Post by missjenniebean on Jan 25, 2016 10:24:04 GMT -5
I know this is a baby board but....
Those of you who eloped, how did you go about doing it? I would love to elope just don't know really how to get started or still involve my family, other than the dress thing.
So...anyone with any tips, eloped or not....let's hear some tips! Please? and thank you!
Post by mrsmonogrammed on Jan 25, 2016 10:27:03 GMT -5
Do you want to elope like local courthouse wedding, or more like take a vacation to somewhere and get married there just the 2 of you? My answer would probably vary based on this
Post by candylandycane on Jan 25, 2016 10:57:34 GMT -5
We eloped! I highly recommend it.
We were engaged summer 2011 and planned for a winter wedding 2012. Then my sister got pregnant early 2012 and wanted to rush her wedding before baby (she was engaged at the time), so my parents asked me to push the wedding until after my sister's. We were frustrated, but whatever. Planned for a 2013 winter wedding. July 4th weekend 2013 came and we just said EFF IT. We were ready to be married and on a whim got our marriage license. We each asked a friend to witness. Plan was to wed at the courthouse, but it was just so...sad. I couldn't do it. So. I googled wedding officiants and found one in the area who did weddings in her garden backyard. She has an opening that weekend, so we jumped on it! We both called our parents right before and told them. His parents were sad to miss it, but not upset. They had also eloped. My parents were pissed. But really more sad I think. Everyone was over it quickly and then just happy for us. (I'm talking hours, that's it.) I wore a really simple dress and shoes I already owned. I bought a cheap veil. And DH wore a suit he already owned. We honeymooned that night in a local inn. My friend brought cupcakes to the ceremony and we all are them after. It was really simple, but we both agree it was perfect for us. TL;DR Eloping is awesome. Poof Sorry for the novel! But just really love our wedding story and trying to sell eloping!
We basically eloped because he was deploying to Iraq. My H and I were married by the chaplain of the university that I attended. We had my parents there, his parents there, our siblings that could make it, and three sets of friends. His good friends, my good friends, and the couple that introduced us.
My mom went dress shopping with me, along with my friend Jamie. After the ceremony, we all went and ate dinner at a local restaurant and had a small cake. It was perfect. I loved every minute of it. Small, intimate, and inexpensive.
Sometimes I wish I had the entire "wedding experience," but overall, I'm glad we did it the way we did. I just wanted to be his wife. If something had happened while he was deployed and I hadn't married him, I would have regretted it.
Post by candylandycane on Jan 25, 2016 11:06:47 GMT -5
Wanted to add- the money our parents had set aside for the wedding they gifted to us towards our house. Also, gave us money for our honeymoon. Just another great reason to elope. Save a TON of money. I think it cost us less than $300.
Post by missjenniebean on Jan 25, 2016 12:00:56 GMT -5
candylandycane - I love that story! So beautiful and totally perfect.
@jemomma - his family lives in Indonesia and probably won't make it, his brother is the only one here. He says he doesn't mind that part, he just says that I deserve the experience and deep down I would be sad if I didn't do it. And he loves the attention. But the thought of planning stresses me out beyond belief and idk how we pay for it as no one will be helping us, which is fine. I don't expect it. We don't know yet, I'm thinking Puerto Rico. They have beaches, mountains, and it is exotic but don't need passports. One of his jobs is with a major airline company, so we fly for free, so no money needed there unless its international. I've never been the type of girl who wanted and planned to be married. Hehe I just love the idea of us celebrating us, no drama with others, no expectations. Just us and our love.
Post by billyhorrible on Jan 25, 2016 13:19:39 GMT -5
I didn't elope, but it is my number 1 recommendation for weddings
So much stress and planning involved in a wedding, and it really becomes about everyone BUT the bride and groom. (If done right, because obviously there are some bridezillas who are all "me me me me me - screw the guests.")
There are a ton of resources if you want to go somewhere like Puerto Rico. Wedding planners who will set up everything (ceremony, officiant, etc.) so you just need to show up. I would try contacting hotels in the area for recommendations. Then pick a date, let your families know (or best friends, or whoever is MOST important for you to be there) and go!
I wanted to elope but DH had never been married and wanted the experience. We ended up having a very small wedding with only 30 something guests, and I loved it in the end. But I would have been fine with just me, DH, DS1, and one friend each going up to a nice mountain location alone.
The piece of advice I would give any bride is that while your wedding is a very important day it is only one day. And, when all is said and done, it probably isn't THE most important day of your life (but since you already have a baby I'm sure I don't have to tell you that.)so just keep it simple and don't get bogged down in chaos and stress over it. At the end of the day, if you are married, it was a success.
Post by missjenniebean on Jan 25, 2016 14:12:45 GMT -5
@jimbobcooter , that's the other thing. I told him we already celebrated our love with family & friends by celebrating V the baby, why do we need to celebrate again? thank you!
Post by missjenniebean on Jan 25, 2016 16:01:53 GMT -5
@poppyc8, not at all. They now live in Jakarta, but he grew up originally from a city called Manado.
They were suppose to come visit V when she was born but unfortunately never made it, hopefully they can come soon! If not, I plan on taking a trip to them. I really want them to be a part of her life and her understand part of her heritage.
Post by tatersalad on Jan 25, 2016 20:13:51 GMT -5
We wanted to elope and have a big party after the honeymoon, but my father-in-law and my grandparents made a fuss so we got married at our "engagement" party instead. A family friend who was helping to host it took care of all the annoying planning details, we had a five minute ceremony in the yard, and it was perfect for us. After our honeymoon we had a huge reception. Highly recommend skipping the formal hoopla.
We 'kind of' eloped. We had a symbolic ceremony (not legal) on the beach in Mexico. We really wanted the experience and the pictures. We loved every minute of it. The following weekend after we returned home, we had a legal ceremony with our family and friends. It was just supposed to be small, but my H's family kept blowing it out of proportion, so it wound up being a full blown wedding/reception, but backyard style.
Then Comes Family, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising
program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.