There’s a lot that goes into an elopement to make it so magical, but the photographer might be at the top of the list.

The photographer is arguably the lynchpin of the entire ceremony, who is often tasked with capturing every moment and helping to make the vision of the couple come to life.

It’s important that you have someone reliable behind the camera, almost like a conductor, ensuring that your special moments are preserved forever.

So you’ve made up your mind, you know where you’re going, when you’ll go, the color and cut of your dress, and even what kind of cake to have.

But you haven’t picked a photographer yet?

No worries, we’ve put together this guide to help you know what you’re looking for and what to expect at every step of the way.

First things first, if you’re in the market for an elopement photographer, you have to be prepared to do a bit of research.

Elopement photographers live and die by their online reputations. This isn’t an industry where you can mess up too many times and get away with it. So you know right off the bat that the crème rises to the top, and good reviews and praise are a great indication that you’re dealing with someone who knows how to capture the magic.

Once you narrow down your search, begin to compare packages and prices. This is not an area where you want to skimp, however. In the photography world, cheap usually equals bad.

Photography is an art, and it’s a lot harder than just snapping pictures. Just the editing process can take hours of labor, to say nothing of having the skill and intuition to know when to capture the perfect moments and bring out the best in the bride and groom.

Elopements are typically cheaper than weddings and elopement photographers understand this, so don’t expect to be paying wedding prices for a simple elopement package. Typical elopement photography packages range anywhere from about $700 to $1200 depending on the quality and location.

Your primary goal here is to simply make sure the photographer is in your budget and does quality work. See their reviews and social media comments. Do they get glowing praise or are their socials pretty empty? Do they have 3 reviews at 4.1 stars or 50+ reviews at 4.8 stars?

If you do the research, the results will meet your expectations.

This is crucial. Just because the price is right and the work seems quality, doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve found the perfect photographer. There’s different styles to think about.

You want a photographer that will match up well with the vision you have for your elopement and can help you bring it to life. You want to be sure that the person you’re entrusting with this responsibility knows exactly what you want and how to bring it about.

Photographers all have different styles, different areas of expertise, comfort zones, and other factors that all make them unique. There is also personalities to think about.
This is why it’s important to get in touch with potential prospects you may consider for the job and get to know them a little. Do your due diligence, and don’t be afraid to ask questions.

A great elopement photographer will also do the same. They will take the time to ask questions and take interest in your plans, so that they can help bring your vision to life. Even if it’s as simple as a basic chapel elopement, you’re going to want those memories preserved the right way, and that means finding the right person for the job.

Which brings us to the last major element of finding the right elopement photographer, how to make them a part of everything.

Don’t be afraid to let your photographer in on your little world. They need to know the plans, they need to know your location, setting, color scheme ideas, venues for photo shoots, and everything else that will come together to form the ceremony.

They should know it as well as you do, that way they have all the tools necessary to give you the best experience. Often, great elopement photography is a combination of preparedness and taking advantage of the moment.

Researching location, lighting, time of the day, and everything else, will help give the photographer a general picture of the mood and what camera and peripherals to bring, as well as how best to direct when looking for a specific shot.

Likewise, they will be vigilant and look for candid moments that truly capture the magic. You increase the likelihood of this happening by sharing everything about the ceremony plans with the photographer so that you know they are a part what’s going on.
 

The perfect New Orleans elopement experience for only $1500? You're probably wondering if it's even possible.  Book this package HERE!

Instead of going too deep into the details, we'll let our lovely couple Gabriel and Samira tell their story for us, courtesy of Marcia and Ibay Photography!

This affordable destination elopement experience can be yours, too! For only $1495, here's what this package includes:

This package includes several famous New Orleans elopement locations for you to choose from, such as City Park, Audubon Park, Pirates Alley, and Exchange Alley.

Ibay Photography also includes several generous add-ons to complete your full elopement wedding experience if there's something you need that the package doesn't cover. Check out their full elopement package details here!

Where else can you experience an elopement quite like this for this kind of price? If you're looking for a one of a kind elopement in the heart of New Orleans, get in touch with Ibay Photography today!

​To See more photos of this gorgeous couple, click HERE!

More couples are starting to buck tradition and opt in for new and exciting ways to get married. It’s not all about the huge ceremony and expensive price tag anymore.
 
Elopement is the new trend, and has been picking up steam for some time.
 
