Eloping...!!

[MZmama]

Who's done it? where did you do it? Did you love it? Roughly how much did it cost?

I want all the details! Me and DF have decided to elope next year... we are open to any location/destination (preferably in Australia), and are looking at packages on the Whitsundays :flowerz:...

We are unsure on whether we say people are welcome to join us if they wish, or just throw a big party on the weekend after our return.. what have others done?

Would love to hear all about others experiences and destination ideas :D:yes:

TIA :hugs:

[zenifa]

DH and I were together for 7.5yrs and living in the UK at the time when he popped the question and decided to get married. We looked at our options and neither of us were really into the 'traditional wedding' plus once we had decided we didn't really want to delay it nor plan a wedding in Aust, being so far away etc.

So in the end DH chose Las Vegas - because you don't have to be resident to apply for a marriage licence (for eg in the UK at the time you had to apply and then wait 2-3 weeks, in Czech Republic you have to live there for 6 weeks, then you can apply for the licence etc). Also we could get there by a 10hr direct flight and it seemed like an exciting idea at the time (neither of us had been there before).

So DH booked the flights and accommodation and we were there 6 days later (yes we told our employers and family who were all very surprised!!) - in short, we had a fantastic time!! We went and got the marriage licence from the county court, the rings and then found a package we liked through the 'little white wedding chapel' and were married the next day - our package included hire of our outfits (I planned to buy something there but couldn't find anything quite right), photos including negatives, video (in PAL and NTSC format), webcast on the day and it was kept online for a month, cost of organist and marriage celebrant, tips, limo ride to and from our hotel to the chapel and a 5 course meal at the stratosphere hotel.

We had an absolute blast and it was one of the best days of my life!! We spent 5 nights in Las Vegas, so it was a little mini-honeymoon too, the place is cheesy and over the top, but with so many weddings and brides it was just so funny!!

All up, our flights, accommodation, meals, wedding etc for 5 nights 6 days, cost $5000 Aust.

When we later came back to Australia for a visit from the UK, our parents through us a large celebration party with all of our family and friends, and we went on another honeymoon to Hamilton Island for a week!!

We certainly have no regrets and will celebrate our 8th wedding anniversary next month!!

I do have friends that have married in Fiji, Vanuatu and Bali as well - so its really up to you.
Also Hamilton Island is a great location!!

Good luck deciding where and how to get married!!

[amandaw]

Em - can't help with the eloping part, but just want to say :yelclap::yelclap: :smiliedance:

If you want to totally suprise them all, Daydream Island has a beautiful little chapel that has a video link up - just tell them to all have a look at 3pm on the 18 (or whatever) and see them get the shock of their lives :laughing:

[whitesand]

Hi :wave:,

Hubby and i eloped June last year. It was fantastic and i don't regret anything. I had been married before/2 children. We are soul mates and due to us being up here in Brissy and 95% family & friends are down in Victoria it's something that was easier for us.Yes it was a big step to decide that is was just going to be the 4 of us on the day but i have never looked back. Knowing our beautiful kids were with us to share the memories. We didn't spare any expense i had a beautiful dress, suits, flower girl dresses, proff make-up & hair. And more importantly we paid good money for proff photo so we could keep those memories forever and pass onto family. We got married at the Registar Office (it was lovely inside) then had photo's by the ocean. Then we took both kids to 5 star resort for our wedding night/holiday for 3 nights.

We always say when the kids are a bit older we will do the oversea's thing...but we have both been lucky enough to travel just not together.

Our family are and have been supportive as they know we are happy together,that's all that matters!! No one at the time knew at all. We rang them after getting back from our holiday. Yes shocked, as they all thought we'd always go back to melbourne to get married but once the understood why we choose that way they are great. Only 2 members of family have an issue to this day but as we both agree they should be happy for us ...so it's there loss..not ours!!

And now we have a beautiful little bubba on the way. He is due on 12th June (c/s) and we couldn't be happier. Our complete family:smiliedance:.

Good luck with everything :babydust2:

[amandaw]

Em - just thought of something to add (in relation to the do we invite others)...I think it depends entirely on your reasons for eloping. If it's just because you don't want it to turn into a 3 ring circus, you could chose to invite a few close ones or no-one at all. If it's financial, then you could again choose either way (realisticall dinner wherever you are for them won't seem like a huge cost if they make the effort otherwise), or if it's just about the 2 of you, then that's a good reason to not invite everyone else (do you plan on taking M and Z??)

I know for me, I wanted to be able to share with everyone, but I know now that I'll be incredibly sad if I get to miss on on my little girls' (or boys for that matter) amazingly special day...so maybe think about how you'll feel in years to come if Mya chooses to do the same :confused:

Again - as helpful as nothing :laughing:

[MZmama]

Thanks everyone for the replies.. Zenifa and whitesand, both your wedding days sound beautiful. :goodvibes::cloud9:

We did think of doing registrar first, and then going to the whitsundays for the holiday, but I want to stay in my dress as long as humanly possible! I spose I still could do that first, it might be cheaper..

Its not so much financial reasons (although i dont want to pay for a huge wedding either), but DF's family are in WA, and i dont have much family here, and seeings as we have been together 10 years on the 27th of this month with two kids already, it feels as though I dont need the whole kit and kaboodle of a wedding, just something nice.

And yes Amanda, we are taking both M and Z, wouldnt have it any other way. I did think of not taking them, but the resort we are looking at is free for kids, so its only flights that we will pay for them, and I couldnt imagine our big day without them.

