RLS Didn’t Ruin Our Elopement

When my husband and I were planning our wedding, we had lots of things to factor in, but the main one was my health. I really didn’t want any of my diseases ruining our big day, and that was a major concern.

My husband and I decided eloping would be the best option for us because of my health, and also because it was the most affordable option.

Deciding where to elope

We began searching around for a place to elope in the month of March, and were entertaining the idea of maybe traveling somewhere to elope when we remembered our favorite hot springs had a cute little chapel on site. It was just a couple of hours away outside of a small town nestled in the mountains, so it was a very beautiful area.

I followed my own golden rule for being a spoonie: Keep It Simple, Spoonie.¹

That’s why we made sure we had a full day to relax after driving to the hot spring.

Keeping it simple, reducing stress

Even though it’s just a couple of hours away from home, we would have to go over several mountain passes. There aren't always options for getting out and stretching, and we didn’t want my RLS to be raging during the ceremony because of the drive to get there.

Also, by keeping it as simple as possible, we reduced a lot of the stress that can come along with such a major event. Being very stressed can make me very tense, which in turn brings about nasty RLS pains, the last thing I wanted while standing there getting married.

When we planned the ceremony with our wedding officiant, we went for the shortest option to avoid having to stand in high heels for a long time. I rarely wear high heels because they can trigger a nasty RLS attack.

Soaking in a hot spring helped me relax

On the day we drove to the hot springs, we took our time driving in order to be able to stop and stretch as much as I needed.

Once we got checked in, we went for a big soak in the hot springs. I could feel the tension in my body start to melt away after 15 minutes. We made the right call for where to elope.

The next day, we went for a soak in the morning and were blessed with having the whole hot springs pool to ourselves for an entire hour. We had a very relaxing rest of the day. We didn’t have much to do to get ready for the ceremony.

Managing my RLS triggers on the big day

The big day arrived, and the entire morning was spent having medical marijuana (legal here in Canada) to make sure that I could get through the ceremony without my diseases interfering or ruining it. My Dad and my husband's mother and stepfather were our witnesses; they were the only people in attendance. My Dad helped me get ready and stay medicated, a balance that would have been hard on my own. Plus, I needed someone to help me get into my wedding dress and lace it up for me.

Altogether, I think the ceremony lasted around 45 minutes. During that time, I was completely unaware of how my body was feeling, I was so lost in the moment.

My RLS didn't ruin my experience

Once we were driving back to our cabin after taking a bunch of photos once the ceremony was done, I started to feel my body again. I was super grateful I was able to stand for 45 minutes in high heels without my RLS making me move around and causing me horrible pain.

My RLS never acted up for the rest of the evening with our family, and I was so exhausted by the time we climbed into bed I passed out before my RLS could kick in.