There are several factors to consider when looking at why more couples are eloping, including cost, time, and the massive amount of coordination and planning that often goes into classic style weddings, which is sometimes just too much of a hassle.
 
All of these factors, with a generally more favorable view of elopements in our society, has led many couples to take the plunge and have their ceremony their way, no strings attached.

There’s something undeniably romantic about getting eloped. Picking a whimsical spot to fly away to and get married kind of fuses the wedding ceremony and honeymoon into one giant celebration of love, and more and more couples are waking up to this.
 
Another major factor in getting eloped over holding a traditional ceremony is the simplicity of it all, especially when it comes to who you are inviting.
 
Weddings can sometimes get daunting when it comes to deciding who and who not to invite. In fact, it can get to the point where the couples don’t even get to think about themselves, but rather, the needs and tastes of the hundred some odd guests that they are inviting, which can really put a damper on the mood, to say nothing about the cost of it all.
 
It’s a massive relief to couples holding intimate ceremonies where they know they only need to invite their closest friends and family. No wondering if your aunt from Ohio that you haven’t seen in a decade will feel left out and smite you just because you didn’t invite her to your special day.
 
After all, it’s your ceremony. The old way of holding weddings where the bride and groom are stuck in endless loops of planning and budgeting for months leading up to the ceremony just doesn’t hold any appeal anymore. Leave that stuff to the upper crust and the royals, most couples just want to get married!
 
When you take out all of the “extra” stuff that tends to just make a wedding feel crowded and overdone, you can really create a beautiful experience for both the couple and the guests.
 
It’s also easier to appreciate your guests and the event in general when your attention isn’t being pulled this way and that by all the shiny objects you spent money on and the people you invited. Less can certainly be more when it comes to a wedding ceremony, and elopements prove that.
 
There’s also an element of pressure involved. Millennials especially have grown up in an age of economic instability. There’s constantly pressure on them to spend money the way their parents and grandparents did, despite the fact that everyone is now making less and money is worth less, and everything costs more.
 
Simplicity and efficiency are like music for most millennials: do away with all the nonsense and superfluous expenses, and instead create something that’s memorable and affordable. This is where elopements really shine.
 
A typical wedding can run in the tens of thousands of dollars, and this doesn’t even factor in the honeymoon. Floral arrangements and catering for dozens of people can easily run into the thousands alone. The modern day prices of full-fledged weddings are simply outrageous by most millennial standards, and rightfully so.
 
Elopements on the other hand offer a much more simplified, romantic, and fun experience, for much less money. Most elopement ceremonies only cost a couple thousand dollars, and that is with everything included. Depending on your needs and where you’re willing to travel to, you can get eloped for even less.
 
This is the allure of elopement: no spending money on frivolous flower arrangements and balloons, no lengthy rituals and customs to adhere to, no talking with relatives you haven’t seen since you were in diapers, no catering to 100 different people’s food allergies. Just a romantic excursion that’s about you and your significant other.
 
What could be more perfect than that?

We’re so used to thinking of weddings as these long, bland, ceremonies, but they don’t have to be!
 
An adventure awaits if you want it, one without the complexity, pressure, expenses, and chaos of the typical wedding ceremony.
 
This is what is so attractive about elopement, the chance to carve out your very own romantic adventure, for a fraction of the cost of your average wedding.
 
The best part? Instead of spending tons of money on presentation for guests, you can use that money to get married in the place of your dreams. The romantic streets of New Orleans? White sand beaches? On top of a mountain? The choice truly is yours!
 
You have the ability to create the experience you want, instead of relying on tradition and the crazy ideas your family comes up with. When you elope, everything is simple and in your control.
 
What are you waiting for? Start your adventure now!

Ever dream of having a small, intimate wedding someplace on the West Coast, but shied away because of the price? We know the feeling, and that’s why we’ve put together this guide to help you create your dream ceremony right in the heart of San Francisco.

There are simply a ton of amazing places to hold a wedding ceremony in and around San Francisco. There’s no getting around it, the setting is perfect.
 
Imagine, beautiful beaches, parks and gardens, more restaurants than you could ever eat at, and plenty of culture and entertainment, all within easy travel distance of each other. That’s part of the magic of San Francisco.
 
Specifically, the famous Botanical Gardens offer a convenient and extravagant backdrop to any small wedding, for both ceremony and photo shoot purposes. With the temperate weather that the city enjoys, hosting an outdoors wedding is no problem at all, almost any time of the year.
 
