The term elopement, like queer love in general, has a lot of assumptions around it. Some people still have this antiquated idea of eloping as a hurried, slapdash courthouse affair with no planning and no care. You get it over with like ripping off a bandaid and then go to Olive Garden afterwards. (No shade to Olive Garden—love you.)

But these days? Eloping looks a little different. And honestly, it’s never looked better.

The neutral core of elopement is to escape—from tradition, from expectation, from anyone or anything that could stifle your marital joy. As I mentioned before, these are concepts that often resonate with queer couples. 

In the past, eloping meant getting married in secret like Romeo and Juliet. People eloped because they wanted to be free from family pressure, or because it was cheaper, or because they just couldn’t wait a day longer. (All totally valid reasons, by the way!) But elopement also came with a certain stigma, like it was something to be at least slightly ashamed about.

These days, eloping has a new face. She’s reinvented! It’s not about running away from anything, it’s about running toward something that feels more like yours. It’s bold and sexy and fun. Eloping means choosing intimacy over obligation and prioritizing presence over production. While traditional weddings feel like a performance, elopement is a return to the core of what marriage really is: for the couple getting married.

Modern elopements aren’t rushed or secret or barebones unless you want it to be. It’s literally a choose-your-own-adventure. An elopement ceremony can be wild and raucous, slow and soft, or totally irreplicable. Some couples hike to a mountaintop and exclaim their love from the highest peaks, others cozy up in a seaside cabin and exchange vows by firelight. 

You can still wear the dress. You can still pop champagne. You can still have a playlist and cake and a first dance beneath the stars. The point is it’s YOUR day. You get to decide what that looks like, even if (especially if?) it defies others’ expectations.

Just to be clear:
Eloping does not mean you’re cutting corners
It’s not any less official than a big, traditional wedding
You can invite guests (or not!)
You can still have all your favorite fixings from a traditional wedding, like florals and fancy outfits
You DON’T have to hike up a mountain (but if you do, I’ll bring the snacks)

More and more couples are choosing to elope. Traditional weddings come with a lot of baggage—guest lists, spreadsheets, family input, pressure to perform. While drowning in other peoples’ expectations, it’s easy to lose sight of what the day is actually about: the two of you.

Eloping brings your love back into focus. You’re allowed to be fully present, emotionally energized, and to build a day that actually reflects your unique love story—not just a venue package or generic Pinterest board. 

If you’re like the couples I work with, you’re not interested in generic. The cookie-cutter wedding day is simply not for you. You want to feel in love. You want adventure. You want to feel something.

So you learned about elopement and you’re dreaming about throwing away the rulebook, grabbing your person, and roaming wild together—you’re already one of us. 

Let’s plan something unforgettable. 
Something full of joy and nature and laughter and dirt roads.
Something yours.

If this has your heart screaming HELL YES then it’s time to reach out. I’d love to hear your love story and help you plan something fantastically folksy for just the two of you.