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Elopements are considered an alternative wedding style, but thanks to the pandemic more couples are opting for these intimate nuptials. With only a handful of guests in tow, Cassie and Cintia Oregon coast elopement proves that love conquers all. And we’re obsessed with the incredible images that Henry Tieu captured of their day.
Since the couple is from Utah, wedding planner Rain and Pines planned an incredible day filled with little trips and hikes to get to their ceremony and reception spots. These brides looked absolutely stunning in their wedding attire—a colorful suit from Tailor Cooperative and a flowing gown from The Perfect Dress.
Keep scrolling to see an Oregon coast elopement that offers a beach and forest setting in one place.
The Couple
Cassie and Cintia
The Wedding
Oregon, United States
Shop Similar Cufflinks
The Oregon Coast Elopement Menu
We ordered from a restaurant nearby! Everyone picked the dish they wanted so everyone enjoyed a special meal and left with a full stomach.
Elopement Planning Advice From The Couple
Have fun when you’re planning and make sure you do things for yourself and not to please others.
Congratulations to Cassie and Cintia on their Oregon coast elopement! We’re so glad Henry Tieu was able to capture the day and share it with us. Ready to plan your own coastal “I do’s?” Get started with our elopement planning guide to ensure your day is as beautiful and unique as your love.
After starting to look into a large wedding in California wine country that rapidly ballooned in guest count and price, Lianne and Dan actually did what a lot of couples consider when confronted with so much wedding planning stress: they eloped instead. Way before micro-weddings were our new normal, Lianne and Dan invited about thirty of their closest friends to join them at Villa del Balbianello on Lago di Como in Italy.
Lianne, always hoping for an elegant and romantic wedding where guests could drink really good wine, learned about Lake Como from a friend who mentioned it on a whim and was shocked that an international destination elopement would be so much cheaper than the lavish wedding just hours north of her Los Angeles home.
The most important parts of the day were good food, good wine and dancing with a classy, intimate and fun vibe, so she enlisted the help of Aurora Fallini, a local planner and the mastermind leading Lake Como Weddings and Events which specializes in foreigners eloping at Lake Como.
They faced a few extra hurdles that only come with a destination wedding — like having to have your dress be your only carry-on for an international flight and then misplacing it the day before in a foreign country — but still had the time of their lives. But Lianne and Dan were no strangers to travel in their relationship, dating long distance for two years before getting to move in together in Dan’s native LA.
Lianne, who grew up in Hawaii and has Japanese and Chinese heritage, and Dan who is Korean made traveling together one of their favorite activities, and were so excited to share that experience with their family and friends who came to Italy with them, visiting other parts of the country outside of Milano before and after the wedding with some of them before their honeymoon.
Lianne also had the peculiar experience of knowing for certain her husband would get along with his in-laws since Dan had worked with many of Lianne’s family members before the couple met, and even tried to set them up.
Some highlights of the day included getting ready in the Kennedy suite at the Grand Hotel Villa Serbelloni in Bellagio (named after the former President who always stayed in that room when he visited Italy), and getting a tour of Lake Como by boat (the easiest way to cross from Bellagio to Lenno).
The ceremony was officiated by one of Lianne’s best friends from college, and the party that lasted late into the night including choreographed and free form dancing, many toasts to the happy couple, and a cake smashed into the groom’s face.
Lianne shares:
In looking for wedding locations my friend mentioned lake como (I had never heard of it before) and once I saw a pic of the venue it was a done deal that I was going to get married there. Dan spent the morning of our wedding scootering around the lake drinking beer. Omg Dan lost my dress the day before the wedding (we found it). I knew for a long time I wanted Justin McCallum to be my photographer but I wasn’t sure I would be able to convince him to go to Italy (which turned out to be easy)
Love can’t be canceled—this rings especially true for Anastasija and Dmitri’s fairy tale Norway elopement. After COVID canceled their original wedding plans, this adventurous couple took to the road for an intimate elopement ceremony. From the waterfall backdrop to the unexpected group of wedding crashing sheep, this Norwegian celebration, at the Stalheim Hotel has fully transported us into a magical fairy tale.
