Are More Couples Choosing to Elope?

In recent years, the wedding industry has seen a definite shift towards small weddings, with a growing number of couples choosing to elope instead of investing in a big wedding. Despite this increase in popularity, it seems that eloping still gets met with disapproval from certain people! It is still linked to the idea of couples running away to get married against the wishes of their family. However, modern-day elopements are nothing like that old-fashioned stereotype! The majority of couples are choosing to elope for practical reasons like saving money!

Recently, I ran across an article on Martha Stewart Weddings @MarthasbrNunez that approached a number of big wedding industry professionals asking if they feel more couples are eloping and why. But, ahem, they didn’t contact an Elopement Expert who has helped over 1.1 million couples elope… Contrary to the article image, most couples are not eloping to the courthouse.  So, let’s talk about some of the main points raised in their article.

Eloping to Save Money for Other Purposes

One of the professionals featured, Candice Dowling Coppola of Jubilee Event, described a growing trend of couples choosing to elope or having smaller, more intimate weddings. In line with what my own research has revealed, Candice said that most of those couples make the choice because of a limited budget. Couples are choosing to elope to save money or to put money towards long term investments like purchasing a home.

The Freedom of Eloping

Wedding officiant Daniela VillaRamos, another contributor to the article, has also seen an upswing in the number of couples who are choosing elopements instead of a big wedding. However, she believes that many of these couples are feeling like they are no longer bound to follow societal traditions. When a couple chooses to elope, they are putting more of the focus on having fun! Choosing to elope allows a couple much greater freedom when it comes to having the wedding they truly want. When you have a big wedding, you are often under pressure to invite certain people or observe certain traditions that might not be what you would have chosen. Eloping allows you to invite only those people that really matter to you.

Eliminating Family Drama by Eloping

Another reason for the growth of the elopement industry, according to Candice Dowling Coppola, is being able to avoid complex family dynamics. Again, this is something mirrored by my own research into the reasons why couples choose to elope. When you reduce your guest list down to the bare minimum, you have the opportunity to remove awkward family politics and dramas! However, it is also necessary to give the nod to the potential downsides of choosing to elope. Some people do find that their families are upset about their decision to elope. It is a natural reaction, especially if they have been left out of the celebration. At WhereToElope.com, tackling how to reveal your elopement decision to your loved ones is something that has been covered several times. How you approach the news can go a long way towards making things smoother. The big thing is not keeping it a secret, because that is when friends and family start to get upset. If you can give advance warning about your elopement plans and your reasons behind it, then your loved ones will eventually understand.

How do you feel about elopement? Do you believe more small weddings and elopements are happening than there are big weddings? I’d love to hear your thoughts.