What No-One Tells You About Eloping (And How to Make It Still Feel Special)

Kat

Jenn and Pawel

March 23, 2026

For a long time, eloping meant running away to get married in secret. But today it usually means the couple have chosen to elope because they want a wedding that feels calm, intentional and focused on the two of them rather than the expectations of everyone else. Some elopements even include a small guest list (although these should more accurately be called micro weddings). But while elopements are often portrayed as effortless and carefree, there are a few things people rarely talk about when planning one. So, if you’re thinking about eloping, here are some practical things to know and simple ways to turn it into a meaningful experience rather than just a quick legal formality.

Fully Immersive Renaissance Faire Wedding on a Budget

Kat

LT Photo Co

March 20, 2026

Kelsey and Reese's wedding was inspired by something they already loved - the annual Renaissance Faire. Their day featured costumes, swords, mead and a full cast of enthusiastic guests. The whole thing was DIY, with the couple spending no more than $12,000 in total! The day played out like a festival gathering with a ceremony in the garden followed by a reception full of theatrical touches, handmade details and a joust.

Prague Stag & Hen Parties for People Who Don’t Want the Clichés (Hidden Gems Edition)

Guest Contributor

March 19, 2026

When you hear “Prague stag do” you’re probably picturing all the clichés: Matching T-shirts, plastic pint glasses, and a loose schedule that really just revolves around getting as drunk and disorderly as possible. You can do that if you want, but Prague has a whole other side that makes way more sense if your group leans more alternative, creative or you don’t just want to be herded between bars all weekend. If you’re planning a Prague stag or hen weekend and want something that actually feels like you, this is where it gets interesting.

“Do-It-Together” Vermont Summer Camp Wedding

Kat

Julia Ellie

March 19, 2026

Andrew and Becca gathered their friends and family at an off-season summer camp in northern Vermont. They had already eloped before planning the gathering, so that really took the pressure off. The legal part was done so this was their chance to just bring their people together and celebrate. The couple wanted the weekend to feel open and relaxed. Guests stayed on site. They swam, cooked meals together, played music, and wandered between small pockets of activity across the camp.

Cheap Wedding Ideas That Don’t Actually Feel Cheap

Guest Contributor

Carlita Sari

March 18, 2026

A cheap wedding and a bad wedding are not the same thing. Some of the most joyful, memorable weddings cost very little money, and some of the most expensive weddings feel like a corporate conference with flowers. The difference is rarely the budget. It’s how couples choose to spend it. If you’re planning a wedding without a huge budget, your goal probably isn’t to make everything as cheap as possible. It’s to spend money where it matters and skip the things nobody really notices anyway. Here are some genuinely cheap wedding ideas that still feel thoughtful, fun and completely intentional.

Sunrise Lover’s Leap Elopement

Kat

Stag and Bird

March 17, 2026

April and Brandy married twice, both in ways that made sense for them. In July, under a willow tree in the garden of their friend and photographer Courtney of Stag and Bird, the couple made it official. By autumn, they decided they wanted a second day that marked the marriage in a different way. So, in October they drove four hours south from where they live in Kansas City to Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Waiting for them were Courtney and her assistant Kendal, along with a loose plan to say some vows at sunrise at Lover’s Leap, a scenic overlook just outside the town.

Fear Comes the Bride: How Much of Ourselves Do We Lose When We Gain a Spouse?

Guest Contributor

Anna Captured

March 16, 2026

I’m like a wild stallion,” I hear myself say. “Frolicking through the forest.” I’m sitting in a sports bar. I’m 30 years old. I know nothing about horses. “And then one day a fence is built around the forest. And even if it were the biggest fence ever, and it was so big I would never even reach it to see it in person, I would still know it was there.” This is how I explained my aversion to marriage a decade ago, to the person I professed to love, who I’d been dating for four, and then five years. I would be trapped; the part I left unsaid.

Love Turned Up to 11: A Vegas Wedding with Dog Stickers, Hellvis & a Vintage Buick

Kat

Jamie Y

March 13, 2026

Louisa and Bernie had already shared two decades of life before deciding to get married. Their story began more than twenty years earlier during a brief meeting in London. They didn't get together right away, but years later, Bernie walked back into Louise’s life and the timing finally felt right.