People flock from all over the country to experience the magic of this city even without getting married, so you can imagine what a wedding would be like here.
 
We’ve made sure to do our homework when it comes to suggesting the best possible wedding packages for couples looking to tie the knot in San Francisco, and that’s why we recommend the Love’s Sonnet Package, which you can view here.

This $950 package includes:

• Landmark Venue For Your Small Intimate Wedding (ceremony site options listed on site)
• Wedding Officiant
• Option Of A Christian or Contemporary Wedding Ceremony
• Thirty Minute Photo Session & Gallery Posting
• Add $195 for flowers for couple only

Yes, you can put together the core of an unforgettable wedding ceremony for under $1000. We put it all together for you.

You always have to take into account, when choosing a wedding venue, what suits you. Will the theme be whimsical or more traditional? By the bay or in a park? Mostly indoors or out?
One thing is for sure, there are plenty of venues to choose from that fit into our package. Here’s a few of the highest rated choices:

Here’s a full list of the available venues.

As you can see, San Francisco isn't short on amazing getaway spots that make holding your small wedding there a no-brainer. Whether you're looking for something exotic, or simple and elegant, you'll find it here.

What is an Elopement?
Cоuрlеѕ еlоре fоr many реrѕоnаl reasons, ѕоmе as simple аѕ; one having a fеаr of ѕtаndіng uр in frоnt оf a grоuр of реорlе. What еvеrу thе rеаѕоn fоr eloping, elopements оffеr аn uncomplicated аррrоасh tо a wedding сеrеmоnу while ѕtіll rеtаіnіng the non іnѕtіtutіоnаl fееlіng of a civil ceremony.

Whаt are thе thrее fundаmеntаl elements thаt саn nоt bе removed frоm аn elopement wedding?
You, Your Honey & The Offісіаl Prеѕіdіng...
Elоріng by its vеrу nature оffеrѕ a ѕіmрlе раѕѕаgе іntо mаrrіеd lіfе. The elopement fосuѕеѕ оn the ѕіgnіfісаnсе оf thе relationship bеtwееn the couple about tо become husband аnd wіfе or husband/husband or wife/wife, thеrе іѕ nothing tо dіѕtrасt thеіr attention frоm one аnоthеr.
The еlореmеnt сеrеmоnу begins; "These аrе thе thіngѕ I muѕt nоt forget, wоrd fоr wоrd." Sо starts the beautiful tаlе оf jоіnеd unіоn. If thе hеаrt іѕ іmmоrtаl thеn аn еlореmеnt сеrеmоnу wіth іtѕ integral dеѕіgn fоr intimacy is thе реrfесt beginning to еntеr іntо thе mуѕtеrу оf thе heart tоgеthеr.
Elоріng іn thе 21ѕt century is a rаtіоnаl сhоісе bеіng mаdе bу increasing numbеrѕ оf соuрlеѕ, аnd nоt juѕt for fіnаnсіаl rеаѕоnѕ. Wіth thе аvаіlаbіlіtу оf сіvіl сеlеbrаntѕ in USA уоu are nоt retricted to mаrrуіng іn a rushed аnd legalistic сеrеmоnу іn a dreary gоvеrnmеnt оffісе.

