What Happens During an Elopement - Young Hip & Married

We love officiating elopements here at Young Hip & Married. It’s an honour to be invited into an intimate wedding where the focus is just on the couple. But what actually happens during an elopement?

What is an elopement?

Back in the day, an elopement was two people running off to city hall or driving down to Vegas to tie the knot. And while those weddings still happen today, a modern elopement is an intimate wedding that’s focused on you. It can be just you two (and we’ll help you find witnesses), or you can invite your dog, children or a few close friends or family members. You can choose to elope wherever you’d like, perhaps in a scenic park or the coffee shop where you had your first date. (Not sure where to elope? We’ve included some of our favourite spots at the bottom of this post!)

An elopement is a simple ceremony that is short and sweet, usually around 5 minutes long. The ceremony script has been pre-written by your officiant and you have the option to add your own vows and/or a reading. The entire focus is on the couple and creating a little bit of magic just around them. There is no walking down the aisle or wedding party in attendance. There’s often nothing to set up or take down. It’s just about you and your boo.

Who is the elopement package for?

The elopement packages we offer are for couples who are planning an intimate wedding and who are looking for a short, but beautiful, ceremony. We cap our elopement guest count at 20 (remember, a true elopement is just the couple!). It’s an intimate wedding meant just for you two and a couple of your closest people, should you choose to include them.

What happens leading up to the day?

After you book your elopement (by submitting a contact form and filling out the contract with our office), your officiant will be in touch over email. While the elopement ceremony script is not custom, your officiant is available to answer any questions you might have over phone/email. They’ll be working to make your ceremony as special, smooth and stress-free as possible.

What happens during an elopement ceremony?

You will meet your officiant on the day of your elopement at your chosen spot with your optional guests. Once you’re ready, your officiant will begin the intimate short ceremony. You’ll stare into your partner’s eyes, hear the words your officiant has chosen for you, and have the opportunity to share your own vows. Once the ceremony is complete, you’ll sign your marriage licence with your officiant. And then, you’re married! Congratulations!

Reviews

Here is what some of our couples have said about their own intimate elopements:

“We are from out of town and Lani made everything so easy for us and graciously answered all of our questions. When we met Lani, we instantly felt comfortable and knew we were in good hands. Everything went smoothly (and with some fun laughs!) and we were impressed with the connection she made with us, even though we did a smaller elopement ceremony. A big thank you to Lani and Young Hip & Married for making our day so beautiful.”

“We cannot thank Shawn enough for his personal touch to our elopement ceremony. It genuinely felt like he was feeling all the emotions of our special moment right along with us, and we had never met before our ceremony outside of a few excited email exchanges. Our witnesses could not believe the care and emotion emitted from someone who had never met us. We really appreciate the beautiful words, it is a moment we will remember forever because he cares so much. Anyone who has the opportunity to have Shawn participate in any kind of celebration is truly lucky!” – Amanda

“We cannot say enough about the team at Young Hip & Married! Our officiant Jane was fabulous and made our ceremony one to remember! They made us feel at ease and so comfortable. It was a slightly rainy day in Stanley Park when we said our I do’s but we didn’t care. Both Jane and our lovely photographer Erica were both so happy to be there sharing in our moment which made our day even more special. I would recommend them over and over to anyone wanting a simple elopement or something more. Thank you Jane and Erica and thank you Young Hip & Married for making our day so special!” – Tania & Michael

“Our elopement couldn’t have been more perfect! It was just what we wanted with a quiet and beautiful location, and the ceremony was very intimate and special. YH&M were so friendly and helpful throughout the whole process. Thank you Shawn and Erica for helping to make this the most memorable day of our lives! It turned out even better than we had hoped.” – Janna

“My husband and I had been engaged for a couple of years and life kept getting in the way, so finally we decided enough already and just eloped with Young Hip and Married. I can’t say enough about how easy they made the process, from booking to sorting out details to putting together a ceremony that felt genuinely representative of us. Jane Halton was a fantastic officiant who incorporated our reading beautifully, kept everything on track and organized and on time, but allowed for our personalized touches and an informal feel at the same time. She was great at keeping in touch leading up to the day of, making sure we had all our details in place. Thanks again YH&M for making our day special and making everything so stress-free! Would definitely, highly, recommend.” – Heather

Ready to book your elopement?

Awesome! Head on over to our contact page and fill in all of the details for your elopement. We’ll be in touch soon to match you with an officiant and answer any other questions you have.

PS: We also offer Elopement+Photography packages in select locations. If you’re planning your elopement and need a photographer, let us know!

PPS: Feeling adventurous and eloping in Vancouver? Check out our Helicopter Elopement package for a truly epic elopement experience!

Need some inspiration for where to elope? We’ve got you covered. Check out these blog posts and more to come for our other awesome locations!

Feature image by Emily Nicole Photos
Written by Riana Ang-Canning