Elopement Inspiration - The Wedding Playbook

Krystenna & Ashton’s Romantic Boho Elopement

Wedding Playbook — Thu, 24 Mar 2022 05:22:48 +0000

Unhurried, authentic, all about us…this is how Krystenna described her and Ashton’s romantic boho elopement set on a heritage estate. With their three gorgeous children in attendance, they exchanged their personal vows, enjoyed a private photo shoot after their intimate ceremony and drank wine in front of a fire with their best friends to close out their special day.

We love when couples open their hearts to us, and today Krystenna shares her candid reflection on their elopement experience. Just wait until you read her beautiful vows to Ashton – we dare you not to cry like we did!

So, what’s your love story?

“We met in high school, and it took me about 2 years to give in and give him a chance. We started dating about a year after graduation. We dated for a few years before realising our paths were going in different directions, Ashton’s career was taking off and he was away a lot and I was studying nursing and wanted to travel. We’d catch up from time to time and check in with each other but never considered getting back together until after the birth of our daughter.

We got engaged in November in the backyard, our daughter Billie said that daddy had a surprise for me and when I turned around, he was holding out a ring and asked me to marry him.”

Why did you choose to elope?

“As soon as we got engaged, we wanted to be married. Ashton didn’t propose because he wanted to be engaged, he wanted to be married the day after. Getting married felt like such an intimate moment to us, those vulnerable minutes of sharing your feelings for one another and committing your lives together and we wanted it to be special to us, not a show for the benefits of others.”

How and when did you announce your elopement?

“We told our closest friends and families before we left on our trip a month prior to the original planned wedding. Everyone else found out on social media the day after.”

How did you choose your elopement location?

“I found it on Instagram and fell in love. I must’ve sent a dozen emails to the venue as I was so impatient because as soon as I saw it, I knew that was the place.”

Who attended your elopement?

“Other than our vendors, we only had our three children present.”

How did you personalise your ceremony?

“We chose to have an acoustic duo perform as we absolutely love live acoustic music. I chose a non-traditional RNB song as my aisle song which the duo did an amazing job of creating an acoustic version. We wrote our own vows and we didn’t bother exchanging rings.”

Would you like to share your wedding vows with us?

“Ashton. Growing up I learnt that love was always conditional. So it’s come as no surprise to you, over the last decade or so, that at the first sign of things being less than perfect, or the first time you had the audacity to beat me in a game of monopoly my instinct has been to run.

Through our children you have shown me just how unconditional love really is and I’ll forever be grateful for this. Thank you for every time that I’ve closed a door on you, or on us that you have somehow managed to find a window to get back in. You challenge me to want to be better everyday, for myself, for you, and for our three wild and amazing children. I cannot wait to spend the rest of our lives growing together, raising our family and challenging each other daily, but I’m telling you now I’ll never get excited over your kale salads.

As individuals, we are not perfect (although I’m pretty close) but I whole heartedly without any doubts believe that we are perfect for each other. I feel incredibly grateful for everything we’ve been through, every up and every down because it’s gotten us to the life we are living today, and what a life, together we are ticking off so many firsts and creating a life people only dream of having. The careers, the house, the family, the love.

You are my best friend, and hands down the most genuine loyal kind hearted and patient person I know, and without a doubt the only person on this planet who can handle my strong and stubborn personality, and do it with a smile. You make my heart so incredibly happy, and I cannot wait to be your wife.

I know you wouldn’t believe me if I stood here today and said that I promise to never run when things feel tough, and I can’t promise that I won’t ever try and close a door on you. But Ashton, I love you more than I’ll ever manage to put into words and I promise you that no matter what challenges life throws at us, I’ll always leave a window open.”

What was your wedding dress shopping experience like?

“I actually didn’t enjoy dress shopping the first day I went – a two month engagement meant my options were limited and whilst not restricted by a budget, I couldn’t justify the cost and wastage of some of the dresses I tried on. Also not a traditionally “skinny” girl, I found a lot of designs unflattering. I kept getting caught up in what I thought I should wear, and not what I wanted to wear.”

How did you know you’d found ‘The One’?

