10 Reasons to Elope

Breaking tradition, bending the rules, and getting married in a totally unconventional way might feel a little scary, but if you’ve got a sneaking suspicion that you don’t want to plan a 200 person wedding with a big ballroom and a huge party that you hardly get to enjoy, here are 10 reasons to elope instead! As more and more couples realize that a traditional wedding might not be right for them, these are the most common reasons they choose to downsize.

What Do We Mean When We Say “Elope?”

Before we get into the reasons to elope, we’ve got to define what eloping actually means! We’re not talking about the old meaning of the word, when eloping was about quick courthouse ceremonies or even drunken Vegas weddings - we’re talking about the magic that happens when a couple decides to do their wedding their own way, and to get married in a way that feels true to them. This might mean a private day with no one around, or a small ceremony with your closest friends. It might mean an epic new adventure, or a day spent relaxing with the person you love most. Your elopement can be absolutely anything - it’s all about being intentional in how you get married, and making sure that the day is a reflection of the two of you!

Resons to elope — Photographer: The Adams Co.

10 Reasons to Elope

Now that you know what eloping means, let’s talk about 10 reasons to elope, and why couples decide to plan an intimate adventure instead of a big wedding. If any of them resonate with you, this might be your sign!

1. You Don’t Want All the Attention

For a lot of couples, the thought of having all eyes on them, exchanging vows in front of 100 people, and spending the entire day being the center of attention just isn’t appealing. If you feel that way, that’s definitely a good reason to elope!

Elopements are much smaller than traditional weddings, so you get to decide whether you want a day that’s totally private, or if you want to share that moment with a few of your loved ones.

2. You Want Your Wedding to Be About You

It often feels like big weddings involve a lot of people pleasing. Scrambling to make sure everyone’s happy, worrying about everyone having a good time, and focusing on just about everyone but the couple! If you want to make sure that the day you get married is about the two of you, and not about throwing a party that you won’t get to enjoy, eloping might be right for you.

Eloping shifts the focus of your wedding day, ensuring that the day is about what matters most - you, your partner, and beginning your marriage in a way that you love!

3. You Want to Get Married Outdoors

One of our favorite things about elopements is that you get to tie the knot in some of the most beautiful spots in the world. You have basically unlimited options for your “venue” - glaciers, mountains, forests, beaches, lakes, and more. Instead of exchanging vows in a traditional venue that probably doesn’t hold any sentimental value, you can get married in a place that’s truly unforgettable, with backdrops that will make your jaw drop! The place you commit to spending the rest of your lives together should be special, and for couples who love nature, there’s no better place than the great outdoors.

4. You Want to Have an Adventure

Let’s be real - a lot of traditional weddings seem to be pretty much the same. Sure, there’s some personalization, but there’s definitely a “script” that they tend to follow. A big reason to elope instead is if you want your wedding day to be unique, personal, and to feel like you. You should celebrate the beginning of your marriage in a way that reflects who you are, and there’s no better way to do that than with an elopement!

The possibilities are endless - you can hike, fly in a helicopter, take a private boat, have a picnic, go kayaking, or even ride in a dog mushing sled. Anything you can imagine, you can do on your elopement day!

5. You Want to Spend Money on Experiences, Not Things

It’s definitely true that eloping usually costs less than a big wedding, but this isn’t because couples aren’t investing in their day! The money you spend when you elope usually gets spent on more experiences, and adventures you’ll remember forever, instead of decorations, single use items, and things that you’ll never need after the wedding is over.

6. You Want to Keep it Small

Elopements have a smaller guest list than weddings, and sometimes they have no guest list at all. This is a big reason to elope for a lot of couples! It may be that you want to avoid family drama or that you aren’t close with your relatives, or that you simply feel that keeping the experience private and intimate just feels more like the two of you. No matter what your reason is, remember that this is your wedding day - each choice you make is entirely yours! And if you decide to invite a few loved ones, you’ll get to spend more time with them, instead of just a few minutes per guest while you’re rushing to do something else.

7. Eloping is Better for the Environment

Weddings produce a ton of waste - actually, 400 lbs of waste and 63 tons of CO2 on average, according to The Green Bride Guide! Those are some pretty mind boggling numbers, and a great reason to elope is because it’s much better for the planet. You’re reducing the amount of trash your day produces, the amount of electricity used by a big venue, the number of cars traveling to your wedding, and so much more!

8. Eloping is Less Stressful

So many couples say that they hardly got to enjoy their wedding day, and that it all went by in a blur because they were busy worrying about everything and everyone. Eloping allows you to slow down, be present, and really enjoy the moment - you’re marrying the love of your life, and that should be the most amazing day of your life, not one that you spend stressing.

9. You Want Freedom and Flexibility

The schedule is often pretty tight for traditional weddings. Couples are rushing from one place to the next, making sure there’s enough time for photos, trying to say hello to every guest, and worrying about running behind schedule.

Elopements give you so much more freedom, both throughout the planning process and on the day of. You get to decide what’s important to you and what you want to do, and there’s more room for spontaneity, flexibility, and fun!

10. You Don’t Want to Plan a Big Wedding

One of the biggest reasons to elope is that you just don’t want to plan an entire traditional wedding. We can’t blame you - it’s a ton of work! For a lot of couples, one of the first signs that eloping might be right for them is that they feel stress and anxiety at the thought of beginning to plan their wedding day instead of excitement and anticipation.

While elopements still require planning, the process is so much less stressful, and so much more fun, because you get to focus on what matters to you, and how you want to celebrate!

And we’re here to help you with all of it - we plan elopements in Alaska and all over the world, and we’ve got your back with everything you need to plan the perfect, customized elopement day. If you have decided that eloping is right for you, contact us to get started!