Is an Elopement is Right for You | Top Benefits of Eloping | Deciding Reasons why Couples Choose To Elope | Adventure Elopement Photographer

What are the benefits to eloping? What are the top reasons that couples do choose to elope? How do you decide if an elopement is right for you? It can be hard to decide what type of wedding celebration is right for you. After all, you’re only doing this once, so you want to get it right! But set your worries aside, I’m here to help!

Traditional wedding days have been the standard way to get married for so long. You get engaged, and naturally the next step is to plan a wedding with 100-200+ of your friends and family to celebrate with you. For some people, it’s what they’ve dreamed about their entire lives - and it’s truly the best and most exciting way for them to get married. But for many other people, they might be kind’ve overwhelmed + dreading the idea of that, and don’t know what their other options are. I believe so much in elopements because they offer ANOTHER way for couples to get married and celebrate this commitment that they’re making to each other, that is just as special and meaningful - just different! But it can be tricky to decide. Is an elopement the right choice for you? What are the benefits? Are you sure it’s special? Why are more and more people choosing to elope? Well, I’m here to enlighten you on the benefits of eloping and help you decide if an elopement is the right decision for you and your partner! 

IMAGINE THE DAY YOU GET MARRIED

First things first, I’d encourage you to think about the day you get married. What do you imagine? Do you automatically start to feel feelings of dread, overwhelm, confusion, or it’s just not sitting right? That might be a sign to consider an elopement. Think about what you want this day to be. Who do you want to share it with? What do you want to spend your time doing? How do you want the day to feel? If you’re after a wedding day where you’re surrounded by a ton of people, you have a swift schedule of events for the day, a wedding day might be for you. But if you want to spend your time doing the things you love to do (hiking, adventuring, sipping coffee, having a bon fire), at a slow pace that allows you to be present with yourself and your partner, that doesn’t feel stressed or rushed, an elopement might be the best way for you to celebrate your marriage.

The biggest thing to remember about elopements is that THERE ARE NO RULES. Now go back and read that last sentence a few more times ;) A massive benefit of eloping is having a blank slate of a day, for you to have complete creative control over what you spend your time doing, who is there, how you feel and where you’re at. 

BENEFITS OF ELOPING - TOP REASONS COUPLES CHOOSE TO ELOPE

VALUING YOUR TIME

A large difference between elopements and traditional weddings is guest size. Think about this: for every person you invite to your wedding day, you’re dividing your time and attention between that number of people, and for each person you add, it’s less time with the others. So an elopement, just you and your partner? You’re going to spend all of your time and attention with each other. Invite your immediate families and have 10 guests there? You’re dividing your time and attention between you, your partner, and those 10 people. Invite 12 people - that’s just a little less time and attention with those other 10 you invited. And invite 150-200 people? You’re dividing your time between a LOT of people, with not much time to focus on you and the person you’re marrying. A huge benefit of eloping is knowing that you can choose just the people that you want there. You don’t have to feel obligated to invite person B because you invited person A. You can spend you time and attention wisely.

AVOIDING FAMILY DRAMA + TENSION

Traditional weddings are heavily focused around family + traditions with family. But for some people, family can be a source of stress. The thought of having to have your mom help you get ready, or your dad walk you down the aisle, or having to invite your great aunt Carol even though you despise the woman isn’t something you’re looking forward to. Especially if your family isn’t in support of you marrying the person you’re marrying, the idea of having your family at your wedding day can be extremely triggering and dreadful. An elopement day is a great way to remove that source of worry and assure that you can have a wedding day that you feel completely supported and safe in. 

PRIORITIZING THE THINGS YOU VALUE

Elopement couples tend to value different things. They’re not concerned about color schemes, throwing a party for other people, or center pieces. They value experiences, intentionality, adventure, time with each other and maybe a few of the people closest to them. They want to include the things that they do TRULY value into their wedding day. Having a day full of tasty food if they’re foodies, having plenty of time to be present and enjoy the company of their new husband or wife, spending time outside if that’s the place that makes them happiest. More often than not, they value experiences over things. 

SAVING MONEY

Money can definitely be a factor that couples elope! The average wedding in the USA is nearly $34,000. Crazy!! Couples who are eloping know that they can plan a once in a lifetime experience and go ALL out on an incredible elopement day (or an elopement week for that matter!), for a fraction of the cost of a wedding. They’re taking that money, investing it in the things that they truly value, and still spending way less than if they bought dinner for 200 people at their wedding!

DITCHING THE ATTENTION

Many of my eloping couples tell me that one of the reasons they’re eloping is attention! They don’t like to be the center of attention, they don’t like small talk, they don’t want to be the focus of everyone else, which naturally, a big wedding day will do to you. An elopement is a great way to avoid that, although if you elope in a national park, you might get a few congratulations + claps from hikers passing by!

CHOOSING ADVENTURE 

Many couples choose to elope just for the adventure. They might have a loving and supportive family, they have the money, they like to be the center of attention - but they just want an adventure! Elopement couples see their wedding day as an opportunity to have a kick ass, once in a life time adventure full of intangible moments and memories. Whether that means  a trip to Alaska that’s been on their bucket list forever, complete with a ceremony on a glacier, helicopter tour through fjords and a. Or a simple, sweet day tucked in the forests of Olympic National Park where they can spend their day hiking through the ferns, kayaking in a lake, and watching the sunset over the ocean. Your wedding day is such an opportunity for adventure, and eloping couples are ready to take advantage of that! 

SO, IS AN ELOPEMENT RIGHT FOR YOU?

Deciding wether an elopement is best for you if ultimately up to you and your partner. But, the good new is, there are no rules! So if you want a few people there, invite those people! If you want to still have a picnic with a unique centerpiece, have one! If you want to go all out, or be conservative, you do you! Make your elopement day a complete reflection of you, fill it with the things that make you happiest, and the things that will allow you to have the best day of your life! 

Thinking you want to elope? Have questions about eloping? Not sure where to start? Get in touch below and let’s chat!

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