What to Do If You Decide to Elope

The biggest trend in the wedding world for this decade has been making your nuptials as personal as possible. Well, it doesn’t get much more personal than eloping! If a huge party isn’t how you picture celebrating your love, there are still plenty of ways to have the vow exchange of your dreams. While eloping may seem like the most low-maintenance way to get hitched – and there’s no denying that it’s often easier – there are still plenty of logistics to keep in mind. 

Sometimes people decide to elope so they don’t have to deal with pressure from their families. However, if you have a true elopement – without any guests – there’s a decent chance that some feelings will be hurt. Parents, siblings, and close friends typically anticipate being invited to a wedding, so receiving an announcement instead of an invitation can be a blow. It’s important to know your crowd when it comes to breaking the news, but we generally advise a face-to-face meeting, or at least a phone call. Make the decision to tell your parents either before or after but, barring estrangement, make sure both sides get equal treatment. 

While personal relationships are certainly important, at the end of the day the most vital thing when eloping is to make sure your marriage is legal. Going to city hall is the easiest way to guarantee this, but you’ll still need to check local laws regarding witnesses and marriage licenses. Jetting off to an exotic location to tie the knot is romantic, but may lead to extra steps to confirm everything is legal. Of course, that still may be less complicated than planning a big wedding. 

One advantage of an elopement is you don’t need as long of a list of vendors. However, you and your partner will want to predetermine what traditions you do want to include. The attire is probably the biggest factor for most people, but do you want a bouquet? One vendor we greatly advise you to consider is a photographer. Having photos is a wonderful way to preserve memories of the special day, and being able to show them off to your families and friends may help alleviate any hurt feelings. As a bonus, a photographer can often serve as your witness, if necessary.

Discover 15 ways to personalize your wedding and read 2018 trend predictions from the experts.