Exploring the History of Eloping

It seems as though elopement has become a hot topic over the last year. Many couples are being forced to rethink their big wedding plans due to the pandemic. However, even although it has become more mainstream lately, that doesn’t mean people have said goodbye to previous misconceptions about eloping! I recently came across a television segment and article on the History of Eloping. However, it appears that they didn’t get things quite right!

The History of Eloping TO Gretna Green

The history of eloping can be traced back to 1753 when the Marriage Act was passed in England.  The new law did, as the television presenter suggests, mean that you had to be over 21 to marry without parental consent. This triggered many young English men and women to run away or ‘elope’ to Scotland, stopping at Gretna Green, the first village over the border. However, this was seldom because their love just couldn’t wait until they reached 21! The main reason for young couples eloping was to escape arranged marriages. In the 1700s it was common for fathers to betroth their daughters to their much older friends or business associates.

Eloping in the 20th Century

Watching the clip, it is claimed that by the 20th century, we moved away from that history of eloping, and it was now seen as a courthouse wedding. I feel this simplifies things a little too much! Of course, times have moved on. In western countries, there was no longer the element of escaping an arranged marriage, but the stigma was still very much attached to eloping! Up until the last 10 years, it was often seen not as a courthouse wedding, but as a spontaneous Vegas quicky wedding that couples would probably regret. Eloping couples were often told their marriage would never last – although our long-term readers may recall the story of John & Ann Betar putting that misconception to rest! It is actually a proven statistic that the more you spend on a wedding – the more likely it is to end in divorce!

Where Has the History of Eloping led Us?

We can definitely agree with their assessment of what eloping means today! The history of eloping has had its ups and downs. In 2021 the stigma associated with elopement is all but a distant memory. Eloping has taken on new meaning. While many couples do still choose an intimate elopement for two, a growing number are expanding the guest list. Elopements can now include the couple’s closest friends and family. Eloping can now be interchanged with labels like a small wedding, micro wedding, tiny wedding or intimate wedding. 

It has also become more attractive to couples who don’t want to pay a small fortune to tie the knot. Elopement packages can be as minimal or as luxurious as you choose. However, even an all-inclusive elopement package can save you around 90% versus the cost of a traditional wedding. Why wouldn’t you want to elope?