Elope Victoria Australia
Your Complete Guide to Eloping in Victoria, Australia
As far as weddings go, nothing quite says intimate and adventurous as eloping. Eloping in Australia offers beauty, freedom, and space to create something perfectly unique and authentic. A meaningful celebration with the focus on you two. It doesn’t mean just running off to get married. Quite the opposite is true! Elopements are very intentional wedding celebrations that are uniquely planned and created to each couple.
From a photographer’s point of view, eloping offers ideal conditions for stunning wedding coverage. Instead of a traditional (and often, hugely expensive) wedding, more and more couples are now choosing to exchange their vows privately. Large weddings can be very stressful and tiring for the couple. In addition, many couples feel the day is not as unique as they would like it to be. During a traditional wedding day most couples end up spending most of the day with someone else than their partner. Couples wanting to elope in Victoria are spoiled for choice with some truly amazing locations. Victoria’s rugged coastlines, vineyards, forests, dramatic cliffs and lakes all make stunning backdrops for intimate elopement ceremonies.
This is my guide to you so you know can you elope in Australia, how to elope in Australia, how much does eloping cost and so much more.
THE OPTIONS ARE LIMITLESS!
How to Choose the Perfect Location for Elopement Weddings?
Pick a location that speaks to you! Some of the very first decisions you want to tackle when planning an elopement in Victoria is choosing your dream location. Think about you two as a couple. Do you have any bucket list locations? Do you like the rugged Great Ocean Road, lush and romantic Yarra Valley, or the Dandenong Ranges? Do you like the sound of the waves, or do you want to hike up to a mountain to say your vows in the most perfect golden light? Choose a location that matches your personality and interests.
As you are picking a location consider also the time of the year and what activities you would like to do. The time of the year doesn’t just affect the outside temperature. It will also dictate how crowded different locations might be, and how much daylight is available. In general, Spring and Autumn are the most popular seasons to get married as the weather is milder.
My top 10 favourite Victorian Elopement Locations:
How long is an elopement?
Each elopement is different, and elopements can be just a few hours, or even a few days long. It is completely up to you!
What to include in an elopement ceremony?
When you elope you can pick and choose experiences and components of weddings that you love. You can exchange your vows without feeling nervous about hundreds of people watching you so tell your partner exactly what you want to say. You can exchange rings, have a first dance, first kisses. If you play an instrument you could even perform a song for your love!
Can you elope in Australia?
YES! But, your elopement doesn’t have to be legally binding if you don’t want it to be. A lot of couples don’t want to stress about paperwork on the day of their elopement adventure. Instead they have their day exactly as they want it, without signing papers, and having a celebrant. You can always deal with all the legalities at another time. That said, if you want your elopement to be legally binding, it can totally be that. In Victoria, there are some guidelines that need to be followed but your marriage celebrant can walk you through all the necessary details. For example, both partners need to have signed a Notice of Intended Marriage at least one month before the elopement. But again, your registered celebrant will submit all the paperwork for you.
How to Capture Elopements?
Not having the rules and strict timelines of a traditional wedding can also be confusing. This is where your elopement photographer can help you. Elopement photography is hugely important as hiring a professional photographer might be your only way to preserve every moment for the rest of your lives. Not only are these memories precious to you, but also to all your friends and family who will not be present at the ceremony. A professional photographer will be able to capture emotion, sweet, little details, the stunning landscape.
A photographer who is not only experienced, but also supportive will make you feel safe and understood during your wedding day. They will guide you through the process without the stress and the chaos of a big wedding day.
Hybrid photography that combines still photography and videography is a great way to get the best of both worlds without having to pay a separate wedding photographer and a wedding videographer. Eloping doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice when it comes to having awesome photos and video coverage.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO ELOPE?
When trying to figure out how much it costs to elope in Victoria it mostly comes down to which vendors, experiences and activities you choose, and how many guests you invite. It is in general much cheaper than traditional weddings because you will save a whole heap of money in catering, and venue rental.
Can I invite guests to our elopement?
At Miss Moody Photography, elopements are generally celebrations with less than 20 guests. You can absolutely invite your closest friends and family, or, it could even be just the two of you. There are no rules about who you can invite to your elopements.
Here are Elopement Day Guest options:
Invite up to 20 guests from your family and friends
Invite only an officiant and two witnesses (to satisfy a legal requirement)
Invite no one & elope just the two of you (and the photographer, of course!)
Elopement Planning Checklist
HIRE A PHOTOGRAPHER
You can do this step at a later date too, but the earlier you reach out to your dream photographer the better the chances that they are still available. I love working with my couples from early on. It absolutely kills me when I have to turn anyone away because I am already booked for their date so the earlier you reach out the better!
