Eloping for a Wedding (How to reframe your thinking)
I love elopements. And I love weddings too. Both are immensely fun to photograph but depending on who you are you might have different reactions when you think about eloping for a wedding.
Some of our close friends have chose to elope for reasons that almost persuade us. They want the day to be about their marriage and not the stuff, they want a simple and stress free day, or they don’t really like to be the center of attention. If you’re like me, that all sounds good until you realize you also kind of want a big party to celebrate.
Whether you’re excited about it or trying to wrap your head around it, we’re here to talk about what it means to be eloping for your wedding. The reality is that in 2020 and into 2021, many couples are having to put off their big wedding.
What to do, what to do! We’re here to help with our “just in case we can’t have weddings in 2021 elopement planning blog post series.” I know, the title needs some work! 😉
You might remember the post that inspired this series: How to Plan a Micro Wedding (and be happy about it.) The next post in this series is How to Make an Elopement Special.
the definition of eloping for a wedding
Eloping for a wedding means that instead of a big celebration, you’re opting to “run away” and get married. Eloping used to mean that it was a secret or a surprise, these days it often just means you’re keeping things simple.
Or it means you’re making the best of the fact that big weddings are currently on hold. Whatever your prior conceptions, let’s talk about some of the best parts of eloping for a wedding.
3 reasons to look forward to eloping
- Eloping for a wedding means less of all the wedding stuff that produces bridezillas. Less stress, less chaos, less planning, less people, and less money.
- Location restrictions and constraints disappear. That’s not just a bad COVID joke, yes we are constrained by social distancing and the size of groups that can gather but it’s more than that. Elopements can take place in locations that weddings can’t such as on a mountain top or secluded forest. (Check out how to get married on a mountain.)
- There is massive freedom in the schedule. Want to shoot photos at sunset? Sleep in? Stay up late? When you are eloping you don’t have to plan everything around catering to your guests.
how to let go of the big wedding
- Don’t. If having a big party is important to you and you want hugs from all of your friends, then plan a big reception later. I have a feeling people will be excited to help you celebrate even if you’re already officially married. I know I’m craving a good party.
- Focus on the quality. When you have to cut your guest list down, chances are that the people that remain on it are going to be the people who have had a huge impact on your life. Focus on those people rather than the ones that aren’t there.
- Think of the money you’re saving and all the awesome things you can do with it. I imagine if you put a huge down payment on your house or pay off your student loans that joy might help heal the loss of the dream wedding.
how to make eloping for a wedding your own
The more years I have been in the wedding industry, the more I’ve seen the rules and regulations be broken. While there are still expectations for what a wedding looks like, couples are getting more and more comfortable making it their own.
I talk a lot in all of our planning advice about examining your priorities and then referring to those values throughout the wedding planning process. Start there.
When you think about eloping for a wedding, what about it aligns with your values?
Check out more of our wedding photography advice for brides here.
Or view our Colorado elopement guide for more relevant blog posts and informations about our work. Or check out these Colorado wedding venues with mountain views.
And stay tuned, we’re posting more elopement advice in the days ahead.
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We are Marc and Brenda Bergreen, a husband and wife photography team specializing in Colorado mountain wedding photography and other adventures. Let us help you make your wedding an adventure! It would be an honor to capture your love.
Don’t hesitate to contact us and let us know how we can help! Be sure to follow us (weddings instagram & adventures instagram) and/or like us (facebook) to stay tuned.
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