What the actual hell is an elopement wedding?
For the past few years - and especially since the pandemic - the term “elopement” have been growing considerably in search. However, it’s completely normal that there are still questions regarding this not-so-new way of getting married.
By the dictionary definition, to elope means that the couple decides to run away and get married in secret. That’s actually why I say this is not a “new” thing as elopements have been around for decades already (I bet you have at least one ancestor who have eloped).
However, I believe that as the times change the meaning of eloping also changes. If in the 50’s (or even previously) people would elope because their love was forbidden and not accepted by their families, nowadays there are a lot of different reasons to choose to elope instead of having a big traditional wedding.
Eloping will, therefore, have a different meaning for each individual. For me, an elopement and couples photographer, eloping means freedom, deep connection, being unapologetically yourself together, intentional, meaningful, fun and stress-free. It means having pretty much the perfect date - which is something every couple should experience as the first day of their new chapter as a married couple, right?
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In comparison, traditional weddings tend to be more about other people and not about the couple per se. There’s always constrictions with family members who want things to be a specific way - their way -, pressure to invite people that might not make sense to the couple but it will look bad if they don’t invite, comparisons with the cousin’s wedding which was bigger and fancier… you get the point.
Eloping takes away a lot of the outside influence as it allows the couple to simply be together, to celebrate their love, in an intimate and totally tailor made ceremony where the only people that actually matter are themselves.
Eloping means that your special day is really yours. It means leaving everyone else’s expectations and conditions behind, focusing solely on your own desires and needs, preventing looking back to your day years from now and regretting having done stuff you might not actually enjoyed but felt that you had to, based on the needs of someone else.
Does this mean that you can’t have guests? Absolutely not! What eloping really means is this:
Your day, your rules.
Want to be just the two of you? Perfect.
What to invite only your parents? Cool.
Want to travel somewhere remote and say your vows on top of a mountain? Sign me in!
Want to stay in your city and do the ceremony with just a couple of guests in a special place for you two? That’s totally fine!
Your day, your rules. That’s what eloping really means.
Hope this was helpful! See you on the next article.
Love,
Patrícia