Boring but Important Things You Need to Do When Planning a Wedding

Kat

Van T. Richarson

February 12, 2026

Wedding planning is fun AF... until you forget about the boring admin tasks and it suddenly becomes more like an exam you forgot to study for. This is the stuff most couples forget. Not because it’s hard, but because nobody really talks about it. So hopefully this will save your sanity and any last minute panics!

Cleaning & Preserving Your Wedding Dress

Guest Contributor

February 9, 2026

After the wedding, a lot of dresses are shoved into the back of a cupboard without so much as a second thought. Whether you want to sell it, save it for your children, or even have it reworked to wear again, its really important to get it cleaned first. Even if it looks pretty clean, it probably isn’t. Sweat, sugar, alcohol, make-up, and dirt don’t always show up straight away, but they can cause discolouration and fabric damage over time. Times this by a thousand if your dress is white or ivory.

Mix, Match & Make It Clash: How to Make Your Wedding Outfit Your Own

Alexandra Merri

McKenzie Bigliazzi

February 3, 2026

Forget the fairytale formula. Your wedding look doesn’t need to be one dress, one designer, one aesthetic. It can be layered, clashed, thrifted, and totally your own.

DIY Wedding Ideas That Don’t Require a Trust Fund or Burnout

Guest Contributor

January 30, 2026

Look, we need to address the elephant in the reception hall: weddings have gotten totally out of hand. Somewhere between “I do” and Instagram, we lost sight of the plot. The typical wedding now costs almost as much as a good car, and frankly? Half of it ends up being stuff nobody remembers anyway.

Tattoo Artists’ Low Maintenance Vegas Wedding

Kat

Christina Sforza

January 16, 2026

Angela and Garrett wanted to elope, but they also wanted a few of their favourite people with them, So they had the best of both words with their micro wedding in Vegas. They invited a few guests but it was 'lets just run off to Vegas' elopement vibes through and through.

Wild West High Noon Wedding in Vegas

Kat

Mayhew Photo LV

January 12, 2026

Adam and Kitty got married in Las Vegas with a guest list of six and a budget of around £5k including travel and accommodation from the UK. The ceremony took place at High Noon at the Welcome to Las Vegas sign, followed by a limo ride out to the Valley of Fire for portraits.

Crown of Thorns: A Gothic, Las Vegas Celebration

Kat

Christina Forza

January 9, 2026

Alex and Chaniel's wedding was built around the symbol of a crown of thorns. For them, it marked suffering, redemption and spiritual resolve they found through their relationship. It reflected the changes they made to arrive at marriage together.

We Felt Like Rockstars: A Sure Thing Vow Renewal with a Difference

Kat

Tree of Life Films & Photos

December 4, 2025

Sure Thing Chapel (and their second location, Sure Thing Too) in Las Vegas has become somewhat of a pilgrimage spot for alt couples who want a kitsch, quirky Vegas wedding. We see a lot of weddings in this space. We’ve featured weddings with rhinestones, leather, Hellvis, pink suits, black veils and every combination possible. Then Zuza and Marcin walked in and the way Tree of Life Films & Photos captured them almost shifted the room into something new. We are totally obsessed with these photos and we think you will be too.

A Private Wedding at The Satanic Temple, Salem

Kat

The Witchtographer

February 17, 2026

Did you know you can get married at The Satanic Temple in Salem!? Ceremonies at their 'Little Black Chapel' are officiated by the temple's Ministers of Satan and the space is already decked out in a dark red and black colour scheme, complete with candles and flowers, so you really can just show up and get married with very little stress. That's exactly what Aimee and Joe, who got married in December, wanted. They could arrive, focus on the ceremony, and leave without having to manage logistics or guests.

Sea of Love: Intimate, Fun & Kitsch Sure Thing Chapel Wedding

Kat

Lauren Driscoll

February 10, 2026

Maggie and Kyle got married at Sure Thing Chapel in Las Vegas with Cat Power’s cover of Sea of Love playing as the bride walked down the aisle. “After choosing Sure Thing Chapel as the venue, we wanted to play off the colours and fun vibe", Maggie told us. "I had envisioned the colour scheme of black, red and light blue. We wanted to keep it intimate, fun, and kitschy.”

