Posts Tagged ‘elopement’

Aug 2012

*Mandy, Graphic Designer & Luke, Mechanical Engineer*

In the early days of APW, elopements were still taboo (even here). We talked about them. We debated them. And I hoped, one day, that going to the courthouse would become a less taboo and more viable option for more folks. And these days, things are changing. There are photographers who focus almost entirely on elopements. The New York Times is writing pieces about people (APW wedding grads!) who eloped and had a party afterwards. The conversations about the courthouse seem less fraught. And if anything can push the conversation forward on elopements, it’s crazy-amazing weddings like Mandy and Luke’s. (And, cough, not to be shallow and all, but can we talk about her SHOES? And her NECKLACE?) And with that, Mandy…

I’m pretty sure we did everything wrong* in planning our wedding, but in the end, everything turned out just right.

We planned our engagement. We shopped for a ring together and picked one out that was perfect. We ordered it and had it shipped to my work. It stared at me from my desk all day. I took it home, gave the box to Luke (to give to me), went to work out, and came home (sweaty) to become a fiancé. It wasn’t a surprise, but it was incredibly romantic. This was a life changing decision that we were making. It wasn’t the first, and certainly won’t be the last, but it was one of the big ones. And we did it together.

We knew right away that we didn’t want a wedding. We are so so so lucky to have oodles of supportive family and friends that we share our lives with, but when it comes to undying confessions of eternal love, we are intensely private. We opted for the courthouse in the spring with a delayed reception planned for the summer.

We told everyone our plans in an effort to head off any hurt feelings a surprise elopement might cause. In hindsight, it didn’t matter how much notice we gave. Feelings were still a little hurt. Everyone says “it’s your day,” but we learned it’s a day for everyone else, too. Ultimately, we decided to do what was right for us, and went full steam ahead with the courthouse. Continue reading Wedding Graduates: Mandy & Luke

Posted in: Wedding Graduates | 27 Comments »

Jul 2012

Madeline: The Jegging Elopement

Since intern Madeline married in December and had her reception a handful of weeks ago, she’s throwing us little hints and whispers of the tale. First up, their city hall elopement. I couldn’t be more in love with it.

I didn’t plan on wearing jeggings on my wedding day—it just happened. I didn’t even know they were jeggings. I thought they were leggings with a fly and pockets. According to my good friend Alice, that is the definition of a jegging. But at the time, I was ignorant of this distinction. It was December, and I needed to cover my legs.

I put them on under a dress I bought for $11 from Banana Republic in 2008. Back then, we all thought the capitalist world was about to end. Stores were resorting to extreme sales to stop us all from giving up and dressing in trash bags. I never stopped to thank the banks for creating the discount frenzy that provided the dress I got married in. Let me remedy that: Thank you, banks.

Next up, a battered pair of boots, a comfort purchase after an old break-up. An aging sweater of my grandma’s. (“You can see the holes in the sleeves!” my mother said, of the photos.) A white flower pendant I picked up in Tokyo in 2010. And a pink, flowery headpiece from a New York City drugstore. Done and done.

We had applied for the license and overcome the 24-hour “cooling off” period required by state law. Two dear friends were standing by to witness the paperwork. We had exquisite wedding bands by Brandon’s friend Satomi—not the customary 2, but 4. (Yes, I couldn’t choose, and now I have three wedding bands. So sue me.) We were even allotted a celebrant straight off the set of the Sopranos. (“Congratulations to yous.”)

I know people worry about eloping and whether or not it feels “real.” Continue reading Madeline: The Jegging Elopement

Posted in: Planning: Journeys, The Ceremony, The Day Itself | 17 Comments »

Jun 2012

Guerrilla Wedding: Andria & Tim

* Andria, Creative Director at the University of Minnesota & Tim, Technical Service Specialist at Wells Fargo * Photographer: Moodeous Photography (APW sponsor) * Soundtrack for reading: “Baby I Love You” by The Ramones*

One sentence sum up of the wedding vibe: It was quirky, fun, and happy; we excitedly started our future in a natural history museum.

