10 Reasons To Elope Rather Than Have A Big, Fat, Expensive Wedding

We’ve all attended our fair share of beautiful wedding ceremonies. The bride(s) is a vision in a stunning white dress or sweet pantsuit. The groom(s) looks dapper in a fine suit. There’s crying,  laughing, cheesy speeches and lots of pictures. You get to witness two people committing to spend the rest of their lives together alongside loved ones and friends. Who doesn’t enjoy celebrating love? Over the last couple of years, however, a growing amount of individuals from the millennial generation are straying from traditional large-scale weddings. A lot of thought goes into these decisions. It’s more than an attempt to rebel against a long-standing institution. These decisions are far more complex than older generations probably understand. We’ve broken down a few reasons as to why more millennials are eloping.

1. Eloping is cheaper.

The average wedding can cost up to $30,000 sometimes. There are so many expenses that go into the “perfect” wedding. There’s the cost of a venue, hiring a catering company, the wedding dress, entertainment and so many other expenses that can add up to a hefty bill. That’s not to say you can’t put together an incredibly classy and beautiful wedding on a shoestring budget. With that being said, the average millennial college graduate owes an average $35,000 in student loan debt. Unfortunately, most millennials are scraping by with the cost of living escalating and trying to pay off student loan debt.

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2.  Eloping causes less stress.

A wedding requires a lot of planning. There are so many moving pieces to consider when putting on the wedding of your dreams. Squeezing in appointments with a wedding planner, working out twice as hard to look beyond perfect for the big day and a dozen other factors that come with planning a wedding can be incredibly harmful emotionally, mentally and physically. Keep in mind you still have work and a personal life to worry about. Some people can do this flawlessly, and kudos to them. There are others *raises hand* who don’t handle that type of stress too well and it’s entirely okay.

3. A lot can go wrong at big weddings.

“What could possibly go wrong?” Famous last words, amirite?

If you’re having an outdoor ceremony, you have to prepare for less than ideal weather. If your guests will be bringing their children and toddlers, you’ll have to prepare an excuse possible screaming and crying. If one of your family members has a little too much fun at the open bar, you’ll have to make sure someone keeps an eye on them. There are one too many moving pieces on such a big day, and trying to anticipate what could go wrong can be draining. Chances are, a lot less can go wrong when you are eloping.

4. Planning big weddings sometimes causes unnecessary tension between couples.

When planning a wedding, couples can go about the process as they please. Some couples want to be on the same page about every decision. Other couples will leave it in the hands of one partner. But what happens when both individuals butt heads every step of the way? These disagreements can overshadow the importance of the ceremony in the first place. Should you really be fighting about color schemes and guest lists when there’s a whole life of bliss ahead of you? When it comes to eloping, the toughest decision is picking a location.

5. Big weddings often bring big family drama.

Big families can sometimes lead to big drama. This is dangerous territory when it comes to the big wedding day. If you have family members who aren’t speaking at the moment, it could make the seating arrangements pretty tricky to make. You’ll also have to prepare for input from family members and your own parents when it comes to planning the wedding, specifically if you’re receiving financial assistance from them. Oh and let’s not forget the “why aren’t you having it in a church?” question.