10 Reasons You Should Elope by Oregon Elopement Photographer Black Salt Photography
Choosing to elope is one of the most freeing decisions you can make when it comes to planning a wedding. You give yourself so many opportunities to have the celebration and ceremony you want and deserve by removing most of the stress. There are more than 10 reasons you should elope, but this will give you a good head start.
Having an elopement is a truly unique and comprehensive ceremony created with the intention of celebrating your love in detail and without hesitation.
Table of contents:
- What does it mean to elope?
- 10 reasons you should elope
- You like exploring together
- You care about the earth
- Traditional weddings feel wrong
- You don’t want to perform
- You don’t want your wedding to be stressful
- You want something personal
- You want something that feels like YOU
- Spending a ton of money isn’t feasible
- You enjoy spending time with your partner
- Attending your friend’s wedding was really boring
What does it mean to elope?
Having an elopement can mean different things to different people. An elopement is a truly unique and comprehensive ceremony created with the intention of celebrating your love in detail and without hesitation. Choosing to elope is a personal decision. Maybe you’ve heard of it before or maybe this is the first time you’re really considering it as an option, but it truly is such an amazing experience. I’ve never met a single couple who regretted eloping. When you’re choosing who and what you love, it’s hard to make a bad decision.
You can read more about what it means to elope in my definition of the ceremony here.
Your elopement photographer, planner, and so much more.
Why should you trust me?
Because I’ve been there. I know exactly what it’s like to get engaged and think you have to have this huge wedding but not want to. I know what it feels like to slowly remove people from your guest list and decide you don’t want to do that garter toss or dollar dance.
After planning my own intimate wedding and photographing so many adoring couples, I’ve seen it all. It gets easier after the first big decision. And if you’re confident about eloping, everyone else will be too.
Top 10 Signs That Eloping May Be Right For You
If you agree with any of these reasons to elope then you should consider planning an elopement! It’s exciting and scary all at once and it’s okay to feel that way. If you need some help or just want to vent about it all send me a message.
Why You Should Elope
Some couples choose to elope because they want to have an adventure together. Others elope to save money and some people choose an elopement because of family relationships. There are so many reasons to elope instead of having a traditional wedding and each one is valid. You don’t actually have to have a reason other than because you want to. Isn’t that cool?
Getting married is the very beginning of the next chapter in your life. In a way, your wedding sets a precedent for the next several years. Regretting every moment of your wedding day would be a terrible way to begin. You don’t want that.
Reason To Elope #1 | You Like Exploring Together
One of my very favorite things about eloping is that you can do it anywhere. There really aren’t any rules (as long as you don’t damage anything) and you can create your day in your own vision. You can explore something new together on your elopement day or hit up some of your favorite spots. Having an elopement isn’t about just taking photos all day. Just like with a “normal” wedding, you guide your day with activities. You can have an adventure elopement on a mountain or travel abroad and get married on an island. Many of these activities get increasingly more difficult with extra people which is why “going big” for your elopement is so popular.
Hot tip: plan your elopement day as if you were having a date day together or ask yourself, “If today was both of our birthdays, how would we celebrate?” I know a couple whose birthdays ACTUALLY are the same day AND they got married that day. Talk about having an easy anniversary.
Learn how to plan an intentional wedding or elopement.
Reason To Elope #2 | You Care About The Earth
Weddings produce about 600 pounds of garbage and 62 tons of carbon dioxide each year from all of the plastic, favors, balloons, etc. We live in a disposable economy and you can really see just how damaging that is at the end of the night after a 300-person wedding. The bins are full of your party favors and most of the food goes directly to the trash. We always talk about how hideous bridesmaids’ dresses are, so why do we keep buying things nobody will re-wear?
Learn all about how to have a sustainable elopement and where to find the best ethical elopement attire!
By choosing to elope you can be more conscious about the items you buy and use on your wedding day. For many couples, their Leave No Trace principles help guide them along in creating the perfect day. LNT is when you are conscious of not disturbing the planet with waste or footing.
Reason To Elope #3 | Traditional Weddings Make You Feel Icky
Ah, yes, the traditional wedding with the poofy dress, hundreds of guests, color schemes, table settings, aisle runners, open bar. Sounds like a dream, right? Not to everyone.
More people than you might realize don’t want that kind of wedding day. All that extra fluff is just that – fluff. It’s meaningless to most people and ends up creating a day more about all of the extras than about the two of you. When my husband and I first started planning our wedding we kept asking ourselves why we had to have all of these things. We really didn’t want them and it felt silly to spend all that money on it.
