Here are our top 8 tips for eloping in Ontario! Today we are talking all about Eloping! How about having a calm wedding celebration with your closest loved ones in a spot that means the most to you? Eloping with your closest friends and family, or eloping with just the two of you can look different and so beautiful for everyone. I am so excited to chat about one of my favourite topics I get asked most about and it’s so awesome to have you here! My name is Lea, and I am a photographer from Toronto, Ontario who specializes in documenting Elopements & Intimate Weddings within Ontario, across Canada and the rest of our beautiful planet. Specializing in elopement and intimate wedding photography here in Ontario, I’ve documented some truly beautiful elopements and have helped couples bring their dream day to life.
All weddings are beautiful; big, small, exciting, quiet. Whichever way you decide to celebrate the two of you saying I do is incredible! More couples are leaning into spending less of their savings on large weddings. Opting for meaningful, calm days surrounded by an intimate number of loved ones who can be fully present with them. Today I have eight elopement tips to share; to help you learn more about eloping or guide you along if you’ve already begun planning!
1. Makin’ it legal.
Getting legally married is one of the important parts! Marriage laws are different for each country and no matter the place you’re eloping within. I highly recommend looking into the laws of that part of the globe. For Ontario, you must first apply for a marriage license at your local city hall. There is a fee to apply, and you must host your wedding ceremony within 90 days of receiving your license. Your ceremony must be performed by someone who is legally entitled to do so, such as a justice of the peace or a religious official. There are other options for this, such as having a family member perform your ceremony and the legal paperwork signed beforehand. More about this and some really cool ideas below! After you are married in Ontario, you can apply for your marriage certificate to state you are legally married!
Having Friends Marry You
Another awesome option is having a friend or family member perform your ceremony. I’ve witnessed beautiful ceremonies where couples have chosen either a close friend, family member, father, or grandparent to guide their ceremony. It made that moment so meaningful and personal. Instead of signing wedding papers on your wedding day, you can sign in the days leading up to your wedding! A mini heads up for when a friend or family member marries you; they cannot legally marry you, unless they have been ordained. When planning for something like this, you will still need to sign your official marriage documents. You can do so with a licensed officiant sometime in the days either before or after your ceremony and make sure legal paperwork is filed properly. There are some incredible officiants we work alongside here in Ontario that can help make this process seamless and beautiful for you. Some have a lot of great information included on their websites about paper signing only. You will need to have your marriage license, as well as two witnesses to sign alongside you!
Some of my favourite officiants in Ontario are:
Jonny Belinko
Audra, One Soul Awakening
Tade, The Marrying Lady
2. Loved ones.
Hosting a more intimate day such as an elopement or smaller wedding can make your guest list a little shorter. You can choose to have just the two of you and two witnesses, or choose to have however many of your closest loved ones there! Hosting a smaller guest list can help with the element of getting married anywhere you’d love to. Imagine a sweet backyard wedding, at your family cottage, on the beach you had your first date at, your favourite travel destination, or other memorable places! It can also help with feeling more connected to those you invite, by being able to spend more time with them, enjoying a family style dinner or a truly relaxed day with a less structured timeline.
Elopements and Intimate Weddings are so lovely in the way that you are able to get married anywhere you dream up. You are able to have a more relaxed day and include so many things that are meaningful to the two of you! Check out Megan & Dylan’s cozy backyard wedding to get a sweet view into how beautiful and calm an elopement can be with your closest loved ones by your sides.
3. Location.
I think this is one of the coolest things about eloping. You can get married ANYWHERE YOU DREAM OF! Truly, when I say anywhere, I mean it. Think of your favourite spot, a place that makes you the happiest, a place where you have incredible memories and know you can most likely host your wedding there. How awesome! Locally, couples have said I do right in the backyard of their first home, at their family cottage, in the middle of the forest, at the lake, on the beach they always take their dog for a walk at and so many more. Globally, they’ve said I do at their favourite destination and with a more intimate guest list were able to explore with their family & friends!
When choosing your location, know there may be permits associated with some spaces. Places like provincial parks or beaches can require a permit or sometimes a fee to get married there. You may get lucky with spaces that are a little more off the beaten path; and if you’re outdoors, always remember, leave no trace, take out what you take in, and please be respectful of nature. If you aren’t familiar with what this is, you can read all about it right here, https://www.leavenotrace.ca/home.
4. Venture Outside the Box
Going on what I touched upon just above, think outside that box! You are unique and so awesome, so why not plan your celebration around that thought? Eloping doesn’t mean you have to leave out those unique and meaningful details. Eloping is such an amazing chance to do anything you want and include everything you’d love to in your day! Think of it as an experience. I always say to write down a list of things you would love to experience on your day; from music to food, vibe and feeling, old and new traditions. The sky is the limit for what you can do! Having that smaller guest list we talked about leaves the day relaxed and lets couples do exactly what they feel is right for them.
