Elope in Brisbane

We LOVE elopements! We would describe our elopements here in Brisbane, as relaxed, informal short ceremonies in the presence of a small number of guests.

Being small and intimate, elopement weddings offer more flexibility so they’re well suited to some really stunning locations. Usually with no more than a handful of guests present, often a ceremony lawn or venue doesn’t need to be booked for elopements. 

QUICK LINKS // Elopement questions 

Reasons for choosing to elope?

Why elope in Brisbane?

What elopement decor options are there?

How to elope in Brisbane?

What is the cost of eloping?

What are the legal requirements to get married in Australia?

How to elope in Australia from overseas?

Should you elope? There are many great reasons you may choose to elope, including:

• It’s your vision: You are drawn to the idea of a small, simple, intimate, private elopement.
• Stress-free & no pressure: You are eloping for an authentic meaningful ceremony, free from potential pressures or expectations of a big wedding.
• Having a big wedding overseas: You are based in Australia and planning your big wedding overseas, but after researching the process of marrying overseas, you realise there’s too much red tape to legally marry overseas. Plus getting an overseas marriage recognised in Australia can have its challenges, so it makes sense to do the legal part here in Australia, then celebrate overseas.
• Privacy: You simply don’t feel the need to share your ceremony with all your family and friends. A small intimate elopement wedding feels more authentic to you. You may choose to announce your news once you’re married.
• Low key celebration: allowing you to focus primarily on your love and commitment to one another.
• Baby on the way: If you’re expecting a baby and would like to be legally married and all share the same last name.
• Cost-effective: Eloping is usually a more budget-friendly option for couples. With less guests and reduced expenses, eloping is a very affordable way to get married. Some couples simply prefer to use their savings towards a honeymoon of a lifetime or towards their first home together.
• Visa purposes: Some couples are heading overseas together to pursue career opportunities, and overseas work visa requirements often require couples to be married. Other couples may be applying for a prospective marriage visa or partner visa, so they can both enjoy their future together in Australia.
• Introverts: Individuals or couples that feel extremely uncomfortable or anxious about the idea of standing up in front of a big group of guests and sharing vows.

Great idea: After a small intimate elopement, some couples decide to have a celebration reception with a bigger group of all their guests later on. Some couples have even planned an engagement party, then on the evening, announce that they just got married! Turning their engagement party into a surprise wedding reception.

• Flexibility: You love the idea of your wedding ceremony taking place in an idyllic setting that wouldn’t have been suitable for a big wedding.
• Simplicity: – Elopements offer a simpler alternative to planning than a traditional wedding. Couples may prefer to focus on their love and commitment without the stress of extensive arrangements.
• Avoiding family conflicts: Elopements can be a solution for couples who want to avoid potential conflicts or tensions between family members during the wedding planning process, or on the wedding day itself.
• Time constraints: Busy schedules or time constraints may lead couples to choosing to elope as a practical option. They can still have a meaningful and memorable ceremony, without the need for extensive timely planning.
• Get married sooner: For many of the reasons outlined above, choosing to elope may mean they are able to get married sooner.

Why choose to elope in Brisbane?

Brisbane is one of the few places in the world suited to outdoor weddings year-round and your Brisbane elopement can take place almost anywhere you choose! There are some truly stunning elopement spots around Brisbane.

As specialists in Brisbane elopements, whether you’re looking for a stunning lagoon backdrop, eloping surrounded by tall trees and lush rainforest, or if something more intimate and private or simple is more your vibe, we can suggest the best elopement locations in Brisbane for your special ceremony.

elopement decor

We can even assist you with some super sweet elopement wedding decor including the settings pictured here. Ask us about our elopement decor packages.

How to elope in Brisbane

1. Enquire with us via our contact page, including any information or details you would like us to be aware of.
2. We will respond by email, if you are flexible with the date, we can work out a mutually suitable date later. If your date isn’t flexible we will confirm availability.
3. We make a time to meet either in via video call (e.g. Zoom or Facetime) or in person at our office in Indooroopilly.
4. Once the meeting appointment has been confirmed, we will email you a link to an online form for you to complete.  By completing the online form, this conveniently pre-completes almost all your marriage paperwork/ forms, saving you from having to complete multiple forms. This includes the NOIM form which much be lodged with your Celebrant no less than 1 calendar month before the date of your marriage.
5. If our meeting is via video call, we will email your NOIM form to you, completed with all your info for you to print, so during our video call meeting, we can witness you signing this form.

