Elopements vs Weddings - The Main Differences

Nov 10

Not sure if Eloping is right for you? Having photographed many Elopements and Weddings I am excited to share my knowledge with you! There are lot’s of differences when it comes to Elopements versus traditional Weddings but I thought I’d lay out the biggest differences. Hopefully this will help you decide which path is the right path for your love journey.

Planning & Stress

When it comes to planning your special day there can be a lot of planning involved. If you’re deciding to do a traditional wedding there will be a lot more planning than if you were to Elope. There’s a lot more to think about when you decide to have a traditional wedding. Luckily, there are event planners for both Elopements and traditional weddings! This will help take the pressure and stress off your shoulders no matter which direction you decide to take.

If you decide to Elope, some photographers (like myself) help guide their couples on planning their dream Elopement! This can also ease the nerves and bring the fun back into planning their day.

If you decide to have a traditional wedding keep in mind you will have a lot of outside opinions coming in. Those can either be useful or overbearing. If you go this route, ensure you hold your ground on what you want and not what others want.

2. Money

When it comes down to it, traditional weddings cost a lot more than Elopements. The average cost of a wedding in Canada is $30,000 - $40,000. Elopements are typically 1/4 of the price of a traditional wedding. This is because when you Elope you don’t have to worry about feeding everyone, getting decor and rentals to hold your guests and so much more.

When it comes down to it, you can spend your money on a traditional wedding or you can elope and spend the money on an experience or adventure instead! The choice is yours.

3. Guest List

Traditional Weddings often have guests starting at 60 people all the way to 400 people! If you’re hoping to have a large gathering with your friends and family this is the way to go. Some couples really enjoy being around all of these people during their special day and that is more than okay!

While people often believe Elopements are just for the couple that is false. An Elopement can have people with you! Typically Elopements have 2-15 people or it can just be the two of you for the most privacy. There are ways to include your super close friends or family to your Elopement. Want to know how you can include them in your Elopement? Check out my other blog post HERE

4. Venues

A traditional wedding will require you to book a venue for your ceremony and reception. Since there will likely be a lot of people you do have to book a venue to accommodate the crowd. If you decide to do a traditional wedding I highly recommend booking your venues before anything else as they book up fast!

If you decide to Elope luckily you can get married almost anywhere! Depending on the location you chose you are able to just get married without having to book a location. Keep in mind, you won’t be able to get married on private property without permission first. Eloping will save you a lot of money since you won’t be needing venues.

5. Vendors

Last but not least, vendors. When planning a traditional wedding you will need a lot more vendors! They will likely need to hire additional help as well to accommodate all of the people.

Eloping means you will need less vendors! You can cut out all of the vendors you would have needed to hire for a traditional wedding and save that money or put it towards your experience. Either way, there are less vendors to think about and to organize!

Now that you understand the main differences between an Elopement and a traditional Wedding, it is time to make your decision! Which one appeals to you more? Perhaps you want a large gathering with everyone, that is totally okay! Maybe you prefer to save a bit of money and Elope instead, that is okay too! Whatever you decide on, make sure it is true to your heart. You can’t go wrong either way!

Want to know more about Elopements? Check out the different blog posts below

Elopement Blog