Moody New Orleans Wedding Inspired by Tim Burton and Edgar Allan Poe

Kat

Captured by Amanda Lynn

February 6, 2026

Chloe and Cody’s New Orleans wedding drew inspiration from Tim Burton films, the writing of Edgar Allan Poe, and a dark, eerie approach to romance with subtle witchy references. They were also heavily influenced by New Orleans history and culture, as well as vintage aesthetics.

Surprise Fantasy Fairytale Wedding Where the Bride Arrived on a Horse

Kat

Anne den Haan

February 5, 2026

Chris and Chamilda didn't aim for something perfectly polished for their wedding. They were married outdoors while it rained and almost everything they did was a surprise for their guests...and each other! Chamilda decided to arrive by horse and Chris dressed in a Caucasus-inspired ceremonial outfit.

Elegant & Moody Til Death Wedding

Kat

Trevino

January 27, 2026

Victoria and Jonathon chose the Emerald Theatre in Mount Clemens, Michigan, for a their moody yet elegant, 'til death' inspired wedding. The venue really helped set the tone, with guitars lining the walls, a giant stage and coloured lighting throughout. They used black everywhere from her dress to linens, chairs and flowers.

Gothic Romance at Arnos Vale Cemetery

Kat

Becky Weir

January 14, 2026

Gothic romance was a loose reference point for Izzy and Josh autumn wedding, inspired by the bride's all -time favourite band, My Chemical Romance. Everyone expected her to turn up in a black dress, which would have been very on brand, but when she discovered a star-covered gown and veil by Boom Blush where the stars literally glowed in the dark, there really was no other option!

Wild West High Noon Wedding in Vegas

Kat

Mayhew Photo LV

January 12, 2026

Adam and Kitty got married in Las Vegas with a guest list of six and a budget of around £5k including travel and accommodation from the UK. The ceremony took place at High Noon at the Welcome to Las Vegas sign, followed by a limo ride out to the Valley of Fire for portraits.

Crown of Thorns: A Gothic, Las Vegas Celebration

Kat

Christina Forza

January 9, 2026

Alex and Chaniel's wedding was built around the symbol of a crown of thorns. For them, it marked suffering, redemption and spiritual resolve they found through their relationship. It reflected the changes they made to arrive at marriage together.

This ‘Goth Glam’ Shoot Is Proof That Weird Is the New Luxury

Kat

Stag & Bird

October 29, 2025

This shoot, dubbed Goth Glam by everyone involved, was created out of a need to shake things up. The team wanted to bring together Kansas City’s weirdest, boldest, and most unapologetic creatives and make something that proved “high-end” doesn’t have to mean beige. They called it a love letter to the alt-lux side of weddings: velvet and smoke, drama and decadence, edge and elegance. The goal was to show that goth, glam, and alternative can sit right alongside luxury, without losing the grit.

Forbidden Fruit Alternative Bridal Editorial

Kat

Tia Leigh

October 23, 2025

A single bite can change everything. That’s the energy behind Forbidden Fruit, a conceptual bridal meets boudoir shoot dreamt up by Suzy Marrero of Pepper Lavender Events. She calls it her “version of temptation meeting wedding day glam, where indulgence, lust, and allure take centre stage". It’s unapologetic. It’s decadent. And it dares you to look a little closer.

Halloween Wedding Shoot in Ecuador’s Enchanted Dry Forest

Kat

LH Film

October 20, 2025

Halloween is a little different in the southern hemisphere. In the dry forests of Quito, Ecuador, it arrives with sun, dust, and a different kind of magic. Assyah of Jamila and Juliette, who conceptualised and styled this photo shoot, wanted to capture that energy in the shoot, blending local traditions with a gothic edge.

Renaissance Inspired Beauty and the Beast Wedding with a Gothic Twist

Kat

Laura Fitzgerald

October 15, 2025

Do you love Disney but in a dark, alt way more than a girly fairytale way? Then you’re going to love this gothic-meets–Beauty and the Beast inspired wedding shoot. Although it wasn’t a real wedding, there are so many creative ideas you could steal for your own. Think: moody candlelight, corseted gowns, blood-red roses, gilded mirrors, dripping wax, and that perfectly haunting mix of romance and rebellion.