Take our free Should I elope quiz! Wondering if you should elope? We get the struggle of deciding what type of wedding is best for you. That’s why I interviewed people who have already done this and have done both and crafted a Should I Elope Quiz for you to take to help you decide!
Should We Elope? A Complete Guide To Deciding What’s Best For You
In this article we’ll share with you what they have to say! I hope that you can ultimately decide on a wedding that fits your personality, your love story and the traditions you want to honor as a couple.
How to get married without a wedding
Should I Elope? Top 10 Daring Reasons You Should Elope.
Should I Elope: What is An Elopement?
Define Eloped
Defining an Elope:
Let’s start here because maybe you’re wondering what the heck an “elopement” is? Basically, it is to run away without parental consent to get married.
Culturally it’s a term that is used for having a smaller wedding (with fewer than usual guests or none at all) that is centered around what the couple wants versus what anyone else wants for their wedding day.
I personally love to define an elopement as a couple who wants to get married by themselves: do it their way, valuing their experience over anything else.
Whereas I’d say a small wedding is the same concept of eloping plus having a few close family or friends there but still making your wedding day about you as a couple and your experiences together.
Wondering how do you elope, or how to elope with family? Check out this post!
For more on defining elopements check out our what is an elopement guide, or this post on elopement vs wedding that deep dives into the differences of these two celebrations. Or skip down to our Should I Elope Quiz to help you deicde!
Should I Elope:
10 Reasons To Elope
Why You Should Elope
While I’ll be the first to say eloping isn’t for everyone. I’d say the same is completely true of traditional large party weddings. But here are reasons why you should elope!
- Do you find your self wondering “should we elope or have a wedding“, “I want to elope” or “should I just elope” planning your traditional wedding?
- If you’re anything like us having an adventurous heart, then standing in a dark church building or ballroom just doesn’t really fit you even though wearing a gorgeous dress and those killer shoes sound like a blast.
- When you really think about your wedding day you envision being someplace epic with a few of the closest people in your life, not necessarily your grandma’s friends from church you had tea with once when you were 12.
To get a better understanding of wedding days. We asked a group of people what their experience getting married was like and if they would change anything.
GET THIS: 60% of couples who had a traditional wedding wished they would have eloped and had a wedding that fit them instead of following tradition. Can you believe that, 60 percent!?
Along with the information I got from these couples wishing they would have eloped many other couples did elope. When asked “do you regret eloping” only 8% regret their decision. Which was because they were pregnant and didn’t get to plan anything. So really none who had options to plan an elopement regret eloping. I’d say that proves: is eloping a good idea? Yes.
I also spoke with some of our couples who have worked with us and they all have absolutely loved their experience with zero regrets.
Here is why you should elope and why do couples elope in the first places: 10 reasons to elope from real couples like you.
Or skip down to our Should I Elope Quiz that can help you figure out if should we elope quiz!
Should I Elope: Reasons To Elope #1 Travel
Travel Some Place Epic
A lot of couples I talked to said they wished they would have used all the money they spent on decorations, large venue fees, and feeding hundreds of guests on traveling to someplace epic and getting married there instead.
Some even said that they wished they would have turned their honeymoon into their wedding because it was way more enjoyable than their actual wedding day!
Check out these waterfall wedding venues for some ideas!
We were supposed to have a big wedding. However, since we wanted to do so quickly, they had a beautifully decorated wedding, but we would have preferred a destination wedding.
“If I could do it over I would just keep it to my friends and family and go somewhere awesome (using the money that we would have saved on tons of guests to instead fly everyone there).”
To get your travel itch, check out:
- Colorado elopement location list
- Cannon Beach Elopement guide
- Ecola State Park wedding guide
- Oregon Coast Elopement Guide
- How to Elope in Washington State
- How to plan an Olympic National Park Wedding
- How to plan a Mount Rainier Elopement
or if your looking for elopement locations elsewhere check out our Best Places To Elope or our Airbnb guides for Oregon & Colorado!
Or learn how we can serve you as Albuqerque, New Mexico elopement photographers for true hidden gem locaiton!
We did a small destination wedding in St.Thomas and I wouldn't change a thing! I highly recommend it!
We got married on the beach in Maui with two of our friends standing up for us. Had a luau when we got home. It was magical!
Should I Elope: Reasons To Elope #2 Guest Control
Picking All Your Guests Or None
Choosing just who you want to celebrate your wedding day with is why a lot of couples wish they would have eloped.