I do think in some ways my parents may want to be there, I might talk to them about whether they would come, and see there reaction and decide whether to do registrar/party before we go as an alternative, because you pulled a heartstring with imagining M or Z doing the same :o.. even though if they did I would make sure I was there! But dont obviously want people to feel pressured into coming.

[amandaw]

Sorry :o just playing devils advocate!! And just how I'd feel I guess (are you listening C and M :laughing:)

You can always verbally invite just the few people you'd love to share the day with - and make it known to them that there will be a celebration event to all share too...that way only the ones who RRREEEEAAAALLLLYYYY want to be there will make the effort - and might be nice being able to share it with a few people too

[alissas2kids]

Hi,

My hubby and I were engaged 6 months after dating. We were engaged 9 months then decide to elope and get married at Sydney Deaths Births and marriage.... and only cost $140 I think at the time. and my dress was only $220, a lilac colour. I SO REGRET eloping. Never had the joy of a wedding cake, friends and family there to share with us , our song played etc. I am almost 29 and been married 9 years in August so we are deciding to maybe renew our vows at our 10 year wedding anniversary, nothing special just BBQ at home which we can do on the cheap anyway if you budget and look around but surprise people when they arrive to annouce renewing our vows then.

[pynk]

we eloped in sept last year to coffs harbour. It was fantastic. I think we paid about 2500. that included 3 nights at the most amazing resort in the honeymoon suite. Breakfast each morning, dinner overlooking the water on our wedding night, bride hair and make up, celebrant, professional photos ( very well done) and we chose to have our ceremony on the cliffs overlok the water.
I could not recommend this enough. They did everything they could to make this so special. They arranged it so dh didnt see me till the wedding, helped us write our own vows and the celbrant Ken was so wonderful.
http://www.lovingimages.com.au/gallery.html
i can email photos from ours if you are interested

[greenpygmy]

my partner and i eloped 2 days ago! if i can make one suggestion, don't feel guilted into telling people! my partner began to feel bad about not telling his parents, and so he told them, and then we had to tell my parents... long story short, his mother decided that our method wasn't up to scratch and moved the wedding location, and reception, and it became a total circus!

my only regret was that instead of having us and our two witnesses (as per our original plan) we got guilted into having 15 people for what was really closer to a wedding than an elopement.

do it exactly the way you want. just the bare neccessities (rings, celebrant, paperwork, clothes) will end up costing you at least $2000 i'd say, ours was about $3500.

Hope that helps...

[MZmama]

greenpygmy, thanks for the response, where did you elope?

We are now thinking Cook Islands, because its the same cost for flights as going to The Whitsundays... and accomm is reasonable..

So many decisions!

[V8]

My twin sister is going to elope next year to the Cook Islands, it looks great, it was originally what DH and i were going to do, but i'm happy that she's doing something she wants and i am so excited about it. After being a bridesmaid at my mates wedding this weekend which was a very traditional wedding there's no way i would do that, way too many family poilitics half the wedding party was sh*tted off about not being thanked, feeling excluded, she had to pander to all these stupid requests and it was her freaking day, no way i'd be doing that! Simple the better i think :) Raratongan beach resort looks great, i can't wait to be bridesmaid at my sisters wedding :D

[MZmama]

V8, funnily enough, I have the same view. Ive always wanted to elope, but was definately convinced it was the way to go after helping my sister organise her wedding which was 2 weeks ago... it was just so much work, and although I enjoyed organising it for her day, wouldnt want the hassle for mine!

So Cook Islands it is, let me know how your sister goes. Does she plan to stay in Aitutaki at all?

I am tossing up whether to have the ceremony at Rarotonga, or Aitutaki, has she seen the Tribal Weddings site, that looks beautiful.

[V8]

She hasn't checked out Aitituki i don't think, i think she's just happy to go to the raratongan beach resort, i'm really looking forward to her wedding, be a holiday for us too :) Much less fuss.

[MZmama]

Are you taking the kids? If so, let me know how they go on the flight! Thats the one thing I am worried about..

I have heard its better to go Air NZ compared to Pacific Blue (Virgin).. purely because their flight time schedules are more child friendly..

[V8]

I am pretty sure that either way you go to the Cook Islands they have a bit of a stupid flight schedule and you may need to stop over in Auckland, as the flight comes in early in the morning or something and then you can't check in till later in the day, so may aswell stay, can't remember exactly but i know my mum asked at the travel agent and they said something along those lines. We'll be taking the kiddies, Cameron will be nearly two by the time we go, so it shouldn't be too bad, plus my sis, her fiancee and grandma and grandad will be there, so plenty of people to help entertain the kiddies :D Josh already has been to NZ once and has his own passport, so that's pretty cool. I just gotta save lots of money! :laughing: When you guys intending on going there?

[MZmama]

So are you staying in Auckland for a night then? I had considered this but didnt want it 'eating' into my Cook Islands time, and create more money for extra accommodation etc.. :detective:

We are planning to go in July 2010, so awhile away yet. We were planning on booking flights ASAP, so we'd have dates locked etc and could advise all family/close friends to give them a chance of coming if they wish, but now we are just going to save as much as we can, and evaluate how much we have at the start of next year, and then go from there. Hopefully we save enough to be able to go in July next year, plus, I want to go before my youngest is 2 to save on the extra flight!

Hopefully it will all go as planned!