Real Couples // Spontaneous Friday the 13th Elopement: Mariam + Fernando
/Friday 13th, 2017, was a very special day for Fernando and I. After six years of fun together, we decided to get married and keep the adventures going. However, we VERY much dislike the wedding industry, I very much don’t agree with many wedding “traditions,” and with our friends and families scattered around the world, there was no way for us to accommodate everyone. So we did it our way, and it was THE BEST. Here’s the story.
I never wanted to plan a wedding, as I think it’s a waste of our time and money. I always believed that the plan would reveal itself when we’re ready. So a week ago, we jokingly talked about getting married before Trump becomes president. We looked at the calendar and saw Friday the 13th and thought it was perfect! Shortly after, we picked what to wear from our closets, we asked friends (and our witnesses) to come over on Friday, and we spent less than $500 in food, drinks, etc. We had no plan. Our only plan was to enjoy each other’s company.
On Friday the 13th, the sun greeted us early in the day, and I went to pick up breakfast from my favorite bodega and bakery. I did my own hair and makeup while singing along to my favorite songs. Our friends came, we toasted, ate some breakfast, and headed to the Marriage Bureau in Downtown Brooklyn. It took less than 45 mins to get married—faster than getting a Shake Shack burger! We came back to our neighborhood, had coffee, visited our favorite murals, took pictures, went to karaoke, sang our asses off, ate cake, and hung out some more. It was everything I think a wedding should be: love and happiness all around. And most of all, no stress, no expectations...just going with the flow and seeing where it takes us. That’s how our relationship has been, and that’s how I hope our marriage will be.
I find that sometimes, it’s hard to let go of control, but when you do, magic happens. That’s my philosophy for this year, and that’s what Friday the 13th was—truly magic.
Photos by Story & Gold Weddings
Meet Story & Gold Weddings: Jen Brister of Story & Gold Weddings is a wedding + elopement photographer that shoots inclusive, intimate, and intentional ceremonies and celebrations. She's based in the Hudson Valley of New York and frequently shoots in NYC, New England, and the Midwest.
