WE ELOPED!
You’re invited to crash the real elopements of couples around the world to get day-of details, inspiration and advice. Enjoy all of the elopement eye-candy!
Serene Elopement in Mahe, Seychelles
Serene Elopement in Mahe, Seychelles
Couple: Andrea and Jason, Ontario, Canada // 25 May
Venue: Four Seasons, Petite Anse, Mahé, Seychelles
Somewhere between designing wedding invitations and selecting floral arrangements, Andrea and Jason realized that the traditional, fancy affair that they were planning just didn’t feel quite right. The pair was less enthused about registries and rehearsal dinners, and more excited dreaming about their exotic honeymoon options. Despite having already booked a venue, they made the decision to pull the plug on their plans and be true to themselves. The result? A full on fairytale! Check out this elopement on the island of Mahe in Seychelles, complete with shimmering white sands, serene sunset photos and a twinkling candlelit dinner for two. The couple hired photographer De Waal Rautenbach to document all the dreamy details of their destination elopement.
What made you decide to elope?
Eloping was not something we initially planned to do. We actually had a venue booked, deposit paid, and we had begun looking for a photographer, flowers, invites, etc. As we were going through the process of planning a wedding, we quickly realized we didn’t enjoy any part of it. It simply wasn’t for us; we couldn’t picture ourselves in it which made it extremely difficult to try and plan. We found ourselves sitting down to plan the wedding, but instead of choosing colours we’d end up researching honeymoon destinations! We realized that we needed to be true to ourselves, and cancelled our local venue to elope abroad.
Describe your elopement planning process
Planning our elopement was extremely easy, and we “planned” it to be that way! We simply booked our trip to the Four Seasons Resort Seychelles and contacted their wedding specialist who provided us with different wedding packages, they would take care of all of the details. We were also provided with local photographer recommendations and booking was as simple as few emails with De Waal at De Waal Rautenbach Photography. Closer to our departure, we had a 40 minute call with our wedding specialist to iron out the timing of the day, venue, vows, cake, flowers, where we would get ready, dinner, etc. It was exciting to know that we’d soon be getting married in an exotic location of our dreams and all the details were being taken care of by their expert staff.
Where in the world did you elope?
We were married on the white sand beach at the Four Seasons Resort Seychelles which is located at Petite Anse, Mahé, Seychelles. Jason is an avid traveler and had always wanted to visit Seychelles. The beaches are stunning, the best in the world, and the water is so blue! We specifically chose the Four Seasons Resort because it offered a stunning and secluded beach, wedding packages covering all details and planning, and panoramic views from the spacious hilltop villas. Also, you can be legally married in Seychelles and this was really important to us.
Recap your big day for the EA audience…
On our wedding day in Seychelles, we enjoyed breakfast together and then headed down to the beach. We relaxed and swam in the ocean until it was time to get ready. While I was getting ready at the Hilltop Spa, Jason was in our villa. We didn’t want to see each other before the actual ceremony. I had my hair styled and did my own makeup. I wore a light dress to stay cool in the Seychelles heat, a silver and pearl hair comb from Davie and Chiyo, a bracelet which was a gift from my mom, and although I had heels the actual ceremony would be barefoot on the beach. My bouquet was made from exotic local flowers. Jason wore a light grey suit and white button up shirt.
De Waal went back and forth between Jason and I to take photos of us getting ready. When it was time for the actual ceremony, Anna our coordinator, and De Waal accompanied me down from the spa in a beautifully decorated buggy to the beach. There was an opening in the greens along the beach where I walked out to see Jason by a white flower arch surrounded by palm trees and the large granite rocks Seychelles is known for. The location was perfect because it was in a relatively secluded, private area. The ceremony was short and sweet (at our request), followed by a champagne toast and cake cutting. We then took photos with De Waal along the water as well as back at the Hilltop Spa. Everything was timed perfectly so that we had the best of the sunset light for our photos. It really couldn’t have worked out better!
Afterwards, we had dinner at Foumba (“old house” in Creole) which showcases the ruins of a typical Creole house located right on the resort. Only the four walls remained, overtaken by vegetation decorated with flowers, twinkling candles and fairy lights overhead. The food was absolutely delicious and it was one of the most romantic dinners we’ve ever had together. The whole day was more than we ever dreamed of!
