Built their adventure on: a modified Base Camp Elopement Package!
Why they loved it: A southern elopement done their way: Glamping! Getting outdoors without roughing it. Close to home, but felt millions of miles away from ordinary.
If you keep scrolling, you can read the story of this incredible wedding experience and scroll to see the images, or watch the sneak peek video here!
Where their Southern Elopement began…
Remember when we all had to quarantine for one million days because of a global pandemic keeping us all locked down?
Although our time of quarantining was not fun, there were some people that experienced some beauty. Who was so lucky?!? Enter Shawn (she, her, hers) and Mark (he, him, his)! They met online socially during the COVID quarantine and communicated back and forth for months. Exchanging emails, calls, and eventually, snail-mail turned to love notes.
When they decided to make their love “official,” they settled on a court-house wedding. They knew a courthouse wedding didn’t feel special to them, but, they didn’t want a huge to-do of an affair and didn’t know how else to make “being married” happen. Sure, a courthouse didn’t feel perfect, but they didn’t want to wait any longer to be officially wed.
When a friend showed my site to them, their souls lept and knew they had discovered something “just right” for them: adventure elopement.
Building an elopement full of meaning
Over the course of about two months, a flurry of emails, calls, and video chats locked in the details. The elopement ceremony and “adventure” location were set for Timberline Glamping’s Lake Lanier glamping location.
Energy was high, excitement radiated as we planned. I loved getting to watch their glamping elopement come together; significantly many of the little touches & details were chosen intentionally to create joy in the space and connection from their journey.
For example, the “love” sign they used was at Shawn’s daughters’ weddings. In similar fashion, special figurines from their newly shared home as cake toppers. Dried petals from the many bouquets sent from Mark over their time dating. They brought a box of love letters sent between them and picked from them to read in their vows.
The flowers decorating the beautiful interior of the bell tent were gardenia blooms from Shawn’s home garden. And, in a nod to the slow, delicious mornings they love spending together overlooking this beautiful garden, Shawn requested their elopement florals be garden-style inspired pieces!
A wedding day filled with big love
Shawn and Mark have learned some valuable lessons through life, mainly that it is worth it to slow down and share your love for one another. This theme rang true throughout their entire glamping elopement.
Their special day included a lot of juicy room to simply experience the moment. Together.
As the home base for their adventure elopement experience, the gorgeous, air-conditioned, glamping tent and lakeside “glamp site” from Timberline Glamping was perfect for their elopement experience. It allowed a comfortable place to relax, get ready, and then, to pop out for fun and vows. A beautiful combo for a big day of fun!
It was May and the weather had finally given way to the warmth the sun brings. It was at their tent that they slowly, like a snuggle Sunday morning, got ready together. Shawn in her non-traditional dress with nods to a classic movie vibe and Mark in his prized Ostrich leather boots and fancy tux.
With no hurry and no pressure from anyone watching the clock, they hopped on some cruiser bikes at the campground, and shared a fun, light-hearted bike ride together.
With cheers and celebration from other campground guests, they rode with belly laughs and huge smiles, exchanging loving glances with each other. It was a delightful time together, riding around the campground, where they got to laugh, relax, and be happily together before their ceremony. The love they shared was thick in preparation for their “I dos.”
Shawn and Mark did an amazing job at honoring the freedom of expression the “just us two” southern elopement experience gave them.
Their ceremony was shared with just the two of them. This allowed them the privacy of exchanging vows they wrote for each other, referencing a favorite love letter they’d shared with the other.
(Pro Tip! I was “officiant”, and helped them sign and formalize their marriage license outside of the ceremony!)
And their chill time post vows, sunset pontoon “cruise,” and, the dinner, cake, and campfire once the sun set was shared just between them. It was a picturesque moment to snuggle in close. Their moments were sweet, gentle, and tender.
An honor to memorialize their glamping elopement
It was such an honor to be a part of their wedding experience. From making their tender wedding dream come true to officiating the legal things, being a part of their memories is something I don’t take lightly.
One of my very favorite parts of their special day was the incorporation of Mark and Shawn’s love letters. Since the beginning, they have written love letters to each other every day- one-liners or longer love confessions. They brought a bunch of their love letters to their glamping elopement and even read some of their favorites!
Shawn loves the classic movie vibe and to give a nod to that, I filled their gallery with a few more black-and-white pictures than I normally do. They were very happy with that and, in fact, printed one of the B&W images massive for a decorative piece in their home.
For each of my couples, I help them create their perfect idea for their wedding experience. Regardless of if it is an intimate adventure or a full-blown extended timeline, I want each couple to find what they want. And the finale of Shawn and Mark’s southern elopement???? A few weeks post our adventure, they hosted a small backyard reception for their immediate families. A perfect end to a truly custom elopement ❤️
What’s Next?!?
If you’re needing some inspiration to see what how other elopements were built for the couple celebrating, check this out! And if you’re ready to get this ball rolling for your adventure elopement experience, set up a call with me here! Let’s make magic!
Some couples just feel the most comfortable sharing their love alone. And a “just us” elopement is soo fun! Even if a couple gets eloped alone, that doesn’t mean they don’t ever celebrate with their loved ones. A lot of times couples will do something to celebrate with their friends and family, too. You don’t have to pick and choose.
People elope for a ton of different reasons – timing, ease, and experience are some of the most popular.
