10 Tips For a Memorable Ceremony

by Maureen Thomson

Many brides are reluctant to follow through on their secret desire to elope, for fear of regretting it later. However, I've never talked to one bride who actually eloped who wished she did it any differently (unless, of course, the couple had a courthouse wedding, which in most areas is just yucky). So, if you're a bride who is on the fence (note: most grooms will cheerfully choose eloping over a grand event any day!), here are a dozen signs it's time to consider pulling the plug on your current wedding plans in favor of something that will be more about your love and less about making you crazy. (Gee, what a novel concept!)

1. Ninety percent of all the sentences you utter have one or more of the following words in them: wedding, getting married, save-the-date, bridal registry, tiara, honeymoon, Gebera daisies, tux, Bavarian cream filling, or blue and silver (substitute your own color scheme here).

2. You screamed at your fiancé the other day because he put something away in the closet and you just know he took a peek at your wedding dress securely wrapped in its bag way in the back. (Note that the only legitimate justification you have for screaming is if you caught him trying on your wedding dress.)

3. You've selected your wedding date solely based on information from the Farmer's Almanac because if it rains on your big day, it would be a total disaster.

4. Your checks to wedding vendors are bouncing so you've applied for a credit card to charge your wedding expenses. You can always pay it off with wedding gift money, can't you?

5. You had an argument with your father because he refused to shell out extra bucks to satiate your desire for chocolate-covered strawberries decorated to look like miniature tuxedos. If he loved you, he would!

6. It's the month before your wedding and you freak out, realizing that you've been so fixated on how fetching you'll look in yards of white tulle that you've neglected to book an officiant to actually perform the ceremony.

7. You haven't had a date with your honey since he proposed. In fact, you're not really sure what he looks like. Hey! Did he grow a beard? You hadn't noticed!

8. The fear of stumbling while wearing 4" heels and a floor-length skirt with an approximate diameter of eight yards while 200 pairs of eyes are staring at you is causing you to bolt upright in bed in a cold sweat at 3:00 AM at least three times per week.

9. You've Googled any of the following phrases in the past six months: elope, elopes, elopement, elopements, (or any misspelling of these) elope to (fill in location), Vegas wedding, beach wedding, Elvis wedding, simple wedding, destination wedding, courthouse wedding, or "I'm planning a wedding and feel as though I am losing my mind".

10. Your talk to your wedding planner more often than you do your fiancé. In fact, she is #1 on your speed dial, he is a lowly #5 after your mother, MOH, and your caterer.

11. You're on the verge of getting fired because your boss caught you surfing bridal forums (again!) so you could commiserate with others who are totally stressed with their wedding planning. Misery loves company.

12. Instead of looking forward to your wedding day, you just want it over with.

If three or more of these apply, do yourself and everyone in your circle of influence a favor. Elope. Elope now.


Maureen Thomson is a wedding officiant and is the owner of Lyssabeth’s Wedding Officiants and is the author of a DIY Write Your Own Wedding Ceremony e-Kit. Visit her websites at: Lyssabeth's Oregon Coast Wedding Officiants, Lyssabeth's Santa Cruz Wedding Officiants and Write Your Own Wedding Ceremony E-kit