If you have been following our blog here for any length of time then you have probably realized that here at WhereToElope.com we believe that when it comes to weddings, good things definitely come in small packages! We often point out the money saving aspects of elopement and the lack of stress attached to an intimate wedding, but today we want to share with you five reasons why we think that big weddings are overrated!
1. The Endless Round of Parties Gets Tiresome
Now don’t get us wrong, we love a good excuse for a party, but when it comes to weddings it seems like everyone goes overboard and our lives become one big round of endless parties. With engagement parties, bridal showers, bachelorette parties, bridesmaids luncheons and rehearsal dinners, it can be easy for you and your guests to rack up thousands of dollars before the wedding day itself! Weddings are about the only life event that sees this level of celebration and we just can’t figure out why!
2. Starting Out Your Life Together In Debt Is A Recipe For Disaster
Did you know that financial trouble is one of the most common reasons why a marriage fails? With that in mind is it really a good idea to start out your life together as man and wife with $25,000 of debt on your shoulders? While tradition dictates that the bride’s parents foot the bill for the wedding, in today’s society it is more common for the couple to pay their own way, and very few couples have that sort of cold, hard cash saved up! That means that they need to borrow money to pay for their wedding!
3. Planning a Wedding is One of The Most Stressful Life Events
The average traditional wedding has around 150 guests. Planning a party of that size, which often includes a sit-down meal, is no mean feat and it can take a great deal of time and effort. Add to that the legal side of things and the additional details such as attire, decoration and transportation and you have an all day event of near epic proportions! There have been many cases of couples not even making it down the aisle as the stress of planning the wedding ends up driving them apart! We have also heard stories of brides who have suffered from stress related illnesses. Is having an elaborate wedding really worth it?
4. Nothing Brings Out The Worst In Family & Friends Like a Wedding!
As soon as you announce your intention to get married you will start getting input from friends and family – whether you have asked for it or not. It is only during wedding planning that the differences between parents and their children really show up. Your parents will feel justified in criticizing every choice that is not ‘how we did things in my day’ while friends will suddenly become demanding when it comes down to choosing their attire as a bridesmaid! The guest list is also a veritable minefield with your cousin Lucy insisting you invite her boyfriend of 3 weeks and your Mom insisting on having her bridge club friends in attendance even though you have never met them! Family politics are one of the main reasons why a growing number of people are choosing to elope!
5. The Wedding Industry Often Has Ridiculous Markup
One of the reasons why weddings get so expensive is the huge markups favored by the industry. You might choose a basic 3-tiered cake with a regular retail value of around $250, but call it a wedding cake and the price tag suddenly jumps to around $700! The same can be said of florists, caterers and car hire! This means that you could very well be paying way more than the services are actually worth, which can seem a lot like throwing your money away! Thankfully, the elopement sector of the wedding industry does not seem to participate in this type of elevated pricing structure.
These are just a few of the many reasons why having a big traditional wedding can be overrated, but there are many more! All of these issues can be avoided by choosing to elope instead! When you elope, the marriage becomes more important than the pageantry of the wedding which can only be a good thing!