Sо here аrе 10 good rеаѕоnѕ tо еlоре:
Yоu'd rather ѕреnd time together: A big whіtе wedding can consume thе equivalent оf a full wоrk wееk, every wееk, for a year or mоrе іn thе multірlе сhоrеѕ of аdvаnсе рlаnnіng. Elоріng means уоu gеt tо ѕреnd thаt tіmе together, tо fосuѕ оn your rеlаtіоnѕhір.
An intimate аtmоѕрhеrе is іmроrtаnt tо you: Whеn іt іѕ juѕt уоu and a vеrу few friends (аѕ fеw аѕ the twо rеԛuіrеd lеgаl wіtnеѕѕеѕ) уоur сеrеmоnу is a muсh mоrе intimate experience thаn іt wоuld bе іf уоu wеrе еntеrtаіnіng a lаrgе numbеr of guests.
Dоіng ѕоmеthіng unusual арреаlѕ tо you: Elореmеnt іnсrеаѕеѕ уоur сhоісеѕ fоr whеrе уоu hаvе the ceremony, whаt you wеаr, thе ѕtуlе аnd feel оf уоur сеrеmоnу, how you сеlеbrаtе afterwards, еvеn whаt уоu eat. If fish аnd сhірѕ on the bеасh іѕ your ѕtуlе, thеrе'ѕ no-one tо ѕuggеѕt it іѕ not a gооd іdеа. And, іf a gоurmеt mеаl іѕ more your ѕtуlе, сеlеbrаtіng with a minimum оf guеѕtѕ makes thаt option аffоrdаblе.
You want tо take bасk соntrоl: Eloping іѕ nоt juѕt a gооd way to соntrоl thе guеѕt lіѕt,. Bесаuѕе you dоn't hаvе to deal with fаmіlу members and frіеndѕ' іnѕіѕtеnсе thаt уоu dо thіngѕ thеіr wау, оr thаt уоu muѕt dо things thе trаdіtіоnаl wау, сhооѕіng tо еlоре аllоwѕ you hаvе tо hаvе thе wеddіng уоu wаnt wіthоut соmрrоmіѕіng оn any раrt оf іt.
Sроntаnеіtу арреаlѕ to уоu: Conventional wеddіngѕ are uѕuаllу scripted dоwn to the lаѕt ѕесоnd. An еlореmеnt сеrеmоnу саn be much mоrе frее-flоwіng, аnd аnуthіng thаt dоеѕn't gо to рlаn wоn't be a bіg dеаl bесаuѕе thеrе will be nо-оnе еlѕе'ѕ еxресtаtіоnѕ tо meet.
You саn't fасе the ѕtrеѕѕ of a bіg wedding: Large, fоrmаl, wеddіngѕ саn bе vеrу ѕtrеѕѕful, аnd nоt just fоr thе day but fоr months and months bеfоrе hаnd. Thеrе аrе multiple dесіѕіоnѕ to mаkе, conflicting fаmіlу dеmаndѕ аnd оріnіоnѕ to navigate thrоugh, аnd a budgеt thаt іnvаrіаblу blоwѕ оut. Elоріng removes thоѕе stresses аnd allows уоu tо focus on уоur rеlаtіоnѕhір.
Yоu want уоur wedding tо be fun: Whеn уоu еlоре you can uѕе уоur ѕесrеt lаnguаgе, rеfеr tо уоur in-jokes, аnd ham іt uр іf you wіѕh - аll without аnу fear of anyone tutting loudly.
You wаnt tо mаrrу in ѕесrеt: If уоu'vе bееn lіvіng tоgеthеr fоr уеаrѕ and еvеrуоnе thіnkѕ уоu аrе mаrrіеd, оr fоr ѕоmе оthеr reason уоu don't want a bіg fanfare, аn еlореmеnt іѕ thе answer.  Most states do not rеԛuіrе public nоtісе bе gіvеn, and аѕ lоng аѕ you hаvе twо wіtnеѕѕеѕ you can be as ԛuіеt about it аѕ уоu lіkе.
You want to аvоіd sticky ѕіtuаtіоnѕ: Whеrе thеrе аrе religious оr cultural dіffеrеnсеѕ between уоur fаmіlіеѕ, whеrе they juѕt don't lіkе each other, or where you hаvе mоvеd аwау frоm your own fаmіlіеѕ' trаdіtіоnѕ, elopement sidesteps conflict аnd еnѕurеѕ thаt уоur dау isn't mаrrеd by thеm.
This іѕn't your fіrѕt mаrrіаgе: Cоuрlеѕ оftеn want tо аvоіd rереtіtіоn of аnу раrt of a рrеvіоuѕ wеddіng. Elоріng mеаnѕ you саn сrеаtе tоtаllу frеѕh mеmоrіеѕ without аnу есhо of thе past. One of the mоѕt іntеrеѕtіng раrtѕ оf еlоріng іѕ thе aftermath. You should be рrераrеd fоr thе fасt thаt some mеmbеrѕ of уоur family mау іnіtіаllу bе mоrе ѕhосkеd thаn оvеrjоуеd. And іf уоu rаn оff to gеt mаrrіеd wіthоut first telling уоur bеѕt friend, expect some hurt feelings. Onсе things settle dоwn a bіt, the соuрlе mіght decide to hоѕt a ѕmаll rесерtіоn іn hоnоr of their mаrrіаgе. This іѕ a nісе way tо сеlеbrаtе уоur marriage wіth thоѕе thаt уоu lоvе.
Eloping can bе fun аnd drаmаtіс, аnd it is сеrtаіnlу ѕоmеthіng thаt couples hаvе bееn dоіng ѕіnсе thе beginning оf tіmе. If you are thіnkіng about gоіng dоwn thіѕ раth, just be certain thаt уоu hаvе taken ѕuffісіеnt tіmе to reflect оn what іt mеаnѕ tо be mаrrіеd, so thаt your hеаrt іѕ following уоur hеаd, nоt thе оthеr wау around. And іf you dо dесіdе to elope, ѕеnd mе a postcard frоm there!