Photographer Ingvild Kolnes blew us away with these special moments that are now captured memories—lasting long beyond their fairy tale wedding day.
More From Ingvlid Kolnes On Capturing Unforgettable Memories
What excites me is the gorgeous and sweet couple who invited me along for their wedding in these spectacular surroundings. They were able to have a destination elopement in the middle of the pandemic, after having to postpone earlier in the year. The day started at Stalheim hotel where Anastasija did her own hair and makeup—looking like a goddess. During the first look, her dress and veil got trampled by the most curious sheep ever. She couldn’t stop laughing.
I think the love they share is very obvious and the day felt like the definition of epic—especially when it started to rain during their vows. They told me that it only added to the experience. We ended the day at sunset at the most beautiful viewpoint overlooking Sognefjorden.
The Couple:
Anastasija and Dmitri
The Wedding:
Aurland, Norway
Sheep Crashing The First Look
Dmitri was waiting for me on a field behind our hotel. Being excessively sociable, the sheep got overwhelmed and rushed towards me. The sheep immediately start trampling on my dress, smearing things over it and trying to knock me off my feet. As my groom turned towards me, I distinctly heard the sheep chew on my veil. We both laughed so hard we could barely speak. Finally, both of us escaped the battlefield and had a nice team-building in the room, washing, and blow-drying my dress.
Tips For Planning During A Pandemic
If you are planning to get married during the pandemic—make sure to have plans B, C, and D and be flexible about the dates. Also, give the highest priority to the paperwork—be aware that the government services are understaffed and overwhelmed with less pleasant tasks, so the whole process might be delayed.
Congratulations to Anastasija and Dmitri on their fairytale Norway elopement and big thanks to photographer Ingvild Kolnes for capturing these images that are sure to inspire adventurous couples looking to plan a dreamy, outdoorsy elopement.
Weddings are getting smaller. Planning with purpose and intentionality has become a priority for many couples. If you’re feeling inspired to trade your large wedding for an intimate elopement-styled ceremony, you won’t want to miss this guide to trimming your guest list.
This Harry Potter wedding invitation design is from Greenvelope
I’m working on the wedding invitations for my 2022 wedding, and all informal wedding invitation wording examples I’m finding online feel like they’re from the before-times. I don’t need to talk about the pandemic specifically on my invitations, but it feels weird not to acknowledge that weddings are different now than they used to be. I’m having a casual microwedding in my backyard, and I know I’m not the only one who’s struggling with informal, casual, but also celebratory wedding invitation wording. Help??
Dear 2022 SoonlyWeds,
We hear you. You’re definitely not the only ones struggling with wedding invitation wording in this “new normal.”
From cancellations and postponements to masked gatherings and large-weddings-turned-elopements, COVID-19 has impacted weddings in a huge way in 2020 and beyond. And let’s not kid ourselves: even with sweeping vaccination efforts, it isn’t like everything has suddenly turned rosy and completely gone back to normal.
But one thing we recommend considering for your wedding invitation wording, and for any other couple wrestling with the same dilemma, is first asking yourself the following questions:
Has COVID-19 impacted the way we want to celebrate?
Or, will COVID-19 impact how we’re going to celebrate?
And if so, is it beneficial to communicate that impact to our guests?
This informal wedding invitation design is from Greenvelope
Put differently: the casual microwedding you’re having in your backyard—was that always the plan? Or is that in direct response to COVID-19 restrictions?
If it’s in direct response to restrictions, and you’ve been steered toward something away from Plan A—and guests who would’ve been invited cannot be any longer—then addressing COVID-19 on your wedding invitation is highly suggested.
But, if, say, the current plan is absolutely Plan A, and COVID-19 restrictions and recommendations aren’t impacting the way you’ll be celebrating, we recommend ditching the responsibility of addressing the pandemic on a general level. Wedding planning is stressful enough without putting that on your shoulders.
One way to address COVID-19’s impact while not taking up valuable invitation real estate is to include an insert or, if you’re sending digital invitations, include a brief write-up on the Details Page, or as a follow-up message. Giving it that space means that your wedding invitation can stay focused on you, your partner, and the details of your big day.
