If you’ve been planning your wedding I’m sure you’ve come across the terms “elopement”, “tiny wedding” and “micro wedding”. Especially with the worldwide pandemic these alternative ways of getting married have gained popularity - and rightfully so, in my opinion!

But what exactly is an elopement?

A few years ago, when a couple eloped it meant that they had a kind of shotgun-wedding at a courthouse, often without telling anyone about it. But the term has evolved and nowadays, elopements are a far cry from the almost clinical act of signing a paper that might even feel devoid of emotion. On the contrary! To elope nowadays means to plan your wedding day according to your own needs and wishes, with just your closest people (or even just the two of you!) present. So while a big, 100-guest wedding might be planned accoring to your needs, and hopefully is, it’s not an elopement. Because elopements are stripped down to the bare minimum of guests while getting the maximum out for you. They are an emotional experience catered 100% to you and your relationship. Basically, it’s quality over quantity.

While many people think elopements have to take place in the mountains with a stunning backdrop, that’s not the case. Yes, many couple choose do go all in and pick an incredible place they either have a history with or they have always wanted to see. Because why not check something of your bucket list with the person you love most while also taking a step into your future together? But elopements can take place everywhere you want: It can be that beautiful moutaintop or that stunning national park. It can be that beach in the early morning or the romantic sailing boat gently rocking you towards the sunset. But it can also happen in your parent’s backyard, at a rented venue or even in your own home! The point is to pick a place that feels special to you.

Ah, so if I want to save money I should just elope?

No, eloping does not have to mean that your wedding day will be way cheaper, although budget might be the reason for some couples to opt for an elopement. You can definitely save lots of money, depending on how you plan your elopement. But instead, many couples chose to put their wedding budget towards experiences, when they decide to elope: Instead of paying for a dinner and alcohol for hunderds of people, that money might go towards an adventurous helicopter-flight. Or towards a plane ticket to a rad destination to have your elopement there. Or simply a beautiful setting and thoughtful decorations and lodging and a great dinner for your loved ones.

While you can definitely save money when chosing to elope, this should absolutely not be your main reason to chose this way of getting married. Instead, make a budget and think about what is really important to you on your wedding day. Map out what you would do if you could do anything you have always imagined. And then see if those things all fit your budget. You might be surprised!

Will we have a ceremony if we elope?

That depends on what you would like. Some couples chose to just do a symbolical reading of vows where it’s just the two of them. Others have an ordained minister or an officiant with them. Even others ask close friends to lead their ceremony and share their day with them. It’s up to you how you want to plan it but generally, an elopment is centered around something resembling a ceremony. That way you’ll still have a small ritual making your day memorable. It doesn’t matter whether your ceremony is 10 minutes or an hour long.

Oh, but I really want my best friends and parents to be there!

Then invite them! Eloping is not just about it being the two of you, but - again - about your wishes, needs and desires. So if you want to have a few people there, go for it! But try to keep your guest list short because the more people, the more you’ll feel obliged to look after them and their wishes.

So is an elopement just a ceremony?

Usually not. Depending on the amount of people you can have a picknick, a reception, a boat-ride, a dinner or do anything else afterwards. You can go skiing, hiking, dancing - the possibilities are endless since you’re not confined to “but that’s what you should do”.

But what about micro- and tiny weddings?

Micro weddings and tiny weddings are often used interchangeably. The rule of thumb is usually that an elopement might consist of just the couple getting married while a micro wedding has a handful of guests and tiny weddings have up to twenty guests. But these definitions might vary. What these weddings do have in common is that lots of thought and love is put into planning them and their focus is fully on the wishes and characters of the two people promising their lives to each other. So you see: The borders between these terms are fluid and you can pick whichever term makes you feel the safest when saying: This is how we want to get married.

What does this mean for photography? How long should we book you?

Since elopements are a bit different from traditional weddings, I have special pricing available. My coverage for elopements varies from half-day packages for smaller weddings up to three-day packages for adventurous (hiking) elopements. I’d be happy to send you a quote tailored to your needs! Just shoot me a message and we’ll get the ball rolling.

Did I get you interested in eloping? Then send me a message and we'll get started with making the wedding of your dreams come true!

The pictures above are from an inspirational shoot I organized with sweet Katja and Chrigi and their gorgeous VW-Bus Helmut and with the highly-recommended and incredibly talented officiant Simone from lovely words (she does ceremonies in English, too!). The dress was provided to us by Bianca from fairydress.