What Is Adventure Elopement?

An elopement might make you imagine two people running off to Vegas, where they're married by an Elvis Presley impersonator. Sure, this is one available option, but elopement technically means going to a certain location (generally away from where you live) to be married, without telling anyone. This means you can elope to any place where two people can legally be married. Is elopement right for you and your soon-to-be spouse?

A Minimum of Fuss

Elopement offers a way for two people to tie the knot with minimal fuss. It makes sense for a lot of people who might feel that the commitment they're making to each other is the most important thing—instead of the ceremony where the commitment is made. However, since elopement involves travel, more and more couples are opting to make the act of eloping more of an adventure.

An Adventure Wedding

Adventure elopement is when you travel to an exciting destination, combining your nuptials with a little adventure. This involves some planning, so adventure elopement isn't usually a spontaneous decision. You might end up getting married on a beach or on a mountain, and this needs preparation. Adventure elopement is similar to a destination wedding but without the guests. As far as the destination goes, this is limited by your imagination, your budget, and any legal restrictions (when traveling to a foreign country, you must be sure that you're legally entitled to get married there, and that the marriage will be recognized in the US). 

Getting Started

But where to start? You and your spouse-to-be should make a shortlist of potential destinations where you can be married. Engaging the services of a local wedding planner (ideally one who specializes in adventure weddings) can be helpful for the logistics of preparing for the ceremony.

Other Support

What other assistance might you need other than logistical support from a wedding planner? Not much, to be honest. With the absence of guests and lack of a wedding reception, you won't need to arrange a reception venue or catering. What you will definitely need is an adventure elopement photographer to document the day. This is a specialized form of wedding photography since the goal is to create lasting mementos of the day with limited photographic subjects (essentially it's just you and your new spouse, and the location). High-quality wedding photography arguably becomes even more important during elopement, as your family and friends won't be there themselves.

Elopement allows you to be married with minimal fuss and maximum fun. If a traditional wedding doesn't feel right for you but typical elopement seems too low-key for such an important occasion, you might want to consider making an adventure out of it.

For more information, contact a local business, like Shutterfreek.