For fun, we googled the definition of elope, and immediately, and literally, laughed out loud when we read what it said...

This is definitely what eloping meant back in the day. Your father didn't approve of the man you loved so you were going to pack your bags and wake up early the next morning and run away together and elope in secret and tell no one! The family shunned you, you were looked down upon, no one spoke of your indiscretions. (I, Codi, literally just watched the episode in Downton Abbey where Lady Cibil tells her family she is eloping with Branson, the chauffeur!)

DUN DUN DUN! *insert gasps and looks of shock and horror here* LOL

WOW. What a stark contrast elopements from then are to what elopements are today. Let me paint this picture a little bit differently for you. A picture of what today's reality of elopements are and why we believe in them so much that we ONLY shoot elopements and not traditional weddings...

You have been engaged for a year and have meticulously planned this day down to the T. It's the morning of your wedding and you wake up in your air bnb at your most favorite location on the earth. You and your fiance have a relaxing, intimate breakfast together at the tiny table in your little cabin overlooking the ocean and read letters and watch videos from your closest family and friends, wishing you years of happiness together and sending their love to you on your special day. You have a romantic morning together snuggling and laughing and are care free and enjoying every second together. To be honest, this is the most at ease and relaxed you've felt in a while.

The rest of the day follows suit: zero stress, a first look with just you and your fiance at your favorite spot on the beach, laughing and having fun while you comb the beach holding hands as your photographers capture every precious moment between the two of you. When sunset starts to approach, you walk the short trail to the beautiful rocky bluff overlooking the ocean that you chose to say your vows on and you get to truly absorb every word of your partners vows as they promise them to you, and in that moment, nothing else matters. No entertaining guests, no putting on a show...just the two of you.

After your "I do's" you dance your first dance to your favorite song under the setting sun as the waves crash below.

Sounds like a fairy tale, right?

That's *exactly* what an elopement today can, and does, look like. You and your fiance get to choose what that dream day looks like for you and make it a reality. You have the opportunity to focus on what are the most important things to YOU, what makes your relationship unique, and how you want to remember one of the most important memories you will have together and make that YOUR REALITY.

There's everything you think a weddings HAS to be, and then there's everything that your wedding COULD be.

Elopements allow you to create the day of your dreams with endless possibilities while NOT having to please societal expectations, including your aunts second cousin Belinda who thinks your ceremony should be "proper'. And that's not the only reason elopements are not only a dream, but a true logical decision. There are many reasons choosing an an elopement just makes plain sense...

• Great Financial Start: We will write a whole article on this topic, but in a few words, elopements cost a fraction of what a traditional american wedding costs. Deciding how to spend your money in the very beginning of starting your life together can have a major impact on how you continue from there.
• Authenticity: As we've spoke to in this post, the possibilities are endless when you choose an elopement. In a traditional wedding, the time and cost commitment really pigeonhole you into a specific timeline and set up. Elopements allow you to be the most authentic versions of yourselves on your wedding day.
• Less Stress: The freedom in an elopement really allows you to focus on what is important to YOU as a couple and really create a day that is (nearly) stress free and pure joy. There's less coordinating, less financial burden, less relationship dynamics to work around.
• Experience > Stuff: We believe that HOW you experience your wedding day is more important than how your friends and family experience it. Don't get us wrong, there are still ways you can incorporate loved ones in your elopement, but let's face it...typically big traditional weddings are really for everyone else, and not so much for the bride and groom. That's not to say that some couples don't enjoy that type of wedding, because the industry speaks for itself in how many people do choose to have the big traditional wedding. But for MANY couples, it's very stressful and they are glad to just rest when the day is over. In an elopement, its ALL about the experience.

Elopement has been so re-defined over the last several years that we think it's time we officially change the definition...

We are so passionate about elopements being the most amazing way to choose to get married. When Codi got married, she had a very intimate, private wedding that impacted her so greatly that it is a major part of the reason she is so passionate about photography in general, but especially having a great photographer on your wedding day.

Don't let the wedding industry and societal ideals pressure you into a wedding that won't be authentically you, or something you really don't want to do. Things are changing, and elopements are not only in, but are brave and smart and can be everything you dreamed of your wedding day being.