DOPE ELOPE V1:
SPRINGTIME SPLENDOUR

Want to elope? Dope. That was the rally cry back in September 2023 when we launched our very first Dope Elope — and honestly, what a way to kick things off.

Springtime Splendour was our debut edition, designed as a mini-festival of love for couples who wanted all the luxe, none of the fuss. The concept was simple but powerful: create an all-inclusive pop-up wedding space for a handful of couples across one weekend, pack it with Canberra’s most iconic vendors, and take care of every single detail. From florals and cake to photography, cocktails, canapés, and even post-wedding tattoos (yep, really), nothing was left off the table. Couples just had to show up with their partner, a small crew of loved ones, and the outfits of their choice.

We went all-in on the theme. Spring called for bold, zesty brights, kaleidoscopic details, and a sense of play that felt like pure joy bottled up. With vendors like Wiluna Flower Studio, Bel Combridge Photography, Black Cat Cocktails, My Sweet Lady, MCKY, Corinna and Dylan, Kate Lily Dressing Hair, Tara Florence Artistry, Tale of Two, and more, the space came alive in a riot of colour and creativity.

The couples who joined us were the kind of lovers we dreamed this concept up for: fun-loving, ready to take the plunge, and totally uninterested in stressing over table settings or seating charts. Some had been waiting for years to make it official, others just wanted an excuse to celebrate love without the politics of guest lists and tradition. For all of them, Springtime Splendour gave them a chance to have it all: intimacy, meaning, and the kind of wedding aesthetic that usually takes months (and lots of brain space) to pull off.

For me, this first edition was everything I’d hoped for. It wasn’t just about eloping in the traditional sense — it was about rewriting what “small weddings” could look like. It was proof that intimate doesn’t mean simple, and that you can still have all the “Insta-worthy” trimmings without losing the heart of the day. Watching couples walk into the space for the first time, seeing their faces light up, and then getting to hitch them in that kaleidoscope of love? Magic.

Dope Elope was born with three words in mind: For extraordinary lovers. And Springtime Splendour set the tone. It was the spark that showed us what was possible and paved the way for Dope Elope V2: Fall Into Romance, where the concept only grew bolder, moodier, and even more refined.