Traditional Wedding Costs vs. Adventure Elopement Costs

Cost. Even with adventure elopements, it’s not an insignificant factor for some. Lots of people weigh traditional wedding costs vs. elopement costs and the ultimate cost of an elopement.

“How much does it cost to elope?”

“How much cheaper is eloping?”

“Is it cheaper to elope?”

Everyone has a budget, and your priorities dictate where you spend that budget. I preach that an adventure elopement is not a way to necessarily save 90% of your budget, but it’s a way to re-distribute your budget to places that you care more about. It’s about focusing on exactly what you want your day to look like, not what the wedding industry says it should, or what your family says it should. Let me repeat that last bit: your wedding should not be based on how your family and friends think it should look.

If you’ve taken a look around my site, you know that I firmly believe an elopement can be SO MUCH MORE than a way to save money, or a way to get “pretty pictures”. It’s truly a transformative experience, where you can

But still, it’s helpful to understand the average cost of certain things (like the cost of an elopement. Because is anyone made out of money? I know I’m not).

I am going to tell you right now, the largest cost of a traditional wedding is the venue and catering. And for a guest count of 100 people, it adds up quickly.

These statistics come from wedding professionals I know as well as national averages from WeddingWire (https://www.weddingwire.com/cost). I’m not including smaller details, and other items that aren’t as popular staples for either traditional weddings or elopements. I’m also not including less significant costs like tux rentals, as they aren’t a big factor in the cost difference outcome.

TRADITIONAL WEDDING COSTS

Traditional Wedding Venue: $0-$10,000 (average cost in the US is $6,000)

Catering: $10-75 per plate; $45 per plate average, $27 average if it’s a buffet. ($45×100 guests = $4500)

Decor/Details: $500-800 ($700 average)

Photography: $3,000-$10,000 (let’s average this at $5,000 – I’ll explain why further down)

Officiant: $250-450 (Let’s average this at $350)

Florals: $200-500 for a bouquet, boutonniere, and one smaller floral piece like a crown. (Average: $400)

Floral decor: $75 per table (12 tables, with 8 people each = $900)

Cake: Starts at $6 per serving (x100 people = $600)

Wedding Dress: $1,000

Hair and Makeup: $300 is the average for a local artist.

TOTAL WEDDING STAPLES COST: $19,750

ELOPEMENT WEDDING COSTS

Elopement Wedding Venue: $0-$500 (average cost for a permit is $100)

Catering: $0 (unless you’d like to treat your guests to a dinner at a restaurant)

Decor/Details: $0

Photography: $5,000

Officiant: $350

Florals: $400

Floral decor (ceremony location/arch): $500

10 Night Stay in an Airbnb (island of Maui): $1,800

Plane tickets for 2 (JFK to OGG): $1,300

Rental car (compact): $575

Cake: $0

Wedding Dress: $1,000

Hair and Makeup: $300 is the average for a local artist.

TOTAL ELOPEMENT STAPLES COST: $11,325

THINGS TO NOTE:

I’ve found that with things like photographers, hair and makeup artists, etc., the average booked price is lower than the average actual price. Artists who are priced lower often book more because of the lower price and in order to compensate for income. WeddingWire claims that the average photographer costs around $2,000. That is partly because more people book lower priced artists, and also because many higher priced artists don’t rely on WeddingWire as a listing source for their business (and often, if they are listed on WeddingWire, they don’t list their starting pricing). WW also fails to mention whether this is starting pricing, or average booked price. Based on my experience, and fellow colleagues in the industry, average pricing for a full day ranges from $3,500-$6,000. I might make some enemies, but I’m going to be real with you, like always: the average couple who reaches out on WeddingWire or The Knot, has a lower budget for any vendor services.
Notice how I included a honeymoon in the cost of an elopement? So many of my couples use their elopement destination and elopement ceremony as a kick off to their honeymoon. They elope during the first part of their stay, and have their first adventures as a married couple surrounded by their own version of paradise, cocooned in their own little world. Why did I choose Maui? Because it’s a relatively far destination for most people, on the more expensive end to give a higher cost estimate (because better safe than sorry), and it’s also still a domestic location for people in the United States.