Celebrate Our Lives

Small Wedding Bliss

Why not have your Ceremony in my backyard

Choosing to elope is just easier. It’s private, intimate, and unforgettable. An elopement is celebrating your marriage in a way that truly represents your love. It’s about creating a beautiful day with your partner that you will look back on for forever!
LOVE LOVE LOVE IN MY BACKYARD Are you looking for a venue for an awesome intimate Elopement or a small wedding ceremony with your closest few? Celebrate Our Lives can help (even an elopement still needs some planning).I am now hosting Ceremonies in my own private backyard and covered pergola area (and new front deck). Getting married could not get any easier than this. It is intimacy plus, appreciating the beauty in simplicity and the return to more minimalist weddings. And you can focus solely on enjoying your journey to “I Do” and the freedom to focus on other aspects of the celebration.
A backyard elopement combines the practical and the pretty. My area is all set ready to go, just add your own personal touches if you wish. The ceremony area can be just how you want it, rustic, country, formal or informal, the choice is yours. I can offer seating for all of your friends and relatives. This could be a collection of my vintage chairs or even my cane outdoor dining setting spruced up. As you won’t be working with a venue you can plan your ceremony for any time of the day.
I aim to minimise my impact on this earth and give back to the greater community by sourcing goods and items from the local community, using recycled goods, integrating the old and the new.

So why choose to have an Elopement or a Small Wedding?

An elopement wedding can be just the two of you, but it doesn’t have to be. You can include a small group of friends and family. Be mindful of what this day means to you both and how you want to share it with your family and friends. You don’t have to do all the normal wedding things everyone else does just because they choose to celebrate in a particular way. Eloping allows you to bring the focus back to YOU! There are no rules to eloping … you can go all out with your desired attire, flowers, and decor, or skip it!
Your Choice
Getting married is an important life event, please give yourself the permission to have the wedding that you want. If you are after a wedding with just you and your partner, or a small group of family and friends, or a large wedding remember it is your decision. Your wedding doesn’t have to be about everyone else and their expectations.
Less Stressful
Wedding planning can be extremely stressful; a wedding can turn into a task to complete instead of a celebration. Elopements are so much easier to organise and can be done with less fuss and less stress, which means your wedding can be sooner rather than later if that is what you are after. You will forever remember the experience of being together, focusing on each other, and not be tied up with the timelines, the to-do lists, the guests, the event.
Less Expensive
Weddings can be expensive. By having a small wedding you can still have the full wedding experience but your budget can go further. Maybe less hangovers, less leftover food and drink and of course less family feuds. Elopement is a great option if you would rather put your money toward something else than a lavish wedding. You can always celebrate later with friends and family, not necessarily at a traditional reception, but in a way that reflects your personalities and interests.
More Selective with Your Tribe
With a small wedding you can be more selective with your guest list and you can invite only those you want. We all have those crazy difficult relatives. But even if you don't, perhaps you have a huge family and lots of friends. Having less guests means you have more time to interact and connect with them. And being in front of a smaller audience can be less stressful. This can help you to relax and enjoy one of the most important moments of your life.
More Environmentally Friendly
A small elopement wedding (and reception) can be more environmentally friendly. You can reduce waste and choose recycling of goods; those lavish weddings you see in magazines don’t show the aftermath. Be mindful in all decisions. Use recycled goods, borrow items, integrate the old and the new, maybe buy a preloved dress, or rent a dress, the bridal party might wear outfits they already have, or purchase preloved outfits, and then sell or regift after the wedding?
Source Local
There are more wedding suppliers available now to cater for elopements and small weddings. Source local to give back and benefit to your local community; source the small local guy, support a local dressmaker and florist, use a local selection of alcohol, just to name a few.

More Inspirations and Ideas for your Backyard Elopement

When the numbers are small, there’s a beautiful opportunity to indulge your inspirations and your guests. You could….• Make guests feel like VIPs with corsages or single flowers for all the women, and buttonholes for the men.• Ask everyone to contribute in some way, from a reading to a blessing or choosing the ceremony playlist.• Have a theme and ask everyone to take part.

Your Wedding ...

One thing that does remain is the opportunity to encompass classical milestone moments. You can still make a grand entrance and walk down the aisle. You can still organise a musician or special songs for the ceremony. You can still kiss your new husband/wife/partner for life to rousing applause.