Once you get down your guest list it can become a bit out of control quickly. But if you limit it to who could actually go with you to elope or who you truly want to be at your wedding it becomes very simple. That may really just mean the two of you. Depending on where you get married an officiant too, thankfully in the state of Colorado you can marry yourselves!
Nick, one of our grooms, shared this wonderful perspective about why they decided a small wedding was perfect for them.
“…once you start a guest list there is always the ‘well since I invited this cousin/friend etc... I need to invite the other cousins/friends etc...’ If we would have had a ceremony in either of our hometowns, it would have grown very quickly into something big. But that is a double edge sword. It would be very nice to have everyone in you and your spouse's life that means something to you to enjoy the special day, but it just becomes too complex to try and accommodate so many people.”
Should I Elope: Reasons To Elope #3 It's Chill
Less Stress
Anyone who’s ever been married and had a large traditional wedding can tell you how stressful it can be. It’s beyond overwhelming to plan even if you keep things as simple as possible or even if you’re working with a wedding planner. There is so much to consider when hosting a large event of any kind!
Planning a small wedding was much less stressful than planning a big wedding. In addition, we did not want to spend years and years planning a one-day event. We tried to be efficient with our time and think we got a lot of value for our effort.
I wish we had never done a traditional wedding and just eloped. The stress was not worth it at all. I would have run off and had a beach or mountaintop wedding. Same dress but just my husband and I.
“Our elopement had a lack of stress that provided a joyful experience.”
No stress of wedding planning or the perfect flowers or perfect venue and above all no debt, it was just us on a private beach and the hotel did a special dinner with cake for us and champagne to our room. I don’t regret it one bit and loved the intimacy with no stress.
Wondering how to make your elopement special we’ve got you covered!
Need help finding your stress free elopement wedding dress? Check out our guide!
Should I Elope: Reasons To Elope #4 Marriage Centered
Eloping Let's You Focus On Getting Married
Nick, one of our grooms gives this great advice to couples wedding planning.
“I think that would be my advice, is to make the wedding experience truly about the couple and the ceremony of actually being married, and try not to have it become a materialistic event or stressful production. That isn't what a wedding should be about. If the couple being married or the family is stressed out to the max to make sure every detail is perfect or the meals or prepped or any of the million other details that can go into a wedding. That almost steals the purpose of even having a ceremony.”
Want to see what your elopement day could look like? Check out these elopement timeline examples!
Should I Elope: Reasons To Elope #5 About You
Your Wedding Gets To Be About You
When you choose to elope you can break or keep the traditions you want. It gives you the freedom to let go of any rules or regulations for your wedding. You get to make it about your love story, passions, desires and your traditions.
It was a really positive experience to have a wedding day that felt so true to ourselves. There might be people who have thoughts or advice on how to do your wedding day, but be true to yourself! It is YOUR special day!
Some people are meant for big weddings and some aren’t and that’s ok. Just be sure to do what you want and not what everyone expects. It’s about the two of you not everyone else.
We did an elopement in Malibu with our kids and it was super special to show them a new place while saying our vows on the beach.
Should I Elope: Reasons To Elope #6 Party Later
Have A Less Expensive Party Later
My absolute favorite thing about having a small wedding or eloping is knowing you can totally still have a large party later.
Skip the fancy dinner and invite your friends to an epic dance party. If you’re anything like me skipping the dancing may be the hardest thing to consider in eloping, but what if you could do both?
Idea Alert: Have the wedding day of your dreams and host an epic party later! This is exactly what we’re about here at Celebrate Again!
Carli did just this and this was her experience:
We essentially eloped. It was just me and my husband in Jamaica. We spent 7 days there and got married halfway in between and had a big reception 3 weeks after we got back. I don't regret one second of it. It was AMAZING.
Should I Elope: Reasons To Elope #7 Bye Bye Debt
No Debt
I really don’t like to start here because an absolutely well planned elopement with stunning photography in an epic location isn’t going to be a couple of hundreds of dollars. It still will be an investment. So, I highly discourage couples from wanting to elope to save a couple hundred bucks. Your wedding day is worth that investment. Your relationship is worth that celebration, and I don’t ever want to state otherwise. But, traditional weddings ARE more expensive than eloping. Elopements usually average about $10,000-15,000 vs the average wedding costing $30,000.
A lot of couples go into debt for a traditional wedding. Recent wedding reports have come in that the average couples spent $33,000 on their wedding in 2019.
I wish we wouldn’t have spent so much money. I wish I had a small wedding and bought a house with the money.
My wedding was $100,000 wish I went on an epic worldwide holiday instead.
I’d do it over again and totally elope and spend the money on traveling!
