We are self-proclaimed
Elope Enthusiasts
We are in love with the idea of modern eloping. Our hope is to provide the elopement venue that we wished had existed when we got married… way back in 2000.
Meet Rochelle
“I began officiating wedding ceremonies in the 1st grade on the playground. While all my friends pretended to be brides with jackets draped over their heads as makeshift veils, I always wanted to be the one running the ceremony. I would make bouquets out of dandelions, tell people where to stand and officiate the impromptu wedding. It's just something I've always wanted to do."
Rochelle Bergstrom
She | Her
FOUNDER | OFFICIANT | PHOTOGRAPHER | CREATIVE HEAD-HONCHO
Rochelle and her husband eloped in Las Vegas way back in 2000. They made the decision to elope because they wanted something affordable, memorable and just plain cool. "We just wanted to show up, have everything ready and simply focus on us. However, this type of venue did not exist locally in 2000 so we went to Vegas."
Ever since then, Rochelle has been daydreaming about opening a small elopement chapel locally that would provide a modern, charming space for people to marry the way they want to. Her dream became a reality when she opened Elope 253 in April 2017.
Meet Craig
"Watching my wife follow her passion has been an absolute joy. Who knew that marrying couples could be this much fun?"
Craig Bergstrom
He | Him
OFFICIANT | LOGISTICS NINJA | LADYBOSS SUPPORTER
Craig has been following Rochelle on crazy adventures for over 20 years. They have not all been quite as fun as this adventure, plus this one is so close to home!
Working mostly behind the scenes, Craig steps in to show the chapel to interested couples and officiates an occasional ceremony.
Meet Brooke
“I always knew there was a sort of magic about love, and now I get to help others discover it too. I get to work in an environment of love, how lucky am I?”
Brooke Schonger
She | Her
ASSISTANT MANAGER | OFFICIANT | VIBE COORDINATOR
Brooke is a lifelong Tacoma woman and has a deep love for this city she calls home.
She has a taste for vintage, eclectic oddities and a love of estate sales both equally for the things she finds to the interesting people she meets along the way. If you ask her, she might just tell you about her favorite find ever!
Meet Ashley
“Eloping was one of the best decisions my husband and I ever made, and was the perfect choice for our love story. I’m SO excited to be able to help others create their own version of “just us” here at Elope 253!”
Ashley Haun
She | Her
ELOPEMENT COORDINATOR | DETAIL QUEEN | PLANNER EXTRAORDINAIRE
Having eloped with her husband back in 2018, Ashley fell in love with the mission at Elope 253 and now works closely with all of our couples to bring their own elopements to life! A wed-obsessed “details geek” with a love for the little things, Ashley loves making tying the knot easy and low-stress for every couple that walks through our doors.
Have a question or ready to start planning — Ashley can’t wait to hear from you and will be in touch soon!