PICK A LOCATION
You could start with either a location or a date. Whatever is more important for you. Think of your vision for your elopement. Do you want your day to be relaxed or more adventurous? When researching different areas consider things like any necessary permits, accessibility and accommodation.
CHOOSE A DATE
Think about what you want. Gorgeous Autumn colours, warm summer day, snow? Do you want to elope on your anniversary? Whatever vibe you are after make sure to plan ahead. In winter you could enjoy hot springs and snow activities. In summer you could have your ceremony in a romantic vineyard or at the beach.
CONTACT OTHER WEDDING VENDORS
Now is the time to go nuts with florals, caterers, reach out to celebrants, wedding planners and so on!
FIND OUT ABOUT THE LOCAL LAWS
Depending on your elopement location you might need a special use permit. You’ll want to allow yourself enough time to check all the legal requirements with your celebrant. If you don’t yet have a celebrant you can also mention this to your photographer. Photographers are seasoned wedding professionals with plenty of networking under their belts so they might be able to point you in the right direction.
BUY OR RENT YOUR OUTFITS
You’ll want to be comfortable and be able to move around in. If you have picked a warm day something lightweight will keep you cooler. But even if the temperature drops, your elopement photographer will have plenty of little hacks to keep you warm, like wearing nude leggings under your dress!
PICK YOUR DETAILS
If the elopement includes just the two of you, you might want to include a personal detail from friends and family. This could include video recordings, notes and letters.
This will also mean including this like jewellery, shoes, drinks, food, blankets or any other details that let your personality shine through. Well-worn hiking boots will save you a lot of trouble!
MAKE A PLAN B (JUST IN CASE!)
Sometimes things don’t go as planned! Unfortunately, storms and rain are a part of life even in Victoria. Your plan B could just be bringing umbrellas, or choosing a more sheltered location.
LET’S DO IT! x
Eloping in Victoria is an opportunity too good to be missed. If you are an adventurous couple that does not want to settle for less, Victoria provides some of the most amazing landscapes in the world to have an unforgettable wedding adventure. If this is you, I would love to be a part of your love story! Let’s adventure together!
BEST ENGAGEMENT SESSION LOCATIONS - MILDURA
For those dreamy images!
One of the perks of booking a full day coverage packages with me is a complimentary engagement session. Let’s go over some reasons why you need an engagement session, and where the best places in the region are.
WHAT IS AN ENGAGEMENT SHOOT?
Engagement shoot is usually booked soon after you make a booking with me. You can pick the time and the location, and many couples use the images they get in their save the dates, or on their wedding website.
They are super duper useful if you’re serious about getting the best wedding photos because:
we’ll meet each other and hang out so on your wedding day we’ll already be buddies
I’ll teach you tips and tricks on how to “pose” in a natural and effortless way that gives a candid look
you’ll feel more comfortable in front of the camera on your wedding day
you’ll be familiar with the way I work and how your images will look like
LAKE RANFURLY - MILDURA
LAKE HAWTHORN - MILDURA
PSYCHE PUMPS
INLAND BOTANICAL GARDENS
Wedding Videography Mildura
I now offer wedding highlight videos to my wedding clients. These videos are a great option if you don’t want a full video team, but want a little bit of video as a memory. Contact me for more info! x
How to get the BEST wedding photos
Part 1 - Getting Ready!
So your wedding date is getting closer, and you want to be as ready as possible. Hopefully booking a wedding photographer is one of the things you have checked off your list!
If you have a professional wedding photographer you can relax on your day and just let them worry about getting all those killer shots. There are, however, some things you can do in advance that will take your photos to the next level! Here are some of my top tips for any future brides and grooms! Or for anyone else who wonders how to get the best wedding photos!
1. Give your wedding ring a good scrub, or take it to get cleaned professionally.
Your photos will include closeup shots of the rings, and depending on the photographer, possibly some detail shots of your rings with other items, such as florals, earrings and shoes. You will want your precious new ring to be as sparkly as possible!
2. Have a chat to your bridal party and decide what you will wear for the getting ready-photos.
Cute matching robes, slippers, pyjamas etc. look awesome in getting ready-photos! Everyone wants your bridal party to feel comfortable and relaxed, plus your photos will turn out 100% classier, I promise.
3. Nice clothes hangers for your wedding dress or suit.
You’ve spent all this money on a dreamy wedding dress so let’s not destroy your dress shots with an ugly clothes hanger. A nice clothes hanger will look much classier in your photos. Plus, it will be sturdier as well, making sure your dress stays put while it gets moved around for different shots. Or while hanging from a tree!
