Top 11 Reasons to Elope – Updated 2026
What’s all the Rage about Elopements?
Elopements used to mean running off together and tying the knot, hiding your secret shame and sharing it with no one. Thank goodness we’ve moved on from 1950! These days an elopement can be anything from just the two of you, to celebrating your special day with your closest friends and fam (that’s right, a small wedding is now considered an elopement, too!).
Here are the top 11 reasons you might consider eloping over having a big traditional wedding:
1. Less Stress & Planning!
There’s no beating around the bush, planning a traditional wedding is a pretty hefty undertaking. It’s stressful, takes a long time, tons of organization, and certainly a lot of patience. There are more opportunities for plans to get derailed when you have to rely on others, and it’s a lot of work for something that’s at the end of the day planned around your guests… and not even really for you!
2. A Wedding Experience Just About You
When you choose to elope, what you do end up planning is all FOR YOU. You don’t have to worry about all the different food options for 100 guests, or find accommodation for everyone travelling, you can spend your time making the day exactly how you would want to spend it with your one and only.
3. A Unique & Authentic Wedding Day
A wedding day that’s exactly YOURS. Unique, authentic to you, and represents you as a couple. You can go for a sunset dip in the ocean, a heli adventure, hike & picnic, get married in a hot air balloon or do WHATEVER YOU WANT. You can put all the things you love doing together into one magical day and vow to be joined together. It’s genuine and perfectly YOU!
4. More Intimate and Meaningful Moments
Because you’ve decided to throw the stress and rigid timelines out the window, and you’ve made a day special to the two you, there is so much more opportunity for those intimate and sweet moments to occur naturally. You are more at ease, happier, and can enjoy being in the moment. And celebrate in a real and relaxed way!
5. Valuing Experience Over Stuff
Big weddings cost A LOT. Most of the money goes on catering and a giant venue. Wedding favours also add to the expenses. Having an elopement doesn’t necessarily mean going cheap. BUT it does mean you can spend your money on enjoying your day together. You make memories that last. Your experiences together become what’s valued most, because you have so much more time to actually BE together.
Want to have a helicopter elopement? Check out Dana and Geoff’s day at Sambro Island with Vision Air Services!
6. No Family Drama
Let’s be real, not everyone out there has the perfect family. Honestly, most of us don’t. This is a big one on the top 10 reasons to elope scale. When you have an elopement, you can put that stuff behind you and focus on what’s more important – the two of you. It doesn’t matter what anyone else does or thinks when you’re just celebrating together!
7. Freedom to be Your Silly Selves!
When you aren’t hosting a giant reception, you have the ability to be yourself. You can be goofy, silly, and weird and spend your time exactly how you want! DO THE MATH. If you spend 3 mins thanking/talking to every guest at your wedding (and you had 100 guests) that’s 300 minutes! That’s time not spent together. And it’s YOUR wedding day…No thank you!
8. You Aren’t Traditional /Value Outside the Box
You don’t have to do something because your parents did it, or everyone else is doing it. Have you always done things in your own weird way? Your wedding especially shouldn’t be any different! Do your thing, and celebrate YOUR WAY.
9. Don’t Have to be Centre of Attention
There is no pressure, 150 people aren’t all looking at you, or listening to your vows. You are free to be yourself, relax, and actually enjoy the experience of your wedding day. There are no crowds if you don’t want em, and no one expecting you to give a speech!
10. Super Dope Photos!
The intimate, genuine, unique, and all around awesome photos that you get from an elopement are just worth so much more. The photos from your day actually reflect you as a couple. Because you’re not bound to a strict timeline, there is a lot more opportunity for creativity, and for authentic moments to be captured. These are the photos you have to remember your wedding for the rest of your life, make them count!
11. YOU WANT TO SLOW DOWN
One of the biggest things I hear from couples doing bigger weddings is that it goes by so fast. When you plan an intentional day just for you, you can take it SLOW. You aren’t rushing to someone else’s timeline. You have the freedom to take it all in, one beautiful moment at a time.
That’s all for your top 11 reasons to elope! Does this resonate with you?
And if you’re still on the hunt for your dream adventure elopement photographer I’d love to hear from you!
HI, I’M SEBRINA
I offer all-inclusive elopement packages across Nova Scotia and Argentina (includes planning help, personalised location/vendor recommendations, awesome photography coverage, and more!)
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