What was the best part of eloping? What was the hardest part?
The best part of eloping was being able to tailor our day to exactly what we wanted and to be able to get married at such a stunning venue. The hardest part was telling our family and friends that we cancelled our traditional wedding to elope.
Did you have a honeymoon or include a honeymoon stop?
We booked another week at the lovely Four Seasons in Petite Anse, Mahé, Seychelles for our honeymoon.
What was the approximate cost of your elopement and what did that include?
The wedding package we chose was approximately $4,000 (CAD) which included everything from the wedding coordinator, flowers, cake, champagne toast, dinner, officiant, in-villa breakfast, and honeymoon couples massages. We spent approximately $2,000 on attire, $2,500 on the rings, $150 on hair styling, $1,000 on photography, $3,500 on flights and $17,000 on accommodations (including the honeymoon).
How did you share your news? Did you host a post-elopement party?
We made sure to spread the news about our decision to elope before we left. There were many long discussions with our parents before we decided to cancel our local wedding. It was difficult but eventually they supported our decision. We’ll be celebrating with our family and close friends this summer with a backyard BBQ at our home.
What advice do you have for couples who are considering an elopement?
Go for it, have fun and enjoy! It’s one of the best decisions we’ve made together and we wouldn’t change one thing about it. The only thing we regret was not making the decision sooner and losing our deposit at the local venue we cancelled.
Photographer: De Waal Rautenbach, De Waal Rautenbach Photography
Planner: Anna Gnyrya, Four Seasons Resort Seychelles
Venue: Four Seasons Resort Seychelles, Petite Anse, Mahé
Florist: Four Seasons Resort Seychelles
Dinner and Cake: The Foumba, Four Seasons Resort Seychelles
Hair: Hilltop Spa, Four Seasons Resort Seychelles Hilltop Spa
Hair Accessory: Davie and Chiyo
Accommodations: The Serenity Villa at the Four Seasons Resort Seychelles
Many thanks to De Waal of De Waal Rautenbach Photography for the gorgeous wedding photographs, and to Andrea for sharing her inspiring elopement story with us!
Ready to plan your elopement abroad? We’ve got you covered with a FREE detailed Destination Elopement Checklist, just subscribe to claim this and several other destination elopement planning tools.
Four Seasons Resort Seychelles
Beautiful Beach Elopement in Ocho Rios, Jamaica
Beautiful Beach Elopement in Ocho Rios, Jamaica
Couple: Shandi and Jon, Houston, USA // 21 Jul
Venue: Private Beach, Ocho Rios, Jamaica
Dreaming of a beautiful, barefoot, beach wedding in a tropical paradise? You will be when you see this laidback and lovely elopement in Ocho Rios, Jamaica! With the majestic Blue Mountains and lush rainforests on one side and the clear teal waters of the Caribbean Sea on the other, this couple exchanged their vows in an intimate coastal ceremony while their photographers from Morgan Lynn Photography captured every breathtaking aspect of their stress-free big day.
What made you decide to elope?
Jon and I love to travel and we agreed early in our relationship that every year we would travel to a new place, not necessarily overseas but somewhere that we haven’t explored yet. Our love of travel made it an easy decision to have a wedding abroad in Jamaica. Also, we had both had big weddings previously with marriages that didn’t work out. This time around we wanted to do a wedding just for us, instead of a huge wedding for everyone else.
Describe your elopement planning process
We didn’t hire a planner for our wedding, but we did a lot of research on locations and resorts online before we made our decision. There were a few destinations that we looked at and decided against fairly early on, some in Europe for instance, because the legal marriage process was too complex. Also, we liked the idea of a beach wedding so that guided our search.
Where in the world did you elope?
We chose the Couples San Souci resort in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. It had really great reviews as a smaller intimate resort for couples, and is adults only. We knew we wanted to stay at a resort because it made it easier to plan, we didn’t have to worry about food or drinks, but we still wanted somewhere that felt intimate and special. The resort had its own area for wedding ceremonies but it required a package deal (which would work if we were expecting guests). Instead we did more research on our own and found a private wedding company that performed the ceremony for us on a beautiful private beach.
