We’re dropping a record scratch on what you thought eloping meant because the modern definition of elopement has evolved- and the meaning covers so much more, including adventure & authenticity. And, elopement weddings? Kind of our thing at Arizona Elopement Collective, so keep reading while we go over:
- Modern Definition of Elopement
- What it means to Elope
- Why you should plan an Elopement
- How many people attend an Elopement
- What an Elopement wedding looks like
- How to envision your own adventure Elopement
What Is the Modern Definition of an Elopement?
Here’s the thing. The whole “running off to get married” definition also started to include going to the courthouse, having a micro wedding, hosting an intimate wedding, or even having a smaller-sized wedding in a destination away from home.
But all of those weddings still included the trappings of traditional wedding planning. AND, those weddings do not really embody the modern definition of elopement. We believe that the word elope means adventure, and authenticity, embracing modern times, having a stress-free or nourishing experience, and having an entire day where the focus is on you as the eloping couple.
Deciding to elope means having the courage to throw away all the headaches of “shoulds” in wedding planning. Ex: My parents said we should invite these people, We should get married at our family’s church (but don’t want to). Should should should, you get the idea? You can avoid all the headaches and unnecessary opinions, by making the decision to elope.
At its core, an elopement is an intimate marriage ceremony that celebrates love. And there’s not a whole lot of room for all of those shoulds. Sounds pretty amazing right? When you plan your dream elopement, the only thing you should be focused on is what shouts authenticity to you.
If you’re in the process of leaning heavily on the idea of eloping, we already know, you’re kind of a rule-breaker, you don’t do boring and you want a wedding day that is intimate and filled with meaning. You’re ready to ditch all the nonsense of wedding planning and instead focus on a wedding day that is less stress.
You are unique because you want your I-dos to be a wedding experience, not a ballroom with bad carpets and dry chicken. You want your wedding to be an outdoor adventure. One that you can be fully present for in order to soak up the beginning of your marriage with your favorite person by your side.
What Does it Mean to Elope?
You are authentically you, all the time, and you don’t want that to change just because you are thinking about your wedding day. In fact, you want that authenticity to scream on your wedding day, and we dig that.
You already know that making the decision to elope means you are so ready to ditch the pressures of planning a “traditional wedding”. While we applaud you, we will say that the decision to elope also comes with the caveat of having challenging conversations with those around you. You know, all the friends and family who were expecting a big wedding; not to hear that you are on your way to get married next week.
But, no big deal, because you’re ready for that too. Eloping means not giving in to the pressure of what everyone else around you wants out of your wedding. When you choose to elope it means being able to double down on saying no, this is what we want, and this is what’s important to us. An elopement means that (potentially difficult) conversation, to you, is a means to an end to create the experience you hunger for the most.
Why Should We Plan an Elopement?
Did you know, the average wedding in Arizona costs around $35,000? Again, that’s just the average! Doesn’t the idea of spending $35,000 on a big wedding seem slightly ridiculous? Isn’t it essentially just a big party?
Eloping is 100% more cost-efficient, yes, you can save money, versus planning a shindig full of elements you don’t really want. Dry, flavorless food for 200+ people anyone? As an added bonus, an elopement is an incredible day that can be as low-key or nontraditional as you want it to be.
An Elopement is “Modular”
Eloping is more, let’s say, a la carte. Planning an elopement, (the modern definition of elopement), gives you the flexibility to be able to pick and choose the elements that are most important to you. When you choose to elope, you get to leave behind the things you never really cared about. The modern definition of elopement is all about honing in on the experiences you want to remember and the memories you want to create on the day you say I do.
You might want your wedding to have live music and a videographer. Those are rad choices. But when you plan a bigger large-scale wedding (to satisfy your parents) you’ll find yourself confined to the strict rules of venue contracts and rigid timelines. With an elopement, you get to decide, and you get to make the rules, ditching the $35,000 average for a destination-based adventure-filled wedding.
