Why elope? (Do you even have to ask??) This question is a popular one & can be very confusing for couples. There’s so many factors when it comes to planning a wedding & at some point most couples think about just running away & leaving the chaos & pressure behind to elope. Eloping isn’t for everyone (but its perfect for ALMOST everyone, maybe a few exceptions), but it is a great option for a lot of couples planning to get married in a more low-key way. It doesn’t have to be some crazy travel adventure either, the best part of elopements is you can do it however you darn well please! Of course you can run to the mountains for an adventure elopement but you can also get married in your your own living room if that’s what your heart desires. Here’s a few reasons why a lot of couples choose to elope when they get married. Eloping has become increasingly more popular and with good reason!

1. The focus is on you, the couple. With larger weddings the wants, wishes & needs of the couple getting married can be lost with trying to balance the wants & wishes of friends, family, the next door neighbour… seriously, when you are planning a wedding everyone seems to have an opinion & what you truly want often gets pushed to the side trying to compromise to make everyone else happy. When you get married it should be exactly what you want as a couple without a million other interjections. Want to go portraits during the best evening light? That won’t happen when you are hosting a traditional reception… people will complain about waiting too late to eat. Want to hike to a gorgeous spot for your ceremony… people will complain about getting dirty. Heart set on an outdoor ceremony but it’s started to rain? You won’t feel the pressure from guests to move it inside. When it’s just the two of you, the sky is the limit… you can do whatever your heart desires when you elope!

2. If the photos are almost as important as the person you are marrying, eloping is the best way to be sure you will have the time & not have limitations on how & when you do photos. Dreaming about a sunrise ceremony at 5 am? You can do it & no one will complain about getting up early. Want to spend the day exploring & not do all the expected wedding stuff? Plan to elope in the early evening, do portraits until the sun goes down & enjoy your first dance under the stars… because when  you elope, you can do that! When you highly value creating great photos, a traditional wedding day can make that very difficult. Eloping gives you the luxury to design your wedding day exactly as you envision it.

3. If you aren’t a fan of the big wedding traditions, eloping might be the right choice for you. Don’t want to spend hours getting ready with 7 bridesmaids? No desire for an hour long wedding ceremony on display for 200 people (the introvert in me hated that part of the ceremony the most!)? The idea of giving a speech at the reception makes you break out in hives? Imagining the spotlight on you as your husband sticks his head up your dress to retrieve your garter while your family watches makes you queasy? Calling out all of your single friends into the middle of the room with everyone staring at them to chuck a bouquet (that is way too pretty to be thrown around!) sounds cruel? When you elope you can cut out any or all of these traditions. If you like the idea of a first dance, you can still do that! Want to cut the cake, you still can! Want to do a first look? Absolutely! Want to get ready together? Do it! You get to decide only what you do & don’t want to do! When you elope, you make the rules! This totally speaks to my rebellious heart, does it speak to yours?

4. Eloping will cost less than a large wedding. It doesn’t mean eloping is a cheap way to get married but not having to book a huge reception venue & spending 10s of thousands (and even more, yikes!) on decor, food, drinks & entertainment will save you a bundle. You’re still going to need to spend on your dress (or whatever you choose to wear), an officiant, flowers, hair & make-up, awesome photographer (of course!), an amazing dinner & a few other things but it won’t cost anywhere near the amount that a large wedding would. When you plan your elopement, it takes less time too! It’s totally reasonable to be able to elope in less than three months (we’ve put together elopements in less than a month, it totally can be done!)!

5. If you choose to travel somewhere to elope, you can roll the wedding & honeymoon into one awesome trip! Sometimes the honeymoon just doesn’t happen after having a regular wedding. When you travel for your elopement, you’re guaranteed to have a least a minimoon!

When you think to yourself why you should elope, these are just a few of the reasons! Everyone has different reasons, but if you want to get married & have an amazing relatively stress-free(*) (there’s always the potential for a little stress & that’s ok, I mean it’s kind of a big deal) wedding, an elopement might be for you! An elopement also doesn’t mean you can’t bring along your 15 closest family & friends. You can have an intimate wedding that feels just like an elopement when you focus on doing just what you want to have the most amazing experience! Eloping is more about the feel of the day than the total number count (although when you have more than 20 people it does become a lot more structured & you run the risk of getting caught up in everyone else’s wants & wishes).

Wondering what type of wedding might be for you? I created a quiz to help you figure it out! Try my What is Your Wedding Style? Quiz! If you’re looking for more elopement planning help, check out my Guide to Eloping in the Canadian Rockies if yo are considering traveling to the mountains for your elopement or intimate wedding! Also take a look at 5 Tips for Planning your Dream Mountain Elopement!