Q: What if we just elope?
A: Elopement can be the perfect wedding solution for couples who want to keep things small and intimate – with just themselves and their best friends as witnesses. Emily Delamater of Emily Delamater Photography has even brought her husband along on an elopement shoot, and they’ve served as official witnesses for the bride and groom. “The elopement part of our business has really grown,” she says. “Coastal New England is so picturesque and beautiful that we have people eloping here from all over the country.”
She notes that elopement is great for adventurous couples. “I shot one ceremony at the top of Mt. Battie, overlooking Camden and the Seacoast, and another where the couple and I and their best friends and officiant hiked to Moxie Falls near the Forks area of Maine. Couples often have a party back home to celebrate with their family and friends.
Q: How can we create a simple wedding that really captures who we are?
A: “To simplify, prioritize and focus on a few key details,” says Emily Hricko of Emily Elizabeth Events in Portland, ME. “If you spread your budget too thin, nothing really pops. So if dessert is important to you, have a really great cake, or go all out on flowers.” Hricko also suggests thoughtful favors of homemade jams, dilly beans, or other goodies that reflect your favorite pastimes.
Planning certain elements as a couple really helps inject both your personalities into the day. “The ‘Do-It-Together’ trend is big,” Hricko notes. “More and more grooms are excited about being part of the planning process, helping choose the band and the menu, even some of the more creative stuff.” Hricko worked with one groom who was a painter. At his wedding, the couple had a huge canvas with an abstract rendering of the couple’s initials painted on it; the guests were invited to sign it. Now the painting is hanging in their home. Another groom made gold geometrics to go alongside the floral arrangements. “Part of what I do is work with couples to help them realize and implement their strengths,” Hricko says.
Photography: Henry + Mac