How to have an adventure elopement or plan a fun-filled small wedding
I always said we’d elope. Having been around weddings since I worked in restaurants in my teens, I’ve seen a whole bunch of celebrations.
I wanted absolute freedom in having a day that was just ours. One filled with love, treats, mountain views and giggles galore.
So, we picked an island in the Pacific where we shared a lot of fun memories and decided to go for it.
I agonized over how we could have a small wedding without making sacrifices. Silly me for waiting to be married until a pandemic arrived.
We went through so many iterations of what a small celebration would look like. How many people could be on our guest list and where could we have the ceremony WE want. With the implications of the limited freedom to gather, how to celebrate safely and if we could, would it still be what we wanted?
What does it mean to Elope?
Choosing to get married in an elopement-style of wedding means enjoying an intimate, laidback way to celebrate your lives together. Doing so in a way that honours your playfulness, creativity, joy and appreciation for one another.
We had an incredible engagement party after being together for a decade, so I didn’t feel like we needed a big wedding.
Do we have a lot of people in our lives we care about? Absolutely! I wanted to be able to truly connect with each person present on my wedding day, not so much of a fleeting hi/bye as a let’s cozy up by a fire and chat.
2020 threw a GINORMOUS curveball to the entire world. And, in this little corner of the planet, two videographers decided to seal the deal.
If you’ve been to Vancouver island and the PNW, you know the opportunities to explore outdoors are endless. But, maybe, you might not know where to start – small weddings, adventure elopements and traveling celebrations can be done entirely on your terms. How cool is that?
P.s. Llamas are welcome guests if you find yourself in the Cowichan Valley.
Here’s what we did instead of having a big wedding:
1) Booked a helicopter to have a first look in a place that felt super special to us
2) Ate dinner at a fancy restaurant the night before our first look.
3) Chose our ceremony location based on what it felt like to be there along with the view
4) Picked up a vegan chocolate cake, organic raspberries and fresh-plucked rosemary
5) Chose two very close friends as our witnesses and shared vows overlooking the Gulf Islands on a misty October afternoon
It was important for us to have an element of adventure and when we first got engaged, it was overwhelming. Having been together for 10 years we chose to host a part in celebration!
The fun part is everyone thought we were getting married right then and there, and the tension was palatable. All we wanted was to treat our friends and family to a delicious evening (2 weeks before Christmas!) in a way that felt authentic to us.
So, if any of this is making you think hmmm,… I want this for my wedding day, this is entirely your call to make. And, if you’re still searching for ideas of how to get married, especially if you’re thinking of an adventure elopement – we have plenty of ideas to share!
Imagine creating a day filled with your favourite things, a day you dream of with the goal to allow you to be totally present on the day you get married. It’s curating an experience beyond the norm, centred on who you are as a couple, your connection to each other curated amidst an environment that brings joy and serenity to your decision to get married.
Elopement Myths
Eloping is boring
Eloping means excluding the people you care about
Eloping is for cheapskates
Eloping is less fun
Eloping needs to be quick/fast
Even if you decide to get married in small-scale celebration now doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate with your loved ones in creative ways.
Eloping in your hometown can be super special if you allow your imagination to run wild. Rather than thinking about what you’re not able to do, consider what is possible. And lean into it.
Example Elopement timelines:
4 hours in Victoria, BC
3pm finish getting ready in your vacation rental
4pm meet for a first look by the water or in the forest
5pm head to a private spot overlooking the ocean to share your vows
6pm finish the day at Sherwood as a married pair, joining your best friends on the patio for dinner + bubbles!
Full Day in Victoria BC
11am start the day with brunch at the beach
12pm start getting ready in your home or vacation rental
1pm meet for a first look + capture the scenery
2pm travel for a picnic snack + treat together (drive-thru ice cream/midday brew?)
3pm Take a harbour ferry to your ceremony location
4pm get married outdoors overlooking the city
7pm finish the night at your favourite restaurant
8pm watch the sunset across the water, followed by dancing and cozy hangs as a married couple
Vancouver Island has an unbelievable amount of places to explore and beautiful landscapes. We’ve filmed at a handful of them and can’t wait to explore more.
The access to city centres and ease of travel makes the island an ideal place for eloping or hosting a wedding. You can experience the sun, surf and snow all in one day and still kick your feet up in front of the fire at the end of the day.
Why it’s awesome: You can venture to a remote location by helicopter (like we did!) or hike up a mountain to share your vows.
Savvy tip: If your date is flexible, you’ll have much more success securing the place/photographer/videographer you want. This is one of the perks of having a small wedding.
Choose HOW you want to get married and where you want to have a celebratory dinner. This might look like pizza on the beach or hot-tubbing at your airbnb while popping bubbly. Curious to see more? Check out Jordan & Zach’s Jordan River & Mystic Beach Elopement video here