Breaking Down Elopement Myths

Even though eloping is getting a lot more popular these days, it can still come with some misconceptions! There are still stigmas about what it means to elope floating around, so this post is to talk about breaking down elopement myths! Before we dive into some misconceptions, let’s talk about what it means to elope! Put simply, eloping is choosing to celebrate your wedding in a way that feels authentic to you. It’s about letting go of traditions that you don’t like, and embracing moments and activities that you want to!

So with that in mind, let’s get into it!

Common Elopement Misconceptions

Elopements are a secret

Modern day elopements are not the same as eloping 100 years ago. The days of running to a courthouse to hide from disapproving voices are a part of the past! Eloping is simply choosing to celebrate your wedding in a way that feels intentional to you! And that doesn’t mean you can’t share your plans with anyone. You can absolutely have loved ones be involved in their wedding experience. That’s not to say you can’t have a secret elopement if you’d like! But the point is that you can do whatever feels right to you. Even if you choose to have a private wedding experience, you can still celebrate with family by bringing them to dress fittings, wedding showers, post-elopement celebrations, and more!

Elopements can’t involve anyone else

Just like I mentioned above, eloping gives you the ability to create a wedding experience that’s exactly what you want it to be. So if you envision yourself surrounded by your closest people, that’s great! Eloping doesn’t have to mean entirely ditching tradition. It just means you’re ditching the traditions that don’t feel authentic to you. So if you still want to have people there, and do more “traditional” things like having a small dinner reception, cutting a cake, or even dancing – you 1000% can. There are ways where you can even combine both ideals, of having private time together to celebrate and also spending time with loved ones!

Elopements are cheap

Are elopements generally less expensive than weddings? Yes! But that doesn’t mean elopement days are cheap and aren’t worth investing in. This is your wedding experience, the one day you and your partner get to do exactly what you want to do. You’re still investing in an experience that is focused on you, doing what you love, where you love! And there are still aspects of elopements that come with a cost – travel, attire, rings, flowers, photography, etc. But you are investing in the things that matter to YOU, and not on parts like feeding 200 guests and decorations for 50 tables!

Elopements are rushed

To some people, the perfect elopement day might be something short and sweet and done on a whim. But that’s not always the case! Some people spend months planning their elopement, just like a traditional wedding. Especially if you have travel involved! Some of the aspects still involve time and preparation, especially if you are including aspects like florals, decoration, travels, and coordinating any other vendors.

Your actual elopement day doesn’t need to be rushed either! Your wedding day is your one day that you get to celebrate exactly how you want. There’s so much more you can do besides “taking photos”, and incorporating adventure into your wedding day can make it even more special. Things like popping champagne, having a picnic, spending time on the water, taking photos under the stars, etc can all help make your day even more memorable. It’s your one day you can spend however you want to, so why rush?! If you want to see some ideas for unique activites to incorporate into your elopement day, check out my blog post here!

Elopements are less important than a traditional wedding

This one is the most important one to talk about while we are breaking down elopement myths. Just because you aren’t doing something traditional doesn’t mean it has ANY less value! It’s still your wedding day, and it deserves the same amount of love and dedication of a traditional wedding. A traditional wedding doesn’t rush through the day, so why should you? You can incorporate so much meaning into your elopement, and make it a day that is truly special and unique to you. The heart of your wedding day is YOU, regardless of how it is celebrated, and that’s what makes the day important!

What is TRUE about elopements –

Elopements are intimate, intentional celebrations focused on you and your partner on your wedding day. You have the freedom to celebrate however you want, wherever you want, with whoever you want! It’s not that you have to ditch every tradition out there, it’s about letting go of traditions that you don’t love and embracing what you do love. Eloping is choosing a custom, unique experience that gives you the opportunity to get married in whatever way feels like YOU!

As an elopement photographer, I encourage you to choose whatever path feels right to you! Be it an elopement with just you, or a handful of loved ones, it’s a day where you can celebrate exactly how you want to.  I work with you to create an experience focusing on authenticity and intention, where we get photos that capture the heart of your story. So if that sounds like you, get in touch with me!