“I liked a lot of dresses I tried and didn’t feel too fussy, but I knew my dress was the one before it was even zipped up as it felt like me. I was comfortable, I felt beautiful and the bow felt authentic to my fun personality. I actually didn’t pull it, a sales assistant suggested it and it was one I had bookmarked but didn’t think it would flatter my body.”

How did you style your elopement?

“I had an amazing event stylist who helped guide me. I really felt like we worked together as she took the time to discuss all the options so I felt a part of the whole process rather than hand balling decisions or being told what to do. I knew I wanted it to be a mix of fun and traditional. She nailed it.”

How did you celebrate after the ceremony?

“We went and had photos just us as a couple, then went back to our Airbnb, put our kids to bed, made a fire outside and drank incredible red wine with two of our friends. It was truly the best night.”

Were there any challenges you faced when planning your elopement?

“Covid. We had to postpone due to covid restrictions impacting my husbands work, but all our vendors were amazing and the new date and plan was even better than the original.”

What did you enjoy most about your elopement experience?

“Every second of the day was about us. We weren’t rushing to speak to friends and family members. We got to be fully present with each other and our children in every moment and it was completely authentic to us and every detail was about us and our personalities. I loved it.”

Do you have any advice for other couples looking to elope?

“1000 percent do it, throw tradition out the window, grab your person and have the best day of your lives.”

Who helped make the magic happen?

How to Plan Your Own Epic Elopement

Eloping might seem less complicated than hosting a traditional wedding, but there’s still a surprising number of questions that need to be answered to plan this special experience. How to Plan Your Epic Elopement will help you work through every detail step-by-step to realise your dream of a private and personal celebration that’s big on love and small on stress.

Buy How to Plan Your Epic Elopement for $9

The post Krystenna & Ashton’s Romantic Boho Elopement appeared first on The Wedding Playbook.

Fernanda & Kevin’s Dreamy Mountain Elopement

Wedding Playbook — Thu, 10 Feb 2022 14:00:12 +0000

Fernanda and Kevin marked a decade together with a dreamy mountain elopement on a dramatic clifftop. With a handful of close friends in attendance, their intimate ceremony featured sweeping views, romantic pastel blooms and elegant black tie style.

We love that they made the most of their elopement destination with a weekend-long celebration, kicked off with personalised vows, a stunning photo session and private dinner with their favourite people.

So, what’s your love story?

“Kevin and I met in uni and have been together for ten years. We’ve been through a period of long distance, and let’s just say we’re thankful we have pulled through and grateful for where we are now.”

Why did you choose to elope?

“Due to the pandemic, none of our family could travel abroad. We thought why not elope at our ten years. We were very happy with our elopement and the decision we made. Having said that, we are still hoping to have a reception in one or two years’ time.”

How and when did you announce your elopement?

“It was a rather rushed decision, and we announced the elopement through video calls to family and close friends two months before the ceremony. We were able to have a Zoom call for our family to be there during the ceremony.”

How did you choose your elopement location?

“We chose Lincoln’s Rock as the location as recommended by our photographer. Being in Australia, I have always imagined my ceremony being outdoors in nature, and the Blue Mountains is the perfect spot.”

Who attended your elopement?

“We had an intimate group of five close friends with us. Two of them had flown in and we were thrilled that they were able to make it.”

Did you write your own vows?

“Yes we did! Our key takeaways are to ensure you have sufficient time planned to write your vows, and have second and third reviews after two or three days with fresh eyes. Also, to remember your vows are for each other and no one else to keep it personal. One thing we did was keep the word count similar to each other.”

What was your wedding outfit search experience like?

“I went to multiple bridal dress shops during my search and I would recommend all brides-to-be to do the same and keep an open mind. I tried on different types of dresses and brands to compare and when I tried on my dress, I just knew it was ‘The One’.”

How did you style your elopement?

“As our location was on a cliff, I thought it would be great to have a ground arch. It was absolutely amazing, especially for a windy location. I chose a pastel palette of light pink, blue and white.”

How did you celebrate after the ceremony?

