Mamie & Nick’s Elopement at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC

How is everyone doing this week? I’d be lying if I sad everything was peachy keen over here, but I’m trying to keep myself busy and distracted. Seeing people still celebrating their love through the pandemic, and through the political unrest is helping me to get through it all. I hope you are taking some time to take care of yourselves, and to check in on your loved ones, and that our little slice of the internet is helping to bring some joy throughout your day.

We eloped! Our parents were very supportive of our decision to elope. In fact, Mamie’s parents and grandparents eloped too. The idea of having a big, traditional wedding never really stuck with us. We do still plan to celebrate our marriage with our family and friends when it is safe to do so.

We eloped on the summer solstice, June 20th, 2020. Our original plan was to elope at sunrise on the National Mall in DC, but about two weeks before our session, the National Park Service pushed back the date in which they would be able to issue photography permits. We still wanted to keep the date, so we searched around for other outdoor venues that were permitting photography sessions, and fortunately landed on the National Cathedral Gardens. While we are not religious, we loved the beautiful gardens and architecture! We opted not to have an officiant and in lieu self-officiated our marriage a few weeks after (DC is one of the few places where this is an option).

We just brought flowers, a quilt that Mamie’s mom made, a personalized picnic basket, and cake. Mamie DIY’d the boutonniere and Sandy’s flower wreath, which somehow managed to stay (partially) together for most of the day. She also decorated the cake. We were so excited to have Sandy be our ring bearer / flower dog! Mamie’s aunt created the pouch tied to Sandy’s collar that held our wedding rings. After exchanging vows, Sandy ran up to us with the rings and sat between us while we exchanged them. He was the star of the show!

We wanted our elopement to be unique, but we also wanted to include our friends and family. As it wasn’t possible to include them with us in-person, we asked our parents, best man, and maid of honor to write us letters. We read the letters before reading our personalized vows to each other. We think this made our day extra-special!

To couples planning an elopement, it will be special, no matter what. We loved involving our family and friends throughout the day. From reading letters from them in the morning, to video calling them in the afternoon, we felt connected and supported by those we love! If you plan on incorporating your dog in your elopement, we highly recommend bringing a friend to help! Our friends Maya and Colin (thank you!!!) entertained Sandy for most of the photoshoot – they also tied the ring pouch onto his collar when we had forgotten. We made sure to pack lots of treats, toys, and water for Sandy.