GJ’s Guide to the Perfect Elopement!
Unfortunately, weddings are being postponed. Due to COVID-19, most of the world is on lockdown, stuck in our homes in a ‘shelter in place’ quarantine. More than about 10 people shouldn’t be in a room together at once, so large events, namely weddings, are being postponed until further notice. Brides, our hearts ache for you. You’ve spent probably over a year planning this day, crossing days off a calendar and writing that one special date over and over. All your hard work is not all for nothing. You will have your day to commit and declare your love in front of everyone you love, it may just be a few months from now. And, you can still get married whenever you want.
People have been eloping for years, but suddenly it takes on a whole new meaning. You can still honor your original date and tie the not, or not! You can still marry your person and do it up…small. We’ve gathered up some elopement tips below, along with some of our favorite vendor recommendations, so you can support small businesses and entrepreneurs while celebrating your love!
Our Tips:
Pick a spot: it doesn’t have to be the courthouse! It can be a NYC sidewalk, your front yard, or the grocery store. Have fun with it!
It can be a judge at the courthouse or with anyone officiated and legally allowed to perform a ceremony.
Don’t forget a marriage license! You can fill out the majority online and just go into the clerks’ office to sign. Bring your own pens to be on the safe side! Once you have that, you have to wait at least 24 hours to tie the knot, but not more than 60.
A minimal guest list is key to keep it intimate and exclusive: parents, a few friends, all standing a casual 6 feet away.
Support your Local WEdding Industry
Book a photographer to catch all the details of this historic moment! Here are some of our favorites:
Chicago:
Ayaka Sano, Victoria Chuk, Emily Madigan
Denver:
Pure Lee, Friends and Lovers
NYC:
Rachel Leiner Photo
Call up a florist and see if they can make a contact-less delivery!
Some of our favorites: Strewn, Zuzu, Rowdy Poppy
Order a sweet treat! You can order a smaller cake to share from a local bakery, and freeze a slice to eat after your big wedding reception!
Our favorites:
Bonvivant Cakes, ECBG Studio, Pie Pie My Darling.
If the idea of an elopement still sounds too outside of what you imagined, remember how incredible it will feel when all your favorite loved ones can gather together again, and dance the night away just as you’ve planned.
And picture this: you’re sitting with your grandchildren, and you pull out an old album (or screen, or hologram or whatever they use in the future) and you can tell them all about how when the world was stuck inside, you both agreed that your love was too strong to wait, so you did it your way.