How Much Should I Budget for an Elopement?
So you and your partner have decided to elope. First things first, congratulations! Eloping is a truly magical, intimate experience you and your partner will cherish for a lifetime. While there are hundreds of articles, guides, and professionals to help couples plan their dream wedding, not as many resources exist for elopements. But the million-dollar question still stands: How much should you realistically budget for your elopement?
We've created a handy elopement calculator and a breakdown of all the costs associated with your special day, so that by the end of this guide you'll know exactly how much to budget for your special day. Ready to crunch some numbers?
Elopement cost calculator
This elopement calculator will help you create a ballpark budget based on the services you want to include in your big day. Prices for vendors, travel, and accommodations can vary, so make sure to allow for some wiggle room and come up with a “drop-dead-we-cannot-go-above-this-amount” elopement budget that works for both of you.
Breaking down your elopement budget
Travel and lodging
Budgeting for travel and accommodations will depend on where you plan to elope. If you're eloping near home, you'll need to budget for permits, gas expenses, and rental vehicle costs, if applicable. Easy peasy!
But, if you need to hop on a plane or grab your passports to reach your elopement venue, airfare and rental vehicle costs will probably take a large chunk out of your elopement budget.
When you opt for a destination elopement in a place that you and any potential guests might fly to, that will raise your budget cap considerably depending on whether you're staying stateside, flying to a remote location, or going international.
You'll need to factor in airfare for the two of you, car rental, hotel, resort, or Airbnb cost, travel insurance, and wedding insurance (recommended if you're eloping abroad). Also, keep in mind that eloping during peak seasons can result in higher flight, lodging, and car rental costs.
Here's a quick breakdown of travel, rental car, and lodging costs for eloping in your state and abroad:
Average stateside airfare: $330 RT
Average international airfare: $810 RT
Average 7-day rental car cost in the U.S.: $569
Average North American Airbnb cost: $208/night
Average price of gas per gallon in the U.S.: $3.79
Including guests in your elopement ($450 per guest)
By eloping instead of having a traditional wedding, you and your partner can intentionally plan time to celebrate with your closest loved ones.
Many couples host their guests in a large rental home, cabin, or a block of hotel rooms. You'll also want to keep in mind how much food you would like to provide to guests who decide to attend your elopement and whether you'll lend a helping hand with travel costs.
We recommend you tack on an extra $450 per guest if you plan to feed, accommodate, or cover travel and transportation expenses for your loved ones.
Vendors
Photographer and Videographer ($3000 each)
Okay, we may be a tad biased here, but we're gonna say it anyway: the right elopement photographer is worth their weight in gold.
Your elopement day photos will capture your whole day from start to finish. Plus, most elopement photographers also double as wedding planners, suggesting ceremony locations, florists, bakers, officiants, outdoor guides, and other vendors in your chosen area. Your photographer will map out your whole day so you can maximize your time with them and use the perfect light to capture you and your partner in the most breathtaking locations.
Budgeting for a photographer will also depend on how much coverage of the day you’d like. Most photographers offer a range of coverage packages, from a few hours to a whole day and even a multi-day elopement adventure! Your elopement photographer can recommend a package that fits your budget and vision.
If you've settled on hiring an elopement photographer but are on the fence about a videographer, we'll say that most couples regret not hiring a videographer. While it's understandable to leave out a videographer from your special day (the average cost of a videographer will run you $1,800), especially if you're working on a lean budget, you're not going to regret capturing the memories of your wedding day on video.
Officiant ($300)
If you plan to get legally married during your elopement ceremony, you'll need to hire a licensed officiant. However, if you’ve already signed the papers, you can have your elopement without an officiant. In the biz, we refer to this as a commitment ceremony.
A remote ceremony location or a destination elopement will also increase the cost of your officiant's services because they will need to accompany you.
One sneaky way to save money here is to get married in a state that does not require an officiant. You can self-solemnize your marriage in the following states:
California
Colorado
District of Columbia
Illinois
Kansas
Maine
Nevada
Pennsylvania
Wisconsin
Florist ($400)
Many elopement brides opt for a unique bridal bouquet for their wedding day. The cool thing about custom bouquets is that they're highly customizable and can be unique to your elopement day look. You can get the type of flowers you want without worrying about going over budget. Creating a custom arrangement or archway for your ceremony will increase your costs, but your photographer can recommend vendors who may offer a modest discount.
Outdoor Guides ($350)
Leaning toward an adventure-packed elopement experience? We love to hear it! Hiring an outdoor guide is recommended if you and your partner want something more thrilling than a short hike to your ceremony location. Your photographer will happily capture your adventures while your outdoor guide ensures they're performed safely. Hiring an outdoor guide can cost an average of $350 per person, but costs can vary depending on the activity, location, and season.
