Eloping vs. Wedding

What’s the Difference?

As elopements gain popularity, you’ve probably seen the photos of couples on mountaintopsfloating around the Internet
–
and you might know that eloping isn’t the same as a traditional
wedding. But what’s the difference? When you compare eloping vs. wedding, is it a difference in guest count, a change of location, a shorter timeline?

ELOPEMENT vs WEDDING

JUST YOU & ME

The truth is that there isn’t just one thing that makes your wedding day an elopement! I think of traditional weddings as a bigger event – one where the focus is on the event
itself, on making sure the guests have a good time, and on the somewhat “performancey” aspect of getting
married in front of all those people. On the other hand, an elopement is intentionally designed to be about the couple. It’s about making sure your wedding day is about you and what you want, rather than about throwing the best party. You have a lot more freedom and flexibility in the way you get married.

And somewhere in between eloping and traditional weddings, there’s the intimate wedding. “Intimate wedding” usually refers to a wedding with a smaller guest count, less than 50 or so
people. We’ll talk about the difference between elopements and small weddings too. Now let’s get into it- eloping vs. wedding.

Cost of Eloping vs. Wedding

According to MoneySmart, the average wedding in Australia costs $36,000! That’s a really big
chunk of change, to say the least. While one of the biggest differences between an elopement
and a traditional wedding is the cost, eloping doesn’t mean that you aren’t investing in your day
The difference is that with an elopement, you can decide what’s important to you, and spend your money on the experiences that will actually make your day amazing! Elopements are much more customizable, so you can decide how much it costs.

Elopement Venues vs. Wedding Venues

One of my favorite things when comparing eloping vs. wedding is that an elopement doesn’t require a traditional venue! With a wedding, you usually need to find a place that will accommodate all your guests, and this is usually one of the biggest expenses in a couple’s wedding budget.

Elopements are usually outdoors, in a gorgeous landscape. You have a lot more freedom in choosing your location, and can get married somewhere meaningful, or somewhere new and exciting instead of being confined to a venue!

Elopement Planning vs. Wedding Planning

A lot of couples realize that they want to elope because they started planning a traditional wedding, then realized it just wasn’t worth the stress! If you aren’t much of a planner, or you aren’t into choosing between color schemes, you’ll be happy to know that while eloping does require some planning and some decision making, they’re a lot less stressful.

Elopements are much more flexible, and you don’t need to worry about 200 guests – it’s just about you and your partner, and what would make you the happiest! And if things don’t go according to plan on the big day, it’s all part of the adventure. It’s much easier to roll with the punches and allow for spontaneity when you don’t have to worry about throwing a party for everyone you know to enjoy.

A lot of couples say they hardly got to enjoy their traditional wedding, which is kind of a bummer! They’re so worried about everything going right and saying hello to every guest, that at the end of the night, they realize the day was about everyone but them. Elopements let you be in the moment, present with each other, and enjoying every minute.

Authenticity

Now I’m not saying that a traditional wedding is phony or inauthentic – but inevitably, when you
have so many guests, it’s harder to be completely yourself. For a lot of people, it can be harder or more stressful to read the vows with an audience, and eloping ensures that you aren’t justbeing authentic with each other, but that you’re being authentic with how you begin your marriage.

For a lot of couples, a big party, dancing, and a ceremony in front of 100 people just isn’t
them. But because we’re told that this is how weddings are supposed to be, a lot of these couples just do it anyway, without realizing that they have other options. Planning an elopement is about being intentional, and thinking about what would make this day
truly meaningful, and truly incredible. It’s about having an authentic day that reflects you and
makes you excited about the rest of your lives together

ELOPING vs WEDDING

ELOPEMENT VS MICRO WEDDING

A small wedding is often called an intimate wedding or micro wedding, and this is somewhere in between an elopement and a traditional wedding. An intimate wedding usually has around 50 guests, and is more about spending time with them than just about throwing a party. But, with a small wedding the emphasis is usually still on the guests and on the event, and with more people, you will likely need something closer to a traditional venue. Each couple is different, so while I’m definitely a fan of elopements, I wholeheartedly believe that the right way to get married is the one that feels right to you – and only you know what that is!

If you want to spend time with your loved ones, but you love the idea of eloping, consider doing both! You can have a tiny elopement, then throw a reception later – it can be the same day, or
you can celebrate days, weeks, or months after you actually tie the knot. You can also split up your elopement day, spending half of it alone and half of it with your family. The most important thing to remember is that there aren’t any rules to how you get married, so
don’t box yourself in! Dream big, and make sure this is a day you’ll love celebrating each year on your anniversary.