What It’s Really Like To Elope, From Four Women Who Did It

Weddings are dreamy. The white dress, the layered cake, the slow first dance. The public declaration of love, the bridesmaid dresses, the speeches. They can be so beautiful. Brides and grooms describe their wedding as the best day of their lives. But what if you don’t fancy being ogled by 200 of your closest friends? What if you don’t want to pay a small fortune for flowers that’ll wilt before the night is out? What if you don’t like crowds, don’t like tradition, or don’t like organising large scale events, even in the name of love?

Perhaps the most romantic possible scenario is to run away to a stupidly beautiful location and get hitched with just enough people to legally witness the ceremony. Whether it’s pragmatism or romanticism, lots of couples decide to do exactly that.