Elopement vs. large wedding, you can have it both ways

What fun to be part of an elopement!

A few weeks ago I received an email from a distraught couple. Because of family (and money) their �dream� wedding had turned into a �nightmare�. They decided they wanted to have a wedding �just for them� so they traveled to North Carolina to marry secretly� It was a beautiful intimate wedding and according to them, �exactly what they wanted�. We took photos and downloaded them onto a CD to help preserve the memory.

After the wedding they headed to Asheville to enjoy their �first� honeymoon. What a lucky couple they are. Later this year they will renew their vows with family and friends and have another honeymoon. But it doesn�t end there; they already have plans for a third honeymoon in Europe.

I often hear similar stories. (about wedding planning, not having three honeymoons! That was a bit unusual but I�m all for having fun & traveling) Wedding planning can get out of hand quickly and what is meant to be a fun time quickly turns into a time of stress. It makes me so sad when I hear someone say, �I just want to get this over with�, especially on their wedding day!

Whatever you do, don�t throw up your hands and head to the courthouse. There are other options and you can have a very private ceremony that celebrates your love in the manner it deserves