Still want to keep a few sentimental traditions in your elopement? You totally can! Read all about these 14 different elopement ceremony ideas to keep your ceremony feeling special.
Reason To Elope #4 | You Don’t Want To Perform
Being an introvert myself, I know how awful it can sound to be the center of attention. Especially allllll day long. Your wedding day isn’t a day you should have to feel like you’re performing for other people. If you just want to sit in the moment and relax your face, you should be able to without worrying about people assuming you’re upset.
Feeling like you have to perform isn’t just on your wedding day, though. There are so many other things that are almost synonymous with a wedding you might feel like you have to do, such as having a wedding shower, bridal party, large guest count (even if you don’t know them), or choosing a venue everyone else in your town has used too. Let me give you the permission right now: you don’t need any of that.
Reason To Elope #5 | You Don’t Want Your Wedding To Be Stressful
Nobody would willingly choose “have the most stressful wedding possible” if they were given the option up front. However, traditionally planned weddings are so much more stressful. This happens for a few reasons. They have far more people than elopements, there are boxes you feel like you have to check off, and everybody has an opinion.
Elopements don’t have any of these aspects which makes them much less stressful. There isn’t a rule book for planning an elopement. This means that you can do anything that makes you happy. For some, this might seem more stressful at the beginning. But because of the nature of elopements, most elopement photographers are happy to help with ideas or planning in any way that you need.
If you find yourself thinking of a ton of questions, be sure to check out my frequently asked questions about elopements blog. It’s got all the good information to make you feel well researched and ready to plan! And if you’re more of a hands-on planner, download and enjoy my 40+ page elopement planning checklist.
Reason To Elope #6 | You Want Something Personal
A traditional wedding can often feel like you are including things just because other people expect it from you. With your elopement celebration, you can remove all of the things that don’t mean anything to you and spend more time on what matters. You can write your own vows to each other or have breakfast in bed. Get ready together instead of apart. Bring your fur baby along. You can visit all the places that hold meaning to you that other people might not understand.
Reason To Elope #7 | You Want Something That Feels Like You
If wearing a poofy dress and walking down an aisle doesn’t feel like you, get rid of it! You won’t regret having a ceremony that reflects who you both are at heart. Compromising for what is “normal” will only set you up for disappointment.
With an elopement, you can pour your heart into every moment of the day. You can focus on each other and really experience their emotions as they happen instead of waiting to relive the day through social media posts and half-hearted compliments.
Reason To Elope #8 | Spending A Ton Of Money On A Wedding Isn’t Possible
Money is one of the leading causes of divorce. It doesn’t make any sense to begin your marriage with a fist full of debt just from a wedding. You’re not crazy or boring for wanting to spend less on a celebration.
There is still a common misconception about eloping that makes it seem like something dirty or cheap. On average, while you will spend less on an elopement simply because there are fewer people to pay for, you can still end up spending a pretty penny. It depends on what you choose to do. Obviously, if you want to go to Iceland for your elopement, you’re going to spend more than if you just stayed local. There are still decisions to make to stay in whatever budget you choose. But the beauty of eloping is that you shouldn’t ever feel like you’re just wasting money. You choose to spend your dollars on what is important to you.
Elopements are almost always cheaper than a traditional wedding. Find out how much you might spend on your elopement and use my custom elopement cost calculator!
Reason To Elope #9 | You Enjoy Being With Your Partner
If hanging out with your partner is your favorite thing to do, then having an elopement is probably really appealing to you. You want to see them, touch them, and share every moment together instead of rushing to say hi to every table and do the required dances. Taking the 5 Love Languages test can be eye-opening for how each of you enjoys expressing and being loved. My husband and I both got quality time after taking that test which has really helped us shape how we operate our lives. We just like being together. It’s not selfish to want to be alone with your partner on your wedding day.
Reason To Elope #10 | Attending Your Friends’ Weddings Was Really Boring
Going to a traditional wedding, even if you love the couple, is usually really boring. It’s always the same events. The same ceremony or bible verse, the same crappy food, and creepy couple’s games. Wedding DJs seem to all play the same setlist. If you’re in your 20’s and 30’s, you’re probably attending a ton of weddings back to back. It’s impossible not to pick up on the similarities.
Wanting something different and fun makes it better not only for you but also for any guests you invite. Eloping doesn’t mean you can’t bring your friends or family. Any guests you do bring will be able to have a more meaningful experience and actually feel the love you share on your wedding day.
Have you decided you want to elope?
Did these 10 reasons to elope help you decide what kind of ceremony would be best for you? I hope they helped clear your mind and let you know that it’s okay to do something a little different.
If you’re ready to start planning your elopement or intimate wedding experience, lets chat!
