The Ultimate Guide for Elopement Wedding

When thinking about weddings, most of us will surely describe it as a fabulous and big event. To the fullest extent, engaged couples want to invite all their family and friends to become part of their union. However, with the new normal of this generation, things have changed. Some couples celebrate marriages unannounced, making their wedding private and solemn with only a few family members and closest friends. This non-traditional wedding is called an Elopement Wedding. If you and your partner preferred an elopement type of wedding, well, you’re here for a treat. Here are some insightful tips and etiquette to consider for an elopement wedding celebration.

Photo by perfectmoment.net.au

What is an Elopement Wedding?

Before heading to the tips, I would like first to fully define what an elopement wedding is. Eloping was considered taboo back then, but nowadays, many people have embraced this non-traditional wedding as it seems more practical, private, and fun. An elopement is an intimate way to vow your lives to each other and a spur-of-the-moment marriage without the proper blessing of the couple's family. However, that definition has changed over time. In these modern times, an elopement wedding is considered a non-traditional, intimate, and intentional way of getting married, which means getting married privately and solemnly with just a few family members and closest friends.

Benefits of Having an Elopement Wedding

Eloping is flexible and allows you to include a circle of those family members and friends you love the most. Elopement weddings will give you the following benefits you and your partner will love.

1. Simple Planning Required

Eloping always comes with less planning and less organising than the traditional wedding. Instead of organising around 15-20 vendors for your wedding needs, an elopement usually has only a small handful of suppliers (photographers, florists, and hair and make-up). Simplicity is more achievable. Moreover, you can plan elopements in as little as 90 days, significantly relieving many couples.

2. More Intimate Experience

On the wedding day, one of the couples' most significant concerns is the anxiety about being the centre of attention with the vast crowd. It's not everyone's cup of tea to be in front of 100 or so people. With an elopement, you will only have yourself, your partner, a few close guests, and a photographer. With elopement, they are more about you and your partner sharing your love with genuine and sincere words without having to be in the spotlight.

3. Affordable in Price

The first thing couples cross their minds after being engaged is budget. In 2020, the average wedding cost was approximately $36,000, which is a lot of thousands of dollars. On the other hand, the average elopement costs roughly $9,000-$11,000, which is a huge cut-back from the traditional one. Your wedding day is about you and your fiance, so why not invest in a more intimate and authentic experience with eloping?

4. Special Package from Suppliers

Nowadays, suppliers understand that elopement weddings have become a trend in the wedding industry. That’s the reason why they created various specialty packages for elopement wedding celebrations. Packages are crafted according to the unique style and preference of the couple, especially in photography packages. Most elopement wedding photographers capture weddings in a non-traditional way; these photos tell a story of warm emotions felt on that special day.

How to Plan an Elopement Wedding

Planning a traditional wedding and an elopement wedding is stressful; however, an elopement will lessen your hassle and burden. That said, here are some tips on how you can maximize your planning season for your upcoming elopement wedding.

1. Plan Ahead

Although the nature of an elopement wedding is spontaneous, it still requires planning and preparations like you would do in a grand wedding. During the wedding planning, you should first consider setting a budget. Secondly, be decisive on what theme you want according to your preference and style. Prepare a list of your dream wedding location and preferred suppliers, and save outfit pegs. Also, if you want to make the whole process more convenient, you can hire a wedding coordinator to guide you in planning.

2. Set a Budget

When planning for an elopement, setting a budget is a must, and the elopement package you choose should be worth your budget. In Sydney, usually, elopement packages range from $1,500 to $6,150. The standard elopement package is a half-day affair including 4 hours of photography that covers preparation, ceremony, and post-photoshoot, and it roughly costs about $2,450 to $3,100. With this price range, you will know how much you will spend on your elopement wedding.

3. Negotiate with Your Target Suppliers.

An elopement wedding would not be possible if not for the vendors, and your target suppliers will provide all the wedding needs. Well, the most crucial part here is to decide what you prioritize and what you think will enhance your day and spend most of your budget on it. For example, if you prioritize preserving memories through images, then you most definitely need an elopement wedding photographer, and this is where the bulk of people's wedding vendor budget goes.

Not a surprise people will invest more in something that will last forever and can look back on in the future as photographs are long-lasting memories. Thus, choosing the right photography team should be kept in mind, ensuring you assess your target photography team with extra care.

4. Handpick Your Guests

You can still choose your guests, limited to only the closest family and friends, and still call it an elopement. Although an elopement is only about you and your lifetime partner, having guests to witness your marriage is still a good feeling, especially if it is the people close to your heart. The rule of thumb is you should keep the count under a dozen.

5. Create a Checklist

All the plans you have in mind would only come to life if appropriately organised, and there are thousands of little details you need to remember in the planning process. While elopement is associated with less planning, it must be organised and coordinated.

In planning an elopement, make sure you will create a checklist of your dream wedding destinations and preferred wedding vendors, such as photographers, florists, hair and make-up, and the like. Preparation of a list will help you have a clear vision and outline of all the possible tasks and items you will need for your wedding.

Photo by perfectmoment.net.au

Make Your Wedding Intimate and Serene

At your wedding, the two most important people on that day are you and your partner; nothing else matters other than your soon-to-be-lifetime spouse. Let's be honest; a grand wedding day is not for all of us, which is why an elopement wedding has become a trend for those who value intimacy and privacy more than an extravagant wedding day.

You must remember that your union is all about you and your love and having an absolute blast. Bringing your one-of-a-kind love story to a place special to you and being spontaneous and genuine throughout the ceremony without having to impress the guests makes elopement special. Whether you prefer a traditional or a non-traditional type of wedding, this union is still sacred and specially made to be a lifetime commitment.

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BIO: Wedding photography expert Jeffrey Wang has his own wedding photography studio in Sydney Perfect Moment Photography. He helped hundreds of couples to capture their love stories and the raw emotions and spirit behinds the weddings. In his free time, he writes about love stories, venues and photography tips for known wedding blogs around the globe.