The benefits of eloping on the Sunshine Coast
An elopement ceremony is an incredibly special and personal experience for just the two of you!
It’s your very own romantic and private ceremony to celebrate all that you are as a loving couple, with only your Celebrant, your two treasured witnesses and your photographer to capture your precious happy snaps.
You’re not running away like a typical elopement suggests, rather choosing to have full control over your wedding day to enjoy the most personal of ceremonies celebrating your relationship. The perfect way to begin the exciting next chapter of your journey together.
Elopement on the Sunshine Coast captured perfectly by Terri Hanlon Photography
Why choose to elope?
Are you trying to avoid the stress of arranging a traditionally large wedding? A wedding which includes all your Aunties, Uncles and long lost cousins you haven’t seen for eternity? You know, the ones whose names you can’t remember?
A normal wedding can burn a seriously large hole in your bank account, with the average Australian wedding costing around $26,000! Maybe you’d prefer to spend your well earned cash on your first home deposit or on an incredible holiday instead of a wedding with a tonne of expectations?
Have you seen the checklists for planning a typical wedding? There’s monthly checks, weekly countdowns and daily planners to keep the wheels turning as you plan a wedding with all the bells and whistles!
If your goal is to enjoy a relaxed, peaceful, budget friendly Sunshine Coast elopement ceremony with a focus solely on you, and creating intimacy and serenity in a location you both adore, an elopement is definately for you!
Precious and personal moment by Terri Hanlon Photography
Your elopement can still include your beautiful wedding dress and handsome suit, bouquet (eco-friendly of course), wedding rings and personal lifelong promises. The formality of a typical wedding ceremony is still there, just without all the stress of a high cost, full blown wedding production. Sounds perfect, right?
By eloping, you’re in full control!
Every aspect of your marriage is about you two, and you two alone. No-one else can take it away, change it, opt in with their opinion or over-ride your magical moment. It is a truly romantic moment for you both.
Once you have lodged your Notice of Intended Marriage form with your Marriage Celebrant one month prior to your elopement date, you can be married. How exciting is that?!
Even better, your elopement ceremony can be held absolutely anywhere in Australia. Your choice of location is endless! Perhaps you’d like to get back to nature and consider an outdoor location for your elopement wedding day.
You’re spoilt for choice on the Sunshine Coast, where we have numerous beautiful National Parks, stunning and private rainforest and garden locations within the hinterland region around Maleny and Montville, along our magnificent beaches and coastline and within boutique cafes and restaurants between Caloundra, Mooloolaba and Noosa, most of which are also pet friendly for those of you who’d love to include their beloved fur-baby in their ceremony.
Keep in mind that a permit may be required to book one of these gorgeous public rainforest, coastline, park and garden locations.
Just the two of you by Terri Hanlon Photography
Need another positive reason to elope? Elopements are far more eco-friendly than the average traditional wedding. Your elopement creates a small environmental footprint, so there’s less guilt! Need more proof? Check out this smart Wedding Footprint Calculator cleverly created by Edge Environment for the beautiful crew at Less Stuff More Meaning.
So what do you need to consider when planning your Sunshine Coast elopement?
Here’s a checklist to get you started, and it’s a short checklist because this is your “easy to plan” elopement wedding day after all.
Decide on a date and time for your marriage.
Share your exciting news with your most trusted closest friend or family member.
Choose your Celebrant and complete the Notice of Intended Marriage form.
Choose your Photographer to capture your beautifully personal moment.
Decide on your elopement location and discuss this with your Photographer and Celebrant. A good team of wedding vendors who work together on elopements will be able to provide you with expert advice on wedding locations and times to coincide with the sunset, tides, etc to ensure your elopement is as easy as it can be and your photographs are nothing short of spectacular.
Choose your two witnesses and make sure they keep your elopement a secret!
Chat to your Celebrant about writing your personal wedding vows and light-hearted ceremony.
Choose your outfits – you can still have an amazing wedding dress and suit!
Buy your wedding rings and remember to bring them. Your witnesses or Celebrant can hold them for you during your ceremony.
If you are going to celebrate your marriage afterwards, choose and book your venue.
Take your time to let the world know about your marriage but you may wish to tell everyone within a day or so before, just in case a little birdy lets your secret out before you do.
Live happily ever after as a loving couple!
Elopement on Mount Ngungun captured by Terri Hanlon Photography
After your personal and relaxed elopement ceremony, you may wish to celebrate quietly with a romantic picnic on the beach or in your favourite restaurant. You may even throw a party later down the track so you can celebrate your marriage with your family and friends.
Deciding to ditch the traditional wedding to celebrate your love for each other in an intimate and serene elopement ceremony means you’ll create a truly personal and timeless moment just for the two of you. You will have the absolute freedom to express your love and commitment to each other and be who you are as a happy couple without the stress of planning an elaborate wedding with all the bells and whistles.
Keen to know how you can bring your elopement dream to life? Arrange a call with me so we can chat about how we can work together to create your personalised Sunshine Coast elopement with my favourite wedding Photographer, Terri Hanlon.