Note: NOIM forms can only be witnessed by video call if you (or one of you) is currently based in Australia at the time of the meeting. If you are based overseas, a different process is available for you to have your NOIM form witnessed.

More info for overseas based couples to lodge a NOIM can be found here.

6. If our meeting is in person, we will print your completed NOIM form and all other forms, which we will explain to you, before you sign them during our meeting.

7. After our meeting has taken place, if we witnessed you sign your NOIM form via video call, you must scan and email this back to us ASAP. Your NOIM is officially lodged with us once we receive your scanned, signed NOIM form.

If we met in person, easy peasy, your NOIM form is lodged with us from the date of our meeting.

8. Your marriage can take place anytime from 1 calendar month from the date your NOIM form is lodged. For example, if your NOIM form was lodged on 8th August, your marriage could take place on 8th September or any date onwards (for up to 18 months).

9. You confirm your date, time and location of your elopement and secure your date and time with payment.

10. You email through the required ID. The ID requirements will be outlined to you on email and are usually your passports.

11. We email you any information discussed during our meeting, including your ceremony wording and if required vow worksheet ideas, and Photographer recommendations.

12. Approximately 1 month before the date of your elopement, we will send you a confirmation email, to confirm all the finer details and request your 2 witnesses legal names. The benefit to you of providing your witnesses full names in good time, is we can then have these printed on your official marriage certificates, which always looks nicer and reduces the chance of error on your marriage certificates by the registry when witnesses’ names are handwritten.

Then your marriage takes place. Congratulations!

We hope that was helpful and gave you a great idea of the simple process involved to get you eloped in Brisbane.

We look forward to hearing from you. Contact us now and let’s get you married!

Cost To elope in Brisbane

Once we know a little more about what you are planning, including your elopement location, day of week and number of guests, we will be able to provide a quote. As a general guide our elopements are approximately half the cost of our full weddings.

Get in touch now and let’s create a plan for your Brisbane elopement.

We love assisting couples from interstate, overseas and also local couples with their small and intimate Brisbane elopement.

Tell us what you envisage for your elopement, and we can share with you our recommended elopement locations which are perfectly suited to small and intimate elopements. If you are opting for a super-secret or private elopement, we may even be able to assist with one of your witnesses if need be.

If a video call meeting (e.g. Facetime, Zoom or Whats App) is more convenient for you than meeting with one of us in person in Brisbane, we are currently permitted to sight your NOIM form during our video call – lodging your pre-marriage paperwork (NOIM form) with us has never been so convenient! – easy peasy!

“Thank you so much for making our wedding such a smooth and easy process. My small anxiety was quickly gone as soon as I met all of you at the jetty, and we both had a wonderful time. The weather too could not have been better. Thank you again from us for making our special day both a breeze and a joy!” S+W

We are also very familiar with the Celebrant requirements for fiancé visas for couples for those taking this path and will happily provide a marriage booking letter for visa purposes once your booking is confirmed.

You can hear more about this Brisbane riverside elopement here.

Planning to secretly elope in Brisbane? we completely respect all our clients privacy and we don’t post photos, ‘selfies’ or names to social media or our website without your permission, so you can rest assured your elopement remains a private affair until you are ready to share your exciting news yourselves.

5 STAR REVIEW “Working with Jamie was such a breeze. He helped us with all the document preparation in the lead up to our elopement wedding, and also on the day. If we had a question, we always received a quick response. We had a small elopement with just the 2 of us and our witnesses. But really, no event is too big or small for him. 5 stars just don’t do him justice.“

View more info on the legal requirements to get married in Australia here.

View more info on Eloping in Australia from overseas here.

Contact us now to confirm Celebrant availability for your elopement in Brisbane and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you have.

Photo credits: Trent & Jessie, Chasing Moments, Picrama, Still Wild Love