Recap your big day for the EA audience…
We both got ready for our ceremony at the resort, but didn’t want to see each other dressed up until we had our first look. I wore a gown from BHLDN, which was the perfect light and airy beach dress. Jon wore a suit from J.Crew. After our photographers, Morgan and Amir, shot us getting ready, we went down to the resort and shot our first look photos. After our first look, and many tears of joy, we took a limo to the private beach where our minister was waiting.
We were married barefoot in the sand surrounded by flower petals in a heart. We both wrote our own vows, and then cried through the whole ceremony (yes, even Jon). The only people present in our special moment were Morgan and Amir, as both our photographers and witnesses, and the minister (potentially a few locals and a dog too). After the wedding ceremony we took more pictures on the beach, and back at the resort while the sun set. After everything was said and done, we shared a bottle of champagne with Morgan and Amir to commemorate this big moment. We didn’t have a cake on our wedding night, but we did have cupcakes and a buffet style dinner for our family and friends party back in Houston.
What unique or personal elements did you include?
Before we were married we exchanged wedding gifts. Jon gave me a Cartier Love Bracelet, which I have not taken off since. I got him a limited edition Cartier trinity ring, symbolizing love past, present, and future. We didn’t really follow any other wedding traditions, we just wanted it to be our own moment.
What was the best part of eloping? What was the hardest part?
The best part of eloping was having an experience that was just mine and his. Sharing this experience together, only the two of us, was so intimate and is something that we will both cherish forever.
The hardest part of eloping disappointing some people who wanted to be at the wedding. We found that most people understood, and in the end we had a party which we invited our family and friends to, so it was a compromise.
Did you have a honeymoon or include a honeymoon stop?
The rest of our trip was our tropical honeymoon! We stayed at the resort for several more days and enjoyed being newlyweds after the wedding was over.
What was the approximate cost of your elopement and what did that include?
To be honest I didn’t calculate the cost of our elopement. The actual wedding ceremony cost was minimal, the only expenses being our photographer, officiant, dress and suit, rings, and champagne (I did my own hair and makeup). The flights and resort accommodations would have been spent on our honeymoon anyways so I feel like that cost was a given. We also spent a few thousand dollars on our post-elopement party at a small venue in Houston.
How did you share your news? Did you host a post-elopement party?
We sent out a card to our friends and family requesting that they join us for dinner and dancing to celebrate our wedding. We hosted a big party in Houston and provided food, drinks and Crave Cupcakes.
What advice do you have for couples who are considering an elopement?
I would say to make sure you do your research beforehand to ensure that you have everything you need for the elopement (both legally and everything you need for your trip because some places you may go won’t have much of selection if you forgot something). Also, make sure you understand your budget and if you want to have a post elopement party, make sure it is budgeted as well. You might find that it costs more than the elopement, but that depends on how many people are invited of course.
Photographer: Morgan and Amir, Morgan Lynn Photography
Venue: Private Beach in Ocho Rios
Cake: Crave Cupcakes
Accommodations: Couples San Souci Resort, Ocho Rios
Other: (Videography, Stationary, etc.) Tiny Prints/Shutterfly
Big thanks to Morgan of Morgan Lynn Photography for the gorgeous photographs, and to Shandi for sharing her beautiful wedding story with us!
Ready to plan your elopement abroad?
We’ve got you covered with a FREE detailed Destination Elopement Checklist, just subscribe to claim this and several other destination elopement planning tools.
Couples San Souci Resort
Picturesque Elopement in Paris, France
Picturesque Elopement in Paris, France
Couple: Kerrie-Anne and Nathan, Adelaide, Australia // 2 Jul
Venue: Le Palais Royale Gardens, Paris, France
A stunning ceremony in a cozy corner of Le Palais Royale Gardens and a degustation dinner at Le Jules Verne in the Eiffel Tower. Ooh la la! Kerrie-Anne & Nathan’s elopement in Paris, France is simply picturesque! For about the same amount as you’d spend on an engagement ring, this pair enjoyed a stylish, impromptu elopement in one of the most romantic cities in the world.
What made you decide to elope?
We had discussed engagement rings and getting engaged as it was our seventh year together. However, I wanted to do something a little bit different. While we were planning our month long European holiday, I suggested eloping in Paris. For about the same cost of an engagement ring, we could elope in style in one of the most romantic cities in the world. It was something new and exciting and we both loved the idea. It would be our own little wedding. France has a complicated bureaucratic process involving paperwork and residency, so we were unable to legally wed. Since this was a spur of the moment thing, we decided this would be our own personal symbolic ceremony and we would have the legal wedding in Australia with our family and friends.
