Eloping Isn’t Complicated!
That’s why I decided to respond to each of her points and offer, what I feel is a more balanced view of eloping. Hopefully, you will see that eloping certainly does not need to be complicated!
1. You Need to Wait in Line if You Don’t Have an Appointment
The first point made in the article is that eloping couples will have to wait in line at the courthouse if they do not have an appointment. Technically, this could be true if you are planning a spontaneous elopement and happen to choose a particularly busy day at the local courthouse. However, the article unfairly assumes that every eloping couple gets married at the courthouse! The majority of elopements are planned in advance – whether that means 4-6 weeks or even months! From my experience, most elopements also take place at venues other than the courthouse as well. Even if you haven’t planned in advance many of our vendors do offer same day weddings. They can even help you to secure the relevant paperwork!
2. Eloping Can be Costly and Time-Consuming
This claim actually relates to getting married abroad. They mention some of the countries where long periods of residency are required, such as France. However, very few couples would expect to elope abroad without some planning and research! In addition, there are plenty of countries where you can elope very easily with minimal waiting times. Check out our guide to the easiest countries to elope to!
3. Eloping Can Still be Expensive
Insider points out that in 2017 The Knot reported that the average cost of a BIG wedding in America is around $33,391. However, they then go on to claim that eloping is still going to be expensive. This is inaccurate. One of the main reasons our couples chose to elope is to save money! From our research, the average eloping couple spends less than $2,500, saving more than 90% versus the $25,764 average cost of a wedding reported by The Wedding Report. The article cites expenses such as photography as bumping up the price, but we have found that many enhanced elopement packages actually include some form of photography, some at no additional cost!
4. Missing Out on Wedding Gifts
Another of the reasons cited for eloping being complicated is that you miss out on the wedding gifts! We certainly wouldn’t call that a ‘complication’ and might even go so far as to say if the gifts are a deal breaker then maybe you need to re-evaluate your reasons for getting married! Aside from all that, there is nothing to say that eloping means no wedding gifts. Lot’s of couples have a small celebration after the elopement for their friends and family and gifts are often given then.
5. Family Drama & 6. Upset Friends
The next two reasons stated in the article kind of overlap so we’ve combined them. The claim is that eloping does not mean escaping the family drama and that people will be upset by the decision. Escaping family politics (aka drama) is one of the top reasons couples choose to elope, so this ‘complication’ is a misnomer! In regards to upsetting friends and family, it is important to remember that this is your day and they will eventually get over it! However, if you prepare them ahead of time and explain your reasons for eloping then there is a good chance that they will understand. We have offered tips on breaking the news in the past and always advocate for not springing an elopement on your loved ones after the fact!
7. Rumors Will Start to Fly!
We definitely feel uncomfortable with the final reason given as to why eloping is complicated! The article states that everyone is going to assume it is a shotgun wedding due to an unplanned pregnancy. This simply continues to perpetuate one of the biggest misconceptions there is about eloping. These days couples are not under the same pressure to get married before the birth of a child. So, it can be quite insulting to assume that it is the only reason to get married. If any of your friends gossip about something like this, then they likely are not true friends in the first place!
In conclusion, we feel that Eloping isn’t complicated and that most – if not all – of the complications mentioned in her article are false. In fact, most are not even complications to begin with! In my opinion, eloping is the easiest way to go from engaged to Just Married and WhereToElope.com is here to help you on that journey!