What is an elopement photographer?
An elopement photographer is no different to a wedding photographer. The only difference is the event itself. You can consider a registry wedding at Melbourne Treaury Building, or if you're the type that likes to DIY, it could be a backyard wedding at your home, or at a location that has significance to you. Or it could even be a destination elopement, where you get married halfway across the world.
Some may say that elopements are more personal and intimate, and weddings are huge and extravagant. Personally, I believe any celebration can carry these factors. You can still have a personal, initimate and extravagant wedding.
It all depends on your mindset and what those words mean to you with regard to celebrating your special day.
What are elopements?
Google's definition of 'Elope' is to run away secretly to get married. And Wikipedia refers to it as a way of conducting a marriage in a sudden and secretive fashion, usually involving a hurried flight away from one location to another with the intention of getting married.
Essentially, it's a wedding ceremony, without the reception, and the celebrations, the first dance, the speeches and the bouquet toss.
So are you thinking of having a smaller, more intimate wedding ceremony that requires less work, stress, expectations and people?
How do you elope in Melbourne?
Have you heard of the stories where people run away to Las Vegas and get married? It's like that, but in Australia, it can be a little different, but that really depends on what your overall aim is, i.e. do you want to be legally recognised as a married couple, or would you prefer to do something that symbolises your commitment to one another (commitment ceremony)?
In the US, there is such a thing as self-solemnising your marriage, where you don't require an officiant. But in Australia, this is not recognised legally, rather it is viewed as a symbolic occasion. So you can technically hold a ceremony, where you commit to each other, but it just won't be recognised by law.
In order to get married legally in Australia, you require a registered celebrant, two witnesses and signed legal documents, which the celebrant will have explained and provided you to sign before you can get married. So it kinda takes the whole excitement of running away together to get married secretly. But just so you know, in order to keep that secrecy, your witnesses don't have to be your parents!
If you'd like to find out some more information on what the legal requirements are to get married in Australia. Please check out one of my recommended Melbourne suppliers; Bronte Price - Civil Celebrant.
Where can we elope?
There are really two main ways you can elope; at a marriage registry office, or you can pick a location. If you need ideas, I would suggest picking a location that has some significance for you. Make sure when you approach your potential civil or marriage celebrant they will give you an array of ideas to make your wedding fun and less traditional!
A lot of elopements I've witnessed are normally conducted in parks and gardens around Melbourne, including the Carlton Gardens, St. Kilda Botanical Gardens, The Treasury Gardens.
You can elope at home in your back yard.
You can elope on the beach, on a boat, in a hotel room, in the Yarra Valley.
Honestly, you can pick any location to get married anywhere, but make sure you call the Council's or any organisations approval to ensure you don't need a permit to be married in those areas.
Remember...elopements are great for those who don't have a big network of friends, or even those that want to keep things small, whether it is to keep the budget down or to keep it a big secret (which is what eloping means anyway!)...
Things to consider when eloping
Because it is your ceremony, just remember; you do you, so make sure whatever your decisions are, are based on what it means to you both, and why your relationship is special.
Here are a few things to consider when eloping;
- Will you invite your friends and/or family to celebrate with you?
- What location will you hold your ceremony?
- What will you wear? Is it going to be more casual, formal, semi-formal, creatively quirky?
- Are you going to celebrate after the ceremony?
- Will you hire an elopement photographer?
- Are you going to write your vows?
- Will you consider doing another wedding? (also known as a commitment wedding, because you are technically legally married)
- Are you going to make an announcement before and/or after the wedding?
- Are you going to have a honeymoon?
- Will you have wedding rings?
Elopement photography service
As part of my photography services. Elopements are one my favorites to photograph. Like I said above, they are just like weddings, but they have their own unique and meaningful elements that make them all the more personal, intimate and beautiful. I am so looking forward to photographing your special day!