Should you elope?

If you are in the throes of wedding planning and feeling stressed out, overwhelmed, and frustrated maybe a huge wedding isn’t for you. Maybe an elopement would be more fitting to you and your future spouse. Now I know what you’re going to say, what will my family think? How will my friends react? I get it there’s a lot of questions that surround an elopement. But before you send out the mass emails let’s find out what exactly is an elopement, Should You Elope, and the pros and cons to having one.

What is an Elopement?

An elopement is a very minimalist take on a wedding ceremony.  Often they are held at a secluded location, with very little planning involved.  The number of guests that usually attend an elopement max out at around 10. That includes you, your partner, and the officiant.  Some people opt for a large reception after or just a small dinner at a local restaurant.

Reasons to Elope

Money

Money is often a huge pain point when it comes to planning a wedding. There can be a lot of costs that incur with a large wedding. The venue alone can be upwards of $5000 depending on the time of year. And while I love large weddings I realize that it may not be in the budget for everyone. Elopements can be much cheaper especially in the form of vendors. For example, my elopement package is a third of what my full wedding package costs.

Emotions

Weddings can bring up a lot of joy and excitement. But they can also bring up a lot of stress and anxiety. Maybe you are not as close to your family as you wish you were. Or maybe your parents are divorced and the thought of having them the same room makes you wanna vomit. Trust me that’s where I am and I get it. It may just be easier on your emotional health to just have a ceremony with you and your forever.

You hate planning

There is so much involved with planning a wedding. And you are far from type A and organized. The thought of spending months planning, making phone calls, and sending out emails makes you dread the big day, then maybe an elopement is for you.

You love spontaneous things

If you are a free spirit and love doing things at the drop of a hat then an elopement is perfect for you. It requires very little planning so you can basically have one at the drop of a hat. Just got engaged? You could be married by the end of next week! If you also love adventure an elopement allows for you to have a wedding at your favorite hiking spot or at the top of a secluded mountain. Those photos will be swoon-worthy.

Reasons not to Elope

The big celebration

If you feel like you’re going to be missing out on the huge celebration and party with all of your friends and family then maybe a more traditional ceremony is for you. If you couldn’t imagine saying I do without 12 of your best girlfriends standing by your side, then an elopement isn’t for you.

You’re close with all of your family

If you are super close to all of your family then a traditional ceremony will be for you. Your family is your lifeline and you couldn’t imagine not having them there to celebrate your big day. If you’re like my fiance’ Alex she has a huge family and wants them all to be present for her special day. And while I may not be as close to my family, I totally understand where she’s coming from and I am happy to oblige.

Related: Wedding Day Timeline – DIY Your Wedding Day, no matter the length!

You’ve been planning since you were 7

If you have spent every free moment writing in your diary and dreaming of your wedding day then maybe the traditional ceremony is going to be a better fit for you. You want to see your wedding dreams come to fruition and I don’t blame you. All those years of planning shouldn’t go to waste!

You love photos

If you are the couple that cherishes photos and never go anywhere without taking several dozens then a more traditional ceremony is going to be a better fit for you. I know my fiancé and I love having pictures of us and our dog Smokey, and we couldn’t imagine not having at least six hours worth of photos to share and cherish for years to come. Not to mention we consider them family heirlooms.

I hope this will help you decide on whether or not you should elope. Stay tuned for a blog post on how to plan an elopement if you decide that’s the route you wanna take. As always I’m here to help in any way that I can. Happy planning!

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