Whether you’re opening up to the concept of eloping or you’ve been planning your dream wedding for ages, you most likely know just how much they differ from one another.
An elopement is a non-traditional, intimate ceremony where the main focus is on you and your partner rather than the event itself. On the other hand, a wedding includes other factors aside from the couple, such as the guests, entertainment, and other traditional elements.
Even though both ceremonies have the same end goal, there are several differences you should have in mind in case you’re deciding which ceremony is best to have.
Guests
The guest list of an elopement ceremony is way shorter than that of a wedding. Usually, a traditional wedding has a guest list of about over 200 people, which already forces you to structure things into place, such as finding an appropriate venue, transportation, and entertainment for your guests.
An elopement ceremony is much more intimate and typically includes less than 20 guests or even none at all. This will give more flexibility in planning the event. You can pretty much do whatever you want.
Planning
Planning a traditional wedding no doubt involves a lot more time and effort than planning an elopement. For example, weddings involve seating charts, schedules, entertainment and music, and not to mention catering. Because a wedding involves so much planning, it can take months to get everything together.
However, you can plan an elopement within a few days. It all depends on how many guests you’ve invited, the date, and the venue.
Venues
The exciting difference between an elopement and a traditional wedding is that finding a venue is so much easier! You can even choose places you normally wouldn’t go for, such as local parks, mountain tops, secluded beaches, or even historic landmarks. You can even choose a spot that is meaningful for both you and your partner.
With a traditional wedding, you need to find a venue that’ll add structure to it all because of the extensive guest list, tables, chairs, and entertainment. Unfortunately, your options are more limited and probably more expensive as well. You’ll want to pick a venue that can hold both the ceremony and the reception.
The Budget
And last but not least, the money you spend on a wedding is nowhere near the amount you spend on an elopement ceremony. The average wedding can cost over $19,000. Things such as the food, drinks, centerpieces, silverware, decoration, entertainment, and the venue take a huge hit on your wallet.
Now, because an elopement ceremony requires less planning and detail than a wedding, it turns out to be a lot cheaper. The most you might spend on is your dress or photographer! However, there are even photographers that include elopement packages that make it much more affordable than the traditional wedding photographer, such as the ones you can find on https://weelopednashville.com/prices
Eloping vs. Wedding—Which One is Best?
You can’t really say that eloping is better than a traditional wedding or vice versa. It all comes down to personal preference.
If you want to celebrate your lifelong commitment with all of your loved ones by throwing a massive party, then a wedding can be the right choice for you. On the other hand, if you prefer something intimate and a lot more personal, eloping might be perfect for you and your partner! And if you enjoyed this post, you’ll enjoy the other articles on our website, so be sure to check them out!