Why Eloping Together is A Great Idea!

Why Eloping Is A Wonderful Option for UK Couples

 Eloping is a wonderful idea and if there was ever a time to elope, it is now. With many couples being forced to shorten the guest list, perhaps the best way is to run away and get married – just the two of you!

Imagine getting married, just you and your love, in a castle, at a vineyard, on the beach or at a lighthouse. The United Kingdom is full of fantastic wedding venues for couples who are running away to get married. Your options are endless!

The romantic notion of eloping is sometimes dismissed by couples who know their friends and family would be disappointed or upset at not being invited to their best day ever. Understandably they would love to be there and if you expected a huge wedding, it does take some time to move your mindset to the joy of eloping.

The silver lining of the pandemic (yes, even a pandemic has some bright sides if you look hard enough) is that eloping is a way to stay safe and still have a gorgeous wedding.

Aside from being wildly romantic, there are many other incredible benefits to eloping to tie the knot.

Here are just some of the beautiful reasons to elope.

Quality Time Together

When you elope, you have quality time together, meaning you can connect in a way that isn’t possible if you are entertaining 100 other beautiful people. You can be giddy in love and relax and be yourselves when you can focus on only each other. From morning till evening, it’s just the two of you creating memories together on the day you will become Mr. and Mrs.

Most couples who elope get ready together. The groom might leave the room before the bride puts on the dress, or he might be the one helping her do it up. You will take your time getting ready, talking, and laughing about the ceremony coming up and getting excited about the day. You might enjoy a drink together, then hold hands and walk to the ceremony. That’s where I’ll be waiting for you and trust me – I get as hyped for wedding ceremonies with 100 guests or no guests.

After the ceremony and some gorgeous photos, you will have the rest of the evening to celebrate blissfully just the two of you. You won’t have to listen to Uncle Mike’s 45-minute-long speech about what a cute baby you were, get nervous about the first dance or deal with huge bar tabs. But you will cut your wedding cake. Couples eloping are ordering small cakes and adding beautiful details like cake toppers and flowers because everyone loves cake, right?

The Financial Savings

When you elope, you are often winning financially.

Weddings are expensive affairs and often cost more than initially expected. The money you would have to spend on food and drink is totally freed up when you choose to elope. Also, you save on the smaller details like wedding stationery, wedding favours and signage. All these smaller costs do add up.

Brides and grooms are putting all that extra money into luxury wedding items such as elaborate flowers, more extended videography coverage or a more luxurious honeymoon. Just because the guest numbers are smaller doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice the beautiful wedding decorations, services and venue. Couples are spending more on these things now.

Flexibility with the wedding budget is a fantastic benefit of eloping. Suddenly that designer dress might be possible, or you can save money for the future.

The Venue Options

If you are getting married just you and your love, the venue options are wide open compared to what you would have if you had 50 or 100 guests. You can get married anywhere from an art gallery to a private flower garden or even a mountain top. Free-spirited souls in love are getting creative with their elopement wedding venues and it’s exciting when the moon is the limit.

We are blessed to have so many excellent venue options in the UK. I’ve also noticed venues are being flexible with couples where they can get married on the property. For example, a venue might always have wedding ceremonies in a specific area but for couples eloping who might prefer another place, they are accommodating their wishes as much as possible. Also, more venues are creating elopement packages for the increased demand and trend of eloping.

Covid Considerations

Hopefully, couples wishing to have large weddings can do so soon. But for now, in these uncertain times, it’s hard to know the numbers of people that will be allowed at social gatherings in the future. Eloping is a safe way (for your health and peace of mind) to plan your wedding ceremony without the stress and worry that it might be postponed or cancelled.

The Romance

In the beginning, I mentioned romance, but it has to be mentioned again. Really, what is more romantic and intimate than a dreamy elopement? An elopement in the UK is the perfect way to get married if you want to have your wedding your way.

You can always share the stunning photos and video with your friends and family or even have a reception bash later in the year. I even know a couple who had a micro wedding and now are planning a massive vow renewal on their fifth anniversary in 2025. This might be an emerging trend and to me, it sounds like a great idea!

Personally, I adore elopements. I make sure the celebrant-led wedding ceremony is beautifully designed to reflect your love story with wording that fits your style as a couple. The joy, excitement and love at an elopement is just as elevated as it is for a wedding with 100 guests.

Love is love and as long as you are both there with open minds and hopeful hearts, that is all that matters.