In eras gone by, eloping typically involved rolling into a Las Vegas chapel after a few too many martinis or heading to the registry office without anyone knowing – perhaps to avoid the wrath of disapproving parents, or perhaps due to the deafening sound of shotguns…

But today, elopements are considered a much more personal alternative to all the white bells and whistles of tradition. Best of all, they don’t necessarily involve an Elvis impersonator (unless you want that, of course!). If the very thought of elaborate wedding planning, the $2000 worth of glitter confetti in your eBay cart because of a ‘bridal vision’ or walking down the aisle in front of many eyes is enough to make you shudder, then the intimacy of an elopement with a handful of your nearest and dearest is probably right up your alley.

Wedding Planner Bec McLean from Dragonfly Weddings & Events gives some pros and cons on why an elopement to the tropics might be right for you.

PROS

It’s Way Less Expensive

Elopement beats traditional weddings in basically every cost category. You'll save massively by avoiding reception catering for tons of guests, large venue rental fees, decorations and flowers for a large space, bridal party costs (from bridesmaid gifts to hair/makeup styling), and other large costs.

There Are No Rules

Forget every wedding tradition you've ever known. All that matters during your elopement is that you say the vows and sign the paper… the rest is up to you! Not a fan of bouquet tosses? No problem. Include the traditions you love and leave out the ones that bore you.

Hitched & Honeymoon

Everyone loves a two-fer deal! Get hitched AND have your honeymoon; come home relaxed, tanned and happy with some new bling and a whole lot of memories. What’s not to love about that?

Image Courtesy of Port Douglas Weddings

CONS

Possible Drama

When loved ones find out that you've eloped, there may be some hurt feelings about not receiving an invitation. In a perfect world, everybody would be selflessly happy about your marriage and choice to wed in a way that made you happy, but unfortunately that sometimes isn't the case.

Fewer Folks to Share the Memories:

Despite the many upsides to inviting fewer guests (a maximum of 10 people is considered an elopement), one aspect is that fewer people will be able to reminisce with you about the wedding. You can have a video made and sent to everybody, but there is a difference when they've not actually experienced the elopement.

Image Courtesy of Thala Beach Nature Reserve

No matter the reason, for couples who decide to elope, there are a few easy ways to make sure your wedding day is one to remember. Opt for a special outfit, choose your location wisely (it's going to be the backdrop to your photos, after all), and make sure you have a photographer lined up to capture the occasion, whether it's on the beach or at some gorgeous rainforest locale. Even though your friends and family may not be present when you exchange your vows, they'll definitely want to see the photos later.

And we can all cheers to that.