All of that said, if COVID-19 guidelines and restrictions do impact your wedding, or you’d just generally want to acknowledge COVID-19, we recommend keeping it short and sweet. Make sure crucial details like mask or vaccination requirements are said plainly and directly; you do not want any confusion.
But also, if you’re comfortable doing so, there may be some room to incorporate a little humor or whimsy as well. We’ve included some wording examples below, but as with most wedding-related recommendations, feel free to use this as inspiration and adjust to be true to you and your situation.
It’s happening FINALLY informal wedding invitation wording from Greenvelope
Informal wedding invitation wording example 1:
Third time’s a charm! Please join us for the wedding of Rochell + Derrick 4.25.22 at 5pm The Samuels Residence Celebration to follow
Third Time’s A Charm! informal wedding invitations from Greenvelope
Informal wedding invitation wording example 2:
Finally! Sarah Curry and Mark Patterson are getting married (for real this time) Saturday, May 10th, 2022 | 5pm The Davidson Household
Can we count you in?
Please note, vaccinations will be required for all attendees over the age of 16. Please let us know if this raises any issues or concerns for you.
Emma and Jackson are so in love Please join us for an intimate celebration in honor of their union 9.24.2022 at 5pm The Oluo Household Phoenix, Arizona
Backside, Insert, or Details Page: Although our original wedding plans may have changed, we are so excited to celebrate with our loved ones! Please fill out the included survey as you RSVP to let us know of any specific concerns you may have so we can keep that in mind as we plan our celebration. We are so thankful to have you all in our lives, and can’t wait to clink and cheers in the coming year!
A natural spring and waterfall, colorful jewel tones, and a sunrise ceremony—all the ingredients of this colorful Terme di Saturnia elopement. Not only are the Saturnia Waterfalls a breathtaking backdrop, but paired with the bright floral arrangements from Luca Cozza, it became an incredibly dreamy venue. The color didn’t stop at the florals and table decor. Emily looked absolutely stunning in her two looks—a white low-back lace dress and a jewel-tone rainbow chiffon gown. And Thomas wore a mauve three-piece suit and then switched to a white button-down and light blue trousers for their reception.
This Terme di Saturnia elopement is proof that you can play around with colors in everything—including in your wedding fashion. Color lovers, keep scrolling to see pictures captured by Marrymi, and see how you can tastefully add lots of color to your big day!
The Couple:
Emily and Thomas
The Wedding:
Saturnia Waterfall, Manciano, Italy
Sunrise Ceremony
The most memorable part of the day was the ceremony at sunrise. We arrived at the waterfall at 4 am and it was impossible to see anything. It was a bit cold out, but we had our feet in the warm water. There was such a surreal feeling holding each other’s hands waiting under the ceremony arch for the sun to rise. Then we finally started to see a beam of light passing through the trees and the light hit my stunning wife’s face and I felt so proud to be her husband. This memory will last forever.
Planning A Wedding In A Public Place
Saturnia Waterfalls are free so they’re always very busy—even at night! So if you are planning to get married there, pick a midweek day. There is no low season or closing day and you can’t book any reserved spot so keep your fingers crossed and hope to get lucky.
We can say without Danila, we would have never scouted that location or designed something so incredible. So planning-wise, I have to say the decision to hire Danila Stella Events was our most important decision.
Choosing A Terme Di Saturnia Elopement
Our wedding planner suggested the venue. Emily was sure she wanted a ceremony in nature. We originally had mountains or lakes in mind, and neither of us knew Saturnia existed. As soon we saw a few pics of it, we knew it was the right place.
Personalize
We wrote our vows and we kept them secret until the ceremony. One funny fact: we both forgot to bring the notes to the ceremony—waking up at 2 to get ready by 4 was a bit difficult—so we decided to not say the vows during the ceremony, but to say something different and we did our vows in the hotel room after!
Congratulations to Emily and Thomas on their totally dreamy Terme di Saturnia elopement. And thank you to Danila Stella Events for sharing this day with us. Not sure if eloping is for you? Check out these 4 reasons to elope and then head to our guide to planning an elopement.
