Elope

[bubs_and_us]

should i elope?

i wanted the 'big' wedding, but i dont think i can

A. afford it
b. be bothered organising it
c. be bothered with the family cr@p that goes with it.....

so what do you think? will i regret it? or will it be the best thing for me to do?

[oleander]

Yes, definately elope. You won't regret it but you may regret spending a fortune on a traditional wedding. JMO:)

[benji's_mum]

We did it and it was perfect. No regrets.

[caz]

I say elope :thumbsup:

As long as it is something that you really want to do and you are completely happy with everything, then you should have no regrets

[iluvmeboyz]

i say do it

[niesl_bug]

We didn't quite elope, but got married in Bali with only 10 guests. I regret nothing and our day was perfect. I friends got married in Mauritius and it was just the 4 of us - they were really happy that we came as they said they saw other couples get married and the looked a bit lost. I think it's nice to have at least 2 friends or family with you as it's a very emotional day.

Good luck :thumbsup:

[zenifa]

We eloped and have never regreted it!! I guess it depends on what you want from your wedding. We got photos, video and had the ceremony on webcast so friends/family could see. For us eloping was about doing it 'our way' without interference from family, it cost a lot less, was fun/spontaneous and about the two of us making a commitment to each other. For us the marriage was much more important than the wedding!!
I voted for yes!:thumbsup:

[ButterflyMama]

Do it.. I would if I could have. Would have avoided much heartache!

[Mahjong]

If we had our time again, most defaintely would have eloped LOL!

[bubs_and_us]

ok, so far the general concensus is yes..... here's what im thinking:

still have our bridesmaids and groomsman.... we've already bought their dresses/suits, and they can be the witnesses.

have a photographer

just invite immediate family, and nobody else (but keep it a secret until the day so nobody can try and talk us out of it)

then we (and bridesmaids /groomsman/ immediate family can go out to dinner together afterwards.


what do you think? not quite eloping, but i think its the closest we are going to get without causing world war 3 in the families!!!!

[poppet]

Sounds perfect..

If we had our time again we would do exactley the same thing..no family issues go for it.:thumbsup:

[Ange&Seth]

My sister always wanted to elope, but her fiance wanted to have the family wedding thing. So, they compromised :D

They got married on Hamilton Island (they live in Tassie) and invited only those that they actually wanted to come. It was then up to the 'invitees' to decide if they wanted to be there.

It was excellent!! Really intimate, only about 30 ppl there. No extended family, just mums, dads, brothers, sisters and friends.

[mum2bubba]

If you think it'd be easier then I say elope, just make sure its something you really want to do though.
I want to elope but Grant wants a proper wedding (well I want a proper wedding too but a cheap one if that makes sense) I would like to have no more than 20 of our closest family and friends be witnesses when we get married, no bridal party (expect for the kids) and I just want to go out for lunch/dinner somewhere, no speaches, no limos, none of that wedding stuff its just not me. I don't even want to wear a white wedding dress. Its cheaper to elope too. :thumbsup:

[M O P]

We kind of eloped with our family, a very casual beach wedding in Broome with just immediate family, and then had a party when we got back for all the rest of the family and our friends. And it was just a party so no tables to decorate or seating plans to arrange.

[Mahjong]

How about a "BBQ" get together with just the select few family members you want, and then spring it on them after they arrive?

Johanna Griggs (Better Homes and Gardens host) did that last year for her . Made out it was a house warming party, but she got married instead.

[Mummy2Noah]

Do it Do it Do it How Beautiful:yes:

[MegACT]

DP and I have just decided to Elope. Its not that the 'big wedding' doesnt sound nice or we can't afford it, its more that we want it to be about us and with interferring family it kind of loses its meaning and can also get quite expensive trying to please everyone...especially with all of those extra costs.
We just lost our first Baby last week due to m/c and our priorities have changed a little and it has definately made us stronger and closer.
I always liked the idea of eloping and my parents were always happy for us if we did as they would give us money instead of the money spent on a 'big wedding'. Not sure what the in-laws are going to say.
So on our anniversary this year (23rd October) we are going to have a 10 night holiday on a luxurious Fiji resort and get married :) and we are going to get my parents to send out invites to all of our family and friends while we are away to invite them to a casual bbq reception when we get back...so that keeps everyone happy.
Fiji here we come! :D

[chameleon]

We didn't quite elope but had a very small wedding with only immediate family on the beach... we still had the photographer and the bridesmaids and groomsmen, and just went to a seafood restaurant after. It was really lovely!

So I think your idea sounds great!:thumbsup:

[Queen]

I say ELOPE!!!

