Advice for Planning an Elopement Wedding by Brickhouse Vineyard

Written by Emma Hla
Images by The Unbridled.
Kate and Joe eloped at Brickhouse Vineyard in September 2019. They fell in love with Brickhouse and its focus on small and intimate celebrations that perfectly matched the vibe of their wedding.

Their chose to have a private and intimate ceremony in the Round House beautifully decorated by Amanda at Winsor Flower Studio followed by photography in the vineyard perfectly captured by The Unbridled (Kate wore stunning dress by Enzoani). They celebrated their marriage with an afternoon tea prepared by Flour + Zest before departing to a romantic hideaway South View Lodges nearby for their mini moon.

Bride Kate says “Brickhouse Vineyard is such a stunning venue. I love that it was just for us – a special day of memories that we share as a family… Carla is an amazing photographer; she captured our day perfectly!”

If you too are considering a smaller, more intimate celebration – perhaps either as the main event or a prequel to a larger celebration at a later-post-coronavirus date, then keep reading for some tips and advice from Joanna, owner of Brickhouse Vineyard.

Notes from Brickhouse Vineyard

Joanna says…

Brickhouse Vineyard is a family run, boutique vineyard venue specialising in elopements and intimate weddings. Tucked away in the idyllic Devon hills, set in 20 acres of fields and woodland, you will have exclusive use of our beautiful place allowing you and your party total privacy and space to relax and enjoy your special day.

We welcome all; whether you’re a party of up to 60, or it’s just the two of you, same-sex marriages and more. Your dogs and children are also invited to join you on your special day.

About elopement weddings

Elopement and intimate weddings are becoming more and more popular and we have seen a large increase in the number of couples who are choosing to elope at Brickhouse Vineyard. For some couples, eloping is a financially driven decision and a more cost-effective alternative – the average cost of a UK wedding is around £30,000.

Other couples choose to elope as they were married before and are looking to tie the knot for the second time in a completely different way. For others, they just want it to be about them, an authentic, highly personal and very special way to wed, reflecting their ideas and vision, like Kate and Joe’s wedding.

If you have decided that an elopement wedding might be for you, here are our tips on what to do next.

Choose a location and venue that’s special to the two of you

Without the constraints of travel and costs of accommodation for a large group that come with a more traditional wedding, you are totally free to choose anywhere you like to get married. Where do you both enjoy being? What sort of surroundings would you like? Do you want to tag on a mini-moon or honeymoon stay after your wedding in the location you choose? Choose your venue and reserve the date with them before booking your legal ceremony.

Book the registrar and give notice

In all the romance of eloping, don’t forget the steps you need to take to ensure your marriage is legally binding. If you would like to have the legal ceremony at your elopement then you will need to call the local registrar (in the area you are choosing to marry) to book them to come and conduct your wedding ceremony. You will also need o give notice of your wedding at least 28 days before your wedding day at your local registry office, closest to where you live. Although these are not the most exciting aspects of your big day preparation, these steps are essential.

Alternatively, you can opt for a celebrant-led elopement which allows for you to create a highly personal and individual ceremony. However you will still need to legally wed either before or after the elopement at your local registry office.

Book the venue

Once you have booked your ceremony with the registrar or celebrant, you will need to get in touch with your chosen venue to secure your booking.

At Brickhouse Vineyard, we will be happy to discuss your thoughts and plans about your big day and help you with recommendations to provide all the special little touches that you’d like on your wedding day.

We have developed flexible elopement packages that can be adapted to your budget and preferences but most importantly, we’ll work with you to add anything else into your day that you require, be it a photographer and/or videographer, a wedding cake or a wedding meal, maybe musicians for your ceremony or bridal hair and make-up – we can help. We work with a wonderful group of like-minded local suppliers who we can recommend to make your elopement wedding day truly magical.

You can read more about our elopement weddings here or for more information contact Joanna by email at events@brickhousevineyard.co.uk or by phone on 07931 592 969 with any questions. We’d love to hear from you.

Credits

Venue Brickhouse Vineyard

Photography The Unbridled

Florist Winsor Flower Studio 

Bride’s Dress Enzoani

Catering Flour + Zest

Accommodation South View Lodges

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