We had an absolute blast and used the money 100% on ourselves
Should I Elope: Reasons To Elope #8 Simplicity
Eloping Keeps It Simple
One of our couples said this about their elopement experience, “It was easy and turned out absolutely perfect for us. We wanted a low stress ceremony for us and just to be able to have our closest family members with a God honoring ceremony. I can see how weddings can get big quickly…”
Wondering how to navigate eloping during the pandemic? Check out our guide!
Should I Elope: Reasons To Elope #9 Keep It Intimate
Eloping is An Intimate Experience
- Eloping allows you to get lost in the arms of your beloved instead of the chaos of managing a large event.
- Eloping allows you to stay present in the moment of your wedding day instead of fussing over if uncle bob is at the bar again during family portraits.
- Eloping allows you to soak up every moment because you get to go at your own pace.
- Elopping allows you to connect.
- Eloping allows you to have the adventurous experience you want.
My husband and I eloped to Paris and it was the most magic, intimate experience we could have asked for.
I did elope- we got married on some big rocks by the ocean- it was awesome!
Should I Elope: Reasons To Elope #10 Less Family Stress
Eloping Lessens Family Expectations
This one is huge for me, personally. I wanted to get married on the top of the mountain in our hometown. If you know me and know where that is you know it’s a really magical place especially at sunset. It’s also easily accessible by a tram! But my family quickly vetoed this. To this day (10 years later) I still regret giving in and getting married in a dark church building with a reception at a random golf course clubhouse. Our dance party was the best part, the rest was a blur.
My story aside, elopements allow you as a couple to make the shots, you don’t need help planning elopements because they are simpler. This means you don’t have to involve anyone in helping you put it together that you don’t want included in the decision making, i.e. family. You get to say this is what we’re doing and you’re invited…or maybe not. Decisions get to be yours and you get to set the expectations.
It was very low stress for us, and that's what we wanted, to be low stress and for us to be able to enjoy the day and the family and friends to not be stressed out either and enjoy themselves. (I believe the family all enjoyed it).
Still wondering if eloping is selfish? If you resonate as a Christian this guide may help!
Ready to start planning your elopement? We’d love to be your Colorado elopement photographers or Oregon elopement photographers. Learn more about having your elopement or small wedding here in Colorado, Oregon or anywhere within the U.S. with us!
Should I Elope Quiz
Should I Elopement Quiz
Still not sure if eloping is right for you? Are you thinking “to elope or not elope?”
Check out our quick should we elope quiz to decide! This is also a great elope or wedding quiz or deciding if you should have a big or small wedding quiz.
Should I Elope Quiz
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Should I Elope:
Reasons Not To Elope
Pros and Cons of Eloping
“Will I regret eloping?” We cannot predict the future but we highly encourage you to take our Should I Elope Quiz to help you weigh your decisions carefully!
Can the family/friends you absolutely want to be a part of your wedding day ceremony go where you want to go? Is a reception after not sufficient if they cannot?
Is it a good idea to elope? We think so, you can always have an epic party later!
- If you don’t want to have your family there or they cannot be there will you not miss having your parents walk you down the aisle or zip your dress up or other traditions like this? (Note they can still do this if they can come to a small wedding or elopement!)
- Will you miss having ALL of your friends at a dance party? (Again, can you do a reception later?)
- Is getting married in a sacred place like a catholic church or mosque important to you? Is an outdoor space untouched by humans like national parks also sacred to you too?
- Are their religious traditions you cannot partake in if you elope? Can you incorporate any traditions to fit your desires?
- Is eloping biblical? I’m going to highly challenge this thought by sharing with you an amazing article we wrote a guest post for which you can read here: Is Eloping Selfish
Should I Elope:
Should I Elope During Covid?
This is such a hard question for us to answer, so instead of answering it for you I’m going to ask is having a traditional wedding and all your guests there important to you or is getting married to your beloved the most important?
Can you Celebrate Again later with family and friends who couldn’t be at your small guest count elopement?
If you’re feeling really torn we highly encourage you to scroll back up and take our Should I Elope Quiz While we didn’t design this quiz for answering the Covid wedding question. We think it asks the right questions to help you truly value if maybe an elopement is the wedding you never knew you could have.
For more exact info about this check out our article on eloping during the pandemic.
Should I Elope: Where To Elope
Ok, so you’re READY to elope but not sure where?! While the ideas could be endless here I’ll save that for another blog post! So I’ll start you off with some questions to jump into together!
- What do you want your destination to be like? Think about all your 5 senses when dreaming here.
