Help me elope..... I'm clueless

[Mimimayhem18]

Hi I'm looking for advice on eloping, my partner and I have decided that we would like to get married next year. We would like something very small and intimate but also not like to spend huge amounts of money. I have googled this but I just keep going around in circles and I would like some genuine recommendations and experiences of people who have done it.
We are in Leeds but willing to travel, we would like to stay in the UK , and I don't know if it would complicate things but I am from the Uk but he is from an EU country with indefinite leave to remain.

Could you not just go to your local register office?

Or if either of you is vaguely Christian, your parish church?

Traditionally it's Gretna Green you want....https://www.weddingsatgretnagreen.com/wedding-packages/ceremony_only.html#:~:text=A%20Religious%20Marriage%20Ceremony%20performed,on%20Sundays%20and%20Bank%20Holidays.

But as such you cannot "elope" any more, as in just rock up and get married somewhere, as there are requirements for paperwork etc. I usually takes about a month to put everything in place. But closer to home for you would be these https://www.hitched.co.uk/wedding-venues/cheap/west-yorkshire.htm

Initially that was our plan but unfortunately our registry office in the town hall has been closed for renovations, its new location in the civic hall has much less capacity and most dates are already booked.

"Ever After" in Dartmoor is amazing. Specialises in elopements and small weddings, photography, food, drinks etc all included in the price.

Thanks, this is the kind of thing that we are looking for

What do you mean by eloping?

This used to be something people did to get married in secret, when parents disapproved etc. As PP has explained, that doesn't really exist anymore.

Sounds like you basically want a small wedding... And your first choice was your local registry office... So why not try other nearby registry offices? The process is the same everywhere, there isn't going to be some Romeo and Juliet style renegade priest that marries you in the moonlight at a day's notice.

https://southcausey.co.uk/weddings/packages/elopement-package/

Near Durham

Interesting that there seems to be a market for this, with venues offering "elopement packages". So is the idea basically a UK destination wedding? Are guests supposed to go? I'm guessing you do want guests as you mentioned your local venue not having enough capacity.

We got married at Auchen Castle in Moffat (30 mins over the boarder in Scotland) in August and it was amazing. Just us, DD, mum and friend and the experience was magical.

I read it as capacity as in can't hold as many weddings, not amount of guests.

I've seen some gorgeous looking tiny weddings at the Lake District. Try searching for intimate weddings or tiny weddings in the places you find interesting.

CREAR wee weddings. We booked the cottage and it was just me and DH. We got married on the beach and they supplied witnesses.

The civic hall in Leeds has a few different rooms, the smallest holds 38 guests but they have one that holds around 100 I believe. A friend of mine booked hers for next year there a few weeks ago