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COMMON MYTHS ABOUT ELOPEMENTS
(and why they're wrong)
1
Eloping is selfish.
Hmm.. Let’s talk about that.
Some people say choosing an elopement means you’re excluding family, avoiding responsibility, or making it all about you. But… isn’t that the point? Your wedding day should be about you—your love, your story, your values. Not a performance for 150 guests you barely talk to.
Eloping doesn’t mean you don’t care. It means you care enough to be intentional. To spend the day in a way that actually feels meaningful. Hiking to a mountain at sunrise. Reading your vows without a crowd. Holding hands and doing something that feels like you.
So no—eloping isn’t selfish.
Expecting couples to go into debt, people-please, and forget what the day is really about… that might be. 💬💥
2
Your wedding isnt sacred if it's not in a church.
Well that's just silly isnt it?
Here’s the truth:
Sacred isn’t defined by stained glass, steeples or manmade buildings. It’s defined by the intention behind the moment. The promises made. The love witnessed — even if the witnesses are the forest and the waves.
For some couples, the mountains are their cathedral. The wilderness is their holy ground. And honestly? A lot of us feel the same way.
If nature isn’t sacred, nothing is.
3
3. You'll ruin your dress!! 😱
I actually hear this one a lot from people walking by during hiking elopements.
And honestly—it always makes me smile. Because if you’ve never thought much about hiking elopements, you might not realize just how unimportant a spotless dress becomes out here.
When the choices are keeping your dress pristine or having an unforgettable, joy-filled, dirt-under-your-boots kind of day… i hope you would choose the experience every time.
In fact, one of the best things about elopement culture is this:
➡️ Out here, a dirty dress isn’t something to stress over—it’s actually something to celebrate! Dirty dress = an elopement done right!
Myth 4: Elopements are secret, spur-of-the-moment weddings.
Once upon a time, eloping might have meant running off in the middle of the night to marry without telling anyone. Today, that’s not the case at all. Modern elopements are often thoughtfully planned — sometimes months or even a year in advance — and can include family, friends, or just the couple. They’re about intention, not secrecy.
Myth 5: Eloping is only for couples on a tight budget.
While elopements can be more cost-effective than traditional weddings, they aren’t just “cheap weddings.” Many couples choose to invest in travel, unique locations, epic photography, or once-in-a-lifetime experiences for their day. It’s less about cutting corners and more about putting your money toward what matters most to you.
Myth 6: You can’t invite anyone if you elope.
An elopement doesn’t automatically mean “just the two of you.” Plenty of couples choose to have a few loved ones there — whether it’s parents, siblings, or a handful of friends. The beauty of eloping is that you decide who’s present and how big (or small) the celebration will be.
Myth 7: Elopements aren't as special as traditional weddings.
In reality, many couples find eloping even more special because the day feels entirely personal. You can focus on each other, create your own traditions, and celebrate without distractions or obligations. It’s your love story, your way — and that’s pretty extraordinary.
So, what does it mean to elope?
A modern elopement is a deliberate, meaningful celebration focused on you as a couple. It’s about creating a wedding day that reflects what feels right for both of you. There are all kinds of ways to elope, but the elopement I want to focus on here is the kind of elopements I plan and shoot. Specifically, "adventure elopements".
The fundamental difference between a traditional wedding and an adventure elopement is the location and the people involved. There are a lot of other things that are different between the two, but these are really the basic two commonalities.
Location: An adventure elopement takes place in a sort of "vacation" type location. It's usually a place where the couple might want to honeymoon, or go on a vacation together. Sometimes it's a place the couple has been before, and sometimes it's a place on their bucket list. Every couple has different reasons for choosing their elopement destination, but basically, it's somewhere with beautiful landscape and lots of outdoor opportunities.
The People Involved: Elopements generally have fewer than 20-25 guests. There's no hard or fast rule on the number of people who can be invited, but a lot of elopement photographers only work with groups of that size or under. Once you get to 25 people or more, the term "elopement" usually changes to "intimate wedding" or "micro wedding".
Why does it matter? Well, it's not a prejudice against guests, even if it might seem that way. It's really just that the logistics really do change when you have guests, vs when you elope alone or with your closest friends or a couple of family members. If you are the kind of couple who wants to hike to a mountain pass to exchange vows with panoramic mountain views, you can easily do that if you're eloping without guests. But if your friends and family are joining you, it gets a lot more complicated. Will there be bathrooms? Parking? Does everyone have the same physical ability? etc..etc..
Elopements are a truly authentic way to say “I do.” Many couples choose to elope because it feels more true to who they are—without the spotlight or pressure of a large crowd.
Elopements are really dear to my heart because of the authenticity that they foster. The whole idea of having a big wedding because it will impress friends and family goes out the window. There are no place settings to deliberate over. No venues to visit. No menu to decide on.