- What does your dream elopement spot look like? Smell like…..Taste like…. Feel like….Sound like…
- When do you want to get married and what season is your dream destination in? I personally love New Zealand and wish I would have gotten married there back in January 2010 because it would be summa time there!!
Or is your dream elopement spot someplace special in your hometown or a place you’ve visited and fell in love with?
Many of our couples have visited Colorado before and fell in love here, literally, or proposed here and come back to get married. I personally don’t blame them, it truly is a magical diverse state! Learn how to elope in Colorado!
We’ve also fallen madly in love with Oregon, which is really the hidden Iceland of America. Check out this Cannon Beach elopement guide to see for yourself!
Or you can head to our Best Places To Elope!
Considering Colorado for your Elopement?
Want ideas of where to get married in Colorado? Check out the best places to elope in Colorado!
Should I Elope: Hire A Good Photographer
Last but not least we cannot forget to hire a good photographer. Elopement photographers like us who specialize in elopement photography are also your guides. Meaning, we have so much training behind us that we can help you find that perfect secluded ceremony spot, where to take more photos and where and when to catch the best sunrise or sunset! We’ll help you figure out your elopement wedding day timeline and come alongside you to cheer you on to have one of the most amazing days of your life. Not to mention provide you with photos that will make your jaw drop.
We believe the first day married should be one you’ll want to relive over and over again ….so much so we offer you to do it again with us in Celebrate Again!
But don’t take it just from us. Here’s what others have had to say!
We had our wedding on a bluff above Makena Beach in Maui, HI. Small - just our parents, grandparents, siblings, and a few close friends - maid of honor, best man, and flower girl (my sweet niece). It was perfect in every way except that we picked the worst photographer. So while the wedding was just right, the photos were not! No matter where you choose to wed, please spend the extra time and $ finding the best photographer available. The cost will be worth it, promise!”
The day turned out absolutely perfect. Even being 20 degrees out. The ceremony was perfect, the setting was perfect. It was super easy, low stress and it made everything seem right the way it all transpired. And Lumalia (Emmy), Brittany and Kim captured it with amazing photography! Everyone is stunned by the pictures. We keep being told that our pictures could be used for advertising or modeling something.
Some couples said they wish they could have a do over. If you’re reading this and are already married: my friend, you totally can! This is part of the reason why we have a whole separate anniversary idea where you Celebrate Again for your anniversay and help you know what to do for your anniversary!
I sincerely hope this has helped you decide if you should elope. It is a very hard decision especially if you’re facing pushback from any family or friends. Please know we are here to support you making a decision about YOU, YOUR STORY and YOUR LOVE. Because at the end of the day it’s YOU TWO who are getting married, not anyone else.
Brittany and I are in this with you. Reach out to us personally with any questions you have. We’re an open
Cheers to choosing YOUR wedding day.
-Lumalia (Emmy)
Ready to learn how to elope or how to elope in Colorado! We’re so excited to help you in the process.
Let's Hang Out.
We’re here to be your elopement day BFF’s and share our expertise through the entire planning process.Schedule a call with us to get this party started!
We believe in intention over tradition and that your wedding day should feel like you!
Let’s craft a wedding day experience that lets you run wild.
Learn more about hiring us as your Colorado elopement photographers and Oregon elopement photographers.
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Feeling like you want some extra support right now? We gotcha bb. Check out some of our fave elopement guides we’ve made just for you:
- 🧐Should I Elope Quiz
- Elopement VS Wedding deciding which is right for you
- How to Get Married Without a Wedding for couples that want a different kind of day
- ✨How To Make Your Elopement Special
- ⌚️Elopement Timeline
- 👗Elopement Wedding Dress For Your Outdoor Wedding
- ☑️Elopement Checklist
- 🏠Eloping with Family
- 🧳Elopement Packing List
- Elopement Ceremony Guide
- 💦Waterfall Wedding Venues
- Ethereal forest wedding inspo
- Adventurous Hiking Elopement
- 🏞Best Places to Elope
Washington Resources
- How to Elope in Washington State
- The Pros and Cons of a Mount Rainier Elopement
- Your guide to planning your Olympic National Park Wedding
- North Cascades Elopement Guide
- Ruby Beach Elopement Inspo + Planning Tips
- Get to know your Washington Elopement Photographers
- Enchanting Mount Baker Elopement Guide + inspo
Should I Elope:
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8 Responses
SOOOOOOO Much valuable information….and then that categories list 😉 haha
Thank you, Julie. Glad it was such a helpful guide to know if you should elope or not!