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An elopement with black a wedding dress and black suit in the woods near Hamburg. Sabine is a (horror) video gamer who professionally streams on Twitch. Nico is a composer of horror film and horror game music. They did their registry office ceremony in private but had their ring exchange in the woods and portraits in the ruins with Chris, their photographer. They brought smoke bombs with them for some added effects!
Why Did the Couple Choose Besenhorst Sand Mountains for Their Elopement?
Sabine & Nico: We both are really into horror videogames and movies; this is something that connects us. This is why we wanted some eerie Lost Place near our home. We also decided having an elopement because we chose to marry for ourselves, not for others. An elopement felt way more intimate, and it gave us the chance to be just the way we are and not to fulfill any expectations from others.
What Makes This forest Special for Elopements?
Sabine & Nico: Because you can be just by yourself, without getting disturbed by other people.
Chris, the photographer: This forest near Hamburg offers a unique blend of natural beauty and historical intrigue, making it an excellent location for a photo shoot. The area features a mix of sandy dunes, dense pine forests, and open meadows, as well as remnants of a former gunpowder factory from the late 19th century which are scatter throughout the area.
What Was the Couple’s Experience with Getting Married in Germany During March?
Sabine & Nico: Well, it really depends on the weather. We had lots of luck that it didn‘t rain that much, even had some sunrays shining through. But the north of Germany is quite unpredictable regarding the weather. Nonetheless it‘s a beautiful location, so you should have like a Plan B for the case it‘s raining.
Chris, the photographer: This location works all year around, but best when the trees are green and the ground is covered in moss. The colours in autumn are beautiful.
What Are the Best Tips for Planning an Elopement in the Hamburg area?
Sabine & Nico: We actually got all our information via Google and took our time to do the research. We first thought of having an Elopement abroad, but it was too much bureaucracy for us since our wish was to make it as simple as possible. So we think, the best tip for planning a wedding – in general – is to focus on your very own needs. Your wedding should be one of your happiest days in your life, so organize everything in a way you feel comfortable with. Many people have a picture in mind, that weddings have to be big with many people around, the best food and decorations. But if you focus on that, you might actually plan the wedding for others and not for yourselves. So the longer we planned, the simpler our choice actually became and it actually was a quite relaxed day with beautiful memories we made.
Chris, the photographer: As this is a public area, avoid crowded times, especially on weekends. Luckily the area is large enough to find a good spot where you are not disturbed a lot.
How Did the Couple Personalize Their Elopement?
Sabine & Nico: First of all, we chose to marry alone. No friends, no family. When you start inviting people, you quickly get to the point, where you ask yourself: „Shouldn‘t we also invite person B because we invited person A? We don‘t want make anyone feel excluded.“. We didn‘t want to have that pressure.
The next important thing was to choose a wedding theme that represented something that connects us. We both got to know each other because of the videogame Silent Hill 2, which means so much to us. One of the most important aspects of that game is fog, so we wanted this included. Since we couldn‘t really calculate how the weather would be, we organized fog bombs which produced fog in our favorite colour. The forest and the run down builidings are an important theme for Silent Hill 2 as well, so we chose that lost place so we could have everything included.
When it comes to our choice of clothing, it was immediately clear for us to wear black wedding gowns. Since Nico is a composer for dark and emotional piano music and Sabine has been heavily influenced by the Gothic and Metal culture since her teens, it felt like the perfect representation for our personalities.
What Advice Would the Couple Give to Others Planning an Elopement in the forests around Hamburg?
Sabine & Nico: Take a second pair of shoes with you, so you can wear them while walking through the forest and searching for the next spot to take pictures. The grounds were quite unsteady and muddy due to the season.
What Were the Most Memorable Moments from This Elopement?
Sabine: First, of course being at the Registry Office. We only could choose a really early appointment, so we had to get up at a time which we aren‘t used to. I still, was so sleepy, also still looked like it. But feeling so loved by Nico and getting married to him while being in my most natural state (Being sleepy, still wearing glasses, having heavy undereye circles) felt so intimate and precious to me. The other one was the shooting with Chris. He did an amazing job to guide us how to pose for the pictures. So it felt really natural and was so much fun!
Nico: To me it was the moment when the registrar asked me if I want Sabine to be my wife. That made me really emotional and felt like a beautiful beginning of a new chapter in both our lives. Then the icing of the cake was the shooting with Chris later that day who understood our vision and guided us perfectly. I‘m so grateful that we were able to realize the day how we wanted it to be and having these memories immortalized in these photos.
