What does Elopement mean? | Elopement Definition
What does Elopement mean? | Elopement Definition
ELOPEMENT DEFINITION: LET’S BREAK DOWN THE “WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO ELOPE” AND “WHAT DOESN’T IT MEAN TO ELOPE”?
When you google “What is an elopement?” the first answer that pops up is one from dictionary.com - it says, “run away secretly in order to get married, especially without parental consent.”
Now, that may be what eloping used to mean, but no more! eloping is no longer a secret, scandalous affair. it’s not a quickie courthouse marriage or a reason for your grandma to clutch her pearls. ***spoiler alert, my grandparents eloped too!***
Lets bust some myths and talk about what eloping doesn’t mean!
Like I said, the meaning’s changed a lot in the even the past few years, so there are still a lot of misconceptions when it comes to what having an elopement means, and what it isn’t. So, let’s talk some shit about what elopements aren’t shall we? Okay seriously though, even in to this day people are so so confused on what an elopement actually means. Honestly, even if you asked, what does having an elopement mean even five years ago, heck even a year ago - you might have heard some of these answers.
elopements are shameful, last minute & rushed
Eloping isn’t about running away and getting married secretly. while many elopements take place in beautiful locations near and far, couples choose these places for adventure. if you’re eloping, you can choose anywhere from your own backyard to somewhere across the globe.
It’s a common misconception that elopements don’t require any planning. couples just decide to do it, and it happens, right? well, that’s not the case anymore - couples plan elopements as far as a year out. while elopement planning comes with a lot less stress than planning a traditional wedding, there are still a lot of things to consider - permits, marriage laws, and dress shopping don’t go out the window when you decide to elope!
you’re ditching your friends and family
Some couples choose to elope just the two of them, but plenty invite the people they love! eloping doesn’t have to mean that you can’t have guests. if your people are on board with what you’re doing and down to join you for an adventure, a twenty person elopement can feel just as intimate and meaningful as a two person one.
couples elope because they’re cheap
It’s no secret that weddings are crazy expensive. the average wedding in the united states costs $30,000. yep, you read that right. four zeroes. eloping, while it does save money a lot of the time, is not about being cheap. when couples choose to elope, they’re choosing to spend money on the things that matter to them - the things that are going to make their day incredible. they spend money on experiences, rather than on things. instead of paying for centerpieces, invitations, and napkins, couples get to use their money on things that are important to them.
What is does Elopement mean? | Modern Elopement Definition
Although there really is 100+ meanings and reasons to elope, here’s a few of my top + favorite ways to define elopements.
elopements are intentional and meaningful
Big weddings come with a lot of traditions - and often, couples go along with those traditions because it’s what you’re “supposed to do,” not because it’s what they want to do. with an elopement, you create your own meaningful experience. the day is intentionally focused on you and on what really matters - your relationship.
Elopements are authentic and free of pressure
With letting go of big wedding traditions, you get to be yourself! none of that putting on a show for your guests or throwing a big party for other people to enjoy while you stress the whole time.
Elopements are an experience
Eloping is all about the experience. it’s not about getting those bangers (by which i mean great photos), it’s not about how epic your location is, and it’s not about how intense your adventure is.
Elopements bring the focus of a wedding day back to you two as a couple, without the “performance” and “production” of a big, traditional wedding. you can design the best day for the two of you, from start to finish. whatever that looks like for you - maybe it’s a picnic by the ocean, or hiking the trail where you first met, or galavanting across the globe to a country you’ve always wanted to visit. your elopement is all about experiencing your wedding day in a way that feels true to you.
elopements are about the two of you:
Most of all, when someone asks “what does it mean to elope?” i want to say this: it means whatever the fuck you want it to!
Eloping gives couples the courage to be transparent and true to themselves. expressing their love in the way that truly reflects their relationship, not falling into any traditions but instead making and forging their own.
What does Elopement mean? Speaking from experience:
What my couples say eloping means
I asked some of my past couples why they eloped, and what eloping means to them. here’s what they said:
“We eloped because we wanted to remember the day we got married.”
“Neither of us are super close to our families, we didn’t want to feel pressured to invite unnecessary anxiety into what was meant to be the best day of our lives.”
“We wanted our wedding day to be full of activities and adventures, so we took the money we saved on eloping on having the most epic adventure elopement experience.”
“Honestly, we’re just so low key. a big wedding didn’t feel like us but 15 of our closest friends and family with a day of yard games & craft beer did!”
Need some elopement inso? Check out some of these journaled adventures.
What does Elopement mean to me?
Part of the reason why i’m so passionate about elopements is because i eloped myself! so when i say this stuff i’m not just speaking as a vendor - i’m speaking as someone who’s been there.
Let me tell you why i ditched the big wedding thing and eloped instead. eloping meant that i got to commit to and spend the rest of my life with my person. i couldn’t imagine spending this amazing, once in a lifetime, monumental moment around people who, quite frankly, didn’t matter. i’ve never been one to follow tradition, and it quickly became a no-brainer that our wedding wouldn’t be a traditional one either. we got married on a lake in Washington, with 8 of our closest friends and family, and it was in-fucking-credible. Want to learn more about me?
..so long story short
What does it really mean to elope or have an elopement?
your love story isn’t the same as everyone else’s, and your wedding day shouldn’t be either.
I absolutely believe that eloping is the best way to get married. there's nothing i love more than helping couples create the authentic, intimate, epic, out-of-this-world wedding day of their dreams, where they conquer an amazing adventure together, and have the privacy & safety to truly be themselves.
So if you’re not feeling the whole, “big white wedding” thing either, get in touch and we’ll start planning your wild wedding experience, together.
Elopement Definition FAQ’s
Even couples who choose to elope have questions.
Here are a few common questions when it comes to couples questioning whether they should or shouldn’t elope and even couples who are 100% sure they want to elope.
We still want to involve some friends/family, can we do that?
Absolutely, there are so many way to to involve having guest for your elopement. A lot of people will define the term elopement by the amount of people that you choose to have there. Some say less than 5 or 15. Me? I’d say anything under 20 and an intimate wedding anything less that 50. Honestly call it whatever you want and just do what feels right.
How do we tell our friends/family we’re eloping?
This is a two parter: How to tell the people your are potentially inviting and how to tell the people you aren’t inviting. I’m going to just be super honest with you - most the time, someones probably get upset or offended. While this could be an unpopular opinion, those are the people you don’t need apart of your elopement. This day is about the two of you and the people you invite, should 100% be on board with your values + visions.
So now for the real question, how to tell them? Be honest about why you’re choosing to elope. Let them know that you love and appreciate them supporting your wishes, even if it’s uncomfortable or they don’t fully understand. Don’t worry, there’s a few ways you can still involve those who aren’t present.
Can we still incorporate some traditional aspects of a wedding but still elope?
Permission granted (not that you needed it) - Best part about eloping, you can do whatever you want! If having a first dance or cutting a cake is something you always imagined doing on the day you got married, do it!
We love the outdoors and the idea of having an elopement but don’t really want to hike on our wedding day. Is that okay?
You can love nature and want to elope but not want to hike 5+ miles. Luckily there are so many beautiful places you can elope it have an intimate wedding that require little to no “hiking”.
