9 Fabulous Elopement Ideas to Make Your Big Day Special

If you’re looking for elopement ideas but don’t have the help of a wedding planner to organize the details, have no fear! Planning an event as significant as your elopement ceremony can be as simple as booking a vacation. Contrary to popular belief, your wedding day doesn’t have to break the bank. With an elopement, you can cut costs and celebrate your love with an intimate, nontraditional ceremony. Your special day can be just the two of you, an officiant, and a photographer. Yes, really.

And no, eloping doesn’t mean you have to run away to Vegas like they do in the movies. An elopement can be whatever you want it to be! If you’re looking for inspiration, we at Peerspace have some elopement ideas to get you started. If you’re looking for unique venues to host your elopement, keep Peerspace in mind. As the largest online marketplace for hourly venue rentals, we make it easy to book hidden gem venues in cities across the globe. You can easily use Peerspace to find a ceremony space that celebrates you as a couple in any location imaginable.

We’ll delve more into this later, but for now, let’s get back to our elopement ideas.

1. Have your own personal destination wedding

Destination weddings aren’t the most practical option for a big family wedding, but when it’s just the two of you, you have much more freedom to do what you want! Choose your dream destination, book some activities and restaurant reservations, and you’ll have the perfect elopement getaway.

2. Take a camping trip

For outdoorsy couples, consider camping in a tent or glamping in a yurt for your elopement. Beautiful outdoor landscapes can make the perfect photo backdrop, and you’ll already have an affordable place to stay after the ceremony. Just be sure to pack picnic meals, dessert, and some champagne, and you’ll be ready to wed in the woods.

What’s like an Airbnb for elopements? Learn all about it here!

3. Send announcements

As a courtesy, let the important people in your life know you’ve decided to elope so that they know not to expect a wedding invitation. If a simple Facebook post with cute photos won’t cut it for your friends and loved ones, consider sending out custom announcements!

This blog can help you figure out how to announce your elopement. You can purchase the announcements the same way you would purchase save-the-date cards and wedding invitations, complete with custom designs and photos.

4. Don’t forget the photographer

A photographer is a must-have for your elopement! Since your friends and loved ones won’t be there to witness your marriage, hire someone to document every special moment.

If you have specific photo requests in mind, write out a shot list beforehand so that your photographer knows exactly what to capture and when. And since you won’t be having a full-blown wedding, you may even be able to snag a reduced rate!

Discover our favorite wedding photographers across the country to help you find your perfect match!

5. Tour a new country

Instead of spending money on an expensive ceremony, use your wedding budget for a trip abroad. An overseas elopement could be a much better use of your budget, and there’s nothing quite like traveling with the love of your life. Once you pick a country and book your flights, all you need is a local officiant, a few nights in a luxurious hotel, and your comfiest site-seeing shoes to kick off your marriage with the trip of a lifetime.

6. Take a road trip

Make a list of must-see landmarks, pick a location for your ceremony, book some Peerspaces or hostels, and set off on a cross-country road trip to celebrate your love. It might take a little more coordination than most of these elopement ideas. Still, if you’re up for the adventure and don’t mind spending time in the car, a road trip elopement might be a perfect opportunity to see more of your country and make beautiful memories along the way.

7. Make some furry friends

Love animals? Make your unconventional ceremony complete with some unconventional guests!

An elopement ceremony doesn’t have to be lonely just because you’re not bringing any humans along. Find ways to incorporate furry friends in your life, or for extra excitement, you can even rent some unique animals just for your special day. (Yes, there are such things as wedding llamas). And for couples who really want to walk on the wild side, a farm or zoo might be the perfect venue to hold your ceremony alongside some of the world’s most exotic creatures. Before you know it, your critter-filled wedding photos could be going viral

8. Book a romantic venue

You don’t need a lengthy guest list to justify getting married in a beautiful and unique place. With Peerspace, you can find a variety of affordable venue options, even if it’s just for the two of you. Our platform helps you find the perfect photo-ready locations, high-quality catering, and abundant amenities of your dreams — all in one place.

Peerspace is the perfect booking option for elopements because you can find a venue that fits your individual needs. Mansions, studios, cozy lofts, scenic wineries, and more are all available for you to rent by the hour. So why waste money on excessive space when there are venue options for even the most intimate of gatherings?

Both indoor and outdoor spaces are available, complete with beautiful architecture, stunning scenery, and cozy accommodations abound. You don’t have to compromise on the location, no matter how small your wedding is.

Learn how to throw a minimalist wedding to ensure your elopement is still chic and stylish!

9. Have your wedding and honeymoon all in one

While many of these elopement ideas can already be a wedding and honeymoon vacation rolled into one, you might want to do some extra planning to make the first days of your marriage feel special. Pick some activities and design an itinerary so that you can transition seamlessly into a relaxing post-ceremony honeymoon.

Bonus: Plan the epic backdrop

This idea hearkens back to our idea of hiring a professional photographer to document your elopement. You only elope once, so you want to ensure you get epic photos to commemorate the day. And how do you do that? By picking an epic backdrop for your ceremony photos!

Use Peerspace to book outdoor spaces that allow you to elope in style by providing jaw-dropping scenery as a backdrop. Your elopement is a beautiful day that celebrates you and your loved one, so it will already be special. But by having gorgeous scenery in the background, you’re ensuring your photos are on-par with your feelings

Elopement ideas: conclusion

Your wedding day doesn’t have to be an expensive affair full of a bunch of people you hardly know. You can have your wedding your way with a celebration that is made just for the two of you. Consider one or more of these fabulous elopement ideas if you’d like a more intimate and affordable ceremony.

And remember, Peerspace is a wonderful resource for planning all your memorable milestones. Use our platform to find an elopement venue that speaks to you as a couple while celebrating in style.

Find unique wedding venues on Peerspace