An Elopement Provides Flexibility
In addition to the take what you want and leave what you don’t aspect of an elopement, eloping provides more flexibility with the date of your wedding. A traditional wedding requires you to book a venue and secure your date with a deposit, which, by the way, usually happens a year or two in advance.
From there, with your date secured, you are tasked with going about finding each one of your wedding vendors (including your photographer) and making sure they are available on that date. More contracts, more deposits, more timelines. An elopement is more like “hey let’s get married in Sedona in two weeks and by the way we are totally flexible about it being on Tuesday or Thursday”.
The take what you will, and get married when you please aspect of eloping will never exist in the world of large-scale weddings. When you choose to elope, you get to decide if you want to get married next Friday in Tuscon. If so, we can do that. Oh, you want to have a picnic on the morning before your wedding? We can do that too. This is your elopement, we are on board with your authentic vision, because eloping is our business.
How Many People Are at an Elopement?
Let’s say you’ve now had a conversation with your partner and subsequently everyone around you. You’re both delirious over the idea of your elopement. Now you get to select who will be there. Will it be just the two of you? If so, cool.
Or will it be an intimate wedding with a list of 20 or fewer wedding guests or family members? If so, cool. The thing is, having an elopement comes with a greater impact, not only for you but for those you choose to be at your side.
The modern definition of elopement means you have a guest list of 20 or fewer. However, because of this you actually get to connect deeper with every single wedding guest. No spending the night of your wedding hopping from table to table for a quick 30-second hello in between mouthfuls of food.
What is an Elopement wedding?
If you want the true modern definition of elopement, it’s a wedding that is a representation of an authentic experience. An elopement is unlike a traditional wedding because it focuses on the two things that matter most; the couple getting married (you), and their love (you again). It’s a small wedding experience where all the pomp and circumstance of a traditional wedding is gone. In its place are adventure, excitement, and authenticity. It’s a total vibe.
What Does an Elopement Wedding Look Like?
So what does an elopement actually look like, aside from celebrating your love? We can tell you what it doesn’t look like. It doesn’t look like being forced into a church by your parents. It doesn’t look like rows and rows of linen-lined banquet tables with chafing dishes. It doesn’t look like spending the night away from your partner because you are both being pulled in opposite directions by hoards of guests you felt forced to invite.
It will look like reciting your wedding vows to your favorite person, in an adventurous location. Your photographer and wedding officiant will be on hand to ensure things run smoothly while you are eloping (Our colleague from Seattle, Captured by Candace does this with her clients in Seattle as well). Your 20 guests, or not, will be by your side to witness your intimate, fun, and unique wedding. And it’ll be the best experience of your life, with the photos to back it up.
What Does an Adventure Elopement Look Like?
If your elopement is a wedding day filled with adventure it’s anything but cookie-cutter. It’s outdoors surrounded by majestic landscapes that don’t require a contract and a rigid timeline. Locations like Sedona, Phoenix, Flagstaff, or Tuscon. Your modern definition of elopement might include an adventure like a short hike to catch the cliffside views, or an off-roading adventure. Or your adventure elopement could be a short walk to a location that is more accessible for your guests.
But most of all, your adventure elopement is filled with the things that matter to you most. And let’s be honest, this is different from couple to couple. Your elopement wedding might include elements like your photographer, live musician, yoga, and a picnic celebration. Or it might be a beautiful ceremony with an epic champagne spray once you’re announced married. Eloping means you get to write the memories and toss out the rule book.
We’re Still Not Sure if We Should Elope or Have a Wedding
Yeah, we kind of get that, so we’re going to make this stupid simple for you. The modern definition of elopement vs traditional wedding, let’s go.
