ELOPING DURING COVID & BEYOND...

Concept and planning by @thewildpairweddings | Photography by @hayleyrafton | Hair & make up by @brushy_makeup | Florals by @thewildside__ | Dress by @grace_loves_lace | Hire by @tspicknmix

“Most people think of eloping as a quick, legal ceremony at a local courthouse – we get that. We used to think that too! In fact, the dictionary defines eloping as “running away secretly in order to get married”. That could not be further from the truth. Eloping is so much more than that - it is so much more meaningful, authentic, and valuable than some quick legals done on the fly.”

— Lauren Chuter, The Wild Pair

We recently had the absolute pleasure of collaborating with elopement planning guru, Lauren Chuter from The Wild Pair. We sat down to discuss her thoughts and insights on elopements during Covid and beyond...

P&M Team: So Lauren, what does the definition of "elopement" mean to The Wild Pair?

Lauren: We believe to elope is to have the freedom to go anywhere – to do anything – on your wedding day. Your elopement is a uniquely crafted, intimate wedding experience that embraces your shared values, hopes and dreams, and rejects the expectations, traditions and distractions of the outside world.

P&M Team: Where did the idea for The Wild Pair come from, and what is it that you offer?

Lauren: My husband and I started The Wild Pair to create wedding experiences for the ‘natural an untamed couple’ – the couple who love adventure and value authenticity. Honestly, the concept of an adventure elopement is usually not the first thing people think of when they get engaged – people tend to underestimate what an elopement really could be… We want to spread the word and help people create a wedding experience that is truly meaningful to them.

It's a new definition of eloping and a different way to get married that you might not have even thought about. And I get it, you have probably visualised your big wedding for months, if not years, and you probably know EXACTLY what you want your day to look like. But trust me on this, just take a moment to open your mind and think about what your wedding day COULD be. Take a moment to consider the possibilities...

Remember that eloping gives you the freedom to go anywhere and do anything on your wedding day; it gives you the freedom to plan the best day of your life from start to finish, exactly how you want it!
Seriously, picture yourself hand in hand with your partner, telling each other how deeply in love you are and then sharing an epic first kiss, all while tucked away in your own secluded, intimate little corner of the world! You then sit back and sip your champagne while enjoying this dreamy picnic set up and your newfound married status.
This is what ELOPING is about - having the time and space to share the most intimate and precious moments with your other half.

P&M Team: Why elope during COVID?

Lauren: It's an easy and stress-free way to get married in the middle of all this drama. Leave the chaos behind and have an epic adventure elopement!

P&M Team: Some of our clients have questioned if an elopement will be as fun and memorable because it's over so quickly. What would you say to that?

Lauren: Ha-ha yep, this is a huge misconception! Most people think, "Isn't an elopement like a super quick ceremony and a few photos afterwards - like 1, maybe 2 hours, max?" ...My response? AHHHH NOPE! No, nope, nada, nil, false! An elopement is a *wedding day*, and just like any other wedding day, the whole DAY is super important. The day you elope is the day you marry your other half, and definitely should NOT be diminished to a mere 1-2 hour celebration and photoshoot. Your day deserves so much more than that. Elopements can and should be an all-day event and you can easily create styling throughout your event.

Let me give you a taster. Imagine this...

You arrive at your cute lil AirBnB in the morning, styled, of course, to suit your look. You share an awesome home-cooked brunch. At around midday, you start getting ready (separately!). You do a first look at say, 2 pm, followed by a short hike to your elopement spot. You marry at say, 4 pm, have some portraits and enjoy a beautifully styled, sunset picnic for two overlooking the valley (see pic below for inspo!). You make your way back to the AirBnB by 7/8 pm, where your private chef cooks you the meal of a lifetime. You round the day off with some soft music and a private first dance next to a campfire.

Honestly, does that not sound like the most perfect wedding day?!

P&M Team: Wow, that does sound amazing! Many of our clients who have chosen to elope, have hired our product again for what they're calling their "celebration" day. Where they're getting together with their loved ones at a separate date in the future, to celebrate their love and now, marriage. We LOVE the idea of two celebrations! On that note, do you find couples are hesitant to elope because they want more of their loved ones involved?

