For some people, when they’re in love, forever cannot come quickly enough. A long engagement while you wait for your big day may be too long. For this reason, many people elope.
These days eloping may mean running away to Vegas, or it could mean heading to your local courthouse.
Are you thinking about making your big day a lot smaller and skipping town? Eloping is a popular way of getting married, but is it right for you?
In this article, we’ll weigh up the pros and cons of elopement and help you decide whether or not you should run away with your beloved to get married.
What is Eloping?
Put simply; elopement means getting married in a private way without the need for a big wedding with lots of pomp-and-circumstance.
There are many ways to elope, and it will be very different for every couple.
Some people may opt to have a simple wedding ceremony in their local courthouse one-weekday lunchtime, while others may want to get married somewhere far away with either no friends and family present or just a select few.
On the whole, eloping generally means getting married quicker, and often on a much lower budget. For many, it’s about saying ‘I do’ as soon as possible.
Elopement in the Past
Eloping is pretty common these days, and it doesn’t hold any social stigma. Back a couple of generations ago, you’d find that elopements were often secret and rushed.
Often, an elopement may occur if the couple was unexpectedly expecting a baby or if others disapproved of the relationship in some way.
These days, eloping is far more socially acceptable. More-and-more people each year choose to get married away from big gatherings and celebrate their love in secret.
What are the Advantages and Disadvantages of Eloping?
As with any major life decisions, there are going to be advantages and disadvantages. Before you decide to run away with your partner, think about whether it is right for you and weigh up all of the options.
Here are the advantages and disadvantages of eloping.
Advantage 1- Avoid the Stress of Wedding Planning
There is no denying the fact that planning a wedding can be stressful. You have a lot to think about from booking venues through to buying garments for yourselves, the groomsmen, and the bridesmaids. Then there’s food and wedding favors, entertainment and drinks.
The list is endless. You’ll need to think about who to invite, where to sit them, writing and delivering speeches, buying flowers. Planning a wedding can be exhausting and stressful.
Instead of worrying about all of these little details, many people choose to get married in their favorite clothes down at the local courthouse or have a simple, low-key wedding in another city or country.
It’s even possible to get elopement venue packages that help further remove all of the stress out of your ceremony wherever you choose to get married.
Advantage 2- You’ll Save Money
The average cost of a wedding in the United States is over $24,000. To most people, that is a lot of money.
Getting married may be one of the most expensive things that you’ll do in your life. But most of the cost of the wedding will be based on the number of guests that you have. So, it stands to reason that if you don’t invite anyone, it’ll cost much less.
By eloping, you can remove much of the cost involved in your wedding. Depending on how you elope, you could be able to get married and only pay the legal costs involved in the courthouse ceremony.
Advantage 3- You Save on the Drama
Weddings can be stressful because you have to worry about who gets on with who, and who will be likely to cause a fight.
If your family and friend groups are full of people that don’t get on, it can ruin a great wedding. The last thing that you’ll want to worry about on your big day is people fighting.
Eloping removes the risk of this type of thing ruining your wedding day.
Disadvantage 1- Your Family Might Not Be There
Depending on your family, you may or may not want them at your wedding. If you get along great with your family, it can be a major blow to get married and not invite them. You should expect some fallout from this decision.
Let your family know about your plans early on before you book anything. Don’t just drop it on them; explain your reasons.
Offer up suggestions such as video links and think about having a wedding party back home for your friends and family who will want to celebrate the fact that you got married.
Disadvantage 2- You May Upset Close Friends
Your closest friends may feel upset at you for not inviting you to your wedding. If you run away and married and tell people later, this can be an even bigger blow.
If you are planning to elope, think about letting your friends know before the big day. Explain your reasons and understand that they may want to make a fuss of you both after your wedding has been.
Disadvantage 3- You’ll Miss Out on Some of the Wedding Traditions
If you’ve always dreamt of having a big white wedding with all of the traditions, then eloping may not be for you. Often, there are very few elements of a traditional wedding remaining in an elopement, and your civil ceremony venue might not even have an aisle to walk down.
Think about what is important to you, and weigh up whether you want these traditions in your wedding or not.
Deciding on What Is Right for You
When it comes to deciding on whether eloping is for you, you should weigh up all of the positives such as saving money and reducing stress and then think about whether you want friends and family there. You could opt to elope and invite your immediate family.
Whatever you decide to do, make sure it is right for you and don’t rush to make a decision you may later regret.
For more great articles, be sure and check out the rest of the site.