Your wedding day is iconically the happiest day of your life. So much time is spent on planning to make the day MORE than perfect! It is YOUR day! Make it one you’ll remember forever! Elopements are a great option, as it is just you, your partner, and your officiant celebrating your love at your location of choice. Imagine exchanging your vows on top of a mountain with only nature to observe…do you feel that?! The spark of adventure, curiosity, and of course the feeling of love! If that sounds like you, well then buckle up! Here are the top Elopement Trends for 2023 to make your wedding day live up to your dreams!
Elopement Trends for 2022
1. Elope instead!
It’s no surprise that trend number one is to elope instead of having a big wedding. Elopements are no longer the whole “running away behind your parent’s back and getting married” thing! Elopements mean, less people and more focus on the two of you! Imagine a day without any stress of having to plan for 200 people. Elopements are a “just us” wedding experience for couples who prefer exchanging their vows with one another in a private setting! Did we convince you yet? If not keep on reading because these ideas are sure to wow you!
2. Take on a new adventure together
There is nothing more memorable than trying something new on your elopement day! Adventuring is SO in, in 2023! Facing a fear together can be a fun way to begin your marriage! Some adventurous ideas include:
-Helicopter Rides
-Hot Air Balloon Ride
-Kayak/Canoe in nearby water
-Rock Climb
-Skydive
-Get Tattoos
-Snorkel
-Venture out on a Sailboat
-Horseback Ride
The ideas are truly endless! What do you think, have we convinced you yet?!
3. Choose a unique location to elope (One of our fav. elopement trends for 2023!)
Chances are, you and your significant other have a special place where you met or maybe a place you want to explore. Luckily, there are so many places to choose from. Are you wanting some western vibes? Elope on a ranch with wildlife in the background! Maybe you want a dark and moody feel to your elopement? Find a well known cave and light it up with candles for your big day! Or maybe you want to keep it comfortable and elope in your backyard! The possibilities are endless when it comes to locations!
Looking for more ideas on where to elope? Click HERE to see our list of Top 20 USA Elopement Locations.
4. Consider a micro-wedding
Eloping may seem a little intimidating to some. Luckily, micro-weddings are totally a go for 2022! Inviting immediate family, having a small bridal group, and minor decorations set the mood for what should be the happiest day of your life. With micro-weddings, it enables you to traditionally celebrate your big day with a small intimate feel! A micro-wedding is typically a wedding with no more than 50 guests. They usually still feature some traditions but on a MUCH smaller scale. But again, you two can decide what traditions you want to keep and which ones have to go!
5. Choosing a season
The busiest seasons for weddings and elopements are the fall and summer. But there is a reason for that; those seasons are beautiful! Although, winter makes for beautiful landscapes and unique tones for a special elopement. Bring your wedding attire as well as some cozy clothes to snuggle up in a cozy lodge Airbnb! Spring promises beautiful flowers and a crisp, cool air to enjoy! Depending on location, spring can be pretty reliable for good weather too. The season you choose is important, so think out of the box!
6. Elope now, party later!
So you want to keep your elopement ceremony secluded and intimate, totally doable! Especially in 2022 where gatherings beyond a limit of people are frowned upon, the party can be thrown later. Go elope, enjoy your honeymoon, then come back and plan a reception for when times are more accepting! No matter when, your people will always be happy to celebrate you and your partners shared love!
7. Conduct a unity ceremony
One of our super intimate elopement trends for 2022 is having a unity ceremony. A unity ceremony is where you and your partner come together to perform a ritual that symbolizes your unity as one. There are so many options as to what you can do. For example, mixing sand, tying rope together, planting a tree, or handfasting are all solid ideas to celebrate your unity. A unity ceremony is a great way to get more honor the committment you are exchaning between one another during your elopement!
8. Wear whatever!
Traditionally, there are specific colors to be worn and not much customization to the attire. As states previously, it is YOUR wedding, do what YOU want! If a short colored dress or romper is more of your style, go for it! If you would rather wear linen pants & shirt than a tux, work it! It is all up to you! Throwing in an embroidered denim or leather jacket is totally in. Depending on your location, you could wear flip-flops, hiking boots, or no shoes! Or maybe you are one of the few who can rock hats, maybe decorate it with florals! Your clothing sets the mood for EVERYTHING!
9. All about the sweets (One of our favorite elopement trends for 2023!)
I don’t know about you, but I think some sort of dessert is definitely an essential for weddings. The typical cutting and smashing into each others face makes for some great pictures and memories. So, why miss out on that for your elopement? You can get a smaller cake that will feed the both of you, and prepare a cake table for after the elopement. You could decorate the table with greenery, vases, candles, and two glasses with a drink of your choice. Other great options include macaroons, donuts, and even fruit parfets! Make it cute!
10. Audience=Pets
Saying it for the people in the back, BRING YOUR PETS! You won’t have to worry about making arrangements for dog-sitters, they will gladly be to the side celebrating with you! Bringing your pets would make for great photos and even better memories. So take advantage of this opportunity, and maybe even treat them with some pup-cakes 🙂 If you are looking for how to include your dog in your elopement, we have just the blog for you! Click HERE to see our tips and tricks for bringing your pup!
