Elopement vs. Micro Wedding: Which Is Best for You?


Dreaming about an intimate wedding ceremony to celebrate your love and start your new life together as a married couple?


While many couples are confident they want a small wedding, most don’t realize that there are a couple of different options for intimate weddings… the most popular being elopements and “micro-weddings” (another term for a small wedding). While elopements and micro-weddings are both small, romantic, and personalized celebrations, they have some nuanced differences that might cause couples to gravitate to one option more than the other.


As an intimate wedding and elopement photographer, I’ve seen my fair share of both small weddings and elopements. To help you determine whether an elopement or micro-wedding is right for you, I’ve rounded up some of the key differences of each below… let’s jump right in!

wedding couple's hands reaching towards one another

But First… What Is an Elopement vs. a Small Wedding?



Elopement


Elopements have historically been private, secret events… usually with the couple running away from home (often in a hurry) to get married without permission from their parents. In modern culture, the meaning of elopement has drastically shifted, though today’s elopements are still inspired by the sense of privacy and adventure that marked elopements in centuries past.


Elopements are now considered small wedding ceremonies with few (or no) guests that ditch the “rules” of the modern wedding industry, allowing you to plan a day that celebrates your love on your timeline and terms. Elopements are often hosted in a unique, adventurous location that would be unavailable for a traditional wedding ceremony, like on a secluded beach or in the snowcapped mountains. Traditionally, elopements do not have receptions — just the ceremony.


Intimate Wedding


An intimate wedding (often called a micro-wedding) offers the best of both an elopement and a traditional wedding. It has all the key elements of a traditional wedding, like a ceremony or reception, but with a smaller guest list and without the pressure to follow traditions and the expectations of others


wedding couple near a barn. Bride in pink dress

Key Differences Between an Elopement and a Small Wedding...


Now that you better understand elopements and micro-weddings, let’s examine the primary differences between each wedding style:

cute elopement style wedding set up in the mountains

Size



Elopements

Elopements are generally very small, with no more than 10–15 guests (including the couple). Most commonly, these guests are from the bride and groom’s immediate family, like parents and siblings, and sometimes may include a couple of close friends and other significant family members, like grandparents. Some elopements may just include the couple and the officiant.


Intimate Weddings

Micro weddings are usually between the size of an elopement and a traditional wedding. The guest list typically includes 15–40 people — often the couple’s immediate and extended family members and a small group of friends.

wedding couple walking down a city sidewalk

Location



Elopements

Since couples generally elope with such a small group of people, there is much more flexibility as to where to elope. While the image of a courthouse often jumps to mind when people think of eloping, many couples choose adventurous locations for their elopements, like national and state parks, the mountains in Colorado, or the beaches in Hawaii.


Intimate Weddings

Intimate weddings are generally hosted at a venue like traditional weddings. However, since most venues have packages requiring couples to pay for a headcount of at least 100 people, micro-weddings are usually hosted at alternative venues, like backyards, restaurants, vacation rentals, or small wedding venues.


romantic blurry, black and white, picture of a wedding couple

Structure



Elopements

The beauty of an elopement is that there is zero structure required, making it the ideal choice for free-spirited couples who want to make their wedding all about shared interests, activities, and passions… whether that’s hiking, snowboarding, or city slicking. Most elopements don’t have a reception, so after the ceremony, you can focus on spending quality time with your partner instead of feeling pressured to entertain a crowd.


Intimate Weddings

An intimate wedding usually has a similar structure to a traditional wedding… a ceremony followed by a reception with drinks, dinner, toasts, and dancing. Unlike an elopement, which is more laid-back, you’ll still need to “host” and “entertain” your guests during a micro-wedding, though with a small crowd, the overall vibe can be much more relaxed.

wedding couple surrounded by tropical plants in Hawaii

Timeline



Elopements

If you need to plan a wedding at the last minute, an elopement is a great choice. Though it’s true you can technically plan an elopement in one day, it’s wise to start planning your elopement at least a few months in advance to ensure you have enough time to pick out a dress, book an officiant, make travel plans, select the perfect spot for a ceremony, and find a photographer.


Intimate Weddings

A micro-wedding typically takes 3–6 months to plan, which is much shorter than the recommended timeline of 12–18 months for a traditional wedding. Since smaller weddings have a shorter guest list and simple logistics, making quick decisions with the venue and vendors is more manageable, speeding up the wedding planning process.

wedding couple walking out of a cute white house

Cost



Elopements

One huge benefit of eloping is that it’s much cheaper than hosting a wedding (even a small one!). The average cost of eloping is $5,000–$10,000, and the most notable costs are the officiant, photographer, attire, and travel fees. Eloping is an excellent choice for couples who want to splurge on other aspects of the wedding, like an exotic honeymoon or an incredible wedding photographer!


Intimate Weddings

Though an intimate wedding is more expensive than an elopement, it is much cheaper than the average cost of a traditional wedding, which is generally around $50,000. Intimate weddings cost between $10,000 and $20,000, depending on the number of guests. The biggest extra expenses of an intimate wedding versus an elopement are the cost of the venue and “entertainment” costs, like food, drinks, and music.

wedding couple walking through the woods

Capture All the Special Moments from Your Elopement or Intimate Wedding with Claire Hamilton Photography


Whether you and your partner feel that an intimate wedding or an elopement is the right fit for your unique personality as a couple, I would love to be your photographer on your wedding day and capture all your heartfelt memories! Contact me to get started.