To Elope or Not To Elope – That Is The Question

So you’re debating the advantages of eloping vs. the big wedding.  Well congratulations on trying to hold onto your sanity.  You can picture it – you want dramatic and memorable but you don’t want drama or nightmares. You want pictures you’ll want to hang in your future home but you also want to be able to afford that home. You don’t want to pick and choose the guest list…or the wedding party…or whether to include children. You don’t want to take days off to get your marriage license, search for venues, taste cakes, pick flowers and the rest but you do want to take days off to lay on a beach or ski down the slopes or explore a new city.  You don’t want to juggle everyone’s schedules to find a day that fits for them and the venue and the florist and the only DJ you can afford. This isn’t your mother’s wedding, it’s 2019 and you can do it better – consider it self-preservation. That’s where Simply Eloped x Whym comes in.

 

 

 

But let’s dig a little deeper:

Break Open Your Checkbooks

Studies show that spending an average of $30,000 on your special one-day event is the norm.  Even more terrifying is 74% of couples go in to debt to do it. Wouldn’t you rather be standing on top of a mountain or toes in the sand for about one third the cost? Because that is what it costs on average to elope AND add on a kick-ass honeymoon!  

 

 

 

Have you started to write down a guest list?  Ouch. Mom wants you to invite the whole family – including cousins you aren’t sure you’ve ever met.  At over $250 per guest on average, that’s going to add up fast. Who do you have to include on your partners side?  Can the divorced parents sit at the same table or will there be hard feelings?  What about kids?  How much do they cost and will they be crying through your vows and running around the reception like their hair is on fire?  If reading this has caused you to break out another bottle of wine, elopement is the easy solution.  Let Simply Eloped x Whym choose an incredible spot that fills your heart with joy and take care of all the details. You just show up beautiful and in love

 

 

 

Honey, Pull Out Your Calendar

Hope you can get a day off of work because you’ll need to apply for your marriage license in person between the always convenient weekday Monday-Friday business hours.  Don’t forget your two forms of identification, your check book, and if you’re divorced or widowed, bring the divorce or death certificate (sorry, even elopements can’t get you out of that one but wouldn’t even this be more fun in an unexpected locale?).  Hey, don’t forget to take a second day off for that super fun blood test in some states!  And if you’re getting married in a church or synagogue, go talk to the priest/rabbi/spiritual advisor, schedule a date months or years out and, in some religions, you’ll need to sign up for the required marriage classes.  Yeah, that’s a thing. 

You’ll also need at least a few Saturdays to drive around and check out the reception venues.  Indoor or outdoor?  Daytime or evening?  How long is the waitlist?  Can you get the reception venue the same day that you just scheduled the church?  Does the venue provide linens?  What colors are you using?  Do you have a theme?  Is that an added cost?  How about centerpieces?  Menus (what about the vegetarians/vegans)?  Seriously, are we having fun yet?! I think I hear a beach calling me right now. 

 

 

 

How Does Excel Work Again?

Let the lists begin. You’ll need another day to pick flowers, invitations, and cakes.  Think any of this can be done over the phone?  Think again girl.  Do you know how many different types of flowers there are?! Did you know there are 24 different types of icings/frostings/fondants/buttercreams/meringues/glazes and ganaches to choose from for your cake?!  Wait hold on, you don’t know if you want edible decorations or flowers or a custom made topper from Etsy?!  So behind the ball. What about fonts for the invitations?  The color and weight of the paper?  Did you know paper had weights?  Hmmmmm…maybe a beautiful majestic mountain peak with a breeze blowing through your hair is more your style.  Think of the magnificent pictures!

 

 

 

Which leads us to the photographer.  How many hours do you want to hire them for?  One or two photographers? Does that include a videographer? Are you ever really going to sit down and watch yourself? And on what technology – is your parents VHS player still holding up?  Who’s in charge of wrangling all the family together for that perfect shot at the reception?  Don’t forget Aunt Linda.  She’s the type to hold a grudge.  You, your partner and a beautiful bouquet is so much more fun.  This is your day.  Be the queen you were meant to be instead of everybody’s mother – there will be time for that later.

 

 

 

Band or DJ? Quartet? What song are you walking down the aisle to? Or out to? Or cutting the cake to? Screw it, go dance like no one is watching.  Seriously.   Wouldn’t you rather look into each other’s eyes and say your vows.  Take really great pictures of the two of you (or four if you bring your bff’s), and celebrate your big day with a delicious dinner by candlelight and a toast to your next chapter.  

 

 

 

Let’s Do This

So look, let’s make this fun – you deserve it. Here’s how it works – Whym is a surprise destination travel company. Simply Eloped is a premiere elopement planner all across the US. Together, we take care of absolutely everything. Just click on “Book Your Whym” where you’ll see “Elopement and Vow Renewal” listed.  You’ll pick your budget and how many nights you want to be gone.  Is it just the wedding or the honeymoon too (let’s be honest – that’s the best part)? Next a survey will pop up.  This is where you tell Whym all about yourselves so we can make your day perfect. 20 minutes, tops.   

Now the work falls to Simply Eloped and Whym. After Whym has chosen your surprise destination, Simply Eloped will do what they do best and put together a few packages for you to choose from.  We will email you a link and you and your partner can pick the package that’s right for you. Let the experts at Whym and Simply Eloped surprise you.  That’s it.  No drama. Delete that spreadsheet. A week before you depart, you will get a 10 day weather forecast and a packing list. 24 hours before, you’ll find out where and when your flight departs. And 2-3 hours before you take off, you’ll find out where you’re going and the adventure truly begins. 

 

 

 

If you’re sold on eloping but you know you want to stay close to home, that’s okay too, you can save the surprise for your honeymoon. You can go directly to Simply Eloped and book your elopement with them where exactly you want it. Let them know you want to take a honeymoon with Whym and they’ll loop us in or you can come directly to our website and book your surprise destination trip. All the suspense without having to fold taffeta into a carry-on. 

Packages for the trip portion of an elopement start at $1,000 per person for two nights/three days and honeymoons and other travel at $600 per person. You can relax and breathe deep knowing that the experts at Whym and Simply Eloped are taking care of everything.