A Simple, Modern Elopement at Mt. Echo Park in Cincinnati, Ohio

Kayla Blanton and Matt Lansdale eloped on a Thursday evening with five guests and a view of the Cincinnati skyline. They got ready in separate spaces and exchanged thoughtful gifts with one another—Kayla shared a journal she'd been writing to Matt since 2012, and Matt gave her a box of mementos he'd saved from their eight years together. The couple then had their first look in the Over-The-Rhine neighborhood, where Kayla gave her groom a watch engraved with his late father's handwriting reading "Love you." Their ceremony in Mt. Echo Park included hand-written vows and absolutely no decorations. "We let the city, the park and our outfits decorate the day, and we were lucky enough to have perfect weather too," Kayla says, adding that they wanted the wedding to be as stress-free as possible. Kayla stunned in an vintage-inspired lace gown with an open back, drop earrings, simple blush-colored flats and an updo. Her bouquet, which was arranged as a gift from a family member, had Kayla's late grandmother's wedding ring tied to its ribbon. Matt chose a royal-blue suit with a patterned statement tie. "His ring is also personal—it's made from the wood of a Maker's Mark whiskey barrel, which is his drink of choice, and it has an inlay of pressed coffee grounds, which is mine," Kayla says. The couple and their guests ended their ceremony with an intimate champagne toast. "It was a slow, intimate and beautiful day, which is exactly what we wanted," Kayla says. "A month later, we had the privilege of sharing a video highlight reel with our entire family and friend group at a local brewery followed by a giant party, and it was an absolute blast."