Whеn уоu rеturn hоmе you can send out a photographic аnnоunсеmеnt of уоur unіоn. If уоu lіkе tо gаthеr your frіеndѕ and fаmіlу to ѕhаrе іn уоur jоу іt can bе dоnе іn аn uncomplicated wау, аѕ ѕіmрlе as a champagne аnd cake сеlеbrаtіоn in the mіddlе оf a Sundау аftеrnооn. Life can be easy аnd straightforward.

For an absolute amazing Eloping experience, check out our partners at ElopeToNola.com

Weddings taking place in a courthouse or city hall are not what they used to be 30 years ago! Today, courthouses are fun, unique and romantic…perfect for elopements. Many city halls and courthouse buildings around the country (and even the world) can be beautiful and historical. These historic architectural masterpieces can speak to a variety of styles and wedding dreams!
 
1. Algiers Courthouse in New Orleans, Louisiana
 
Getting its start in 1896, this building became the essential heart of the government services in Algiers. The building stands as a revered monument and a central feature of the town of Algiers. While still serving as an active government building, this historic building was created with a Roman style, giving it a sophisticated style and beauty. As one of the oldest continuously used courthouses in Louisiana, this building can make its mark on your memorable day. A great venue to provide both class and a simple option for getting hitched!  See more photos of Algiers Courthouse HERE
 
2. San Francisco City Hall in San Francisco, California
 
San Francisco is a city for adventure and one of its grand features is the San Francisco City Hall. While the original City Hall was destroyed in the 1906 San Francisco earthquakes, the people of the city decided that the new City Hall would be even grander. Construction began in 1913 after years of planning and completed in 1915. This stately neoclassical building has been the scene of many moments in San Francisco, California, and United States history. This amazing building has a variety of options as a wedding venue and is settled in a city with a multitude of lodging options and eateries. No need to leave your heart in San Francisco!
 
3. DeKalb Courthouse in Decatur, Georgia
 
This historic Courthouse in Decatur, Georgia had humble beginnings in 1823 when it was first created, but grew to its current grandeur over the course of a century. By 1918, this building of Alabama marble was the center of the civic life in this part of Georgia. The courthouse was in use until 1967, when the mayor thought it should be demolished. However, the DeKalb History Center came to the rescue, and continue to operate the building as a museum and an event center. This beautiful space is on the National Register of Historic Places since 1971. It is a magical place harkening back to the times of long gowns and horse carriages. If you have a fondness for period dramas, this might just be the place to make your own history!
 
4. Beverly Hills Courthouse in Beverly Hills, California
 
Looking for something a little more modern? Check out the Beverly Hills Courthouse in sunny southern California. Opening in 1932, this building was central to the civic life of Beverly Hills and has become a beloved landmark in the area. Marble walls, intricate ceiling designs, and other little details adorn this building that was recently renovated in 2008. Like many classic buildings in the area, the style is a mix between Spanish, American, and other local influences. It has a taste of Hollywood class and can be an adventure for your wedding. A great location for other sightseeing adventures, and a taste of history.
 

​Weddings can create a lot of stress between couples and their families. That’s why we suggest opting out of the whole situation, and eloping. To make sure this is the right option for you and your spouse-to-be, here are some comments about why eloping is and isn’t a good choice.
Why is Eloping Bad?

1. If you are choosing to elope with just the two of you, eloping can create tension between you and your families, especially mothers. They will feel left out because they desperately wanted to be part of your special day.
2. Your celebration may not be as special as you hoped. Many people love throwing lavish celebrations to honor themselves and start their marriage off on a happy note. With an elopement, the celebration ends quickly however you will have many more memories to tell as you probably spent days not just hours at your elopement location of choice.
3. You may miss out on the old traditions of larger weddings.  We say, EMBRACE it!  Create your own traditions and make your elopement day unique and personal.

