Wedding planning: How to Elope in Victoria

Welcome to Victoria! So you are considering Eloping in Victoria and I am so glad our paths have crossed! With a variety of rugged terrain, mountains and coast, Victoria is a great backdrop for a wild elopement. Elopements previously frowned upon by our traditional society is now a statement and becoming more and more popular as couples start considering the importance of their wedding day as a personal commitment to each other rather than an occasion to show society their wealth or the traditional union of two families.

Through this guide I hope I will be able to assist you in the planning of your wedding day and elopement adventure.

Why Elope in Victoria?

Before we get started with the knots and bolts and the logistics of organising your wedding day let’s see why you should definitely consider Victoria as the perfect backdrop for your adventure (and no, this is not a sponsored post by Tourism Victoria in any way shape or form!).

I have been living in Victoria for the last 13 years and although we don’t have the harbour bridge or the tropical reefs we have a great variety of mountains and rugged shorelines that make it a great state to live and enjoy.

With a total of 40 National Parks, Victoria is a great place to get in touch with nature and it has a great variety of great locations to choose from when it comes to picking your dreamed elopement location.

How to plan an Elopement in Victoria

Step 1: Choose where to elope

This step will determine the backdrop of your day and it will be a major influence on the vibes of your wedding day. You might decide to invest on a few important things for your day, but the location is that special place where you would like to exchange your vows. It’s important for you to spend some time considering the perfect location for your elopement, somewhere you can feel connected to each other. Here are a few things you should consider when choosing the location for your wedding day.

• Consider the Privacy of the location you choose to elope:

The best location is the place where you feel comfortable and where you will be able to loose yourself in your partner, away from others and onlookers. If you are considering an urban location then you might have to consider having your exchange of vows at an unusual time like sunrise or sunset.

• Consider how accessible is your dreamed location:

Keep in mind how long it will take you to get to your dreamed location to be able to include this time in your timeline of the day, keep in mind critical times like sunrise and sunset to be able to make it on time, and also keep in mind the fact that we might be stopping on the way to photograph

• Consider a location that is meaningful to both of you:

Maybe you can both take some time off, and re-live some of the meaningful places you have visited together, and come up with a list of locations for you to consider in your plans.

• Consider your story and the type of activities you enjoy together:

What sort of couple are you? Do you enjoy the outdoors and camping? Do you love aquatic sports? Are you more urban with a love for food? Do you love mountain bike and climbing? Your relationship should be the compass to guide you to help you decide on a meaningful location that reflects you.

Step2: Choose the season for your Elopement

Victoria has a great variety of locations from great coastal areas from Mornington to Lorne and from Bayside to Sorrento, as well as some great alpine areas and rustic fields in country Victoria. The weather in Melbourne can be a bit unpredictable but depending on where you are int he state you will be better off with one season or another one.

Consider Eloping in Spring

Spring in Victoria is a great option for you to consider. If you are considering a location in Northern Victoria like Echuca, Bendigo, Ballarat or the Shepparton area then this is the best timing, the weather tends to be warmer in these areas but not scorching hot like in summer. If you are considering coastal and Alpine areas to elope then November and December are the best options as these areas tend to be a bit cooler.

In the month of November the temperatures tend to be around 20 degree celsius in Victoria, and that is a pleasant temperature for an outdoor ceremony or an outdoor wedding celebration.

Consider Eloping in Summer

Victoria can sometimes experience heat waves in the months of January and Feb, the temperatures will again depend on where you are located in the state. If you are considering to elope in Summer I would suggest that you consider the Alpine region of Bright or a coastal area like Lorne or Angelsea as the temperature tends to be a bit cooler on those regions of the state. It’s also very important for you to keep in mind the bushfires and be mindful of the risk and backup plans that will be needed in the event of having a bushfire event near the location you planned for your Elopement.

