Spontaneous Love Under the Chandelier: Megan & Landon’s Downtown Cleveland Elopement

Megan and Landon decided to elope in Cleveland with just 48 hours to plan. All they knew was that they wanted to say “I do” under the iconic Playhouse Square chandelier. With the help of an amazing team, their elopement was spontaneous, stress-free, and absolutely perfect. Get all the details below.

Are you ready to elope? Check out our Ohio elopement packages. 

About This Elopement

Photography by Beck Photo Co.

“Megan reached out on a Wednesday and said, ‘We love your work. We want to elope to Cleveland. Can you shoot our elopement in two days and find us an officiant?!?’

I said, say less girl, I got you.

The only thing they had set up was their overnight stay at the Crown Plaza Playhouse Square. So I got to work and contacted a colleague Perfectly Celebrated to make sure these nuptials were official. With only 48 hours to put this together, I knew I needed to start planning immediately to help Megan and Landon plan the elopement of their dreams.

Crown Plaza let us use the outdoor area near the chandelier (Megan picked Cleveland to elope because of the chandelier so this was a must). They also upgraded their room to a suite and rolled out the red carpet with 48 hours notice. Karen, from Perfectly Celebrated, crafted a beautiful ceremony that was personal and romantic. And at 7 pm in Downtown Cleveland Megan and Landon got married. It was fun, romantic, chaotic, exciting, cold… exactly what they had envisioned.

I don’t think I’ve ever seen two people more excited to get married. Not nervous or anxious or stressed, but overjoyed and happy. Elopements have a way of doing that. And it’s why I love them so much.

We spent an hour laughing like crazy as we ran around downtown taking photos. The wind was insane, people cheered and honked their horns, a random woman stopped to give them both hugs and kisses, we sprayed champagne, and Megan lost her veil at least two times. The night ended up in their hotel room where we captured some super fun photos of them celebrating.” [Kristen, the photographer]

Learn how to elope here.

Permits and Top Tips When Eloping

“This area where the couple got married is a small outdoor plaza downtown and is owned by the Crowne Plaza Hotel. The hotel allowed the couple to use this space with short notice. Crowne Plaza also generously upgraded the couple’s hotel room to a suite once they found out they were getting married.

Find an elopement photographer who is familiar with Downtown Cleveland! Our city is amazing and has a lot to offer. There are a ton of hidden gems, but you need to have someone who knows their way around.

Also, if you are eloping in the city you have to be comfortable with the unplanned in the background. Car driving by honking their horns, people yelling congratulations, etc. It is exciting and hectic!” [Kristen, the photographer]

Details We’re Loving

“I loved how they didn’t really care about the small details, to be honest. They wanted to get married under the chandelier and have epic photos. That is it.

Everything else was icing on the cake.” [Kristen, the photographer]

Deciding to Elope

“We eloped on a whim after dating for just four months. Three days before a planned weekend trip, we realized we were ready to spend forever together. For the first time, it just felt right. We weren’t interested in hosting a big event or waiting for the ‘perfect’ timing. Instead, we embraced the fact that the only thing that mattered was us.

In just three days, we found everything we needed—our outfits, our rings, and most importantly, our incredible photographer, Kristen, who helped bring our vision to life with the support of The Playhouse Square and Crown Plaza. Our elopement was intimate, meaningful, and deeply personal, and we wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Cleveland has a special place in my heart, and since it was Landon’s first time visiting, I wanted to make it a truly memorable experience. Playhouse Square was the perfect setting—the iconic outdoor chandelier, the beautiful architecture, and the energy of the city made it feel magical and cinematic. It was the perfect backdrop for our special day.” [The couple]

Check out these reasons to elope. 

Planning Process

“With 10 years of experience coordinating events in education—often on a whim—I thrive under pressure. So, planning our elopement in just three days felt natural.

My biggest non-negotiable? A great photographer.

I told Landon there was no way we were eloping without one! Once we found Kristen, she seamlessly stepped in and brought the details together. Our stay at the Crown Plaza was already booked for the weekend, and she worked with them and Playhouse Square to coordinate the perfect elopement experience.”

Estimated cost breakdown

Crown Plaza Stay with Parking (2 nights) | $350 (we also used AMX points)
His attire | $600
Her attire | $300
Rings | $2,000
Dinner | Crown Plaza’s chef created a special menu just for us
Playhouse Square Venue | They graciously accommodated the entire venue, plus music!
Photography | $1,000
Officiant | $250

Estimated Total: $4,500

Learn more about elopement costs here. 

Memorable Moments During This Elopement

From the photographer:

“This elopement was so exciting. Everything about it was electric. After saying their I Do’s we ran around downtown spraying/drinking champagne, the wind was blowing like crazy, it was all so hectic and fun.

I see a lot of couples on their wedding day who are so stressed out and Megan and Landon had ZERO stress. For them, it was all about getting married and having the time of their lives.”

From the couple:

“Running around Playhouse Square in the crisp winter air, the city lights glowing around us, and feeling absolutely weightless with happiness. We were laughing, waving at honking cars, and celebrating our new life together—just the two of us, wrapped up in our own little world.

One moment that stood out? We popped champagne, kissed, and soaked in the magic of the night. It was one of those spontaneous, joy-filled moments that felt straight out of a movie.”

Final Words of Advice

“We got all of these photos in only one hour! You can definitely have a meaningful and fun elopement in a short amount of time.” [Kristen, the photographer]

Photos From This Elopement