All you really need for a wedding is the marriage license, and someone to sign it.
I’ve been seeing and hearing more and more about surprise weddings, also known as pop-up weddings. I think it’s a very fun idea. In case you haven’t heard of it, here’s what happens: The guests are invited (by the couple getting married) to be somewhere on some pretext–perhaps a holiday brunch, or a special family dinner. When they are all assembled, the couple announces that this is their wedding, and they have the ceremony. Usually, the promised brunch or dinner (or some other form of party) happens afterwards.
You might wonder whether or not this concept is a good idea. I don’t have any personal experience of it, but a friend of mine was delightfully surprised when her son and his fiancee did this. It certainly eliminated any wedding planning stress my friend might have otherwise had! I’ve also heard other stories from people who have attended, officiated at, or been married at a surprise wedding. The experience seems to be pretty uniformly positive. It is less stressful than a traditional wedding and is good for people who like surprises. From what I can gather, most surprise weddings have a small guest list, so it is also a less expensive way to get married. It makes no less of a splash for being small, though!
You might wonder how I feel as a professional wedding planner about this idea. I think it’s great! It allows for a certain amount of flexibility and is fertile ground for non-traditionalism. Don’t be fooled into thinking, though, that a surprise wedding requires any less planning than any other kind. It may even require more, because if you want to get married this way, you won’t have the help of your families–unless you want to spoil the surprise.
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