Describe your elopement planning process
It took us a couple of months to plan. We didn’t hire a planner, however Kasia from French Grey Events had a package which included the celebrant, photography and hair/makeup. This made planning a lot easier, especially since we were organizing this from overseas. Purchasing the package ended up being the best decision we made, as everything flowed so well on our big day. By keeping it simple and using the minimum amount of suppliers, we were able to really focus on each other.
Where in the world did you elope?
We eloped in Paris, France. We chose this location as it is the city of romance! It was also conveniently already on our European tour plan so we were able to adjust our itinerary to include our elopement in Paris.
Recap your big day for the EA audience…
Our elopement in Paris started with a relaxing morning sight seeing before coming back to our hotel to get ready for the big event. While Allison was getting me ready with my hair and makeup, Nathan got ready in a separate room. Brian then showed up to take a few pre-wedding photos in our hotel room and the hotel lobby. We are pretty easy going individuals, so the details of the venue for our symbolic ceremony were picked on the big day by our celebrant. We were staying in Citadine Suites Louvre (La Clef Louvre), which is located right next to the Le Palais Royale Gardens. We found a cozy secluded area in the gardens where we were able to hold the ceremony.
The ceremony was extremely personal and moving for each of us. We included a couple of readings that we personally picked out for the ceremony and also chose to do a ring and candle ritual. We also personally wrote our vows to each other (and used these same vows in our wedding in Sydney!). After the ceremony we spent the next hour taking lovely photos together in the gardens and with the Eiffel Tower in the background. We ended our day with a degustation dinner in the Eiffel Tower at Le Jules Verne!
What unique or personal elements did you include?
We didn’t incorporate anything from our family or heritage into our celebration because we knew we were having another official, and legal, wedding ceremony back in Australia with our friends and family. We made our elopement a special day just about us, writing our own vows and picking the readings for the ceremony.
What was the best part of eloping? What was the hardest part?
The best part of eloping was being able to just focus on the other person without worrying about anything else that is required when you host a wedding with guests. The most challenging part was organizing it from overseas. We had to place a lot of faith and trust in people who we hadn’t met before. But by doing our homework and researching, reading reviews, blogs, websites, and checking out photos from other couples, we were able to find the right vendor for us.
Did you have a honeymoon or include a honeymoon stop?
The European trip we were on was our honeymoon! We were able to elope early on in our holiday and we then spent the next couple of weeks together driving through Europe to celebrate.
What was the approximate cost of your elopement and what did that include?
The cost of the elopement was around $9000 (AUD). It helped that we had already budgeted travel costs and accommodations into our trip to Europe.
How did you share your news? Did you host a post-elopement party?
We had to tell our parents and immediate family what we were intending to do. They were expecting an engagement ring but supported our plans to do something different and meaningful for ourselves. While we were on our holiday we were careful not to post any photos or share any information about the elopement (carefully hiding the rings in all the photos!). Once we were back home, we organized a catch up with friends under the guise of talking about our recent holiday but then surprised them with our news that we had eloped!
What advice do you have for couples who are considering an elopement?
Relax and enjoy the moment. Remember that you’re doing this to get married to the person you love. It doesn’t matter if the hair and makeup artist is late because she got stuck in the Parisian traffic. Or that your bra was showing at the back in some of the photos. Or that you lost a hair piece somewhere on the streets of Paris. Treat yourself! Enjoy yourself! And of course the person you’re marrying too.
Photographer: Brian Wright, French Grey Photography
Officiant: Kasia Wright, French Grey Events
Venue: Le Palais Royale Gardens
Dinner: Le Jules Verne
Hair: Allison Depriestre, Modern Beauties
Makeup: Allison Depriestre, Modern Beauties
Accommodations: La Clef Louvre Paris
For even more candid information about how Kerrie-Anne planned this perfect elopement, check out her post How to Elope in Paris at the Kerrie-Anne Teo blog. Our thanks to Kerrie-Anne for sharing her stunning wedding story with us!
Ready to plan your elopement abroad?