Want to bring your portable speaker and have your first dance, sundown at the beach? Want to boat out to an island in the middle of your favourite lake and say your vows under the trees? How about having your favourite restaurant cater an intimate dinner for your closest family & friends after your ceremony! Think about who the two of you are; individually and as a couple and add all the details that are unique to you into your day. This day is a part of your story together, and should be about everything you are.
5. Photos
Annnnd, you can choose to have an incredible storyteller alongside you to document all the love. The photographs or film taken on your day will last forever and you will have so many beautiful memories left to share with your friends, family and loved ones down the line. Why not hire your dream photographer? When choosing the person to tell the story of your day, choose one whose style you love, but most importantly someone who you vibe with really well. They will be creating alongside you on one of the most important days of your lives and you want to feel like they’re part of your group for the time they’re with you!
When you book a photographer who specializes in elopements, don’t be afraid to ask for their assistance! They may able to help you plan and pick out your dream location or other wedding professionals. They will be able to answer questions you may have and direct you to the appropriate people to bring all the magic to life. Not every photographer may provide this as part of their service, but I provide location, vendor and timeline recommendations for all of my elopement couples. You may only know the vibe of the day you’d love, but not know where to say I do and I absolutely love providing recommendations from all of the incredible places we’ve explored over the years. Feel free to say hello right here, I would love to hear all about your dream day!
6. Vendors
Being in this beautiful wedding industry for just over five big ones has connected me with some really cool wedding professionals. Their talent is unimaginable and the way they take a couple’s idea and bring it to life on their wedding day is amazing! I would be so happy to connect you with the right vendors while planning your dream day. We have a list of wedding professionals we work with regularly, and I continue to meet more lovely people and photograph their work each wedding season!
When inquiring with vendors, check if they travel (even within Ontario) for elopements; it’s such a great question to ask just incase. For example, some florists will let you pick up flowers you’ve ordered the day of or day before if you’re having an elopement a little further away. I am so happy to also help connect you with vendors near the area you’re getting married. As mentioned with photographers, it’s so beneficial to choose vendors that align with your vision and values, and can help you bring what you are dreaming up to life!
7. Accommodations
This is another fun part! Seeking out a unique Airbnb or hotel for the night can be so exciting. This can also double as the space you’re getting married at! I highly recommend checking out websites like AirBnb and This Open Space. Look around the area you’d love most. Here you will be able to find some pretty incredible places with different budget options! Think about what you’d love in a space, whether you’re just staying or getting married there too!
Would you love lake front, a beach, or a big yard? Would you like it to be pet friendly? A large space to fit a few more family members? If you’re going the Air Bnb route, some will let you host a small elopement at their space. If you’re looking to have family & friends stay with you, look for a larger Air Bnb or find unique accommodations within close proximity. There are so many great rentals all over Ontario, Canada wide as well. I would be more than happy to help you search for the perfect one or recommend our lovely Air Bnb friends! Alternatively if you are looking to book a hotel or a few rooms for your family, try a unique hotel or Bed & Breakfast in the area.
8. After Your Elopement
When couples think about eloping, there are a few different reasons they’ve chosen this route over a larger wedding celebration. Some of that is planning a beautiful day that revolves around everyone there, not just them. It’s having their close friends & family experience the day alongside them, instead of as guests who might not get a free moment with them. Sometimes couples choose to spend money on a memory or experience that means a lot to them. Sometimes they choose to host a celebration afterward for the loved ones who couldn’t attend, and sometimes they may not! Know you can do it any way you’d love to. If you’d love to wait a little before celebrating right away, that is so great too. Maybe you’d love to save up a little and go out to dinner or host a reception! As with everything in this post, do it the way you’d love to. Do it the way that makes you happy.
Remember those cool points we talked about above, about doing what you’d love, where you’d love and when you’d love? You can make a celebration you may choose to host afterward the way you’d love them. If you’re more comfy with a cozy dinner in your backyard with good music and food, that is awesome! Maybe it’s inviting family & friends out to your favourite restaurant, or hosting a house party! You can even host a reception or party in a cool spot you choose; and even make it unique to fit the vibe of your elopement; if you got married out in nature, maybe look for a space that has all of those elements. Think of it as a way to celebrate your marriage with all of your favourite people!
Remember, Get Wild!
Thank you so much for taking the time to check out this sweet little elopement post. I hope you found the tips above helpful! If you’d love help planning or talking about your elopement, you can read all about the elopement experience with me right here or contact me anytime here. I would be so excited to chat with you. Let’s hear all about the vibe you’re dreaming of and help you plan for one incredible experience!
[…] you’d love to plan a day like this, check out my tips for eloping in Ontario! Eloping doesn’t have to be alone, or across the world if you don’t want it to. It can […]