So You’re Thinking About Eloping

Soooo you’re engaged and you’ve started planning your wedding. You’ve looked at umpteen venues, but they’re either booked for the next two years or they don’t allow enough people for the guest list your mom and your fiance’s mom have created. You’ve sampled more cakes than you care to admit to and you have no idea where to get started with invitations.

And it all feels like way too much. Like way, way too much! How can an 8 hour day require this many decisions and this level of attention to detail?! Planning a traditional wedding comes along with so many decisions and let’s be honest, you already have decision fatigue from working full time.

Instead of planning what feels like the perfect way to celebrate your marriage with your spouse to be, you feel like you’re planning an event and one that is quickly spiral out of control because you can’t reign in your mom and mother-in-law to be. You’re glad they are getting along, but damn those two have become a force to be reconned with!

You’ve already jokingly mentioned the ideal of eloping to your partner. But honestly, eloping is sounding more and more appealing especially with the amount of decisions (and deposits) you need to make. You’re not alone in feeling this way. Last year, over 60% of couples reported seriously considering eloping. Plus your partner has given you the green light. They’re over the stress and costs of planning a big wedding, too.

Last year, over 60% of couples reported seriously considering eloping.

Your mind is probably screaming at you, “Just cancel the big wedding and elope already!”, but your heart is worried about how that decision will be received by your family and friends. Hello, people pleasing daughters of the world!

I’ve got news for you, lady. You can’t keep planning this big wedding just to please others. It’s one hundred percent acceptable to buck against the traditions for something that just feels more aligned with the way you and your partner want to celebrate your love.

If you’re already feeling this strongly about not planning a big wedding, those feelings aren’t likely to change. You should not spend the next 6-12 months (yes, the average US wedding takes that long to plan!) planning a wedding that just doesn’t feel right. And it’s not that marrying your partner feels wrong. It’s the whole big-event-with-long-lost-relatives-thing that feels all wrong. And don’t forget the cost of planning said wedding. In 2023 the average US wedding cost over $30,000.

Can you imagine what you can do with $30,000 dollars??? Even for a fraction of that cost you could have an incredible 2 week adventure in a dreamy location where you can also say your vows, pay for a beautiful dress and stunning photography.

I know, I know what you’re thinking. How in the hell are you going to be able to pull off an elopement without royally pissing off someone?? Honestly, their reaction to your choices are a ‘them problem’, not a ‘you problem’. Yes, they might be upset with you at first, but most couples who elope report that eventually their upset family and friends come around, especially if they support the marriage in the first place.

Don’t worry, babe. In this series, I’ll walk you through how you can not only avoid the headache and stress of planning a big wedding, but I’ll give you all the information you could possible need about eloping on the big island of Hawaii.

In this series about eloping, we’ll…

• Talk about the advantages of eloping
• Give you some strategies for telling your family you plan to elope
• Help you decide on activities to do on your elopement day
• Show you photos from real Hawaii elopements
• Help you plan the logistics of your Hawaii elopement