Top 8 Reasons to Elope (Or: Reasons Not to Have a Big Wedding)
“Should I Elope?!”
A Little Reassurance for Your BIG Decision
Big weddings can be fairytale events. They can also burn a hole in your bank account, cause a downpour of anxiety, and stir up family drama. If you’ve started thinking “I don’t want a big wedding,” or questioning “Is eloping a good idea?,” you’re in the right place.
Just the fact that you’re reading this means you’ve already started wonder, “Should I elope?” At the very least, you’ve asked yourself, “Why do people elope?” If you ask me, those gut feelings are pretty good signs themselves! But if your intuition hasn’t sold you on eloping or you’re still looking for more solid reasons not to have a big wedding, here are just a few of the top reasons to elope.
(If I’m getting ahead of you and you’re still wondering “What exactly is an elopement these days?” then check out this blog first! Or conversely, if you’ve already decided to elope, but need help telling the fam, then click here!)
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Elopements are Stress-Free
For those who love planning, schedules and agonizing over minute details, large lavish weddings are a dream come true. But for the rest of us they’re more of a headache than a joy. Toss in added complications from COVID (which isn’t disappearing anytime soon) and an elopement wedding quickly becomes the best low-stress alternative.
Sure, elopements—especially destination elopements—might require a little planning, too. But the details of an elopement wedding (whether you want to stay in a cozy B&B or a luxurious resort, for example) are more likely to feel exciting than stressful. Seating charts and table decor? Not so much—they’re pretty much just another of the many reasons not to have a big wedding.
You Can Be Fully Present
Let’s face it: Big weddings are more of a performance than an experience. They’re not about a “just the two of us” celebration at all. When you’re focused on hosting an event, your attention is on your guests, not yourself. As a result, you dedicate a lot less attention to actually living the moment with genuine intention.
If you thrive in the limelight and don’t mind missing out on being fully present in the moment, you might love it! But if you’re craving an intimate “just the two of us” celebration, an elopement wedding is a much better fit. When choosing whether to host a wedding or elope, you might want to ask yourself where you want your attention to be on the day you say “I do.”
Eloping takes the pressure off and lets you actually experience your big day with greater intention. According to Psychology Today, that mindfulness doesn’t just mean you’ll enjoy your elopement more in the moment—it also means you’ll remember the event in detail for years to come.
Elopements are an Adventure
Wondering how to elope? The beauty of an elopement wedding is that there’s truly no wrong way to do it! Traditional weddings are around six hours of small talk, speeches and dancing. But an elopement is about crafting a complete day of adventure that’s tailor-made to match your dreams.
So, why elope? It offers the perfect opportunity to ditch outdated fancy wedding ideas in favor of something completely new and 100% unique. Hop in a helicopter, take off on a jeep adventure, hit the ski slopes, go overnight camping or indulge yourself at a luxury B&B—the sky is quite literally the limit.
Eloping is Eco-Friendly
On the fence over whether you want to do a big wedding or elope, here’s a fact that might tip you over: The average wedding lasts around six hours and creates an astounding 400-600 pounds of waste. You read that right! Even if you use recycled paper for your invitations or source your ring from an antique store, you’re still looking at an event that leaves plenty of trash in its wake.
Of course, your wedding day should be about going all out. But fancy wedding ideas don’t have to include the food waste and plastic table decorations. If you love nature as much as you love each other, environmental impact is just another of the many reasons why you should elope. Plus, when you have a certified Leave No Trace Aware Photographer like me on board for your elopement, I’ll help make sure your wedding day has no negative impact on the surrounding environment.
Elopements are Intimate + Authentic
Imagine a whole room of your family and friends listening in on one of your most intimate conversations. That’s basically what a big wedding ceremony is! For many, having an audience for your vows might sound more like a nightmare than a dream. If that description fits you, elopement is the perfect “just the two of us” alternative.
Why elope? Outside of being more private, an elopement also offers you the breathing room to be truly real and authentic during your wedding day. Without all the pressure of onlookers, you’ll feel free to be yourselves and indulge fully in every moment.
Be Intentional with Your Budget
Why do people elope? For some, it’s about saving money. It’s no secret that elopement weddings cost a fraction of lavish traditional events. The big shock, however, is exactly how much you can save without sacrificing luxury.
Today, the average traditional wedding comes with a price tag of between $29k and $31k—a sum which can afford newly married couples a down payment on a home in many states. As far as reasons not to have a big wedding go, that one’s pretty hard to ignore!
At a bare minimum cost of between $45 to $100 for license fees, an elopement is certainly the more affordable alternative, making frugality one of the top reasons to elope. But for many modern couples, choosing to elope isn’t about being cheap—it’s about choosing to go all-out on the things that matter most. And for couples who eloped, what matters most isn’t a 200-person guest list and $120 plates of herb-roasted chicken and vegetables; it’s details and experiences that matter specifically to them.
Elopements are 100% Your Own
Traditional weddings are exactly that—traditional. They’re more about accommodating prescribed wedding day norms than anything. For many, those restrictive standards are one of the biggest reasons not to have a big wedding.
Sure, you’ll get to pick the ceremony music and bridesmaids dresses, but the event itself is pretty cookie-cutter. If you and your partner are more the trail-blazing, adventurous type, you’re probably dreaming of a wedding day that dares to look a little different.
For outside-the-box couples itching to toss aside archaic traditions in favor of an authentic ceremony, an elopement wedding is the clear winner. Want to scream “I do” atop one of Colorado’s jagged peaks? You can. Want to ditch the champagne and toast with your favorite craft beer? Cheers away! An elopement wedding offers the perfect opportunity to break all the rules in a way that’s 100% your own, making sheer freedom one of the top reasons to elope.
The Best Wedding Photos!
It’s not even that I’m biased because I’m an elopement photographer myself, it’s just a fact! Don’t believe me? Hop over to Pinterest or scroll my website and you’ll see for yourself: The best wedding photos are elopement photos! It’s no wonder that many couples who choose to elope do so for the to-die-for pictures and elopement stories.
Traditional wedding photos are more about manufacturing a series of nice pictures. But as an elopement photographer, I capture authentic experiences as they happen. Sure, there’s some posing involved—with jaw-dropping landscapes, of course. But elopement photos are also about creating keepsakes that let you cherish those authentic, candid moments for the rest of your lives.
The dramatic mountain backdrops, glittering alpine lakes and sweeping wildflower meadows? Those are just the cherry on top—and another of the countless reasons to elope.
Ready to Book?
Elopement Photographer Andrea Enger (Portrait by Jennifer Garza Photography)
If you’re ready to get the ball rolling to secure your photographer (slash wedding planner!) that’s great!
You can do that by contacting me through my website, emailing me directly at andreaenger.photography@gmail.com, or by calling or texting me at (720) 739-0784. I look forward to hearing from you!
If you’re still in the research phase, I hear ya! Here are some more resources that my couples have found helpful. I hope you do, too!
Colorado Elopement Guide
Elopement Planning Toolkit (free download)
More Resources:
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