Consider Eloping in Autumn

Autumn is one of my favourite times of the year. Although I feel like mourning the end of summer, autumn can be an incredible backdrop in the Alpine region of Bright as well as a milder weather in northern Victoria. One of the most important things to keep in mind during this time of the year is the changes in the sunrise and sunset times, so consider the shorter days when you are building the timeline of your day.

Consider Eloping in Winter

Winter is the best season to set up a cosy and romantic backdrop. For this season you will need to have a rainy day backup plan just in case. The great part of planning a winter elopement is that is very unique and you won’t mind holding on to each others arms. If you are considering a snowy Elopement then Mount Buller, Bright and Mount Buffalo are worth exploring.

Step 3: Get your wedding permit

Now that you have done a bit of research and your Elopment is starting to take shape, it’s time to make sure that the legal boxes are tick. In Victoria the governmental body that looks after the national parks is Parks Victoria, and here you will be able to find more information on permits needed depending on where you would like your event to take place, and also depending on how big your outdoor wedding is. If you are considering having more than 10 guests then I strongly suggest for you to have a look and confirm if you need a permit. For smaller events, it’s wise to still check.

Most national parks in Victoria need a permit for elopements, obtaining this permit is a straight forward process in most cases, but it’s important to get it done ahead of time.

Step 4: Get your legal paperwork organised

To get married in Victoria you will need a celebrant. You will need:

• Be eligible to get married

• Lodge a Notice of Intended Marriage

• Be married by a registered civil marriage celebrant

• Have 2 witnesses attend the ceremony (I am always happy to be your witness)

If you would like to know the ins and out of the legalities of your wedding then double check here.

Step 5: Time to line up your wedding vendors

Your wedding photographer (aka MOI!):

So how long in advance should you consider booking your photographer? If your Elopement is planned for a weekday then I will say you have a bit of time up your sleeve and maybe 3 months before should be fine, however if your Elopement is planned for Spring or Autumn and most likely on a weekend then I would say you should play it safe and reach out one year in advance because some dates are incredibly popular.

Your wedding florist:

Many florists tend to be booked well in advance, however they have the advantage to be able to work in a few weddings on the same day. A florist can help you to coordinate colors, and help you with the feel of your wedding day. Keep in mind the flowers that will be in season on the month that you plan to Elope, and consider how much walking and traveling you will be doing on the day, as some flowers will last longer then others.

Your hair and makeup artist:

Consider investing on this item and have a trial when possible ahead of time, to make sure that you are both on the same page. I would suggest you not to try anything new on the day of your wedding, if you are considering a different look (like you always have your hair down and you are considering for your wedding day to have an up do), then try to arrange a trial and get the same style you are considering to make sure that it will suit your face.

Your marriage Celebrant:

In order to legally Elope in Victoria you will need a celebrant. Depending on the ceremony you have in mind, if you are considering a remote location then maybe having a private vow exchange at the remote location followed by the signature of the legal document the next day once you are back in town is a good option. If your chosen location is not that remote then you will most likely be able to have a celebrant to officiate the ceremony. Another great option would be to have the celebrant officiate a short ceremony at your hotel or airbnb and have your exchange of vows at your chosen remote location.

Step 6: Celebrate and announce your Elopement

Hurray! This is the fun part! Having an elopement doesn’t mean missing out on an epic party. You can organise a celebration at a later date with your friends and family. Every couple’s circumstances are different, and whatever the reason you decided that an elopement was perfect for you, you can still host an elopement party. You can consider sending an announcement card or posting about it on social media.

I hope that you found this guide useful. Please share it with a friend if you are helping someone to plan their day, and remember to shoot me a message if you are looking for an Elopement photographer.

Wedding day planning guides by location:

• Urban wedding planning guide in Melbourne

• Northern and country Victoria wedding planning

• Wedding planning in Bright the Alpine area and high country Victoria

• Wedding planning guide in Bendigo and the goldfields

• Wedding planning guide in Mornington

• Wedding planning guide for Daylesford and the Macedon Ranges

• Wedding planning guide for Yarra Valley and Dandenong ranges

• Wedding planning guide for the great Ocean road