Wedding Traditions For Couples That Choose to Elope

You’ve come to the right place. First let me start by saying it’s a fantastic idea to leave traditions out of your elopement, the kind that you don’t want to have! I so support this and honestly, it’s one of the big reasons why couples choose to elope or have an intimate wedding. Right?! Are you feeling this at all? Couples are so over feeling pressured into having their wedding a certain way, just because your third cousin twice removed did it, it doesn’t mean it applies to you.

I’m all about leaving the traditions behind that you DON’T want to include on your elopement day, but also so about encouraging you to still make new traditions or include one or two that you love.

1. EXCHANGE HANDWRITTEN LETTERS ON YOUR ELOPEMENT

It’s such an amazing experience to share handwritten letters to your best friend that are written BEFORE your elope. You get to profess your love, excitement, and anticipation to your best friend then get to read it and have those letters for the rest of your life. Exchanging letters is a perfect way to begin your elopement or break up your day, to just pause and take everything in. One way that your parents, other family or important people in your life can be part of your elopement is by writing letters for you to open, read and share on your elopement. I’ve seen this happen for several couples that I’ve worked with and it’s just so meaningful.

I’m not sure when or where the ‘first-look’ tradition began but it’s by far one of my favorites and every couple that I’ve worked with that has had a first-look is so glad that they did.

2. HAVE THAT FIRST-LOOK ON YOUR ELOPEMENT

Here are a few reasons:
- It allows you to have an intentional moment together that can also be beautifully documented
- If you have friends + family present it gives you privacy to embrace and feel all the emotions
- It’s the perfect way to begin exchanging letters
- It can also make sense on a practical level with timelines and travel logistics
- It’s creating a memory that you’ll have for the rest of your lives

Are you wondering how to have a first-look if you’ll be seeing each other the morning of your elopement? I’m always up for brainstorming and have suggestions to still make a first-look special and meaningful for you.

3. ALWAYS HAVE A FIRST DANCE

If you’re going to have ONE tradition on your elopement or intimate wedding you should have a first dance. And you don’t need to know how to dance, my wife and I are not great dancers, but I still remember our first dance and am so glad we had one.

When you elope, there’s no pressure, no one watching, no expectations. Just you and your hunny hugging and dancing.

Remember that your wedding day is about YOU and you get to 100% do whatever you want.

That means you choose which traditions you include or don’t include. These are just some personal favorites that you might want to consider. <3