Last-minute elopement in Columbus Square Park
From the second I started working with Danielle, I enjoyed planning all the details for her day. After reading this interview, you will fall in love with her, too! The second time Danielle and Andre were forced to reschedule their wedding plans, they decided to elope on their original wedding date. With only four days to plan, we got right to work planning the details of their elopement to make it the most special memory. I’m so excited to tell D&A’s elopement story!
In the below interview, you can tell that our bride Danielle is amazing with words. You will definitely have chills reading this sweet couples’ wedding day story. I still have the biggest smile from everything they wrote! This Hoboken elopement was so special and deeply meaningful.
A last-minute elopement.
MSM: Why did you decide to elope in Columbus Square Park on 6/12/20?
D&A: After COVID 19 dismantled our wedding plans (for a second time) we decided that we just wanted to get married and put away the stress from all of the unknown. It wasn’t an easy decision and I think I cried every day that week trying to figure out if we were doing the right thing, but if I had known how I would feel now, I would have never second-guessed it. My fiancé (ha! husband) was amazing and was there for me every time.
We were a few days away from our original wedding weekend – which was a 120-person wedding planned for a weekend getaway in Hudson Valley with all our closest family and friends, so I kinda rushed to have a ‘poetic moment’ and get married on the same weekend we were originally supposed to. When we realized our second wedding date was no longer going to work out the way we wanted, we found out that our venue was able to move our big wedding to June 12, 2021. Fingers crossed all this COVID stuff is handled by then!!!
Choosing an Elopement Venue in New Jersey.
MSM: Why did you choose Columbus Square Park?
D&A: We have lived in uptown Hoboken for 4 years on the west side, and both have been working from home. We started trying to go for more walks as we realized we barely left our home during all this. One day, we ended up in the park and really were taken back by how beautiful it was. We sat for a while and just enjoyed the shade and thought it was really lovely. We tried to think of a somewhat quiet place (so, not the waterfront) and it seemed perfect. Joke was on us though – there was a giant tree cutting machine from the city trimming down all the tress that morning! It was so loud. Luckily my dad (who loves to talk to anyone) had already spoken to the team and they offered to stop at 10 a.m. for the ceremony. 🙂
Ready to pop champagne and celebrate as newlyweds in Hoboken! I was so inspired by this couple’s commitment to what matters most.
MSM: What was your favorite/most meaningful part of the ceremony?
D&A: Even though it was completely different than we imagined, it was the most amazing day for us. Looking at Andre while our officiant read our ceremony (that we helped write the night before — pulled a lot from the one we had started for our original wedding!) was meaningful beyond words. We were able to have our parents there and Andre’s brother which also felt so special. It was never about the big party, even though I can’t wait for that, but you realize when everything’s taken away, that the people in your life are the most important.
We got ready together in our apartment, (I put earphones in and had the 36 Questions sound track going on repeat to keep myself calm, which totally worked) and I did my own hair and makeup, found clothes I had hanging in my closet and made the best of it. It felt so much like us. We had our first look in our bedroom when I was grabbing shoes and I just felt so lucky and happy that we were doing it.
My dad also spoke to a cop about allowing us to pop some champagne bottles. We love going for cocktails so I wanted to include a drink in our big day. We also ended with a picnic (thank you to Bwe Kafe for delivering it to the park for us!) and just sat under a tree with our new family. It was really lovely and sweet and it makes me cry every time I think about it. (But I’m sure you notice the crying theme so that’s not saying a lot!)
You may kiss the bride — a true Hoboken congratulations!
Another surprising but incredibly sweet moment, was when we finally had the ‘you can kiss the bride’ moment, what felt like the entire park started cheering for us. It was such a sweet feeling knowing that with all the craziness going on right now, people just want to support you and are happy for you.
We love keeping some of your original wedding day plans the same during an elopement / minimony.
MSM: Other than using parts of your original ceremony script, what else inspired you from your original wedding plans?
D&A: I absolutely LOVED my flower, which was inspired by my original bouquet from Bloomies. She was AMAZING. She opened her store early so we could get the flowers before the ceremony and I really felt (similar to how you were with me) that they just wanted to help and do what they could to support someone trying to do their best in this situation. All of the people that came together in little ways just really made this so meaningful and special (our officiant included). Throwing together a wedding in 4 days still blows my mind, especially with how it turned out! It was amazing.
Incorporating Special Details & Heirloom Wedding Rings.
MSM: Did you have any special details?
D&A: Andre and I never had a chance to buy wedding rings. We had started shopping right before the shutdown but never bought anything. When I called my parents to tell them our plan, my mom offered to bring down my grandmothers ring, which I’ve been wearing and absolutely love. She was a very important person in my life, she passed away when I was in college and unfortunately never got to meet Andre, so sharing wedding rings with her is incredibly special. Andre is wearing one of those $20 silicone rings he ordered off the internet before all this started. If it wasn’t for that, I don’t think I would have had one and was planning to just go with it. I love all the thrown together details of our wedding, because it turned out beautiful and meaningful and we’re just really happy.
Last-minute elopement in Hoboken success. Married Life in New Jersey!
MSM: How does it feel to be married?!
D&A: Amazing. Calming. We are still planning to have our big wedding, I’m trying to allow myself some grace and plan to wear my wedding dress (which I was never able to get altered before shutdowns…) and celebrate with all our friends and family.
I think my biggest dilemma with the elopement was that it would take away from our big celebration/or invalidate it somehow. I’m really just trying to focus on how exciting it will be to celebrate next year. We may try to change it up a bit. I’m excited to see what people do with their weddings who are in similar situations as us. It feels like so much weight is lifted now that all the craziness of when we will get married isn’t a thing anymore.
We will have the party when we can safely have everyone together. And until then, we are enjoying spending all this time together.
Vendor Squad
Mile Square Moments is a New Jersey wedding photographer. We love telling our couples’ love stories through their photos. We love getting to know each couple personally before we ever start taking photos. Getting to know our couples before the camera comes out allows us to better capture the chemistry that already exists between each couple. You might be a MSM couple if you love a night in binge-watching Netflix and aren’t afraid of a little PDA. Planning a wedding in Hoboken, NJ or beyond? Get in touch to inquire about our photography services. Or, follow along for some fun love stories on Instagram. For more elopement inspiration, check out Ruani and Cortney’s Jersey City elopement!