Say Yes to Eloping!
Now, let’s look on the flipside. Eloping can be a magical experience if you want to start your marriage right away. Here are a few reasons to convince you.

1. If you’re a couple that likes to keep to themselves, you may enjoy the intimacy of a quick elopement. You could invite one or two of your closest friends to be your witnesses, and enjoy a peaceful ceremony full of love. You can invite your parents as well!
2. You can avoid the stress. As we mentioned, weddings are chaotic! If you don’t want to deal with all the drama of planning something so monumental, keep things simple. Say yes to eloping, because you want to be happy in your marriage.
3. You can save a little money. Some people have crazy weddings for hundreds of people. If you don’t have the time, energy, or money to deal with everyone you know on your special day, then don’t. Buy the necessities, and let the rest roll out naturally. Who wants to put themselves in debt over a wedding anyway?

Tips for Eloping
We want to make sure your elopement runs smoothly, so here are the best ideas we have to create the simple ceremony you’ve always wanted.

1. Elope with just you and your significant other, then have a celebration to please everyone else. Once you’re married, wedding stress is off the table, so enjoy the party.
2. Have a photographer document your elopement. It’s still a very special time, and you don’t want to forget a second of it! When you choose an intimate ceremony, your photos will reflect the love you both share and nothing more. Be yourselves while taking your photos and you will be looking back at memories that truly capture who you guys are as a couple.
3. If something goes wrong, don’t worry about it. An elopement is supposed to take the stress away, so if your flowers aren’t perfect or the tie is on crooked, who cares? Enjoy the love you share. 

Say yes to eloping, because a wedding is only one step in your journey. A healthy marriage is much more important than one night of celebration. 

Why Choose to Elope?
            By Best Elope Ideas
 
If you’re reading this, chances are you’re thinking about getting married soon.  Congratulations!  It’s hard to find the love of your life and even harder to make that big leap into such a huge commitment for the rest of your life.  A huge celebration is in order!  Right?
 
We’ve all dreamed about our wedding day(s) since we were young.   Some of us pictured the priest, the chapel, flowers.  Some of us wanted princess gowns and horse-drawn carriages.  Still others had binders with every single detail mapped out in excruciating detail (okay, you caught me).
 
The problem is that over time, the wedding became more about this grand event, and less about what it was supposed to be about.  It’s a ceremony celebrating the love between two people (who, by the way, are no longer even necessarily a “bride” and a “groom”).  Nothing more, nothing less.
 
With times changing, finances being rough for many, people struggling to do this whole “adulting” thing, it’s no wonder why people are choosing elopement more than ever before!

Here are some of the top reasons you might choose to elope:
 
1. Money, Money, Money, Money.  Money!  —  The most popular and most unsurprising reason why people elope is because of budgetary reasons.  Why spend thousands (or hundreds of thousands of dollars) on a wedding when you have bills to pay?   If it’s going to leave you struggling to pay your mortgage or utility bills next month, are you really living happily ever after?  Elopements have less pomp and circumstance, less food, less people, and are overall much, much cheaper.
  
2.    Who ARE These People? — Speaking of money, a top complaint from brides with large weddings is that they feel like they didn’t get to meet and greet all of their guests, and sometimes brides and grooms didn’t even know all of the attendees at their wedding because of dates (not to mention even the possibility of wedding crashers).  If you’re paying $50 a person, you really should at least know a person’s first name, don’t you think?   

3.   It’s All About Priorities! —  Let’s go back to that list from when you were a kid.  Maybe flowers are extremely important to you.  Maybe your Grandmother who’s no longer with you loved roses but hated carnations.  Roses are expensive and not always possible if you have a 300 person guest list.  By eloping, you’re able to simplify the entire process and focus on the few things that are absolutely make or break for your big day.
 
4.     Elopements Can Actually Be More “Grand”  —  I had a friend recently who was married in a hot air balloon, hundreds of feet in the air.  I know someone who was married on horseback.  These days, you can have an underwater submarine wedding, a cruise ship wedding, or even a wedding on top of a unique national  like the Eiffel Tower, but that’s not possible when you have a huge wedding party.  With elopements you are free to do some wild and crazy things that might really appeal to you or describe your relationship perfectly.
 
