You’re already traveling down the unbeaten path of planning an elopement, but I know you must be wondering what the average cost of elopements truly is. This post is going to walk you through the elopement costs you should and shouldn’t worry about! Plus my favorite go-to rule at the end when planning any kind of event on a budget basically, so stick with me. 😉

Average elopement costs vs. traditional weddings!

In contrast to a traditional wedding with tons of guests, outdated traditions, and unnecessary costs that can come out to an average of over $30,000, elopements and intimate weddings allow you to focus on the things that matter most to you and your significant other. While it varies from couple to couple, the average cost of an elopement or intimate wedding can range from $5,000 to $15,000. So there is a lot of wiggle room in there depending on where you decide to save and where you want to splurge. As a destination elopement photographer, I’m here to give you the inside scoop on where to save and where to splurge for your elopement or intimate wedding.

Necessary elopement costs

Before we get into the fun stuff, it’s important to keep in mind that there are some costs you simply can’t avoid. But it’s for good reason. These unavoidable costs tend to be things like permits, licenses, lodging, and travel costs. Typically, national and state parks require you to get a permit and pay a permit fee in order to hold your ceremony on their grounds. The price and permit requirements vary from park to park, with processing times averaging about two months, so I recommend visiting the official website of your chosen destination to learn more. I usually do all this for my couples just so nothing gets missed by accident!

Ideas for a beautiful, cost-effective wedding: where to save and where to splurge on your elopement or intimate wedding

Save: Do your own flowers

I’m completely enamored by professional floral arrangements. However, I know they can be one of the most expensive aspects of a wedding depending on what you’re going for. Luckily they are a totally doable DIY. I recommend sourcing your own flowers from places like Costco (as seen above), Trader Joe’s, or Whole Foods. With a little help from some Pinterest or TikTok inspo, you and your loved ones can arrange some beautiful floral decor. Set aside some time the night before your elopement for some family bonding-floral arranging time. It’s a great way to spend time with your loved ones, make them feel included, while also saving big on elopement costs.

Save: Airbnb venue and accommodations

Rather than reserving a block of rooms at a hotel or making your guests find their own accommodations, renting a big Airbnb for the whole family is a great way to both save money and keep everyone close for all the festivities. Airbnb and VRBO have some incredible properties available that can accommodate dozens of people at once and have breathtaking views, making them the perfect place for your low-cost elopement or intimate wedding. Some even allow you to have your ceremony there! Likewise, if it’s just going to be the two of you, you can usually find a small Airbnb for under $100/night.

Splurge: Hair and makeup

This is going to be one of the happiest days of your life, and you don’t want it to be ruined by a bad hair day or a cat eye gone wrong. With tons of pictures being taken of you all day long, you’ll want to look and feel your best. That’s why I recommend hiring a professional for these special touches. In the end, you’ll be happy you did because you spent less time worrying about DIYing a Pinterest hairdo and more time enjoying the process of feeling the most beautiful on your elopement day.

Save: Have a potluck

Catering is one of the biggest wedding and elopement costs. If it’s just going be the two of you, consider hitting up a grocery store and trying a new recipe together (another reason an Airbnb is a good penny-pincher… A KITCHEN)! And, I think we can all agree, one of the best parts about gatherings with your friends and family is all of the homemade recipes you share! You know that one secret recipe you look forward to sharing for every holiday season? What better time to whip that out than at your own elopement or intimate wedding?! Have your loved ones each bring their own specialty dish, and you’ll have a delicious meal made with lots of love to share. That’s what my brother did and it was a blast (and so yum!)

Save: DIY invitations/announcements

Stationery and invitations are one of those things that can really add up but look just as beautiful if you design them yourself. With the help of apps like Canva (as Julian and Slendy did above) and a bit of inspiration from Instagram or Pinterest, just a few minutes of designing on your phone and a [virtual] trip to the printer (I recommend Vistaprint) can save you tons on the cost of an elopement. Should you choose to send anything tangible at all! Some people choose to send virtual announcements, or just show up married (raises hand…). Either way, plenty of options to save on wedding and elopement costs here!

Save: Elopement wedding dress

Okay, hear me out. With hundreds, if not thousands, of options at your fingertips, you can totally find a dreamy elopement wedding dress for great value shopping online. Lightweight and low cost, these are the type of dresses that are perfect for a low-cost elopement or intimate wedding where you plan to hike up a scenic mountain or run into the sunset on a sandy beach. If you ask me, ASOS, LuLu’s, and Azazie are great places to start. You can see one of my favorite ASOS dresses I’ve photographed below! I’m talking under $100 people. It was worn for two days, went on a hike, in the sand and ocean, was rinsed off directly after photos with stain remover and a hose, and looked BRAND NEW.

Splurge: Elopement photography and videography

You’re marrying the love of your life, so naturally you’ll want to remember every moment. Every loving glance when the other isn’t paying attention, and each stolen kiss in a way that you’ll be proud to share with the world. A professional photographer and videographer will make all the difference, because iPhone pictures edited with VSCO won’t do your love justice. When you look back at your photos years later, you’ll be glad you found a photographer you could count on to capture it all. If you have to choose one, I’d personally choose photography, as there’s generally more of each moment in my experience. Plus you can put them around your home! Either way, both are basically the only things that last beyond your wedding day, making them priceless.

Save: Groove to your own tunes

Everyone loves a good dance party, but you don’t have to be a pro to get people dancing. My suggestion? Set the vibe with a solid playlist made with all of your favorite songs, throw in a few crowd pleasers, and blast the music on a good bluetooth speaker. It’s one of the easiest ways to save on your average wedding or elopement costs. Plus, you and your guests will dance the night away to rad music you’ll all enjoy. I create a personalized playlist for my couples to play whenever the mood calls for it. This can be during getting ready photos, bride and groom portraits, whenever. You’d be surpised by the vibe change for photos (and the ability to calm any wedding day jitters!)

Save: Décor and furnishing

Thrift stores are a great place to find not only super cute vintage clothing gems, but also classic décor staples that add a bit of flare to your venue without hurting your budget too much. Things like chairs, area rugs, curtains, glassware and lights can all be found at your local thrift store and will add a cool eclectic vibe to your intimate wedding. And once you’re done with them, either donate them back to the store, or keep them for your own home with your new spouse! Plus, the mismatched chairs vibe is totally in right now anyway (and forever if I have any say in it).

Splurge (and save): Travel somewhere unforgettable for your elopement (and honeymoon there too)

You want to make your elopement an unforgettable adventure (especially now that you’ve saved thousands of dollars after reading this blog). This is the perfect opportunity to travel somewhere extraordinary. Fly to that one place you’ve always dreamed of visiting with the love of your life or spend some time soaking in the unbelievable views here in our very own national parks. But get this, if you spend your honeymoon in that same location as your elopement, it’ll be a huge save too!

I may be a little biased, but Hawaii has got to be one of the most amazing places on the planet. With golden, black and all white sandy beaches (that black sand is insane!) right around the corner from breathtaking mountain top views. Pro tip — invite your photographer along to really capture the views (and romance). You can find more pro tips about eloping in Hawaii on my blog.

How to plan your elopement

As an elopement and small wedding photographer, I know all of the best ways to save on your elopement while making sure it is the adventure of a lifetime. Budgeting is actually a secret love of mine, so it’s really no trouble at all!  Time for that favorite go-to rule of mine when on a budget: Pick THREE things to invest in for your elopement day, then DIY the rest. Let’s get in touch and begin planning yours today. AHHH! I’m so excited! Aren’t PUMPED?!