As COVID-19 runs amok in our country, brides and grooms have been forced to seek alternative plans for traditional weddings. While some couples are opting to delay their larger events until it’s safe to have them, others prefer not to wait. Elopements and micro-weddings are on the rise as they offer a safe alternative to tie the knot this year and next. While disappointing to some, I’m all for this micro-wedding trend and I’ll give you five reasons why.

5 Reasons to Love a Boston Elopement or Micro-Wedding

(From a Boston elopement photographer’s perspective.)

I. The Sky’s The Limit When You’re Planning an Elopement

Literally. You can do whatever you want. No one else’s opinion of where/when/how you tie the knot has to matter. One could argue that this should also be true when you’re planning a traditional wedding, but it’s usually not the case.

Are you a couple who loves to hike? You should hike up a mountain in your wedding dress and say ‘I DO’ at the very top. Did you meet for the very first time at the Boston Public Garden? Get married right in that spot! Ocean lovers to the max? Ditch the fancy shoes and vow to love each other forever with your toes in the sand.

II. The Guest List Can Be as Small as You Want

When you’re planning a traditional wedding, figuring out the guest list can be a huge headache. If you invite Aunt Sharon, you have to invite Cousin Lisa. If you invite your friend from college, you have to invite those other close friends too. An elopement is different! If you want it to be just the two of you and the justice of the peace (and me, hopefully!), do just that. Some couples can’t imagine getting married without their parents and invite only immediate family. Others invite several of their closest friends. There are no etiquette rules when it comes to elopements so you do you, boo.

III. You Choose the Timing

As a photographer, this might just be my favorite aspect of elopements and micro-weddings. Without a formal dinner, dancing, one hundred guests, and a firm five hour venue rental to worry about, you can choose the timing. If you ask any Boston wedding photographer, they’ll tell you that the lighting is rough at weddings. With just a few hours after sunrise and a few hours before sunset as the ideal flattering light, most wedding ceremonies don’t fall into that timeframe. This means harsh light which is not the most ideal. While a good photographer can work around any situation, your photos could be the best ever if you scheduled your ceremony around the golden hour. When you have just you, your closest buds, and the JP to worry about, have that ceremony at sunset!

IV. There’s More Time for Each Other

Every couple goes into their wedding day vowing to soak in the moment and make time for each other. As someone who observes a lot of these days, it’s not often easy or possible. You’re hosting an event with friends and family from far and wide. They all want to talk to you, congratulate you, and share in this special moment. Whether you like it or not, you have an obligation to chat with and thank each guest. While elopements and micro-weddings are generally shorter, less distractions means more quality time for one another and those closest to you. No need to chit-chat with your dad’s boss or your long-lost uncle’s current girlfriend.

V. You Can Allocate Your Funds Creatively for Your Boston Elopement

While elopements are a great way to save money, they also allow you to use a small budget in a way that makes a lot of impact. If you’re a bride who wants to put the majority of her budget towards an epic gown, you can have your Boston elopement outdoors without a venue fee and toast a small guest list with champagne and cupcakes.

Obsessed with photography? Spend most of your cash on a really great photographer and rock that up-cycled velvet tux in an epic location.

Or maybe you’re total foodies and you follow up a super simple ceremony with an incredible picnic for your ten guests from one of Boston’s best restaurants.

Whatever you decide, it’s bound to be suited exactly to the two of you and who you are as a couple!

Happy Eloping!