Here we are. A few weeks into the wedding season and six solid weeks into staying at home. Social-distancing doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon. Collectively, we’ve been forced to adjust to these new norms were donning a face mask at the grocery and air-hugging our mom is somehow now the right thing to do. It’s not cool. But there is hope. We genuinely believe there is light at the end of this tunnel, guys. And that said, we wanted to share some of our thoughts and tips for wedding planning in this new world.

If you are one of the many couples who have had to change their plans, we feel for you. If you feel stuck, without options, we hope that you’ll consider this advice and continue your plan to celebrate! There are ways you can pivot and adjust that might even make the experience better than you originally planned! A social distancing wedding is possible and can still be awesome!

Beautiful Places to Elope in Ohio

I think that when most people hear the word Elopement, they think of the extraordinary and romantic stories where couples run away and get married in secret. While that may be true for some couples, it’s not always the case. Elopements are very popular in the United States, and many of them have guests in attendance! Even in Ohio, there are many beautiful places for elopements and intimate weddings, and there is no better time to consider this as an option for your wedding.

Ceremony in the Cleveland Italian Cultural Garden

Why Elope?

An elopement always means saving money, and you can continue to plan even during this uncertainty if your guest list is low. Eloping also means you’ll get more time together to take in the moments without the time constraints and formalities of a more traditional wedding, and most importantly, it means you still get to be married!

Don’t get me wrong, we LOVE big celebrations with ALL of your people, but there is something to be said about small, intimate gatherings. The moments feel longer, more significant. You’re able to melt into it a bit more, and we love that!

Social Distancing Wedding Ideas

We are in weird times and I feel a bit strange even typing that header above but there are ways of working through it and still maintaining some joy! Our social distancing wedding ceremony ideas are also the same ideas we’d share for anyone interested in eloping in Ohio. Here are our top 5 beautiful places to have a small wedding:

1. Your home

At-home weddings are happening all over the world right now. Backyard weddings have always been popular and they’re kind of our favorite. But an at-home wedding can be whatever you want it to be. They’re taking place on the porch, in the living room, even in the middle of the road. The best thing about an at-home wedding is that it can be as simple or as elaborate as you want it to be!

2. Wide-open spaces

You can always find a beautiful wide-open space on private property or county, city, and state parks. Overlooking a lake, beside a creek, in a field of wildflowers…the options are endless! When coming up with possible locations, consider places you’ve been that mean something to you. Reach out to see if they allow ceremonies. Most areas require a permit, but that’s easy! The Cleveland Metro Parks have a long list of beautiful places to consider.

Whitacre Greer Park, Magnolia Ohio Elopement

3. Gardens

Our top picks for public or reserved access gardens are The Cleveland Botanical Garden and the Cleveland Cultural Garden. If you’re south of Cleveland, you could even look into the Zoar Gardens. The CBG has lush, beautiful, private gardens that are perfect for an intimate ceremony. They also have an outdoor patio space for a small reception. The grounds offer so many unique gardens to choose from, and they all feel so luxurious. The Cultural Gardens are a Cleveland icon and represent so much history. These gardens are more natural and park-like than the botanical garden. The Zoar garden is a quaint square in the center of a tiny historical German village, and it’s so charming.

4. Airbnbs

We love this option because it can still be low-key and feel really exciting and eventful. Selecting a unique space, somewhere new, and traveling there is a fun little adventure! Many Airbnbs offer space for bigger groups, but even now, in the social-distancing phase of life, a spot that sleeps 8-10 guests is more than enough room for a special small celebration. In some more design-y spaces, you’d have the option of an indoor elopement or an outdoor backyard ceremony. So many options! Here is a short list of some of our area favorites (keep in mind their policies may change and they may or may not allow ceremonies):

Edgewater Townhouse
The Cleveland House
Warehouse District
4-Person Shipping Container Home
The Loft
Columbus - German Village
Modern Retreat - Amish Country
Mid-Century Home

5. Venues

Right now there are some unique venues offering their larger spaces to couples who want to have small, intimate ceremonies. This is a great option if none of the other ideas fit for you or are logistically possible. A few of the venues we know to be offering this during the stay home order are Rivercrest Farm, The Lake Erie Building. Other venues that would be worth looking into once stay home orders are lifted are Squires Castle, Aloft Cleveland Rooftop and The Metropolitan at the 9, Ariel International

Squire’s Castle Wedding, Cleveland Metro Park

Rocky River Elopement, Cleveland Metro Park

There’s one more thing you can plan for that will make the day even more momentous!

Elopement + Intimate Ceremony Dinners

Don’t forget about the celebration afterward! There is no guest list too small for a beautiful table and a delicious meal. You could add a lot of personal character to the day by choosing these options carefully! You could cook for your guests. You could make your flowers and decorate the table together. Whatever you do, the people you choose to be there with you will feel so honored to be a part of it.

Collected_Retreat_2017_Mallory+Justin-Photographers-184.jpg

Collected-Retreat-2015-Mallory+Justin-101.JPG

If style and design are important to you still and you’re concerned about falling short with a smaller event, just think outside the box a little! You can get creative with florals, use the unique architecture of a space to compliment the scene, take advantage of the views. You can mix and match furniture and dishes if you’re planning dinner.

There are no rules, and that might just be the best part of it all!

We love any excuse to celebrate love and we’d be happy to help you plan your event. Timing, light, logistics all come into account and we are here to help!