“We had an intimate dinner with our friends at the resort where we stayed. We had a private room at the restaurant and the food was divine. We’d booked two days’ accommodation for everyone and had so much fun!”

Were there any challenges you faced when planning your elopement?

“The biggest challenge was the ever-changing pandemic environment. On top of that we were only able to communicate with our celebrant, florist and photographer through calls and texts, but they made it so smooth and easy. It’s unbelievable how things have turned out so perfectly – all credit goes to this great crew.”

What did you enjoy most about your elopement experience?

“The best thing is how the location, my dress and flower setup all turned out to be so dreamy! It was above and beyond my expectation. When we were saying our vows, it felt as if it was just the two of us and we both got quite emotional.”

Do you have any advice for other couples looking to elope?

Ensure you have enough time to plan for everything, from the wedding dress, location confirmation, florist, etc. One thing that can be overlooked is the time it may take for wedding rings to arrive.
The day before the ceremony, have a quick run through of the event in your mind and lay out everything that you’d need and pack them up. I forgot an accessory, but luckily there was a backup!
Thankfully it didn’t rain as we didn’t have a plan B, but I highly recommend everyone to have an indoor plan.
Lastly, do it! We loved out elopement and the intimacy is a huge plus.

Who helped make the magic happen?

How to Plan Your Own Epic Elopement

Buy How to Plan Your Epic Elopement for $9

The post Fernanda & Kevin’s Dreamy Mountain Elopement appeared first on The Wedding Playbook.

Intimate Woodland Elopement Inspiration

Wedding Playbook — Mon, 28 Jan 2019 20:00:18 +0000

Berry pinks, winter greys and forest greens serve as the beautifully moody palette for this intimate woodland elopement.

Elegant calligraphy features on minimalist invitations and personalised vow books which serve as a sweet memento of this loving exchange. This bride and groom pair comfort and style in a translucent tulle wedding dress and checked grey suit, with warm woollen blankets on hand for cosying up when the chill sets in!

A romantic picnic setting is the perfect spot to enjoy a bountiful mezze platter after the ceremony, with a raspberry coloured wedding cake featuring clusters of pretty blooms on offer for dessert.

We’ll let this stunning film tell more of this story…

The Team

The post Intimate Woodland Elopement Inspiration appeared first on The Wedding Playbook.

Picturesque Mountain Elopement Inspiration

Wedding Playbook — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 20:00:19 +0000

This dramatic clifftop elopement will set your heart aflutter! When just the two of you and a couple of witnesses will do, there’s nothing quite so romantic as declaring your devotion in front of breathtaking mountain views. An organic cluster of red, pink and white blooms marks the spot of this heartfelt exchange, where this bride has arrived in an elegant lace wedding dress and gauzy veil that dances on the wind.

Just steps away, gold laser cut butterflies flit amongst a delicate arrangement of fresh fruit and florals at a private picnic setting. It’s a subtle nod to the beautiful rush of excitement you feel when you lock eyes with the one you love.

Now watch the stunning film!

The Team

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Tropical Picnic Elopement Inspiration

Wedding Playbook — Sun, 15 Jul 2018 20:00:55 +0000

If your dream is to feel like the only two people in the world on your wedding day, this tropical elopement inspiration is a beautiful place to start. Just you and your love exchanging vows with sweeping coastal views, a romantic beach picnic and bar stocked with coconut cocktails. Divine!

The Team

The post Tropical Picnic Elopement Inspiration appeared first on The Wedding Playbook.

Windswept Seaside Elopement Inspiration

Wedding Playbook — Tue, 25 Oct 2016 20:00:12 +0000

Channeling all the drama of its clifftop setting, this gorgeous seaside wedding inspiration is a love story just for two. It captures the moody depths of the ocean in its palette, a pearlescent glow in its beaded gown, and stunning florals in rich contrast. How perfect for an elopement, where the lighthouse stands silent witness to your love – with whispered vows carried away on the breeze…

‘To me, she was those final steps, the turn around the last bend, the house with the light on and a fire lit, and a faint laugh in the distance on a warm wind. That was she. She was my always coming home…’ – Atticus

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