Other vendor costs to consider:
Hair and Make-Up Artist: $300
Cake and Desserts: $250
Catering, Restaurants, and Private Chefs: $200
Pilots and Drivers: $1,000
Music: $500
Wedding attire and accessories (Dress $1800, Suit rental $200)
Your wedding day attire and accessories are another instance of where you can save some serious dough in your budget and still look like a million bucks!
Elopement attire can vary in cost, but if you want to get thrifty, rental services and secondhand stores offer gorgeous dresses, suits, and wedding accessories for a fraction of the price of a new wedding gown or three-piece suit.
You can wear your hiking boots under your dress or suit if you plan on getting a little messy during your adventure elopement. And if you're planning for a fall or winter wonderland elopement, your dress can be jazzed up with a chic outer layer to complement your picturesque surroundings.
Location permits ($50-250) and venue ($5,000)
Most national parks require a permit fee to have a wedding. Additional permits may be required if you are backpacking and staying overnight within the park.
For example, in Grand Canyon National Park, wedding permits are $240 and may be scheduled up to 1 year in advance. Additionally, the park does not allow "chairs, tables, flowers, amplified sound, balloons, signs, etc., at any location."
A VRBO or Airbnb can be a perfect location to host an intimate wedding reception. But finding the right venue for your post-elopement celebration will take some sleuthing on your part. Airbnb's guidelines make it challenging to find venues if your total group size is larger than 16. That said, if you find a property on Airbnb you love, send a note to the host to discuss your options.
Another platform to book an intimate wedding reception venue is VRBO. The good news is that VRBO doesn't have the same restrictions as Airbnb when it comes to hosting events.
Consider being more flexible with your dates if you're having trouble finding a venue. There are usually more options on weekdays than weekends – especially during peak season in certain locations like springtime in Sedona.
Marriage license and filing fees ($10-115)
Every state requires marriage licenses, but each has its own filing requirements. Generally, fees for marriage licenses range between $15 and $115, which tend to cover both the license and your copy.
Fun activities
“Can I do X on my wedding d-” No need to finish that question because the answer is an emphatic YES! It’s your wedding day. You can do whatever you want. You make the rules!
Thinking of elopement day activities can feel a bit overwhelming. So, if you're wondering what to do before or after your ceremony to round out your elopement day, here's a list of free to low-cost activity ideas you and your partner can do!
Participate in an outdoor activity you love together
Cook a meal together
Make a bonfire
Have a video call with your family
Pop some bubbly
Go stargazing
Soak in a hot tub or local hot springs
Go swimming, kayaking or paddleboarding
Play games
Go camping/glamping
Exchange gifts
Read hand-written letters to each other
Stateside Elopement Cost Examples
Affordable elopement budget
The following is a quick breakdown of a stateside elopement on a $5,000 budget. Here are all the essentials to consider:
$10 - $115 — marriage certificate (cost varies by state, and sometimes even by county)
$500 — 3-night Airbnb stay
$3000 — photographer
$300 — bouquet + boutonniere
$500 — wedding dress
$200 — suit rental
$200 — restaurant dinner + drinks
Free — DIY hair + makeup
Total: $4,786
Luxury elopement budget
If you have more wiggle room in your budget and want to splurge or hire out vendors to handle services and must-haves for your special day you’d rather not DIY, here’s a more realistic budget:
$10 - $115 — marriage certificate
$1500 — 3-night Airbnb stay
$9000 — photographer
$1000 — bouquet, boutonniere, florals for ceremony and dinner
$3000 — wedding dress
$1000 — suit purchase
$400 — private chef
$350 — 5-6” custom cake
$300 — hair + makeup
$200 — permit fee
Total: $16,837
Cost of an elopement vs. a traditional wedding
Let's face it, weddings are expensive. For many couples, choosing between spending over $30,000 on a traditional wedding or investing $5,000 in a more personalized, intimate elopement is a no-brainer. When finances are a deciding factor, eloping is the more affordable option.
What goes into making your wedding day so special and so uniquely you is what you and your partner value. While these costs are not exhaustive, it's a great place to start as you decide what makes the most sense for your wedding day. Ultimately, there is no wrong choice.
Cost does not equal value
Eloping is a one-of-a-kind experience devoted to your and your partner’s happiness and love for each other. Talk with your partner about how you each picture your elopement day. Because budget guides (even this one!) are meant to be just that: a guide.
If you want to splurge on a multi-day experience, go for it! If you want to keep it low-key and DIY as much as possible, all the better! Only you and your partner understand what needs to be prioritized in your elopement day budget. That means spending as little or as much as you want.
Budgeting for your elopement is just one part of the overall experience but will help you and your partner plan the wedding of your dreams, set financial boundaries, and save you time and unexpected expenses as you prep for your big day! Feel free to contact me to schedule a complimentary consultation and learn how I can help you create the elopement day of your dreams!
