The Elopement Blog

Ideas, Inspiration + Advice for Couples Planning Small Weddings

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SHOULD YOU TELL PEOPLE YOU ARE ELOPING? ( Honest answer )

Wondering when to tell people you're eloping? Get an honest take on why waiting until after the wedding might be the better choice.

Top 4 Reasons Couples Choose to Elope or Have a Small Wedding

Wondering if a small wedding or elopement is right for you? Here are the top 4 reasons couples make that choice, from a former celebrity wedding planner.

What to Look for in Your Wedding Vendor Contracts (Before You Sign)

Signing a wedding vendor contract? Learn what protections to look for before you book, from a former celebrity wedding planner turned small wedding expert.

How to Tell Your Family You're Eloping or Having a Small Wedding

Telling family you're eloping or having a small wedding? Get 4 expert tips for breaking the news without damaging relationships, from a 20-year wedding planner.

What Is a Small Wedding? (And Should You Have One?)

What counts as a small wedding? Get clear definitions of elopements, micro weddings, and intimate weddings, plus the top reasons couples choose to go small.

How to Use AI for Wedding Planning (And Where It Falls Short)

Planning a small wedding? Here's exactly where AI tools help — and where they fall short — from a former celebrity wedding planner.

Should You Have a Wedding Registry for Your Small Wedding or Elopement?

Wondering if you should have a wedding registry for your elopement or small wedding? Get the dos and don'ts from a 20-year wedding planning pro.

How to Navigate Difficult Family Relationships When Planning a Small Wedding

Planning a small wedding or elopement? Learn how to navigate difficult family relationships, guest list decisions, and expectations — without losing your peace.

How to Plan a Micro Wedding + Is a Micro Wedding right for Your Day

What is a Micro Wedding? Well, essentially it is a small wedding with less than 40 guests that can follow any format you want, but generally has a few more traditional wedding elements than an elopement.

Wedding Floral Designs: How to Choose the Perfect Blooms for Your Big Day

When planning your wedding, the flowers you choose will play a huge role in setting the tone for your entire event. Whether you're dreaming of romantic roses, whimsical wildflowers, or tropical blooms, your floral design helps tell the story of your special day. But how do you choose the perfect flowers, especially when you're eloping or planning a destination wedding like in Hawaii? It all comes down to timing, trusting your florist, and being open to changes. If you’re eloping with Modern Elopement, we’ve taken the time to create gorgeous designs that you can choose from.

How to Choose the Perfect Venue for Your Elopement

Choosing a venue for your elopement is one of the most exciting decisions you’ll make in the planning process. Whether you envision a breathtaking beachfront ceremony, a lush tropical garden, or an intimate cliffside vow exchange, your venue sets the tone for your entire wedding day. At Modern Elopement, we’ve helped hundreds of couples find their dream location, and we’re here to share our tips on how to choose the perfect venue for your elopement.

A Day in the Life of an Elopement Concierge: Behind the Scenes at Modern Elopement

At Modern Elopement, our passion is creating magical, stress-free weddings for our couples. Our dedicated team of Elopement Concierges is here to ensure every detail of your special day is perfect. Today, we’re giving you a behind-the-scenes look at what a typical day is like for our team.

The Only Wedding Planning Tool You Will Need

Get Ready to Plan with our Modern Love Membership! The only monthly wedding planning subscription.

Including Culture on Your Wedding Day

Tips and Tricks to include your Personal Culture!

How to Get EPIC Wedding Photos

Think you’ll be Awkward in your Photos? Think again!

The Ultimate Guide to the Day of Your Elopement Wedding

Not sure what to expect on the Day Of your Small Wedding? Look no further!

12 Items you May Forget During Elopement Wedding Planning

Planning Your Wedding? Here are some details you won’t want to forget!

Need More Inspiration?

Real Elopement Weddings

Featured

January 1, 2024

Navigating Your Engagement Journey: 10 Tips for a Joyful Start to Planning Your Micro-Wedding

January 1, 2024

Congratulations! You've said “yes” to forever, and the journey to “I do” begins now. The engagement period is a time of joy, dreams, and thoughtful planning. Here are 10 tips to help you navigate this special chapter and lay the foundation for a beautiful wedding day.

