How to plan an elopement in North Yorkshire
We believe North Yorkshire is hugely overlooked as an elopement location. It may not be as exotic or adventurous as other elopement locations in Europe, but to us it’s perfect for folk who want to embrace a little bit of that Hobbit life for their elopement wedding.
In North Yorkshire we have waterfalls to explore, moorland to roam on, and hikes a-plenty if you fancy a little more exertion on your day. There are pubs and cafes, secret nooks and hidden gems to stumble upon, and history to walk in the footsteps of. There’s a little something for everyone, and if you’re thinking that this might be just the spot for your elopement wedding, but are unsure where to start ~ you’re in the right place!
As proud Yorkshire folk, we know these unpaved roads like the back of our hands, and we are here to help you plan the non-traditional wedding of your dreams.
If you’re not 100% sure what an elopement even is, you should check out our other blog post here.
When it comes to planning your North Yorkshire elopement there are 5 questions that will guide you (and us, if we’re helping!).
Do you want to be legally married in the same day?
Are you inviting any guests?
How long is the day going to be?
What activities do you want to include?
How are you going to get around?
Now, we’re sure you’re thinking “Surely there’s more to think about than that?!” and you’d be mostly right. But answer these 5 questions and you’ll find your elopement will begin to fall into place.
Do you want to be legally married in the same day?
When we say ‘legally married’ we mean signing your marriage certificate and being recognised as married in the eyes of the UK Government.
In England (it varies in Scotland and Northern Ireland) to be legally married your ceremony must be conducted by a registered person, in a registered place, and be witnessed by two people.
Registered people include authorised religious people and council registrars, and registered places can be religious buildings, registry offices, hotels etc. When it comes to your elopement and being legally wed ~ there are two options:
EITHER you book a legally recognised marriage spot for the first part of your day and then embark on more of an adventure
OR You do the legal signing bit at the registry office before or after your actual elopement day
There are pros and cons to both of these options. Getting legally married on the same day means you can get it all done in one go, and you don’t have to decide which day you use as your anniversary. However, choosing to do the legal bit separate means you can say your vows anywhere you want, and it means you can have a super personal ceremony led by one of the many wonderful celebrants in the area.
Are you inviting any guests?
Traditionally, an elopement involves just the two of you running off to be wed without any family or friends tagging along. It’s an epic romantic adventure, and doing it just the two of you allows for greater freedom.
The chances are, you’re choosing to elope because you want to go against tradition and have a wedding that is totally on your own terms. Obviously, when you start inviting more people to join you on this adventure then you will need to start considering their needs, not just your own.
This isn’t necessarily a bad thing of course, and if it’s important to include your inner circle in this adventurous day then you should do it! As a general guide, we suggest no more than 10 people at your elopement. This keeps things nice and intimate but still allows you to have a bit of a Fellowship with you.
Things to consider if you think you might want folks with you:
Do any of them have any mobility issues that you may need to consider when choosing your ceremony location?
Will they be joining you all day or just for the ceremony?
Will you need to provide transport/accommodation/food for them?
If you choose not to invite anyone, you’ll need to think about how to tell them you’re eloping. Luckily we have a blog post all about that HERE. (or don’t tell them! It could just be a surprise for them)
How long is the day going to be?
You can think of this as the ‘sunrise or sunset or both’ question. Deciding how long you want the day to be lets you start to build your plan. It helps you decide what time of year might be best for you to elope, where you’ll be getting ready, where your ceremony will be, and what activities (if any) you can include in the day.
Let’s say you want a sunrise ceremony, depending on the time of year sunrise can be as early as 4am, and if you want a good spot to view it you probably want to be high up. This means your day may need to begin as early as 1am to give you time to get ready, hike up to your chosen spot and get changed at the top. So ~ if sunrise is important to you, we’d suggest thinking about eloping in September/October, when sunrise is around 6am-7am and the early morning is a bit less early.
On the other hand, sunset might be more of your bag. In which case you can probably start your day a little later. You can have a slow morning getting ready, maybe have a walk together or a sea swim and something tasty to eat before heading out for your sunset ceremony.
