Elopements on the Rise
We all know the economy is wacky and everyone is looking for ways to be financially savvy, so it probably isn't a shock to most people to hear that elopements are on the rise. Rather than spending thousands and thousands of dollars on a big wedding celebration, more couples are opting for smaller, private ways to celebrate their union. People often think of Vegas weddings officiated by Elvis when they hear the word "elope", but there are so many ways to elope that fit each and every relationship style. Today I'm going to share my three favorite elopement approaches from 2023 and maybe provide you with a little inspiration for your nuptials!
Elopement Style #1: The Courthouse
I'm willing to bet that this one is the second most thought of elopement style. This one's for the folks who want to save money, avoid the spotlight, or want to commit to each other in a more private way. Gill and Ben didn't want a big wedding, it just wasn't their style. They went to the courthouse on a Friday morning and celebrated with photos and an intimate dinner later in the day! One of my favorite parts of this elopement was Gill's dress. It was so perfect for her personality and the style of their wedding!
Elopement Style #2: The Micro-Wedding
The most fitting name, truly. If you want your wedding to feel like the whole she-bang without the marathon day or high price tag, a micro-wedding is probably the way to go. Micro-weddings include a small guest list - typically less than 20 people - a ceremony, and some type of gathering after-the-fact, whether that's a lunch, dinner, cookout, etc. My absolute favorite micro-wedding from this year was Caroline and Kyle's wedding back in May. Caroline got her hair and makeup done, a bouquet and boutonnière were purchased, and a beautiful ivory gown was worn. They did an intimate first look with her dad and her groom in the rose garden outside the church before taking family formals. Their ceremony was short and sweet, but deeply personalized with special readings from family and friends. Afterwards, we took photos at one of Caroline and Kyle's favorite places - First Landing State Park - before they headed to lunch with everyone at a local brewery. The whole event took less than 4 hours while still being an incredible celebration of Caroline and Kyle's love!
Elopement Style #3: The After Party
This is the style of elopement I see most often when there's an extenuating circumstance at play. Military orders, family members falling ill or aging, and the like. In this situation, Pooja and Krishna both had career milestones coming up that required a legal union in order to be able to live near each other. In a whirlwind weekend, Pooja came to Hampton Roads from New England with the intention of going to the courthouse Monday morning. Krishna, ever the romantic, surprised her with an incredible proposal at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens the day before their appointment at the courthouse. Even though they just had a quick paper-signing for the legal aspect of marriage, Pooja and Krishna wanted to commemorate this moment with some photos, and the Virginia Beach Courthouse was a beautiful location for it. The most exciting part of this is that Pooja and Krishna will be having a huge wedding celebration next year where all their family and friends can be with them!
Elopements Are Still Weddings!
It doesn't matter if you elope to save money, to ensure that a loved one can attend, or because you don't want to be in the spotlight. Elopements are still weddings and you can still make them as special as any other wedding. Just make sure you have someone around to take photos of all those sweet, loving moments so you can celebrate your love for years to come every time you look back at your photos!