January 1, 2024

December 18, 2023

Why Couples Choose to Elope with No Guests

December 18, 2023

Weddings often come with long guest lists and grand celebrations, but there's a growing trend among couples to embrace the intimate and personal act of eloping—with no guests. While traditional weddings have their charm, more and more couples are choosing the path less traveled, finding profound meaning in a ceremony that's just about them and their love story.

December 18, 2023

December 8, 2020

4 Reasons You Have to Have Your Micro-Wedding in Hawaii

December 8, 2020

Are you beyond ready to get married?! We know so many people have had to change their plans or postpone their wedding date. This is why you NEED to run away to Hawaii to get married. Right now.

December 8, 2020

More Real Weddings!

How To Plan

Featured

December 1, 2020

A Planner's Advice for COVID Couples

December 1, 2020

As a planner, I talk with countless couples every single day who have been affected by the coronavirus. Couples who had to cancel the day before their wedding due to shutdowns. Couples who postponed one, two, three, four times. Couples who abandoned all hope of having a wedding this year. Couples who said screw it and went to the courthouse. Your story is unique, but you’re not alone.

December 1, 2020

October 6, 2020

COVID Wedding Vocab: Micro Wedding, Mini Wedding, Pop Up Wedding, Tiny Wedding, Sequel Wedding and More!

October 6, 2020

Do you know the difference between a micro-wedding and a mini-wedding? A sequel-wedding and an elopement? A tiny wedding and a minimony??

There are so many new wedding terms this year that it is hard to know the difference between them all! Do they all mean the same thing? They are all just weddings at the end of the day, right!?

October 6, 2020

September 24, 2020

Must-Read Guide to Getting Gorgeous Photos

September 24, 2020

Photos are what you get to keep and hold on to forever after the big day, so you want to make sure that they’re perfect! Don’t let this stress you out — you will get those photos because we have the tools for you!

September 24, 2020

More How to guides

Inspiration

Featured

December 8, 2020

4 Reasons You Have to Have Your Micro-Wedding in Hawaii

December 8, 2020

Are you beyond ready to get married?! We know so many people have had to change their plans or postpone their wedding date. This is why you NEED to run away to Hawaii to get married. Right now.

December 8, 2020

August 7, 2020

Why and When to Send your Elopement Announcement Cards

August 7, 2020

Eloping is the new way to get married! Between all of the craziness of the current pandemic and the ever changing restrictions on group gatherings, eloping is not only safer, but it is much easier and less stressful on the couple to plan. You will still want to get married even if you can’t have large groups of people there with you, so how do you make sure to let everyone know that you tied the knot?

August 7, 2020

July 30, 2020

Elopement Wedding Accessories | The Must Have Small Wedding Items

July 30, 2020

We absolutely love all things pretty — especially these new elopement wedding accessories designed by the Elopement Experts themselves. We have put together helpful planning notebooks, handy bags to keep your day of necessary items, and cute items for your tropical honeymoon too! Just because you’re having a small wedding doesn’t mean you need to miss out on the style and details!

July 30, 2020

More Inspiration

Nicole Berriman 9/22/20 Nicole Berriman 9/22/20

Micro-Wedding, Mini Wedding, Small Wedding, Elopement -- What's the Difference?

The short answer? There is none! With the rise in popularity of elopements due to COVID-19, people have expanded their wedding vocabulary. New terms for an elopement include small wedding, micro-wedding, pop-up wedding, mini wedding and much more! Each of these terms means the same thing: elopement!

An elopement wedding is a small, yet beautiful gathering of people to celebrate two people being united in marriage. Traditionally an elopement meant that you couldn’t bring any guests at all — this is no longer the case! Modern Elopements can still bring a small amount of guests which is why some people have chosen to call them small weddings, mini weddings, or micro-weddings. All that matters is that you aren’t having the huge, stressful shebang of the old wedding.

Elopements can also be called pop-up weddings because of the short nature of the planning process. It’s true that elopements can usually be planned much faster than a traditional wedding, but it doesn’t have to be this way. You can still plan ahead if that is what makes you most excited about getting married.

There you have it! Mini Weddings, Small Weddings, Intimate Weddings, Micro Weddings, Pop-up Weddings, Elopements, it’s all new ways to describe the same thing!

If you need help planning your elopement, check out our membership!