Perhaps you’ve crunched the numbers and a traditional wedding would be an extravagant expense right now. Maybe you want to get married sooner rather than later, and throwing a party for all your friends and family could not be accomplished quickly enough. A large percentage of couples simply don’t want to hold a wedding, and there are many good reasons to consider eloping.
However, the unpopular news that you won’t be having a big, joyous wedding can be hard to break to friends and family members. Because many couples fear the disappointment of their nearest and dearest, they often tell people about the elopement in a way that makes people feel left out and unhappy. While this definitely can be avoided, you don’t have control over how people ultimately feel; there is still a chance that people will behave in an unpleasant way when informed about your elopement. Rather than focusing on the potential negatives, start your process by thinking of all the uplifting and positive reasons why eloping is right for you and your partner. Having these reasons handy (even if the bigger reason is a negative one) can help the conversations with friends and family go much more smoothly. The protests of family members are sometimes silenced by the very clear excitement and joy you take in the path you’ve chosen.
Depending on your needs and your unique family and friends, you may want to choose one of several ways to break the news to your loved ones about your...