Lauren: Absolutley! But here's the MYTH BUSTER: Elopements can be more than 2 people! Yep, you heard that right. Besides the fact that you can't get married with only two people in Australia anyway, we simply don't believe that the number of people present is what defines an elopement.

An elopement is all about the intention - it's about creating a day that focuses on the couple, not the guests. If you can achieve that with 5, 10 or even 20 guests, then to me, that is still an elopement. Of course, the more guests you have, the harder it is to keep the focus on just the couple. With this in mind, around the 20-guest mark is probably when an elopement starts to turn into a wedding, but again, there's no hard and fast rule.

Check out this super intimate pic (see image below). This was an elopement shoot we set up for 8 people. It included the sweetest styled picnic by the beach under dreamy festoon lighting - the perfect setting to celebrate your marriage while surround by those who mean the most to you. So if you want to elope surrounded by those you love - don't let anyone tell you it's not a 'real elopement'!

Planning & Coordination @thewildpairweddings | Photography @translucent_photography & @filmandstills_ | Videography @thomasjamesmedia | Venue @thecovejervisbay | Styling @hoorahevents | Florals @ivylanecollective Make Up @nataliegaucimakeup … — Planning & Coordination @thewildpairweddings | Photography @translucent_photography & @filmandstills_ | Videography @thomasjamesmedia | Venue @thecovejervisbay | Styling @hoorahevents | Florals @ivylanecollective
Make Up @nataliegaucimakeup | Hair @deelushhair | Caravan Bar @le_petitbar | Grazing Platters @styledby_tabitha
Bridal Gown @whitemeadowbridal | Groom's Suit @valentinos4men | Stationery @quilldesignau | Couple @lucycupitt & @jordancorbett

P&M Team: What do you tell couples to help them choose how to elope in a way that's unique to just them?

Lauren: Elopements are super authentic, super personalised and super original wedding experiences. The next logical question is, what on earth could you *do* on your elopement day to make it authentic, personalised and original? And the simple answer is “absolutely anything”.

Of course, on your elopement day there will be a time when you and your partner are in a very special spot, saying some very special words to each other and officially becoming married. This is only *one part* of your wedding day. The question is, how do you want to spend *the rest* of your wedding day?

Here's my advice: Think about what things are important to you and your partner. What activities do you enjoy doing together; do you have a special spot in the world that is significant to you; is there something you have both always wanted to do or try; what’s on your bucket list? Create a list of epic activities, vote on your top two and then start planning the best day ever!

P&M TEAM: So how do you make each of these elopements look so beautiful?

Lauren: Well, I absolutely loved collaborating with Pick 'N' Mix, for one! There are so many ways to get creative, and many moments throughout an elopement that can be styled. Usually we would style the ceremony/vows and a small picnic set up for couples who elope. Pick ‘N’ Mix have some awesome options that we are able to pack into our backpacks so that we can style adventure elopements as well!

Just a few small elements such as lanterns, tealights, rugs etc can easily be added to complement the natural setting and add to the romantic feel.

P&M Team: And what about the first dance? How you do make this special for an elopement?

Lauren: Yep, that's right, you *can* have a first dance at your elopement. No, you won't be dancing to a tune played by a 5-piece band; and no, you won't have an audience of 100+ guests; but YES, this will be the best dance of your life!

Dancing is a form of celebration and your wedding day and marriage is definitely something to be celebrated (regardless of whether you elope of have a big, traditional wedding)! So when you're dreaming up your elopement day, thinking about having a moment for a sneaky first dance! It could be on top of a mountain shortly after your ceremony, or it could be by the fireside surrounded by a few candle-lit glowing lanterns, or it could be at twilight under a canopy of festoon lighting (like this beautiful couple below)!

P&M Team: What are some final words of wisdom you'd like to leave our readers with?

Lauren: Don't have a wedding focused on timelines, vendors, or guests! Instead, have a wedding day focused on *you*, your values, your journey, your stories, your passions, your love. You can remove all the distractions of the outside world; you can have the freedom to go anywhere, and do anything, on your wedding day. You can choose to have a wedding day that is authentically you... A wedding day that gives you the time and space to share intimate moments like this one, and just *be* with your other half.

Choose to elope! 🙌