Maybe you want both! This means you could expect to have a 12-14 hour elopement day but don’t think you need to be on the go the whole day. This is your day! If you want to have a sunrise hike with breakfast somewhere high up before heading back to your accommodation to get ready then go for it. You can take your time and maybe have even have a cheeky nap before taking on the rest of your day ~ you’re in charge!
And, if you’re totally stuck on how to timeline your elopement ~ we can help!
What activities do you want to include?
This is the fun part of your elopement day, and the part that can leave folks feeling a little overwhelmed because the possibilities are honestly endless.
There are no rules to what you do to celebrate your elopement wedding, however, we like to follow this simple rule of thumb when planning the day. A lovely, adventurous elopement includes these three key components (in any order) ~ a ceremony, good food, and a memorable experience (or two).
But how do you decide what those memorable experiences will be?
First, grab a piece of paper each and and answer these questions separately:
What is your favourite experience together?
What made that memory better than the others?
What were you doing that made it so good?
Next, write down something you’ve always wanted to do but never had the chance.
This is a part of the planning process we love ~ as part of the experience of having us help you plan your elopement, we pour over your answers to the above questions and find the common threads. Then we come up with activities and experiences that fit your vibe. If we’re not helping you plan you can still do this yourself though. Think about your happiest moments together and what you were doing in those memories. When it comes to your elopement, you should aim to be inspired by these experiences and build on them to create a day that is truly unique and true to who you are.
At this point, we imagine you’re still a bit lost and that’s okay! We’ve come up with a few examples of elopement wedding activities that you might like to use as inspiration:
Head to a secluded beach for a sea swim
Book onto an alpaca trekking experience
Visit an eclectic museum
Seek out a hidden waterfall for a walk and a dip
Hike to a local view point
Go for a ride on a steam train
Have a bird of prey or owl handling experience
Hire rowing boats and cruise down a river
Visit a private forest spa
Head to the sea for a sunrise SUP or surf
How are you going to get around?
The final big question you need to answer is how you will transport yourself to all these wonderful locations you’ve planned for your elopement wedding.
If you’ve managed to answer all the above questions, you’ve probably started to see a day forming in your mind. What you may also see is there will be a decent route around the region taking shape almost by accident. So, the key question is ~ will you be driving yourselves around or will you be hiring someone to take you places?
Personally, we’re partial to driving ourselves. Whether that’s in your own quirky motor (a converted camper or fast sports car perhaps?) or maybe hiring a unique or quirky self drive vehicle. Doing this will give you the freedom to explore at your own pace, without having to worry about someone else’s timeline.
Of course, that doesn’t mean you have to use a car for your elopement as there are plenty of alternative ways to explore. Cycling, walking, jumping on a steam train or even just a good old bus are great ways to move around! Just make sure to plan your route, know where you need to be to catch any public transport and crucially, think about alternatives. You know, just in case the bus doesn’t turn up and it’s absolutely pouring down.
If you’ve made it this far, you’ve probably got a great adventure elopement planned, but you might be wondering who you can reach out to for help when making your unique wedding into a reality. As Yorkshire elopement photographers, we’ve had the pleasure to work with some amazing wedding vendors over the years, and have curated a list of some of our faves here. This list isn’t exhaustive, and there are definitely more brilliant suppliers in the region, these are just the few we’ve had the privilege to work with.
Venues (if you want a small legal ceremony):
Celebrants:
Transport:
Florists:
Food:
Final thoughts:
We hope this has been helpful if you’re considering having an elopement wedding in Yorkshire. As Yorkshire locals, we are obsessed with the rolling hills and windswept heather moors. We truly believe there is an adventure here for everyone ~ if you’re brave enough to seek it out.
We would love to be part of your elopement journey, either by capturing the magick in photos and films, or by helping you craft a truly unforgettable elopement wedding day.
To see more of how we can help with your adventure elopement head here or if you’re ready to see just how far the rabbit hole goes you can contact us here.
