One of the fantastic things about this very unusual wedding season is seeing how different wedding vendors can work together to create new ventures. This week on Behind the Door, I’m thrilled to be discovering Laid Back Elopements, a new creation by wedding photographer Stina from Gold and Grit and Kim, a celebrant and florist from Dear Henri.
“Back when COVID settled in, we realised that the wedding world wouldn’t look the same for a while, big weddings were and still are off, but that doesn’t mean that love is!” says Stina. “Kim and I had a chat about what we could do for our couples, and created Laid Back Elopements – tiny weddings at amazing locations.”
Offering a curated selection of laidback love parties for couples wanting to keep things chill, Laid Back Elopements are designed for the couple plus up to 10 of their friends and family to enjoy. Each elopement package includes a breathtaking location in Victoria, celebrant services from Dear Henri and photography by Gold and Grit. The idea is that it’s low fuss but maximum impact, a perfect match with current wedding restrictions.
All the venues are in Victoria, mostly regional, which Stina says was a very deliberate choice. “Victoria has so much on offer, we’re in love with the nature, from the open fields to bushland and the gritty overgrown laneways of Melbourne, Victoria feels like such a soulful place.” Stina tells me they wanted a wide range of venue types so couples could find one that felt like them, whether it was on a windswept mountain or in a quirky inner city venue. All of the locations have a special feel and allow for some beautiful locations for portraits too.
“We have worked together many times before, and have a friendship outside of that, so we bring a great vibe to the couple’s day,” says Stina. “We can also recommend and work with other amazing vendors should you wish to add florals, a wedding cake or have your hair and makeup done”.
In addition to that the team are not just there for the ceremony itself. “We want to help our couples make their elopement an experience and we’ve created a list of favourite restaurants or gorgeous Airbnbs around the area that our couples can be inspired by or use on their day.”
I ask Stina what she loves about elopements and she says it’s all about the vibe on the day. “I love weddings big or small,” says Stina. “But elopements are a little bit special, there’s just something so gorgeous and intimate about a couple saying their vows in front of the tiniest of crowds. It’s a distilled version of a wedding, like a very reduced, delicious sauce, the pace is also slower, with less formalities, which allows couples to be more relaxed and enjoy the day.”
About Amelia Waddell of Moonstruck Bride: I’m a proud bridal store owner with a love of exploring creative spaces. Whether it’s an office, event space, workshop or retail store I love seeing how other wedding businesses create their own special magic. When I’m not fitting brides I love immersing myself in everything wedding, in the name of “research” of course.
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