An Intimate Elopement in Downtown Boston Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic

Jessica and Navil were just two weeks away from their wedding when they made the difficult call to postpone it, as a result of the pandemic. "All the details were already planned out. When we decided to elope, we also decided that we would eventually have a second wedding, the wedding we had been planning months for with all our friends and family. We wanted our elopement to have a different vibe than the 'moody' winter wedding we originally planned so that each event would feel special. We didn't have a color palette per se for the elopement, but we wanted the design details to be colorful and happy. We live in downtown Boston and wanted a place in the city that we could get married. We live near Post Office Square in the financial district and just love the city backdrop it provides while also having some greenery," says Jessica. 

For their vows, Jessica and Navil found, "a justice of the peace to marry us and we wrote our vows on the inside cover of two green vintage books we already had. This green was also a nod to the wedding we weren't able to have." Once the couple said "I do," they celebrated with cake for just the two of them. "What do you do after you elope? We had no idea, but knew it should involve cake! That evolved into what became our cake picnic. It was extra special because we used a lot of pieces we were given as engagement gifts during our picnic and it felt like a way of being connected to friends who weren’t there. I am a mosaic artist through Live In Mosaics and years ago had created a sign that said 'we eloped' for a styled shoot, but I never thought I’d be using it myself! We ended up using it as decor at our picnic, which was so special, and now we treasure the sign. After cake, we played our wedding song, 'Unstoppable' by Lianne la Havas, and shared our first dance. Since the streets in Boston were empty due to the pandemic, we ended up running in the streets of the financial district and doing our dance again at an empty intersection. It was magical!" recalls Jessica of the couple's intimate pandemic elopement in downtown Boston. To cap off the day, the couple even drove off in a decorated car, something they DIYed themselves the day before the wedding. "We were looking for ways to make the day more unique and riding in your car with a ‘just married’ sign is something straight out of the movies," says Jessica. 

For current-to-be weds wading through wedding planning amid the ongoing pandemic, the couple has this advice to share: "It feels magical marrying the person you love, whether it be a huge wedding, micro wedding, or just the two of you. It's even more special getting to plan out details that represent who you are as a couple. So have fun with the planning and make sure you spend the day doing what YOU want to do as a couple. After all, the day is about celebrating your love."