11. Pack a picnic
As goofy as it sounds, you may forget to eat on your big day. It is such a busy day, it is completely possible that it could happen. So why not plan for it? Packing a cute picnic for afterward the ceremony is a solid option for you and your partner. Of course, bring small sandwiches, charcuterie board, or snack of choice, but don’t forget the champagne or a celebratory drink with some glasses!
Elopement Trends for 2023 Continued
12. Multipurpose decorations
Depending on your style, your elopement theme may be something that goes well with your home. As you are citing your vows to each other, you could be standing on a patterned rug and a creative back drop behind your officiant. Amazon can be your best friend while planning your special day. You could purchase a customized sign with your shared last name or you could use the vases and flowers in your home. These decorations throughout your home could stand as little reminders of your magical day!
13. Get artsy! (Easy to see why this is on the elopement trends for 2023!)
A creative way to represent your wedding day is to paint something, could be during your unity ceremony. Or maybe if you aren’t trustworthy of your artistic ability, find your favorite picture from that day and hire someone to paint the scene for you live! Having a big painted canvas of your wedding day scene would be a beautiful masterpiece to hang in your home and show off to guests.
14. Airbnb style
When you decide to elope, many questions come into play about location and whether you want to travel far on not. No matter the location, it is a super good idea to book an Airbnb for your wedding night. This option is typically reliable with prices, locations, and convenience. Booking an Airbnb gives you the chance to cook together, chill on the couch, and enjoy the location of your choice without the hustle and bustle of a hotel!
15. Planning a dinner
Let’s be honest, everyone loves food. So it has to be part of your big day. Whether you decided to go back home after your ceremony or you booked an Airbnb, you should plan to have your first dinner as a married couple that night. Cooking with one another is such an intimate experience while you are making your favorite meal. Or maybe after a long day, you have no desire to cook so you hire a private chef for the evening. Either way, have dinner TOGETHER!
Elopement Trends for 2023
16. Rent a car
With the car of your dreams, you can take so many pictures to have proof of cruising in sty– I mean your big day. If a vintage revamped car is your type, you could borrow from a friend for the night. And if you want a modern sportscar, there are plenty of places you can rent a car like that from! Then you can add the traditional tin cans attached to string and drive away in style! If you think renting a car sounds like the two of you, check out THIS blog here to see how easy it is!
17. Revolve around the sun
Coming from the photographer, golden hour is OUR best friend! Of course, you will get beautiful pictures of your elopement. But the golden effect on your pictures really do add a magical touch. So plan to elope sometime around sunrise or sunset! The golden, creamy light can make for a beautiful collection of photos! Either way, you will finish the day as a married couple. Woohoo!
18. Wedding shoe vows
Before the day of your elopement, you should exchange your planned wedding shoes and write a small excerpt on the bottom of the shoe of something you want your partner to know as their day continues. You could write a quote, how you feel, or promises to one another. Whatever you choose, your significant other will read it as they’re getting ready, and it serves as a reminder as to why your wedding day is happening. This trend is so meaningful and intimate for the both of you.
19. Messages in a bottle (a great elopement trend for 2023!)
One of the most creative elopement trends for 2022 is writing messages to put in a bottle. Write these short letters together on your wedding night and place in a glass bottle of your choice. Putting this on display in your house is a sweet little memento for you and your partner to look at occasionally. Then when your anniversary rolls around, take your letters out of the bottle and read them to each other. Continue the ritual of writing these and opening them the following year on your anniversary. You will have quite the collection as your grow grey and old 🙂
20. Marriage announcement favors
If you are eloping, you probably won’t have hundreds of guests showing up to celebrate with you. But who doesn’t want to show off their new spouse and that BLING BLING? That’s what I thought! So once you have eloped and are ready to announce your marriage, send favors telling all of the important people in your life. Spice it up by adding your favorite elopement photos to announce that you put a ring on it! This allows you to have a keepsake of a sorta kinda invitation to your wedding!
21. Out with the old, in with the new
Ditch the “old” style bouquets of flowers and foliage and trade it for succulents! WHAT?! YES! We found this trend on Pinterest and could not be more obsessed with it. You may be thinking this is a strange one… and that is definitely true, but there is something so special about this one! As far as regular old flower bouquets go, they either die or you preserve them – still a cute idea! But if you do a succulent bouquet, you legit have a bunch of new plants for your house afterwards… WHAT is more special than new plants?! Make this swap and you get to enjoy your bouquet long after your wedding day.
22. Make it picture perfect!
To document one of the most important days of your life, you need someone who specializes in the field of elopements. Pictures are so important for any type of wedding, they last forever! Don’t forget to take a polaroid or two! So make sure to book a photographer that meets your needs of the style and type of wedding. Your photographer/videographer is your ultimate hype person on your wedding day (yeah, that’s us:))!
Summing up our Elopement Trends for 2023
Because 2021 & 2022 have been quite the adventure, elopements are definitely the way to go! Luckily, there are so many ways to continue to make your day special. Hopefully this guide of Elopement Trends for 2023 gave you some good ideas to make your day one for the books!
Annnnnd if you are still looking for your elopement photog, click HERE to chat with us today! We’d love the chance to hear about your beautiful plans and help you plan your elopement!
XOXO,
Sam + Bryt