We’ve got you covered with a FREE detailed Destination Elopement Checklist, just subscribe to claim this and several other destination elopement planning tools.
La Clef Louvre Hotel
Le Palais Royale Gardens
Le Jules Verne Restaurant
Enchanting Elopement in San Sebastian, Spain
Enchanting Elopement in San Sebastian, Spain
Couple: Jo and Jonathan, Colorado, USA // 31 Mar
Venue: Hotel Maria Cristina, San Sebastian, Spain
What made you decide to elope?
We eloped because we wanted to do something adventurous and exciting to celebrate getting married. Some of our very best memories over the years have been traveling together and exploring. It’s definitely a bonding experience to set out into the world and navigate new cities and sights with your partner. We didn’t want to spend a ton of money but we wanted something special, intimate and unique. When we told our families that we were eloping they were more excited to hear that we were getting married than how or where. We’re lucky that our families have always been supportive of us (and our sometimes eccentric, unorthodox ideas!).
Describe your elopement planning process
We decided several years before we actually got married that we wanted to elope, but we didn’t actually start planning anything specific until about two months prior (how’s that for procrastination!). It was tough to decide on a destination because there are so many places we want to go together. A few key pieces were a given from the get go though, like the date and the climate. We knew that we wanted to get married on our anniversary in March and I wanted to wear a short dress for ease of packing, which meant cold weather destinations were out.
Comparing options (usually over beer and pizza) was so fun, it felt like choosing a prize on a gameshow: one amazing blow-out vacation behind door number one, and another once in a lifetime trip behind door number two. After much deliberation we narrowed our long list of locations down to two candidates- one city and one island. Both elopement weddings would have been incredible so ultimately we based our decision on what we wanted to do with the rest of the trip- relax on a beach or runaround exploring and sightseeing? Our favorite trips tend to be the latter.
After we selected our spot, we set out to nail down the details. The accommodations were the easiest part because we’d been stockpiling hotel reward points with our credit card. We contacted the Hotel Maria Cristina to ask about a local celebrant and they put us in touch with Leire, of 20 Eventos, who was amazing! She recommended other vendors and helped us pull together the services and reservations we wanted. Our best decision was working with her and our photographer Oier Aso, who was super laid-back and (as you can see here) extraordinarily talented!
Where in the world did you elope?
We eloped to San Sebastian, which is a dreamy seaside town in Spain’s Basque country. The city’s known for its picturesque scenery, including the stunning turquoise coastline of La Concha beach. It also has quite an enchanting old town area with lots of art deco architecture and cobbled streets. San Sebastian’s also known for its world renowned cuisine (more Michelin stars per capita here than almost anywhere in the world), so we knew the trip wouldn’t be lacking in indulgence. Our ceremony took place on our suite terrace at the chic Maria Cristina hotel. The terrace overlooked the crashing waves of the Urumea River- it was incredibly romantic!
Recap your big day for the EA audience…
Our wedding day began with his and her spa treatments, followed by a long lunch at La Perla (formally frequented by the queen herself), and a view the Bay of Biscay. We picked up two bottles of French champagne on our way back to our suite where we got ready for the wedding. Before the ceremony we exchanged wedding gifts, I gave my husband collar stays engraved in Basque and he gave me my grandma’s antique watch which he had restored.
I had my make-up done professionally but opted to do my own hair (I wanted to look like myself in our photos). I wore an elopement-friendly, short, Melissa Sweet dress and I carried a bouquet of gardenias and blush roses. We said our vows on our balcony in the company of our officiant, Liere Ibanez, and our photographer, Oier Aso, to an acoustic version of “In My Life” by the Beatles. After the ceremony, we toured around San Sebastian for a photoshoot in the rain. We ended the evening with a seven-course Michelin star wedding dinner at Kokotxa in old town. It was the perfect wedding for us and entirely surreal at the same time.
What unique or personal elements did you include?
I love jewelry that has history. My engagement ring includes a family diamond that goes back four generations of Jos on my mom’s side, and the first diamond that my husband gave me 12 years ago. For my wedding, I wore my grandma’s vintage pave bracelet (my old). We were also fortunate enough to be gifted with, and exchange, my husband’s parents’ original wedding bands. We engraved the rings with a cute phrase we’ve been saying to each other since we moved in together way back when. I found my dress at my friend’s bridal store so that was also really special. I planned to “borrow” the heels that I wore by giving them back to her after the wedding but they ended up in the trash after I ran around in the rain- oops. I had a really beautiful taupe and blue garter that is now one of my favorite keepsakes from our I-dos (that covered my new and blue).
