Draft:Elope at the Eclipse

Elope at the Eclipse is a collective wedding taking place in Russellville, Arkansas during the Solar eclipse of April 8, 2024 with potentially over 200 couples taking wedding vows during this celestial ceremony.

General Information
Total solar eclipses occur when the New Moon comes between the Sun and Earth and casts the darkest part of its shadow, the umbra, on Earth. This creates a visually dramatic celestial display for those located in the path of totality. A total solar eclipse will take place on April 8, 2024. It will be visible over the US, Mexico, and Canada. Astronomy magazine lists Russellville, Arkansas as one of the Top 10 location in North America to view this rare celestial display.

Organizers of Total Eclipse of the Heart in Russellville, a 3-day festival celebrating the Great North American Eclipse, created this mass marriage opportunity for couples "who happen to be in love to the moon and back" to wed at the event at the time of totality. Forbes.com listed this festival as "Number 1" on the top 8 Solar Eclipse Festivals for 2024.

Wedding Costs
According to all things wedding website TheKnot.com, the average price of an Arkansas wedding in 2022 was $21,000. The nationwide average was $30,000. Budget Savvy Bride magazine states that elopement weddings are currently trending. The American Marriage institute predicts mass weddings and mass elopements to be one of the biggest wedding trends of the future. Elope at the Eclipse is providing the entire wedding package including the marriage officiant, decorations, flowers, wedding cake, drink for toasting, and live band for their first dance, all at no cost to the couple. The first 100 couples to register will also receive reimbursement from the event to pay their marriage license fee as well as gift cards and discounts from area businesses as wedding gifts.

Total Eclipse of the Heart in Russellville
Elope at the Eclipse is part of the 3-day festival celebrating the solar eclipse in Russellville, Arkansas taking place April 6–8, 2024 at the Russellville Soccer Complex. The festival also features live entertainment, hot air balloons, and food vendors. A Beatles tribute band, Liverpool Legends, performs on April 8, 2024 during the time of the eclipse and mass wedding. The Liverpool Legends band was formed and managed by Louise Harrison, the sister of George Harrison.