What Is an Elopement — and Why It Doesn’t Have to Cost $10K

Over the past few years, the word elopement has changed.

After COVID, as large weddings paused and couples began choosing smaller celebrations, many vendors adapted. Photographers began offering “all-day elopement experiences” — sunrise hikes, multi-location shoots, documentary coverage from morning to night.

These experiences are beautiful.

But somewhere along the way, the meaning of elopement quietly shifted.

Today, many couples believe that eloping means hiring a full-day photography production that costs nearly as much as a traditional wedding.

That was never the intention.

What an Elopement Really Is

An elopement is a small, intentional marriage ceremony. It focuses on:

• The vows

• The commitment

• The intimacy

• The experience

Not the guest count.

Not the production.

Not the performance.

Traditionally, elopements were about freedom — freedom from pressure, from large budgets, from complicated timelines.

They were never meant to become luxury all-day events with five-figure price tags.

The Rise of the “All-Day Elopement”

After the pandemic, couples wanted something different. And the industry responded.

Adventure elopements, multi-hour storytelling sessions, and destination photography experiences became widely marketed as the new standard.

For couples who want a full-day hiking adventure with multiple outfit changes and cinematic coverage, that can be incredible.

But it is not required to have a meaningful elopement.

And it should not be presented as the only way to do it.

You Do Not Need a 10-Hour Photography Package to Elope

A beautiful elopement can be:

• A peaceful sunset ceremony on the beach

• A quiet garden exchange with just the two of you

• A simple, heartfelt ceremony followed by portraits

• A focused 1–2 hour experience that captures everything that matters

You do not need:

• A sunrise-to-sunset production schedule

• A luxury travel itinerary

• Or a photography package that costs more than a traditional wedding

• Unless you genuinely want it.

Eloping was meant to simplify the wedding experience — not recreate it with different aesthetics.

Why This Matters

We have been coordinating and photographing elopements in Florida since 2004.

We have seen trends come and go. And what we know for certain is this: Couples crave clarity.

Many reach out to us after being quoted $6,000–$12,000 for an “elopement package” and wondering why something meant to be simple suddenly feels overwhelming.

There is absolutely a place in the industry for full-day adventure photography. But there is also space — and need — for beautifully simple, legally binding, thoughtfully coordinated elopements that do not require a luxury-level investment.

Both can exist. But they are not the same thing.

A Simple Elopement Is Still Powerful

Two people.A meaningful ceremony.

A stunning Florida backdrop.

Professional guidance.

Beautiful photography.

A marriage license signed and filed.

That is an elopement.

It can be elegant without being extravagant.

It can be intimate without being elaborate.

It can be affordable without sacrificing beauty.

If You’re Searching for “Affordable Florida Elopement Packages”…

Know this: You have options.

You can choose an all-day adventure if that excites you. Or you can choose a beautifully coordinated ceremony that allows you to show up, get married, and celebrate — without turning your elopement into a production.

At Elope To Florida, we specialize in all-inclusive elopement ceremony packages designed for couples who want something meaningful, legal, and stress-free — without unnecessary complexity.

Because an elopement should feel lighter than a wedding. Not heavier.