopement is cheaper than a traditional wedding. But there is a reason why we didn’t list it above. Elopements are very individual, just like every relationship is individual as well. It might be a perfect wedding for you just spending as much time as possible in nature, hiking up a mountain, staying in a hut for the night and exchanging your personal vows in secluded spot at sunrise. For others they are looking for something a bit more luxurious and want to spend their wedding day(s) in a chalet, having a private chef and flying with a helicopter. You see elopements can be minimalistic but you are also free to fulfil yourself every dream you have.
3. Civil ceremony or commitment ceremony?
It is totally up to you how you would like to plan your adventure together. Of course if you want to get officially married on that day you need a civil ceremony (at least in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Dolomites). But most of our couples who come from overseas opt to have their civil ceremony before or after their elopement back home and have their personal ceremony during their elopement. This could mean exchanging your vows in private or hiring someone who holds a commitment ceremony for you and maybe even includes a ritual that you chose beforehand.
If you really want to get officially married on your elopement day there are a few things you have to consider. In Germany for example it is not possible to get married outside in nature. You need to have a designated room for that and cannot decide freely where you want to get married. It is a bit easier in Austria where you have the possibility to get married outside on top of a mountain for example. But you have to find an officiant you is willing to hike up with you (I’m pretty sure your photo, video & planning team might know a few of them ;)).
4. Ideas for your elopement
Once you have left the timeline of a big traditional wedding behind you might start wondering: What are we going to do for 12 hours, two days etc.?
Let’s not forget that this is your time, so you can spend it however you want to. And if traditional weddings deserve one full day we would argue that you deserve at least the same amount (if not more). The main difference is that you will be able to fill your day with adventures instead of endlessly shaking hands.
Every couple is different, therefore every elopement will look different. But we still collected a few ideas for you to start of your brainstorming. And it goes without saying that we will always help you along the planning process and if you only want the fun part, why not book our full service planning that will take care of all the not so fun stuff (for Anne that is the fun stuff, crazy right).
Combine your wedding and your honeymoon. Getting back from your holidays and being married doesn’t sound too bad, does it. You can spend several days/weeks within the area and can explore all the beauties nature has to offer together.
Discover the mountains together. The German, Austrian, Swiss Alps and the Dolomites are endlessly beautiful, and you can explore it all together.
Plan your favourite activities. If you share a passion you can include that in your wedding day. You both love to grab your SUPs and reach places you wouldn’t via foot – include this in your wedding day.
Do something you have never done before. Maybe a helicopter flight, a ride in a hot air balloon or a Jeep-Tour is exactly what you are looking for.
Enjoy the wonders of nature. Star-gazing at night or the golden sun at sunrise/sunset.
Treat yourselves to something special. Have a private chef cook you the dinner of your dreams or relax in a whirlpool together to start the day.
Forget about having only one day. That’s the beauty of it, you can take that adventure you always wanted and split it up into several days. Because sometimes, one day is just not enough time to experience it all. And the most important thing we want to avoid for you, is feeling stressed.
4. How do we find the perfect location for our elopement?
Let’s start with the good news: Compared to the restrictions you often find in the national parks in the United States for example, you are still free to plan your elopement almost anywhere you want. Nature is there for everyone (at least if treat it properly and take care of it). For most parts in the Alps you do not need a permission to go there (for now).
The following questions might help you to narrows down the area where you want to get married:
What is the landscape/scenery that we find most attractive?
What is your favourite season?
How easy to access should the spot be? Are you open for the idea of hiking a few miles to get there?
How important is privacy for you?
Would you like to include certain activities into your day?
One last thing: With a team like us by your side you can be assured that we will help you with finding the perfect location and we do know a few around this beautiful area we call “The Alps”.
5. What about family and friends?
If you want to include family and friends into your elopement day, you absolutely can. A lot of couples who choose to include their family and friends tend to have a multi-day elopement. The first (or second) day can be spend with family and friends at a location that is usually a bit more accessible for everyone and the other day is just for the two of you.
There is also the possibility to include your family and friends without them being physically present on your day:
Let them be part of your preparation back at home. They can accompany when choosing your wedding attire for example.
You can include family heirlooms in your elopement ceremony.
A quick facetime session right after you said “Yes”.
Take little gifts and notes from them with you and open/read them throughout the day.
Send them photos, videos and selfies during your day.
Share all the photos and the video with them afterwards or bring them some souvenirs from your adventure.
6. How to plan an elopement?
Easy. Book our full-service planning and relax. No seriously, planning an elopement is fun, but there may be some areas that are not as fun as others. That’s exactly where an elopement planner is worth every penny. They will have your back and let you enjoy the greatest adventure. They are like little elves, everywhere at the same time, managing everything for you so that you can focus on all the things that truly matter.
It is of course possible to plan your elopement without a planner. Planning an elopement can be split up into five different steps.
Dream Big: Just like with all big adventures, the first step is to dream and brainstorm. Speak about all the ideas you have for your elopement day, don’t think about logistics and details for the moment.
The big decisions: Once you are done dreaming and once you have clearer idea of how your day should look like, it is time to make the most important decisions. Where do you want to get married? When would you like to get married? How long should your elopement adventure be like?
Planning the details: There is a time and place for details and that is now. Book your accommodation, everything you need for travelling and all the other vendors that are part of your elopement. You should also choose which activities you want to include and book them accordingly.
Your timeline: It is getting more and more exciting, and the timeline brings your vision to life (sort of).
Get ready for your big adventure: You have done all the planning and packed all your things. You have told everyone who is part of your elopement what they need to know. Now get ready and enjoy your once in a lifetime adventure.
Now enough with the chitchat and let’s start with all the exciting stuff. Planning your epic adventure together! We sincerely hope that this gave you enough insight on what an elopement can look like and that it encourages you to keep on planning. Whether that is with us by your side or someone else, we want to congratulate you on this brave decision to ditch all the traditions and celebrate your love in a way that truly speaks to you!