Why Elope? Here’s 10 Good Reasons...
By Maureen M.
Roxanna is a 32-year old dental hygienist who has been living with her boyfriend, Rob for almost 3 years. They share everything: a love of travel, a poodle who yaps at the mailman, and occasionally, even sweatpants. They talk quite a bit about marriage, but Roxanna feels like throwing up every time she thinks about dress fittings and hall rentals. She’s not the kind of girl who has dreamed about “the big day” since she was little. Her mom passed away a few years ago, her step-dad lives in another state, and Rob’s parents footed a huge bill for their daughter’s over-the-top nuptials just last year. Besides, they’ve bought property to build their dream house and would rather put in a pool than pay for a cash bar, from which Uncle Bob would park himself for the evening and sing loudly.
Yeah....They could plan a sunrise tour of Haleakala and then enjoy an afternoon on the veranda, get ready slowly, sip champagne, have a few candid shots done. If she can’t find the right bouquet, Roxanna can hold a pineapple, a hiking boot, or a mud-filled bathing cap! The point is, it can be totally spontaneous and totally romantic.
The ceremony can be at sunset and they can enjoy a candle-lit dinner when it’s over. Or they can eat banana sandwiches sitting on a towel in the sand. It will be their day and it will be perfect precisely because it doesn’t have to be. Deciding to elope is the right choice for couples like Roxanna and Rob. Perhaps it could be for you too: 10 Reasons to Elope1. Eloping is cheaper — a lot cheaper! According to the popular wedding website The Knot, the average traditional wedding in the USA now costs over $27,000. But if you live in a large city, the cost could be even higher. Of course, prices will vary depending on what you include, and the date of your wedding. But eloping will cost a fraction of a traditional wedding, even a budget wedding. Save that money for a fabulous reception after you get home if you wish. Put it towards a house, a car, a honeymoon....a pair of Jimmy Choos!.2. Elopement means fewer hassles and much less stress - don’t worry about the bridal registry. Do you really need those monogrammed fingertip towels? Do you care about coordinating the color of the invitations with the guest favours? Guest lists alone have driven many a bride-to-be to drink! Weddingbells.ca reports that 19% of brides say they have more disagreements with their boyfriends after becoming engaged.
3. Eloping is much quicker — most wedding planners agree that it takes at least a year to plan the average wedding. Many popular venues are booked a year or more in advance. Maybe this is a second marriage for one or both of you. Maybe you just want to get started on your new life together. Long engagements aren’t for everyone.
4. Avoid “sticky” situations. How will you control Uncle Jack’s excessive drinking? What about Grandpa’s notoriously bad breath or the divorced aunt and uncle who are still feuding over custody of Fido and each wants you on his or her side? Will your ex-brother-in-law come in drag? Dodge the family drama when you skip the traditional wedding.
5. No need for thank you notes - hadn’t thought of that? Many etiquette experts say that thank you cards for gifts received on the wedding day should be sent out within 2-4 weeks of returning from the honeymoon. Others say you may take up to 3 months. But to quote Peggy Post: “No fill-in-the-blank cards, no preprinted cards, no phone calls, no emails, and no generic posts on your website.”
6. Eloping helps you feel the true significance of the moment. You are more likely to live in the moment of this important event when you are in a small group or just with your loved one. Eloping can be truly intimate. And isn’t that what committing your life to another person is all about?
7. No seating charts! Do you know who is feuding with whom? Do you care? Should you put only those who know each other at the same table or mix it up so that singles can meet others? Will someone be offended that you stuck them at the back table with the photographer?
8. Elopements can be more memorable than run-of-the-mill weddings. Get creative. Think of the stories you can tell your friends for years to come. Imagine getting married atop a glacier or in a hot air balloon! Deciding to elope doesn’t have to mean running to the courthouse in your work clothes or going to the drive-through chapel in Vegas (unless that turns your crank). It can still be very memorable and special. 9. Spontaneity can be very romantic. You’ll never look at a pineapple the same way if you use one for a bouquet!
10. Not everyone likes to be the center of attention. Believe it or not, there are some women who do not care to be “Queen for the day”. Men too don’t always like being in the spotlight.
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They have a trip to Hawaii coming up in 2 weeks, and a brilliant scheme has started to form in their minds. If it feels right after they get to their quiet little Bed and Breakfast in Lahaina, if Roxanna doesn’t feel fat in her tea-length ivory cocktail dress that she’s now thrown into the suitcase along with her hiking gear, if Rob looks good in a lei, if everything feels just right.... maybe they will get married on the beach.