J and M’s intimate Lake Como, Italy wedding week at Relais Villa Vittoria on a Tuesday in June was a culmination of a beautiful journey that began during the pandemic. Their love story began during the pandemic when they met on Hinge. M initially hesitated to share her phone number, but their connection blossomed, and their bond grew stronger. The magical day of their engagement took place at Disneyland (a place M cherishes being a HUGE Disney fan), where J surprised M with a proposal in front of Snow White’s Grotto, creating a fairy tale moment.

Okay you’ve decided to elope abroad, now all you have to do is plan the most epic day(s) of your lives! As amazing and fun as eloping sounds (which it will be) making your dreams a reality comes with its own unique set of challenges. The where, when, with who, and how of it all. Luckily, I’ve been around the elopement block and globe a few times. I want to help couples, like you, navigate planning with ease and direction through 6 easy steps. 

“Where’s the best place to elope?” A question I frequently get asked and one you may be pondering yourself right now. The best place FOR YOU as a couple is one that speaks to you, is exciting, feels comfortable, and will bring you joy when you look back on it years from now. That can be cascading waterfalls, expansive gardens, tropical oases, or rugged mountains. Maybe culture and architecture is a priority over outdoor adventuring. Or perhaps you already have a time of year in mind and restrictions on how far you want to travel. There are so many factors  – so consider this your destination inspiration. I’ve compiled this list of unique and jaw dropping elopement destinations, with a little bit of everything for everyone. Let’s kickstart your imagination of, “Where is the best place for YOU to elope?”

Even if your only references for what Italy is like are the Lizzie McGuire Movie & Letters to Juliet, you know this country is steeped in romance & culture. The pictures & movies simply don’t do Italy justice, I truly believe you have to see for yourself to really understand how breathtaking it is. In order to visit a place like Italy you need a few things: a valid passport, excellent walking shoes, a hearty appetite, curiosity, & a sense of adventure. There are so many different ways you can experience this country whether that’s the northern, central, or southern areas—each area offers something different.

There are some people that you just automatically connect with. Nick and Haley are some of those people. From the get go I felt like I had known them forever and knew that even afterwards we would be friends.