An elopement is for you if:
- You want a wedding day that focuses on your love story and relationship
- You can’t fathom the idea of getting married in a church
- The idea of an adventure elopement sounds like you
- You and your person want an adventure-filled outdoor wedding in Arizona
- You don’t want to pick your wedding date two years in advance
- You’re ready to skip the headache of traditional wedding planning
- You don’t want to be constrained by rigid timeliness
- There are 20 amazing people you want to invite as guests when you get married
- You don’t want to spend money on unnecessary things
- You want an authentic elopement experience
A wedding is for you if:
- You’re searching for that “parental consent”, aka family approval
- You’re ok with getting married at the church your family only attends for weddings & funerals
- You think it’s ok to spend $35,000+ for a big wedding
- It’s ok if you have to wait two years to get married because that’s “how it’s done”
- You want to start planning a wedding for the next two years because it doesn’t seem “that bad”
- You’re ok with paying for dinner for 200 people you haven’t seen since kindergarten
- Banquet tables and chafing dishes are ok in your book
- You want a big party at a wedding venue
- Traditional weddings are just how your family roles
- You want the headache of selecting 15 of your closest friends to stand by your side on your wedding day in matching outfits
An Adventure Elopement Sounds Like it’s for us, What’s Next?
You’re both ready to grab your friends and ditch the venue for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure elopement. What’s next? Stress-free fun, followed by a honeymoon. Remember the modern definition of an elopement? The constraints of flipping the calendar two years in advance along with fielding family opinions are now gone.
You get to focus on creating the wedding experience of your dreams. One that does not have a quick ceremony, in order to make way for the next few weddings coming in behind you. Yes, it’s a thing. After all, isn’t the ceremony the whole point of a wedding? Who wants to skip over the good part anyway.
What the Modern Definition of Elopement Means to You
- Talk to each other about what’s most important on your wedding day
- Decide who your 20 guests will be on your wedding day
- Choose where your adventure elopement wedding day will take place
- Pick a timeframe and be flexible
We’ll break down the first four steps of deciding what eloping looks like to you, a little bit more.
1. What’s Most Important to You?
Most people who elope, want an intimate wedding. They want a wedding day where they can be fully present and relive the experience for a lifetime. So that puts an elopement photographer at the top of your list. During the elopement planning process, you’ll need to be paired with an elopement photographer who gets your vision. One who truly knows what it means to elope, and one who is skilled at noticing the things about your relationship that make you tick.
Because an elopement is 100% focused on your love story, your wedding ceremony will be a big part of your adventure elopement. You need an officiant who is able to marry you the way you want to be married. An officiant who feels like your best friend but is also there to make sure your ceremony runs flawlessly. And somebody who gets that you both crack jokes, even on your best day ever.
2. Decide Your Guest List
Some couples choose an elopement where the only ones present are them, their officiant, and their elopement photographer. But some couples choose to elope and want to include their friends and families. Different couples choose different things, and that’s ok. If you are leaning towards having both of your families present, remember that the modern definition of elopement means your guest count has to be 20 or less.
3. Envision Your Adventure Elopement
You’re ready to elope because traditional weddings are not for you, and, you don’t want to spend a house down payment. You want a small wedding that is both intimate and impactful. Picture yourself on your way to get married, with your person by your side.
Your best day ever is upon you. How did you spend the morning? Was it with your 20 guests? How intimate and personal are your vows? Your elopement photographer is there, what is in the backdrop of your wedding day photos? Can you picture the location? You get to fill in all the blanks, kind of like eloping Mad Libs.
4. Choose a Time Frame
Remember the modern definition of what it means to elope that we talked about at the beginning? No, you don’t have to go through all the headache planning, but you do still have to pick an actual elopement day.
However, you should be flexible, especially if you’re going for a wedding day that tells the whole story. That’s the thing about eloping, it doesn’t have to be on a Saturday. You can say I do any day of the week because you are now defining your own elopement story.
All The Info
Congrats! You now have a full grasp on the modern definition of elopement and adventure elopement! As a bonus, you have an idea of what it will look like for both of you. We started Arizona Elopement Collective because we wanted to give this to couples. A clear definition of modern elopement, and how they can achieve their authentic celebration of love, without all the nonsense.
If you’re ready to create an exciting one-of-a-kind adventure elopement experience in Arizona, browse our home page to find out how we can co-create the most epic celebration of your life.
Or, check out the links below for even more resources on planning your modern elopement
