5 Creative Ways to Elope and Get Married in Virginia
You’ve made the big decision to elope in Virginia. You have your marriage license. You’ve made your appointment with me in the coming days to get married and have your photos taken. The question is what to do during the days/weeks/months leading up to your scheduled elopement wedding?
Some couples use this time to think up creative ways to add a unique touch to their wedding day and give it some extra flair. Having married hundreds of couples, I have seen some really cool ideas from some very imaginative people. Here are a few:
Give Your Elopement a Theme
If you have a big interest in sports, movies, or another type of hobby, you can elope and center your day around that. Take the couple in the photo above. They are HUGE football fans (Washington Redskins and Philadelphia Eagles) and chose to get married shortly after the Eagles won their first Super Bowl.
Since football is an interest that brought them together, they wanted it to be a part of their elopement. After exchanging their vows while wearing their favorite NFL jerseys, we took some photos after of them playing catch with a football.
Enjoy running together? Get married in your running attire. Like cars? Get married in a rustic garage / auto setting. Are you a big Star Wars fan? Work some Jedi / Sith imagery into your wedding day…which brings me to my next suggestion.
Get Married in Costumes
There is no rule that says you have to wear formal attire to an elopement. The truth is you can dress however you like…shirt and jeans, pajamas, even costumes!
The above couple decided to get married on Friday the 13th (like the movie series) since they enjoy watching horror movies together. When they asked if they could wear costumes for photos after their elopement, I enthusiastically said YES! Getting married at my private residence in the woods on a rainy, dreary day only added to the scary ambiance they were looking for.
Elope with Your Pets
No witnesses are required to get married in Virginia, but you are more than welcome to invite guests* to attend if you like. This not only means people important to you, but your furry friends as well.
I have done many elopements where couples have brought their pets along to share in the joy of their wedding day. Not only does your animal companion get to attend, but if you purchase a photo package, I am more than happy to include them as part of the photo session too.
While most pets in attendance have been dogs, nothing says you cannot bring along your pet cat, ferret, or hedgehog to be a part of your wedding.
*Please note there is an additional charge of $5 per guest / pet if you elope in a public location.
Celebrate a Holiday During Your Marriage
Crazy about Christmas? Head-over-heels about Halloween? If you choose to elope around a holiday, you can really embrace the spirit and incorporate it into your day.
This couple above love, love, LOVE Halloween! It is by far their favorite holiday of the year. They got married shortly after October 31 at their own home and worked the entire aspect of All Hallows’ Eve into their elopement. From their attire, to wedding decor, to the bride’s bouquet…everything had a flavor of Halloween spirit to it.
Bring Props and Signs
While not as over-the-top as some of the previous ideas I have shared, a fun and simple way to get creative with your elopement is to bring along some props and a sign or two for your photo session afterwards. I’ve had couples bring along banners, fishing rods, sports cars, uniforms, and more!
In the photo above, the couple was married on family property and asked if I could work an old canoe of sentimental value into the photo session. I was more than happy to. To me, the more props and items to get creative with during photos, the better!
Get Started and Creatively Elope
Ready to get married or have an awesome elopement idea you want to run by me first? Feel free to contact me at any time. Fill out my contact form or text me at 540-686-1220 and let’s work together to make your elopement one of the most creative ever!
