A Walyalup / Fremantle Airbnb elopement
- Jul 18, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 9
Freo / Walyalup is loved by locals and a quintessential stop for any tourist visiting Perth. But have you ever thought about eloping in Fremantle? This couple did! A gorgeous AirBnb, a handful of their best people, a short and sweet ceremony, followed by a movable photo session around Freo - and the next day, the party to celebrate.
All photos in this post are by the amazing Kat at Red Eclectic
Why a Fremantle elopement?
Ahhh Fremantle, you are a vibe.
We love you for your coastal location, your colourful characters, your quirky shops, excellent eateries and historic architecture.
Locals call you Freo, but the original locals, the Whadjuk Noongar people, knew you as Walyalup.
Eloping in a Fremantle AirBnb
I love elopements in AirBnbs. What luck for this couple to find an iconic Fremantle sandstone townhouse, right in the heart of town, that is now an AirBnb with its very own gazebo in the courtyard!
Before the elopement ceremony
On the day of the ceremony, E used the cottage to get ready with her bridesmaids while P enjoyed a drink with his groomsmen and parents at a nearby classic Freo pub. It's totally possible to get ready separately for your elopement if you want to.
The girls had a quick practice of walking down the stairs that would form the 'aisle', carrying beautiful elopement bouquets made by local sustainable florist Donna The Freo Florist.
With P's arrival imminent, E and the bridesmaids headed into the bathroom to stay hidden until it was time to make their entrance. This bathroom is one of the most unique places I've ever signed the pre-ceremony legal paperwork!
P arrived with his boys and the rest of the guests. They were relaxed from hanging out at the pub next door and ready to get the show on the road.
The elopement ceremony begins
E walked in to a cover of "Sweet Child O'Mine" with her bridesmaids either side supporting her and cheering her on.
The elopement ceremony was personalised to exactly what they wanted - intimate, sacred and beautiful.
The couple, their legal witnesses and I headed inside to sign the paperwork. The guests pepared some drinks while I made sure E and P had a moment to be together alone for the first time that day.
They walked back into the space together, I pronounced them married and we had a toast to the newlyweds. Congratulations and hugs followed.
I loved helping this two elope in Fremantle!
E said:
Sally was the perfect celebrant to create our perfect day. I loved that she was focused on myself and my partner, making sure the experience was exactly what we wanted (rather than what might be expected by society/family/friends). Beforehand, she was very organized and easy to communicate with, and on the day she was a calming presence when nerves threatened to get the best of us.
P said:
Thank you immensely for being an integral part of our special day. Your warmth and professionalism truly made our ceremony an unforgettable experience, and we couldn't be happier with how everything turned out. We're still beaming with happiness, and reminiscing about every moment.
Elopement portraits in Walyalup / Fremantle
Soon after, the wedding party went for a walk around Fremantle with photographer Kat from Red Eclectic for some amazing portraits.
Wedding reception the day after the elopement
The next night, they had a big party to celebrate! Splitting up the ceremony and the reception into an elopement followed by a party later is a great compromise when one person wants an intimate wedding and the other wants a big celebration.
For more about this, see this blog post Should we elope and have a party later?