Continue reading Guerrilla Wedding: Andria & Tim

Posted in: Wedding Graduates, Wordless Weddings | 26 Comments »

May 2012

Wedding Graduates: Autumn & Rebekah

*Autumn, Writer and Activist & Rebekah, Graduate Student*

This week, with our discussion of Staying, we couldn’t think of a more perfect post, than, oddly, this post about an elopement in Paris. But you see, it wasn’t a big fancy planned elopement to Paris. It was a spur of the moment, backpacking trip, let’s get married elopement to Paris. And what followed was such an awesome, surrender-filled, embracing-of-life-as-it-is party, that it really couldn’t be more perfect. Because sometimes staying is just about accepting life exactly as it is, about choosing to love its imperfect complexities.

C’est la vie. If any single phrase could capture our elopement and reception that would be it. Not just in the sense of, “Oh well, something bad happened, that’s the way life goes,” but also in the sense of, “This is life—full of mishap and magic.”

My partner and I decided together to elope on the two-year anniversary of our first kiss in the middle of a six-week European backpacking adventure. We picked Paris as the site for our elopement mostly because, hello, it’s Paris, but also because it encapsulated everything romantic, sensual, edgy, and beautiful that we loved about our lives together.

We spent several days in Paris before our elopement day. Each day was more beautiful than the last—spring flowers glowing from the warm sun, breezes tickling wind chimes—perfect. Then we woke up on the morning of April 12th to find grey skies and freezing weather. So cold, we wore coats and gloves all day. We planned to exchange rings and vows all over the city, culminating with a champagne toast on the top of the Eiffel Tower, but after freezing in line for over an hour, we were so cold that we decided to grab a bottle of champagne and go back to the hotel before dinner. We exchanged the last of our vows in the bathtub of our hotel room sipping French champagne. It was one of the best moments of the day—intimate, warm (finally), and magical. C’est la vie. Continue reading Wedding Graduates: Autumn & Rebekah

Posted in: Wedding Graduates | 18 Comments »

Apr 2012

Wedding Graduates: Diana & Joey

*Diana, PR/Marketing Manager & Joey, Senior Project Manager*

You guys, here is the mother of all “Change of Plans” posts. Diana & Joey were planning a big wedding, because, well, that’s what you do, right? And then they realized they didn’t want a big wedding. And they had the nerve to call the whole thing off and plan a courthouse wedding with immediate family, in just six weeks. And the amazing thing? All those guests that were suddenly not coming to the big wedding? They were thrilled. So let’s talk about listening to your gut, and doing what you really need.

Joey and I met in 1999. I was 15, he was a day shy of 18, and within a month we were boyfriend and girlfriend. We kept those titles for the next 11 years.

Cue the infamous question—“What took you so long to get married?”

We’ll put aside the fact that we were babies when we met, with high school to finish, college to graduate from and careers to figure out, and I’ll tell you that marriage just wasn’t a top priority for us, which I think is hard for some people to understand. It wasn’t that we weren’t completely committed to one another. We bought a house together, and a dog…and then another dog. We were committed; we were creating a life together and figured we’d get married when it felt right for us.

Before we got engaged, we talked about getting married at the courthouse, keeping it simple, maybe even eloping. But then the love of my life put that blasted ring on my finger in March of 2011 and I lost myself (and my mind) for a little bit.

Everyone was so happy for us. I was consumed by the outpouring of love and excitement. The funny thing is that up until that point, we played by our own rules. We did what made us happy and what felt right for us as a couple, but now I felt like what would make us happy (simple, no fuss wedding), would make others unhappy. I was trapped by my people pleasing ways.

Continue reading Wedding Graduates: Diana & Joey

Posted in: Wedding Graduates | 57 Comments »

Apr 2012

Wordless Wedding: Rory & James

* Rory, Photographer/Colorist in Training & James, Storyboard Artist and Illustrator * Photographer: Rory & James’ friend and witness, Vanessa * Soundtrack for reading: “Married Life” by Michael Giacchino *

One sentence sum up of the wedding vibe: Two real life cartoon characters run away together.