Elopements are becoming more and more popular these days as the complexities and costs around planning a big wedding increase. The concept of elopements used to have something of a negative connotation - referring to people running away to get married in secret - these days, elopements have become an increasingly romantic thing to do.

They’re a way to fulfil all of the legalities of getting married without all of the costs involved with a wedding - instead using that cash for something else - whether that’s putting a down payment on a house or starting a family.

Why Elope?

As grows the popularity of elopements, so too grows the popularity of elopement photography! Just because you’re not interested in hosting a massive party doesn’t mean you don’t want to remember this important event for the rest of your life. The intimacy of the smaller events makes for some truly romantic elopement photography, whether it’s just the two of you out for the photoshoot after getting all the paperwork done or if you want a select few family or friends, the close-knit affairs are always tear-jerkers!

Eloping just means getting married without the big hoo-ha of the wedding. It's just as legal as any other wedding, and you will need to follow the rules on how to elope in the UK in order for your elopement to have legal effect. This means that you’ll need to get legally married at a registry office first, if you intend on taking advantage of the gorgeous rugged Welsh countryside in your elopement photography.

There are a few options for places to get legally married in Wales, which could be at a registry office or at any premises that is approved by the government to perform weddings and civil unions. 

Hopefully, the government has indicated it will soon change the wedding laws in Wales to allow couples to get married anywhere they want, but for the time being you’ll need to do the legal stuff at a registered location before heading out for your elopement photography.

What Does Elope Mean?

Why has eloping become popular?

Why is it better to elope?

One reason that eloping has become more popular was that the global pandemic basically removed the option of big weddings from consideration. With significantly smaller numbers of people allowed in one place at a time, eloping became the norm for a while there. Of course, that doesn’t mean that the affair could go undocumented - elopement photography became more important than ever to bring out the best of the constricted occasion.

The result was that the stunning elopement photography that was produced revealed the innate intimacy and romance of the events. These were no longer just people running away to get married in their jeans, but besotted couples putting on their best duds and sharing their love for one another against unforgettable scenery.

As more and more couples were drawn to eloping during those tough years, more and more people became enchanted by the prospect of having a day that is truly ‘all about the bride and groom’. As we all know, those bigger weddings can sometimes end up being influenced by close family members, venue availability and all sorts of outside influences. An elopement is so much easier to plan than a big wedding - you only need the two of you, your elopement photographer and at least one other witness for the paperwork part.

Eloping isn’t necessarily ‘better’ than having a wedding, nor is having a wedding ‘better’ than an elopement. It’s a matter of choice, perspective and personality. Some people have dreamed of having a huge wedding their whole lives and want to create an unforgettable event that is remembered by all of their friends and family. Other people find the concept of being the centre of attention simply too anxiety inducing, or don’t have the time and budget to throw a massive shindig.