4. Location, location, location!
If you are having your wedding in Mildura you are in luck, as there are some great wedding venues. Getting a great location for your getting ready-photos is usually an afterthought though. But, the best wedding galleries have a beautiful location throughout. A couple of basic things get you far: light (as much as possible) and mess (as little as possible). You might want to ask around and see if you could get ready at your friend’s or family member’s house. The house certainly doesn’t need to be a castle, but having a clean bathroom mirror, a tidy room with big windows and some cute furniture certainly help.
Another thing to consider is the distance to the venue. If you are getting ready close to your wedding ceremony location your wedding photographer and you will both save time in travel. That time can be used to capture more photos to your wedding gallery!
5. Have fun!
Getting ready-time can be a fantastic part of your special day. It shouldn’t just be you putting your tie on while your wedding photographer yells instructions. Include people that you love and who can help you feel supported. Definitely make a playlist of your favourite songs, and crank up the volume! You could get some food and drinks, go have a swim in the pool, and exchange gifts with your bridal party. And speaking of gifts, you could write each other little notes! Super cute, no fuss and with any luck there will be some happy tears. Happy tears equal a very happy wedding photographer!
Wedding Photography near Sydney - Adele and Stephen
What. A. Weekend! I thought I’d start my blog with a post from a gorgeous wedding near Sydney I did a few months back. After a long drive, and a quick stop to pick up some smoke bombs in Wollongong, we explored some locations used by the best wedding photographers in Sydney. Seriously, these places are stunning! I can't wait to do more shoots here in the future. After some quick exploring, we were off to Gloucester for the wedding of Stephen and Adele, a couple that I absolutely adore!
Stephen, Adele and I had previously done an engagement photo shoot back in Mildura. I find it is a great way for the couple and me as their wedding photographer to get to know each other better. It gives me a chance to give the couple guidance on posing and when the big day finally rolls around, they are more used to having me around.
Some of the photos from Adele’s and Stephen’s engagement shoot gallery.
The wedding day started with me heading to the family home of the groom. Their morning was a pretty typical groom morning: relaxed and no fuss. As the fellas were joking around and having brekkie, I snapped photos of the groom’s details: the ring, the tie, the wow book etc. It was so much fun getting to know the family and the groomsmen and capturing Stephen's last morning as a bachelor. We took photos of him getting suited up and some photos with his best mates out in the garden. But soon enough, it was off to the ladies! Time seriously flies on wedding days.
The girls had booked a lovely Airbnb near the hills and the river. After some champagne, it was time to get made up! The bride, Adele, was just stunning, and she had planned every detail, including super thoughtful gifts to all her bridesmaids. We did first look with them and I’m pretty sure they approved. Just check out the Maid of Honour's face! That's without even mentioning the touching 'first look' with the Father of the Bride. It is always so special to get to witness these moments.
After the bride’s photos were done it was time for me to head off to the church. The cute little Gloucester Baptist Church was made up superbly for the wedding, but the guests looked a bit confused at the start because the boys were all standing at the back of the church. But it was all in preparation for a not-so-traditional dance up the aisle; the boys surprised everyone with a cool entrance! The minister Josh Cole delivered a beautiful message, while the Father of the Bride played piano during the signings.
After the ceremony, we were off to the hills of Gloucester. AMAZING! Words don't do it justice, just check it out here. We had a great time running, laughing, and taking stacks and stacks of photos. We decided to do a smoke-bomb photo and I got the couple to run through some hills. Lucky I had a pair of gum boots for the bride at the boot of my car! Unluckily my toddler had hidden a yellow rubber duck in one of them.
I have to admit though, I may have gotten a bit too excited during the group portrait session! At one time I ran backwards to get a good shot and managed to run into a concrete post, looking like an absolute lemon ha! The good thing is that everyone found it hilarious. The bad thing was that my dignity was gone and I limped through the reception My hubby literally had to help me to and from the car and spent the whole trip home telling me to put ice on it. (Obviously, I didn't.)
Luckily my unathletic landing didn't stop me from capturing any of the reception. I LOVE reception time! Some people think that reception is nothing but people holding microphones, but I don’t agree. Reception is a fantastic time to capture people relaxed and having a great time. There is none of that prewedding nervousness and the family and the guests usually let their hair down. My personal highlight was seeing Stephen and the Mother of the Bride do a traditional Phillipino dance together. That was so super special.
Check out the full wedding gallery.
Ever since this wedding, I've been dreaming of doing more photography in Sydney. If you're looking for the best wedding photographers in Sydney, hit me up here!