Just the two of us - Elisa Scarton

travelAbove: Jessicaand James madethe most of theirromantic Sicilianwedding setting.Below: Barryand Carmenchose Fiji as theirdream elopementdestination.ElopementessentialsSpontaneity is extremely romantic,but before you jump on a plane andelope, here are a few thingsto consider.wedding plannerHaving a wedding planner is notonly less stressful, it’s often moreaffordable as they know the areawell and can get discounts fromthe suppliers. When it comes todestination weddings, your weddingplanner usually takes care of allthe flights, accommodation andhoneymoon too.time and placeMost couples elope at the beginningof their vacation and then go ontheir honeymoon immediatelyafterwards, but it’s up to you.You could even rent a car and doa driving tour of the area beforeheading off to your weddingdestination.The legalitiesUsually there’s quite a bit ofpaperwork to do in both Australiaand overseas before you can elope.Some countries won’t let you marrylegally if you aren’t a citizen. Spain,France and the Maldives are someof them, but every country has itsown rules.involve the groomChances are your fiancé will bemore willing to help you organisea destination elopement than a bigwedding at home, so rememberto include him in the decisions –especially when it comes to choosingthe pre- and post-wedding activities.For Barry Stewart and Carmen Raynor, Natadola Bay provided theperfect backdrop for their sunset ceremony. The couple wed under abeautiful white silk canopy with Carmen’s children, Jack and Lola, astheir bridal party. “Both Barry and I had been married before, so theidea of having another huge wedding made me nervous,” Carmen says.“It so much nicer to have that day with my husband and the kids. Fijiis one of our favourite holiday destinations, so it had special significanceand the day was one we won’t ever forget.”Other popular elopement destinations include the tropical beaches ofThailand, Bali, Vanuatu and the Cook Islands, all of which have plenty ofresorts that are well equipped to help you organise your big day.If you’re never been to your chosen country, consider hiring a weddingplanner as it is likely to be much easier for them to get the bestrates with local suppliers. Remember to research local marriage lawsbefore you book. Some countries might let you have the whole religiouscelebration, while others might only allow a civil ceremony or symbolicblessing.Setting the sceneElopements are no longer scandalous or secretive, so there’s no reasonwhy you can’t have all the trimmings of a traditional wedding for justthe two of you.Carmen wore a white Lisa Ho wedding gown and carried a brightbouquet of tropical flowers. Jessica and James wrote their own vowsand rode to their civil ceremony in Ortigia on the back of a horse andcarriage. Obviously there are some challenges to not having any guests,but the trick is to be creative. Instead of having someone take you downthe aisle, Paola suggests meeting your groom at the beginning and walkingin together. Otherwise, for something extra special, hire musicians toserenade you both at your ceremony.As for witnesses, your wedding planner, resort or ceremony contactcan usually provide them. “There is such flexibility when you elopeabroad. You can follow tradition to a tee or you can do your own thing.You can even bring elements of the destination into your wedding, whichis something you can’t do at home,” Paola says.bride Destination 95

travelIf you’re hiring a wedding planner, ask them forideas about how to make your day special. They’ll beable to arrange everything from spectacular gardensfor your photographs to seats at the most exclusiverestaurant. Or in Barry and Carmen’s case, traditionalFijian dancers and a three-course dinner oflocal delicacies.“We knew we wanted a taste of Fiji for our receptionso we had a perfect candlelit dinner on thebeach with traditional seafood dishes. My son Jackmade a speech and even remembered to thank thelovely bridesmaid – his little sister,” she says.Of course, one of the biggest benefits of eloping is that you can organise yourday in half the time of a normal wedding. To be safe, you should starting planningat least six months beforehand so you have enough time to get all thepaperwork in order. “We did organise one spectacular European wedding ina matter of weeks, so it can be done if you know what you want,” Paola says.Above: Barryand Carmen tooktheir kids on theirelopement, butnobody else.“One of the biggest benefits of eloping is that you canorganise your day in half the time of a normal wedding.”Sharing the newsHow your family and friends react to your decision to elope abroad depends entirely on them,but chances are not everyone is going to be happy. “James’ mother was shocked. His sister hadeloped abroad just two months before us, so she was taken aback when we said we wanted todo it too,” Jessica says. “But afterwards they all thought it was a great idea. They even organiseda surprise party for us when we came back home from our honeymoon.”Araylea says most families hate the idea of missing out on seeing the ceremony the most,so she suggests taking lots of photos or hiring a videographer to capture your big day. “Yournearest and dearest want to be part of the celebration too, so it’s nice to share the day withthem when you come back by making a photo album or having a post-wedding get together,”she says. “And try to break the news before you go. That way they’ll have time to digest and behappy for you when you come back.” bDestinations 101When it comes to eloping, the worldis literally your oyster, but here aresome destinations we just can’t getenough of.ThailandThe gorgeous beaches of Phuketand Koh Samui are perfect for anintimate sunset ceremony andmost of the resorts have dedicatedwedding planners so everythingruns smoothly. Thai weddings arealso recognised in Australia.BaliFor the true taste of the tropics,skip the beach and elope withthe Balinese rainforest as yourbackdrop. You don’t need to haveany special paperwork to legallymarry in Bali and you can evenembrace local traditions by havinga Balinese blessing.FijiThe desert-island beaches andwarm-hearted locals are enoughto ensure an unforgettableelopement with plenty of great postweddingisland hopping. Religiousceremonies are hard to do as mostFijians are Methodists, so considera civil ceremony instead.ItalyHead for lesser-known destinationssuch as Southern Tuscany andSicily, where you can have a truefairytale elopement in an old castle.Most Italian celebrants won’t marrynon-citizens, but they will bless you.Otherwise, have a civil ceremony.FranceWhether you’re dreaming ofcelebrating your love in the ‘city oflove’ or embracing the provincialcharm of Provence, France is abeautiful destination. Just beware,like many European countries,non-citizens can’t legally marry inFrance – you will have to settle for asymbolic blessing.> For our pick of the top destinationwedding venues in Bali, turn to page 33.Left: Jessicaand James’inlaws organiseda surprise partyfor the happycouple when theyreturned fromhoneymoon.Deyan Photography, Tadra Weddings96bride Destination