There are many reasons why couples choose elopement rather than a traditional wedding ceremony.
Most often, those reasons stem from a couple’s desire to forego the stress that comes along with wedding planning–stress that ranges from cost concerns to familial disagreements. Extravagant weddings have consistently been criticized for focusing more on the party planning and guest experience than the couple themselves!
More and more couples are foregoing traditional weddings in recent years, but while they skip out on the big ceremony and expensive dinner plates, one thing they continue to invest in is wedding photography. Why?
5 Reasons to Consider Wedding Photography When you elope:
1. Sharing photos can reduce hurt feelings…
Maybe the whole family wasn’t invited to the wedding, but they can still see how beautiful and happy the couple is together! Leaving people out of your big day can have a big impact on those who care about you most. Sharing photos from the special event allows people to take part in imagining the ceremony and celebrating your love.
Send a marriage announcement after your elopement! It will let recipients know you were thinking of them, allow them to hold onto a lasting memory of your marriage, and gives you the opportunity to show off the intimate photos from your special day. Click here for some good advice on how to best keep your loved ones’ feelings in mind when eloping!
2. You can customize your experience…
Are you looking for something different than the traditional wedding shots? Or do you have a creative venue in mind? Talk to your photographer. You can tell them what kinds of shots you might be looking for, what spurred your choice to elope, and what you’d like to remember from the big day.
You can also customize the package you get! Don’t need a photographer for the full day? You can schedule photographers for a half-day or a number of hours instead. Don’t want a photographer there for the ceremony? You can schedule a photo session for later that day, instead!
Check out photographers’ options before booking – many will offer special packages for elopements!
This blog is a great resource for questions you should ask any wedding photographer. Check it out!
3. Wedding photos last…
Think about it.
Dinner dishes, wedding cake, venue reservations, and seating arrangements are all temporary. The bulk of what you spend money on for your wedding only lasts as long as the reception! Even a wedding dress will get packed away after the ceremony unless you decide on something creative to do with it.
What does remain is your memory of the event – and the photos are taken to preserve it. While the importance of your party details will decrease over time, the value of your wedding photography will increase.
4. Photos preserve the temporary…
You can still have cake, still have a reception or wedding dinner with friends and family sometime down the line. You can still plan out the temporary beauties that accompany a wedding, and you can make them last through photography.
The simplicity of an elopement makes the details you do choose to include more important, and there are plenty of decorations you can make on your own as well! Check out some beautiful DIY wedding details you can include in your elopement.
5. Photos can capture freedom!
Without the limitations of reserved venue space, you can pick somewhere special to you for your elopement! You can even elope and have your honeymoon in the same place to save the extra travel expenses. That way, you can return from your elopement refreshed and relaxed, instead of stressed out from planning a complicated wedding.
So, whether it’s your favorite spot in the mountains, an office in city hall, or your honeymoon destination, the choice is up to you! Since your day will be free of the hassle from time restrictions and space regulations, the photo opportunities will be endless.