What we want to do is have a BBQ, by casual party and then say BY THE WAY WE ARE GETTING MARRIED...
Cheap easy and fabbo!!!

[HanCh]

We didn't quite elope but had a very small wedding with only immediate family on the beach... we still had the photographer and the bridesmaids and groomsmen, and just went to a seafood restaurant after. It was really lovely!

I think we will be doing something like this. Maybe not even bridesmaids and groomsmen, just the girls as flower girls. Listen to me talk, Im not even engaged yet!!!!!

I say do what you feel comfortable with. If you do elope and regret it, you can always have a big wedding on your tenth wedding anniversary :thumbsup:

[zenifa]

My BIL and his fiancee are currently in the midst of planning their big wedding, with all the trimmings and we saw them yesterday, and my BIL was wondering if it was better to elope (too late, his fiancee has turned into bridezilla:laughing: ).
Although we eloped, we did have a celebration with family and friends upon our return, no speeches and wedding formalities, just a great meal/drinks/music and a chance to catch up with everyone and celebrate our marriage........it was cheaper and no stress.

[shed]

We have been umming and aahing about this all year.

First we were going to elope, then it turned into a small gathering which morphed into a big white wedding which morphed back into a small gathering and this morning it turned back into eloping!!

[Hokey Pokey]

I voted No, as you just don't seem very sure about what you really want.

[blueangel]

We get married in 6 sleeps!!!! :eek:

We thought about eloping but then decided that we wanted to share the occasion with our close friends and family.

We are having a short ceremony in the backyatd followed by a Spit Roast for dinner. It is all pretty low key and we have only invited about 50 people. I am really excited about it and not stressed at all as it hasn't got all the hype about it that some weddings can have.

I think it is nice to celebrate it with family and friends but you could elope and just have a party when you get back. I know one couple that had an engagement party and then had a celebrant come and tied the knot then and there!!!! Everyone was really suprised but it saved organising a wedding.

Goodluck with whatever you decide. By the way I voted no.

[MummyCharmzy]

I'm not voting... if its what you really want to do - go for it.

If you REALLY in your heart want that big wedding, don't let the cost of it get the better of you as there are a million ways to 'cut costs'. If you do want the big wedding and then elope anyway, I imagine you would regret it.

Do what your heart tells you :D

[JATS]

The only reason we didn't elope was I wanted my great grandmother there, after the wedding I told her that and she said we should have just done it! She'd have been happy with photos!

If I could go back and change it I would probobly have eloped, gone to QLD on holiday for a week or two with my sister and Jordan's youngest bro as our witnesses.

The benefit of hindsight!:rolleyes:

[charlen49]

DP and I have just decided to Elope. Its not that the 'big wedding' doesnt sound nice or we can't afford it, its more that we want it to be about us and with interferring family it kind of loses its meaning and can also get quite expensive trying to please everyone...especially with all of those extra costs.
We just lost our first Baby last week due to m/c and our priorities have changed a little and it has definately made us stronger and closer.
I always liked the idea of eloping and my parents were always happy for us if we did as they would give us money instead of the money spent on a 'big wedding'. Not sure what the in-laws are going to say.
So on our anniversary this year (23rd October) we are going to have a 10 night holiday on a luxurious Fiji resort and get married :) and we are going to get my parents to send out invites to all of our family and friends while we are away to invite them to a casual bbq reception when we get back...so that keeps everyone happy.
Fiji here we come! :D
:crying: firstly sorry for your loss..but i must say iwas really mooved by your post.....i hope you have an absolutely beautiful elopement...thats what i would like to do i think ( and i'm an old chook;) )

[natasha]

Best thing I ever did was Elope in Fiji. No family nagging about who they are sitting next to, and that they had to fly to get here, as we have family all over the world so lots of people would have had to fly (they actualy wanted us to have 4 seperate ceremonies in 4 diff countries, because it was less effort for us to come to them, apparently).:banghead:

The day was completly about me and DH. It was just like I had always imagined, me and DH, walking under an archway of flowers down the beach at sunset, a cool breeze floating in from the ocean. Romantic, calm and peaceful.

I never wanted the whole church wedding, hated the thought of being centre of attention. DH feels the same, and since he has already done the whole HUGE church/family thing with his ex wife, he knew he wanted to do it differently this time.

It was sad not seeing my mum on the day, but i got over that pretty quickly.:D

I dont regret doing it one bit.
My MIL wa so upset when we told her, my aunt and uncle havent spoken to me since, but hey, my life, my decisions. Live with it. And if you want to behave like children, well you can do it without me there to listen.:yes:

I say go for it.

ETA, we also saved about $20,000 by eloping.(by what we had calculated it would cost). So Im so happy we eloped.