5.     Location is Everything  — With that said, elopements make it possible to have a destination wedding.  You can fly to Vegas and get married by Elvis.  You can come to New Orleans, and have an amazing Carnival celebration.  We can absolutely help you with that at BestElopeIdeas as we’re part of the Be NolaWed network.   The point is that the fewer the people, the easier and more affordable it is to make travel accommodations. 
We also have some amazing locations in New Orleans that are picture perfect but not accessible for a large wedding party. The Grand Victorian Bed and Breakfast has some beautiful locations and rooms but they won’t fit more than 20 people.  Tableau, a restaurant owned by the Brennan Family, has some amazing balconies that overlook the St. Louis Cathedral and the entire French Quarter, but more than 4-6 people on the balcony and you’re not going to be able to make it work.  Elopements and smaller parties just make the impossible possible.
 
6.     The Timing Is Right  — With elopements, you aren’t restricted to scheduling.  There are brides and grooms who have to wait 18 months to get married before they can find an available Saturday in their church.  Not only do you have flexibility in terms of available dates because the venues may not get as many requests, but you also have flexibility in terms of the people who need to be there.  You, your love, a few of your closest friends and family members, the officiant, photographer, wedding planner(s).  That’s it.  It makes it a lot easier to get married on a Wednesday afternoon or a Thursday morning.  This makes it not only even more affordable, but also enables you to get married on a special date like an anniversary, or on a romantic date like Valentine’s day.
 
7.      Secrets are More Romantic  — Speaking of romance, did anyone watch “The Office”?   Jim and Pam had the most adorable relationship ever, and one of the best things ever was when the audience found out (spoiler alert) that that had secretly eloped at Niagara Falls before their “big” wedding.  This made it much more easy to bear when everything started to go wrong on their big day. They were already married, they had an intimate ceremony, and everything went perfectly.  Above all, how romantic is it to have a secret wedding date?    Elopements enable you to surprise people later with the news of what happened and that you’re finally hitched!
 
If you can’t tell already, we love all things wedding, and elopements are our specialty!  If you need additional help or advice on your big day, don’t hesitate to contact us!     
 
 
 

Recently gotten engaged and looking for the best elopement ideas? Sometimes finding that special place to marry can be the biggest challenge and is often one of the most important. After all, this is your one day that you will be remembering forever. It’s the place where your marriage will begin. It will be the place that you will want to come back to for anniversaries and special occasions because of the significance and memories you share.  Marriage is an adventure and where you get married can be too!  Your elopement doesn’t have to break the bank by going to some exotic locale in another country!  Here are five unique elopement places in the United States!

1. Watch Hill in Rhode Island

This venue by the shore is straight out of a novel. With the ocean nearby and the elegance of gardens and blue skies, it just breathes romance! This historic locale offers options of getting married in nature with the backdrop of a historic building. A timeless place that speaks of beauty and love. A classic option for a wedding.

2. Mendocino, CA

There’s just something about California. After all, it’s a place full of stories from Hollywood to the Golden Gate. Tucked away on the northern coast of California, Mendocino offers options that only a place like California could provide. From the open plains to the ocean tides there are options to capture who you are as a couple and the adventurous life you will have? Best part, California is home to hundreds of wineries to provide you with a unique toast to your new life.

3. Tree House Point in Issaquah, Washington

Treehouses aren’t just for children, they can also be a charming location to get married. Nearby exciting Seattle, Treehouse Point is a hidden spot in a Pacific Northwest forest filled with character and greenery. Nature is as inspiring as your vow. Not only is it a great venue to get married in, but it also has overnight accommodations. Not only do you get to get married in a treehouse, you can also spend the first night of your marriage in one!

4. Barrett Gardens in Sonora, CA

Tucked away in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, Sonora is the heart of California wine country and the gateway to the amazing wilderness adventures of Yosemite National Park and Lake Tahoe. At the Barrett Gardens you can have an elopement thru an arch of roses. Rustic refinement to outdoor adventures is all available within a day’s trip!

5. Rim Rock Ranch in Pioneertown, CA

While many of the locations on this list have been forests, there is also a place for those who love the desert. On the arid edge of the desert surrounded by the famous Joshua Trees is the Rim Rock Ranch straight out Hollywood of the 1940s! It was built to house the stars and directors of cowboy movies made in the era. If you’re a fan of Westerns or really just a lover of desert the Rim Rock Ranch is for you.

No matter what sort of destination you are looking for there is a creative option for your elopement. What is your dream? What do you envision while saying your “I Do’s?”  There’s a place to make it happen, right here in the US…. we promise you!