Seychelles Elopement Filled with Spontaneous Moments

Kathy & Daniel

Bride and groom sit on a rock looking out at the ocean during their sunset adventure photos in Seychelles

One of the things I (Henry) loved most about Kathy and Daniel’s Seychelles elopement was how open the couple was to including fun and spontaneous moments into their day. From the moment we arrived in Seychelles, there was this feeling of freedom. With no cars on the island and limited cell service, all the stresses of everyday life seemed to melt away making room for us all to slow down, breathe, connect with nature and truly immerse in the experience of Kathy and Daniel’s wedding.

The Couple and Their Decision to Plan an Elopement in Seychelles

When Kathy and Daniel first reached out, they already knew they wanted to plan a Seychelles elopement. To be 100% honest, I (Henry) did not know much about the island at that time. But, as they described their wedding vision, I could not help but get excited.

After talking with the couple, I learned that they wanted a tropical elopement. As the couple was coming from Europe, the closest options were other locations in Europe or in Africa. Seychelles was their top choice so we went all in and started planning their Seychelles elopement.

One of the things we had to consider when it came to planning their elopement in Seychelles was the couple’s children. When they first booked me, Kathrin and Daniel had only one daughter. However, just a few months after they booked, they found out they were pregnant! By the time I met up with them in person, their youngest was already starting to walk.

Not only did this add a really fun element to the whole experience, but it also added a bit of uncertainty in terms of knowing how to plan their elopement timeline. During the planning process, we talked about how much time the couple wanted to spend together as a family vs how much time they wanted to spend with each other. After some careful planning, we created a flexible timeline that allowed the couple to be spontaneous and decide what kind of adventure they wanted in the moment.

Kathy and Daniel’s Tropical Seychelles Elopement

The day before their Seychelles elopement, I rode my bike to the couple’s Airbnb. We spent the evening getting to know each other while bonding over parenting stories and sharing tips with each other.

Later that night, we all rode our bikes to the beach to explore and look for potential ceremony locations.

Fun fact – according to Travel + Leisure, this beach (Anse Source d’Argent, La Digue) is ranked as one of the most beautiful white sand beaches in the world!

Getting Ready & A Special Island Guest

The next day, we met back at their Airbnb to capture some fun getting-ready moments. One thing I learned about Seychelles is that the island is full of giant turtles roaming around. One happened to be hanging out near the couple’s Airbnb, so of course, we had to include him in the photos! 🙂

A Private Boat Ride to a Secluded Beach

Once Kathy and Daniel finished getting ready, the couple and I went on a private boat ride to a remote beach with white sand, turquoise waters, and huge boulders spread all around.

One of my favorite memories from this trip was when our boat arrived at the island, the water was very rough. In order to get to shore, we had to pack all of our wedding attire and camera gears into dry bags and wade through waist-deep water. Once we got on the beach, the couple changed into their wedding attire and exchanged their private vows. After exploring the beach and taking adventure photos, we repeated the process. We packed up the wedding outfits and camera gears and waded back through the water to the boat to go meet up with family.

A Beach Elopement Ceremony Surrounded by Loved Ones

Once we got back to the Airbnb, we met up with the couple’s family for their official Seychelles elopement ceremony on the beach we had explored the day before. We spent the next few hours taking family photos all the way into blue hour.

A Spontaneous Pool Celebration

My favorite moment from the day happened once we got back to their Airbnb after the ceremony. While we were waiting for dinner to get set up, the couple’s daughter asked to go swimming in the pool. Without hesitating, Kathy and Daniel said yes and jumped in while still wearing their wedding outfits. Pretty soon, their moms, friends, and everyone else jumped in with them which was totally unplanned but turned out to be one of the most memorable moments of the day!

Henry’s Elopement Tip: Sometimes the Best Experiences Are Unplanned

While we often try to plan important moments and fun elopement activities in advance, sometimes the most memorable moments happen when you are least expecting them.

Like for Kathy and Daniel’s Seychelles elopement when we put our clothes in dry bags and laughed together while wading through the ocean water.

Or, when we got back to the Airbnb and the couple jumped into the pool with their daughter just because they wanted to.

Whether you have kids or guests at your wedding or not, there are lots of ways to have fun with each other. They may not look like what traditionally happens at a wedding, but oftentimes, these moments are the ones that allow you to fully immerse in your elopement experience and make incredible memories along the way.