How Much Does it Cost to Elope?

When I ask couples the reason behind their decision to elope, many mention the cost. The financial burden of planning and hosting a wedding seems never-ending sometimes! With constantly rising costs, many modern couples are looking toward elopement for their wedding. Let’s break down some of the potential things you can find yourself spending money on when you choose to elope. 

The end cost of an elopement really comes down to what the couple decides is essential. While technically you could only spend whatever your local courthouse charges for a marriage license, there are definitely other costs to consider. If you want to have a photographer (like me!) capture your wedding, you’ll need to account for their investment fees. My elopement fee starts at $1000, but each package is customized to your location and destination.

Next up when considering the finances of your elopement is travel. Where exactly will you be eloping to? If you travel a few miles away from your home, you’ll only spend a few dollars on gas. But if you’re traveling out-of-state or to another country, you’ll have to factor those costs in. With traveling elopements, you’ll also need to factor in the cost of your accommodations at your elopement location. That means your hotel or Airbnb stay could range from about a hundred dollars to upwards of $1000, depending on the type of stay you want. All in, travel expenses will probably be between $300 and $2000, on average.

Any eloping couple will also need to think about a budget for clothing. Will you and your love be wearing traditional wedding clothes on your elopement day? Traditional wedding dresses can cost a few hundred dollars, depending on your vendor, and go up, up, up from there. If you’re looking to cut costs in this particular area of your elopement budget, consider renting your wedding clothes! There are many places that offer wedding gowns or tuxes for rent. With all of that considered, let’s count your clothing budget anywhere between $500 and $5000.

If you plan on getting legally married during your elopement, you should set some money aside to pay your officiant. Officiant fees vary based on location but typically come in around $500. However, this cost can be saved if you decide to have your elopement be more of a commitment ceremony and you will get legally married before or after the elopement. 

At the end of the day, the most important thing to consider when deciding to elope is whether a traditional wedding or elopement will make you and your fiancé happiest. This is your day, it should be exactly what you want! Make sure your wedding costs what you want it to cost and looks how you want it to look. There is no correct amount of money to spend, as long as you’re happy with the end result.