[MegACT]

firstly sorry for your loss..but i must say iwas really mooved by your post.....i hope you have an absolutely beautiful elopement...thats what i would like to do i think ( and i'm an old chook;) )


Thanks so much for your kind words, its put a nice big smile on my face :D

I have got all my quotes together and looks like its going to cost us around $6,000-$7,000 and whatever spending money on top of that...and that includes flights, transfers, 10 nights accom, breakfast and the wedding package. Im very excited!! :smiliedance: It just makes it so much more special because DP works night shift and I work days so we dont see alot of each other. We are looking at starting a family together when we get back :)
I have told my Mum of our intentions and she is very happy for us and we are going to go dress shopping together so that she can share a part of it.
Have decided to have a small cocktail party at a venue when we get back for a reception....should cost around $3,500 to $4,000 which our parents will pay for (and who gets to wear their wedding dress twice?!).

[charlen49]

MegACT: congrats.....that sounds wonderful..have a wonderful time u lucky thing!!

[Trumpet]

I said elope but just make sure you really wouldn't be disappointed later. I would have done it but we got married on the pier at redcliffe and had nibbles and drinks at our house. I could not handle a big sit down formal thing as like you I would have had world war 3 just from the seating of people.

Great choice of day Megact - my birthday.

[laraandzacsmum]

We eloped to Fiji too... its amazing there... no stress... nothing but relaxaton... Fiji time as they call it...
You can get your marrage license in a few hours at Nandi and you have 30 days to get married... that easy... we got married at Treasure Island... they arranged everything... photographer, flowers, cake, minster/celebrant, candle light dinner for two away for everyone else, plus even fruit and champane in our room for afterwards... nothing like feeling special on your special day...
Just think relaxing on the beach an hour before the wedding.... we even got a massage a few hours before that.... oh boy its all coming back...:kiss:
We told our famliy and friends once we had left what we where doing... our mums and dads knew and gave us there blessing.... we had a video of the day and heaps of photos... so they we all happy.... plus we had the whole big wedding dress thing too... just no stress from everyone....
Just remember its your special day with DF... so do what right for you both...
And most important thing... what ever you do.... ENJOY IT....
Good Luck:party:

[katherine]

i always said i didnt care if elvis married us.. the day about the two of you (and who ever you want to share it with you) it doesnt have to be elaborte at all.... just join you two in marriage :):):)

[natasha]

We eloped to Fiji too... its amazing there... no stress... nothing but relaxaton... Fiji time as they call it...
You can get your marrage license in a few hours at Nandi and you have 30 days to get married... that easy... we got married at Treasure Island... they arranged everything... photographer, flowers, cake, minster/celebrant, candle light dinner for two away for everyone else, plus even fruit and champane in our room for afterwards... nothing like feeling special on your special day...
Just think relaxing on the beach an hour before the wedding.... we even got a massage a few hours before that.... oh boy its all coming back...:kiss:
We told our famliy and friends once we had left what we where doing... our mums and dads knew and gave us there blessing.... we had a video of the day and heaps of photos... so they we all happy.... plus we had the whole big wedding dress thing too... just no stress from everyone....
Just remember its your special day with DF... so do what right for you both...
And most important thing... what ever you do.... ENJOY IT....
Good Luck:party:
You lucky thing!! Iv been to Treasure Island and seen a wedding take place. It was truly beautiful. It is soooo on fiji time over there haha!! The whole thing is just so relaxing.
Iv heard the woman who organises it all is fantastic and takes care of everything right down to every small little detail.
I love treasure island and would recommend getting married there to everyone!:yes:

[MegACT]

We eloped to Fiji too... its amazing there... no stress... nothing but relaxaton... Fiji time as they call it...
You can get your marrage license in a few hours at Nandi and you have 30 days to get married... that easy... we got married at Treasure Island... they arranged everything... photographer, flowers, cake, minster/celebrant, candle light dinner for two away for everyone else, plus even fruit and champane in our room for afterwards... nothing like feeling special on your special day...
Just think relaxing on the beach an hour before the wedding.... we even got a massage a few hours before that.... oh boy its all coming back...:kiss:
We told our famliy and friends once we had left what we where doing... our mums and dads knew and gave us there blessing.... we had a video of the day and heaps of photos... so they we all happy.... plus we had the whole big wedding dress thing too... just no stress from everyone....
Just remember its your special day with DF... so do what right for you both...
And most important thing... what ever you do.... ENJOY IT....
Good Luck:party:

Awww that sounds glorious! Exactly like what we are planning to do....we are looking at the Sofitel Resort or the Sonaisali Resort. How did your photos and video turn out....very proffesional? Just looking forward to spending some 'us' time. Valentine