Whether you have to keep your guest count low due to COVID, or have dreamed of an intimate ceremony from the start – your wedding day will be amazing and I am excited for what is in store for you!
Big or small, your wedding day is still your wedding day it deserves to be the absolute best it can be! But the best totally depends on YOU and what you want to see in your day. So, let’s take some time together to figure out what you are looking for to make an unforgettable day.
Why Elope?
1) FOCUS ON YOU
Small weddings take out all the fluff so you can focus on what is truly important – the love and joy you feel for your partner. Too often weddings are planned to please everyone else. Small intimate weddings allow couple to save their attention for each other and their close friends and family.
2) LOW STRESS
Let’s be real – planning a huge wedding is stressful! So much to plan, so much to organize, so much that can go wrong, just SO MUCH. Elopements or small weddings can elevate the extra work and allow you to focus on the day and just enjoy yourself!
3) MONEY, MONEY, MONEY
Weddings are pricey. An average wedding in Canada cost approximately $42,400 Canadian dollars in 2017 (statista.com). Reducing your guest count drastically reduces your costs allowing you to save money and spend more on what really matters to you.
4) It can be anything you want it to be
Take everything you know about a traditional wedding and throw it out the window! When you elope you can make your own rules! You’ll need an officiant to legally seal the deal, but that’s just about it - the rest can be completely up to you!
LOCATIONS TO ELOPE IN HAMILTON
Why not pick a cool location and go for it? Think next to the ocean, standing on a cliff, or somewhere in the middle of a city that you love.
Wedding Venues
- Glen Drummond Farm - Glen Drummond Farm offers 3 stunning ceremony locations including the Peak overlooking Dundas Valley, the Farmhouse Lawn, and the indoor Wagon Wheel Barn. Not to mention the 120 acres of gorgeous farmland for photos. Glen Drummond offers packages for Elopements (just the two of you!) or Ceremony Only packages for your closest family and friends to attend and witness your special commitment.
- Ancaster Mill - Nestled under the Escarpment, Ancaster Mill is a place where the pace slows, nature is found, and history recalled. The streamside chapel can be booked independently for your small and intimate ceremony.
- Royal Botanical Gardens - The Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG) offers four beautiful garden areas to choose from for your elopement. Photography permits are available if you would like to have a small intimate ceremony on their grounds.
- Dundurn Castle - Dundurn Castle is a popular historical site in Hamilton. There are two outdoor areas available to reserve. The Maple Walk - a canopy of maple trees overlooking Burlington Bay or The Cockpit - a smaller structure overlooking the bay, with the magnificent Italianate architecture of Dundurn Castle in the background.
For more wedding venues check out my full list in my Ultimate Guide To Wedding Venues In Hamilton, Ontario
Ancaster Mill
Conservation Areas
Hamilton is packed full of beautiful natural areas for you to run away and seal the deal. The Hamilton Conservation Authority has specific spots you can book as a venue but if you are looking for something small you can get married where ever you would like! A photography permit may be required, but that's about it!
Dundas Valley Conservation Area Trail Center
Waterfalls
Nothing says dreamy like getting married in front of a flowing river with the dramatic backdrop of a waterfall. And lucky for you Hamilton is home to more than 100 waterfalls, and with one of the highest number of waterfalls of any urban area of its size, has been called the Waterfall Capital of the World. Some recommenced spots include Sherman Falls, Tew's Falls, and Websters Falls.
Sherman Falls
Your Home
Why not keep things simple? Your home or the house of a family member can be a location with great meaning to you or your partner. There's nothing like a good old backyard wedding to bring out the waterworks!
Airbnb
Lets make a day out of it! Book an airbnb, spend the day by the lake or out in nature, get married, and enjoy yourself! I have listed a few cool spots in the Hamilton and greater Hamilton area that, I think, could make for some lovely elopement spots!
what's Next?
Book your photographer!
HI, I'M GEOFF
Nothing is better than the gift of timeless photos that capture the candid moments of your wedding day. I shoot for the genuine and laidback couples that prefer to giggle, laugh, and just have fun! Getting your picture taken doesn't have to be scary anymore!
