With all that falls under the ‘Wedding Industry’ umbrella, the different types of weddings and each of their titles can get a little confusing. Chances are, you already have some level of understanding that there are some primary differences between a wedding and an elopement. But what are the real differences? What does it really mean to elope and what the heck is a microwedding? Logistically, how do these compare? And finally, how is it possible to get the adventure elopement experience AND celebrate your wedding with friends and family? (You can get the best of both worlds!)

Before diving into the nitty gritty details and differences of the two, let’s address the range of titles that fall under a “small wedding.” This can get pretty arbitrary, all based on who you ask.

If you start with a general Google search, it will yield a result of less than 50 guests to define a small wedding or an intimate wedding. (The two terms are used interchangeably.) So moving forward into the latest trends in small weddings is the newest title trend– the “micro-wedding”. This is considered to be when the guest list is narrowed down further, to less than 30 guests. So in that case, with the rather small guest count, a common question becomes: where is the line drawn between elopement and microwedding? Is there even a difference?

The short answer is “yes.” The primary difference between a wedding and elopement is the intention of the event. Weddings follow a traditional series of events and often focus on entertaining guests. Elopements, on the other hand, follow no outline. They are intimate events designed entirely around the couple.

Now, to be clear, the most important thing about the day you get married, however it looks, is that you are committing your life to your partner. It should be everything you’ve dreamed it to be. If you can’t imagine getting married anywhere but a ballroom surrounded by everyone you know, by all means, do so.

But, if running away from tradition and celebrating in an adventurous, wild way speaks to you, I want you to know that you have that option, too! Your love deserves to be celebrated in a fashion fitting your relationship.

What does it mean to elope?

Elopement, in the modern definition, is an intentionally intimate and authentic wedding experience– typically with a sense of adventure and romance.

Couples may decide on elopement for a variety of reasons –from avoiding added drama and negativity, to less stress, to exploring a new adventure. View the blog post Reasons to Elope for a whole list of common reasons why couples elope.

Planning an elopement offers full creative freedom to celebrate your marriage since the day is completely centered around the two of you. Typically, this means that the timeline is more interpretive, and the opportunity to enjoy some of your favorite activities can be built into your day apart from the traditional wedding timeline. A lot of couples decide that this is a more fitting way to celebrate their love story than a lavish wedding.

Some couples choose to elope with a handful of loved ones as witnesses, others opt for a “just us” wedding experience. Often, an elopement guestlist will remain under 15 people. With the flexibility of less guests, they can take place anywhere– a county courthouse, a National Park, the beach or a mountaintop.

For a more comprehensive view on elopements, check out Definition of Elopement, a blog post dedicated to insight and possibilities of elopements.

What is an intimate wedding/microwedding?

Small wedding, intimate weddings, or micro weddings are essentially conventional weddings on a much smaller scale. In the planning process, this typically follows a more traditional timeline, including a formal ceremony, and laid-back reception with events such as the cake-cutting, first dance, and mother-son/father-daughter dances.

If you wish to celebrate with your loved ones, but don’t want the stress and fuss of a huge wedding, this can offer a great alternative to the traditional route, since it is on a significantly smaller scale. It gives you all of the classic details of a wedding day, while still providing the intimacy and stress-free experience of elopement.

Celebrating the day with your closest friends and family also opens up time and money in your wedding budget to personalize details of your wedding day– from destination locations to tangible details, narrowing down the guest list to a handful of the people closest to you offers a lot of creative options. You can invite your guests to be included in parts of the ceremony, and treat them to bespoke gifts or plan activities that honor your relationship in a special way.

The Main Differences

1: GUESTS
While elopement is defined as including few to no guests, the people involved are a significant difference between that of a wedding. The smaller the guest list, the more intentional relationships you surround yourself with. Having a short list allows you to celebrate with the people most important to you. Choosing the amount of guests attending your wedding will shape the experience you have for your day.

2: ACTIVITIES
As mentioned in each description, the activities included in your wedding day may vary depending on the type of wedding you plan. An elopement often allows for more freedom and personalization in your activity timeline, while a traditional wedding has a set order of events between the ceremony and reception.

3: YOUR STRESS SURROUNDING THE EVENT AND PLANNING
One huge emotion that surrounds a wedding is stress. Planning a large wedding often comes with entertaining others, from planning out the invitations, to food, to music. Adding the glamor and party of a 100 person guest list is a big undertaking– especially for more introverted individuals.

Eloping often lets go of that stress and includes planning more of the bigger picture. This can also mean that you have to be a little more flexible on your wedding day. If you plan an elopement at an overlook and the weather ends up rainy and foggy, you might have to adjust expectations a bit.

4: BUDGET
While eloping does not automatically convert to a cheap wedding, the allocation of your wedding budget changes. Instead of catering for many guests, you might allocate that money toward plane tickets or a private chef. You might choose to pay for a helicopter tour to a remote location instead of a venue deposit. Maybe, you’ll choose to combine your elopement and honeymoon. The placement of your budget is significantly different between the two events.

How to Do Both

Maybe you are loving the idea of an adventure wedding, but also don’t want to give up your big reception with all of your friends and family. You’ve always imagined celebrating your wedding with a big guest list and dancing with all of your family and friends. So why not do both?

There’s a few different ways that allow you to experience the best of both worlds when it comes to your wedding experience and your celebration (or celebrations!). You can still create an intimate gallery with the adventure experience, AND toast with all of your friends and family in the big party-style reception.

OPTION 1
Have an adventure engagement session before your wedding day. Not only does it allow you to have the adventure experience, it also gives you a special plan to celebrate your engagement. Take a few days for a trip, during which you can set up an awesome session at a place you’ve always wanted to explore.

OPTION 2
Set up an adventure romantic session after your wedding day, and wear your wedding clothes for a beautiful gallery of portraits in your finest attire. This is also a perfect excuse to put your dress back on and flood in all of the memories of your special day. You could even include this as part of the honeymoon, or wait till the wedding stress melts away and plan it a few weeks after.

OPTION 3
Have a destination micro-wedding. This allows you to toast your marriage with your closest friends and family, as well as choose your adventure location for your wedding day. You could split up the day, and have part of your activities as a couple and the rest with your loved ones, or even have a multi-day wedding.

OPTION 4
Elope. Go on your adventure and say your vows in a beautiful location, with special activities planned around your day, and hire a kick-ass photographer and/or videographer to capture all of the best memories. Whether you announce it beforehand, or surprise your guests with the video at the reception, you can share your intimate experience in a larger setting with all of your family and friends to celebrate. This takes a lot of the big pressures of a wedding off your guests, and makes for so much fun when you decide to share your day.

What’s the best option for you?

Whether you prefer to experience a “just us” elopement, or have a microwedding with your closest friends and family, the intimacy and authenticity of a smaller experience provides a custom celebration that centers around your relationship, rather than the stress and drama that often comes with a large guest list.

The most important thing that connects either experience is the love you share with your partner. However you choose to express it, you will create a beautiful way to celebrate your vows. Remember that there is no “right” answer. As long as you are looking at the love of your life while you commit your futures to each other, there is no way you can go wrong.

I offer a variety of package options for both luxury adventure elopements, as well as adventure romantic sessions for a day surrounding your wedding, engagement, or vow renewal. Get in touch to develop the perfect package for you.