What was the best part of eloping? What was the hardest part?
I loved everything about our international elopement! It was definitely the most exciting, luxurious and memorable trip we’ve ever taken. The hardest part was probably figuring out where to start with planning because there wasn’t any how-to guide for a destination elopement. It was also tricky figuring out how and what to pack for an overseas wedding. Initially I was bummed out when it started to rain after our ceremony, but our photos in the rain actually turned out really beautiful (and it’s good luck, right?). The whole thing was uber-romantic and unforgettable.
Did you have a honeymoon or include a honeymoon stop?
The day after our wedding we slept in, enjoyed breakfast in bed and later hoped a train to Paris! Everyone was wishing us well and congratulating us because I had my bouquet with me. The Westin Paris Vendôme upgraded us to a suite with a striking view of the Eiffel Tower. They also left a lovely welcome note with a chilled bottle of champagne and macarons in our room. If my spectacular Spanish wedding didn’t feel surreal enough, being newlyweds in Paris was absolutely dreamlike. Crepes and croissants on the Champs-Élysées, a love-lock on Pont des Arts bridge (yep, we were those people)- l’amour!
What was the approximate cost of your elopement and what did that include?
Our elopement trip was ten days long and included travel between four cities in three countries. We used credit card rewards points for all but one of our accommodations and were gifted miles for one leg of our international flight (thanks sis). We also received a really nice DSLR camera that we would have otherwise bought for the trip (thanks other sis). So, including attire, rings, make-up, flowers, dinner, celebrant, photography, and travel we spent about $5,000.00 on our elopement wedding trip. It was fun indulging ourselves in luxuries and splurging on extravagances we normally wouldn’t (and not feeling guilty at all because we still saved ourselves mucho money compared to having a big wedding).
How did you share your news? Did you host a post-elopement party?
We told our immediate family before we eloped because we didn’t want there to be any hard feelings. We wanted to keep one element of surprise to ourselves so we didn’t disclose where we were going on our trip or the location of our wedding until we got home. We also ended up telling my aunt because she was planning a wedding around the same time as our anniversary and we didn’t want to miss it. When we returned from our trip, we sent out elopement announcements with some of our wedding pictures to all of our friends and family. I used personalized address labels, stamps and seals to include a few photos of our rings and my bouquet. Our families arranged a wedding celebration dinner complete with family photos and topped off with a gorgeous wedding cake and champagne. To our total surprise, each of our immediate family members made really heartfelt and memorable speeches, it was really special!
What advice do you have for couples who are considering an elopement?
Go for it, you only live once! You’re going to have the time of your life and spend far less money and time planning. Explore all your options and travel somewhere you’ve always dreamed of going or someplace special and unique to you. If ever there’s an occasion to spoil yourself and do something spectacular, this is it. Spend money on a great photographer, it’s so worth it to have amazing photos to capture your special day. Also, it’s a good idea to make clear payment arrangements up front with your vendors. We figured we’d use our credit card to pay for some of our services but that’s an assumption we should have checked-out ahead of time. We’ve never had any regrets about our elopement, only wonderful memories of our adventure and intimate wedding. I can’t think of a better way to begin a marriage!
Photographer: Oier Aso, Artefotobodas
Planner: Leire Ibanez, 20Eventos
Officiant: Leire Ibanez, 20Eventos
Makeup: Karmele Soler, Soler B Mak
Venue: Hotel Maria Cristina, San Sebastian
Dinner: Restaurante Kokotxa
Accommodations: Hotel Maria Cristina, San Sebastian
Other: (Videography, Stationary, etc.) Shutterfly/Wedding Paper Divas
Want more wedding details? Check out my San Sebastian Elopement Pinterest board or read the full post- My Wedding Day in San Sebastian
Ready to plan your elopement abroad?
We’ve got you covered with a FREE detailed Destination Elopement Checklist, just subscribe to claim this and several other destination elopement planning tools.
Hotel Maria Cristina
