Real Elopement – Chloe & Charlie, Seville SPAIN

For Chloe and Charlie, who first met on an overseas trip, who have embraced a love of travel throughout their relationship, and who wanted their dream day to be a true adventure, a sweet Spanish elopement was the perfect choice.

Stunning style, epic surrounds, and a luminous sense of je ne sais quoi combine to make this day as aesthetically impactful as it was spontaneous and fun. From eating tapas, visiting uniquely inspired vistas and cruising about on a scooter, these two give absolute movie star cool and electrifying energy.

For the earlier parts of the day, Chloe wears a sleekly chic sheath gown by Shona Joy. Simple yet stunning, she accessorises it to perfection with sheer long gloves and a birdcage veil. As the day kicks on, she elevates the mood from modern romance to perfectly playful in a short and sweet, glistening feathered mini from The Afterwhite by Retrofete. At her side, Charlie pulls off a true Bond moment in a classic tux with cream dinner jacket – dapper cool personified in every sharp cut.

As it seems everyone in the Southern Hemisphere is currently vacationing in Europe, we recommend diving into this incredible elopement for inspiration! Captured through the lens of Blancorazon Wedding, every shot is a darling dream.

The meeting.

We met in 2017 on Bumble. For our first date, we went for lunch at Sidewalk Citizen bakery in Calgary, a cute little restaurant along the river. After lunch, we parted ways; however, the date had gone so well that we ended up having a second date only a few hours later! We have been inseparable ever since.

The one.

Early on in our relationship Charlie and I did a three-week road trip holiday in Europe. During this trip, we spent every second together and had to navigate driving through three different countries on crazy busy roads and ran into some roadblocks along the way (flat tyres, getting lost, not speaking the same language to ask for help). However, the way we were able to work together as a team and honestly enjoyed every second of every day together, I knew we would be able to navigate life together. We love to travel, and this was the first of many amazing trips together.

The proposal.

Charlie popped the question when we were in Mexico City in 2021. We love to travel and explore new places together. Charlie was going to propose the first day we were there so we could celebrate and enjoy the rest of the trip as an engaged couple. But of course, he got nervous and put it off for a few days before he could gather up the courage. One evening we were having prosecco on the rooftop patio of our Airbnb before dinner when Charlie mustered up the courage to propose. He had hidden the ring in a flower pot on the balcony and surprised me by getting down on one knee and asking me to marry him. I was completely shocked and did not see it coming, but it was the best surprise!

Planning process.

Since we decided to elope, the planning process was quite simple! Our amazing photographer planned our entire wedding day and provided vendor options in Seville for flowers, hair/makeup and day-of activities. Once we arrived in Seville a few days before our elopement, we wandered through the picturesque streets scouting bars and restaurants to stop at during our elopement. We knew we wanted to rent a scooter for photos and just eat and drink our way through the city. The day was spontaneous and carefree and exactly what we wanted.

Style inspiration.

I feel like the style of our elopement was very James Bond-esque. We were going for a sleek modern look but something that was timeless. Since we decided to elope, I didn’t want a traditional wedding look. I wanted something fun and playful that would be comfortable to wear around the city all day long, and could dance and feel free in.

I loved looking at inspiration of real elopements. Particularly urban elopements in cool historic cities and how couples chose to make their wedding day an adventure. I loved the idea of experiencing the culture of the city we got married in. This is why we decided to rent a scooter, eat tapas, and go to authentic spots throughout the day.

The ceremony.

Our ceremony was very intimate and special. We exchanged vows, just the two of us, in the most beautiful setting in the Plaza de Espana in Seville. It was extremely special to have this moment together and truly be present with one another without having the nerves of other people listening. We felt like it was such an intimate moment that we will remember forever.

The look.

Bride: I loved the idea of a short wedding dress with feathers. Something playful and fun that I could move and dance in around the streets of Seville! When I envisioned our elopement, I wanted fun and non-traditional, and that’s exactly what my second dress was. Finding my ceremony/long dress was a harder process. I wanted something chic and timeless but still different. I wanted something simple enough that I could really play with accessories. I was very keen to wear sheer long gloves and a birdcage veil after seeing the most beautiful elopement done in New York with a similar vibe. Everything came together exactly as I imagined.

Groom: We loved the idea of a classic tuxedo but wanted more of a modern/bold look. The cream dinner jacket turned out perfectly and fit the setting so well. You can never go wrong with a classic tuxedo.

Favourite moment.

This is incredibly hard to choose because the entire day was so special. Our day was a perfect mix of love and seriousness, and fun playfulness. We loved the moment we exchanged vows. It was beautiful to hear and vocalize the reasons why we love one another, make a lifelong commitment, and promises to each other.

Another favourite part of our day was exploring the streets of Seville and stopping for tasty food and drinks along the way. At one point, we were walking down this beautiful tree-lined street by the cathedral lined with restaurants and outdoor patios with live music. As we were walking down the street, all the strangers started clapping and cheering for us, giving us congratulations and kind words or encouragement. It was such a beautiful and memorable moment.

Meaning of marriage.

Marriage means unconditional love and companionship. It’s about enjoying the small everyday moments together and not taking life too seriously. It’s about having your best friend by your side and getting to experience and adventure through life together.

Funny stories (or near disasters).

Everything went pretty seamlessly on our wedding day. Although I was dead set on getting some wedding photos in white robes with champagne on our wedding day. The hotel that we were staying at for our wedding, however, did not have white robes. At the last minute, we had to try and find white robes from another hotel to borrow or rent for our wedding. Maybe it was the language barrier, but most of the places we asked about bathrobes thought we were crazy. Eventually, we did find some robes to borrow and got the photos on our rooftop patio with robes and champagne in hand.

Planning surprises.

One of our main reasons for eloping was to avoid the wedding planning stress that comes with planning a large celebration. And I am so happy we eloped for this reason.

Words of wisdom.

Truly do what you want. This day is all about celebrating the love between the couple and getting to appreciate each other!  Don’t worry about the small things, and just have fun. Be present and in the moment with one another.

We’re always intrigued and inspired by couples who elope, and after spotting gorgeous imagery by Bianca Virtue from Britt and Jack’s dreamy Melbourne day, we wanted to understand why they chose to elope, the benefits they found, their incredible outfits, and the reaction of their loved ones – read it here.

CHLOE & CHARLIE’S VENDORS

Photographer: Blancorazon Wedding

Planner: Elope to Europe

The dresses: Ceremony Shona Joy, reception Retrofete from The Afterwhite.

Gloves & sun glasses: Etsy

Suit: The Atelier

Purse: Zara

Wedding ring: Mejuri

Hair & make-up: Christiane Ogorek

Florist: Orangerie

Hotel: Casa del Rey Sabio