The Biggest Reasons You Should Just Elope Instead | Elopement and Adventure Wedding Photographer
Let’s talk about a growing trend in the wedding industry: Elopements.
Historically, “eloping” meant running away secretly with the intention of getting married, usually without parental consent. But it also meant “to escape or flee” and THAT definition is still holding true today, while gaining traction amongst 21st century couples. And I’m HERE for it.
I hear it over and over and over again: “If I could do things differently, I’d skip the huge party and just elope.” And the good news is YOU CAN. Sure, it might not be what your parents want, or maybe you don’t know the first thing about planning an elopement, or it just feels weird to be so rebellious and not invite Aunt Patty, Uncle Roger, and your 17 distant cousins to your wedding, but eloping CAN be done. And here’s why you should consider it:
Reason to Elope #1: No One Deserves To Be At Your Wedding
I know this sounds harsh. Believe me. I’ve said it out loud and sat with the feeling it gives me when I hear it. But it’s true. Your wedding day is about YOU two. It’s about what YOU want. It’s about what makes YOU happy. All too often we say things make us happy when in reality it only makes us happy because it’s making someone else happy. And that’s not always a bad thing, of course. But I am arguing that the moment you pledge your love to someone else isn’t the time to think about your friends and family members and how they might feel if they aren’t there witnessing it. Some people will probably have some feelings about it, but that’s for them to sort out. Be selfish with your decision because it’s a big one and you’re the only one who DESERVES to be at your wedding.
That said, you CAN invite people to your elopement. The definition of elopement is changing (just ask Merriam Webster) and shifting to mean “a small destination wedding” or even “a wedding that allows us to only invite the people we really want to a little vacation with us”.
Reason to Elope #2: Your Wedding Day Should Be Unique
Now I’m not saying that a traditional big wedding can’t have unique details because it sure can. But I think elopements have the ability to be MORE uniquely tailored to you because you can have less expectations, rules, and drama surrounding them. Forget hitting a certain dollar amount at your reception, or trying to bring in your own alcohol to save money, or paying for security officers at the venue, or needing to be out of the church by a certain time for mass. If those things aren’t important to you, why are you doing them?
Imagine this: You decide that you want to be married in a Costa Rican rainforest. The only requirement you need to do is fill out paperwork with the consulate and find a priest, judge, or lawyer to perform the ceremony. The rest of the details around your day are completely up to you!! Wake up when you want to wake up, get dressed when you want to get dressed, wear whatever you want to wear, hike into the rainforest when you want to start hiking, and say whatever you want to say to each other! No drama, no dealing with other people’s schedules (if you’re alone), no clock watching, and few rules! Of course, you still need to do research to make sure you can be where you want to be when you want to, but there’s much less work to do and honestly, it’s more fun!
Reason to Elope #3: It’s Easier To Go With The Flow
We all know that the chances everything will just go off without a hitch or a hiccup on your wedding day is slim. Something is bound to go even slightly off kilter. You’re dealing with the weather, you’re expecting all your vendors to come through flawlessly, you’re hoping no one gets sick, and on and on and on.
When you elope, it is so much easier to go with the flow and reduce stress. During Melanie and Ty’s elopement in Hawaii, we planned to do their ceremony in these beautiful tide pools off the eastern coast of Oahu, Hawaii. However, when we arrived, security was there making sure everyone abided by the signs that said not to go over the edge of the lookout down to the tide pools. Instead of chancing it, we gathered the ordained minister and videographers and headed to Halona Beach Cove, by the Halona Blowhole, instead. It was there that Melanie and Ty said “I do” with no other audience but those of us capturing the beauty of it.
When planning an elopement, always have a backup B and C plan. And if those fall through, be prepared to pivot and go in a different direction. If you can’t get married on the day you planned to, that’s okay! Get married the next day! I love spontaneity and making decisions on the fly, so if you’re that kind of person too, eloping might just be for you!
Reason to Elope #4: You Get To Choose An Epic Backdrop
Want to get married on the side of a Colorado mountain? Want to canoe on Lake Louise in Banff? Want to promise to love your partner forever while overlooking Yosemite? Have a dream to do the damn thing by a waterfall in Iceland? The most beautiful thing about eloping is the plethora of locations on this Earth that you can choose. What if you took the money you’d spend on a big traditional wedding, heck even if you took half of that amount of money, and decided to spend it on an epic elopement with the most gorgeous backdrop that you’d be able to relive over and over every time you looked at your wedding photos? How special would that be? How incredible would those memories be?
Reason to Elope #5: You Won’t Feel Like You’re On Display
Some people hate being the center of attention, and I’ve seen grooms faint because they were standing up in front of 200+ people – it’s overwhelming for some! Often times, those that don’t want to be put on display are the kind of people that tend to come alive when in nature. This makes eloping so perfect for them. When you can look around you and see that your audience is wildlife, the ocean, the trees, etc, that can be calming and such a wonderful way to remember your wedding day. You don’t have to fear judgement from an audience when it comes to your vows, and you get to express your true authentic self to your partner in complete intimacy.
Now remember, eloping doesn’t mean it has to be JUST the two of you. Maybe you want to invite 20 of your closest friends/family to join you. Allowing others “to escape” with you can be just as meaningful. As long as it’s what YOU want, that’s all that matters. In that case, you will want some details planned out a little more so people know where they need to be to witness your nuptials, but it’s easier to change course if needed with only a handful of people to wrangle.
Your wedding day is just that: YOURS.
You deserve an unforgettable, wildly meaningful, uniquely dreamy and epically executed day you will remember forever with the hugest smile on your face. And that just might mean eloping is the best decision you could ever make. It takes bravery sometimes to decide to do what you truly want to.
If that’s you, I commend you.
Let’s chat about your intimate wedding day and make sure it’s everything you’re dreaming of and more.
“Eloping in Hawaii was one of the best decisions my husband and I ever made. Our decision to elope derived from witnessing so many friends and families wedding days being consumed with small details and timelines. On a day that is meant to be about two becoming one, eloping gave us the best opportunity, distraction free. Our original wedding plans were a small wedding in Wisconsin that included Andrea as our photographer, but once our plans changed to eloping in Hawaii, Andrea was by our side supporting us the whole way. It’s obvious her work is absolutely stunning but she will make you laugh so hard which results in beautiful photos and a memory you’ll never forget. We highly recommend eloping, it’s a once in a lifetime experience you’ll cherish forever!”
