why so many couples are ditching tradition for a destination elopement in 2026
For the fashion forward, travel hungry, do things differently kind of love.
Once upon a time, weddings followed a predictable script. Ballrooms, timelines, table assignments, and a day centered around everyone except the couple. But in the last few years, there’s been a massive shift. More and more couples, especially chic, city-dwelling, adventure-loving couples are choosing to ditch tradition entirely and elope somewhere breathtaking instead. Think: sunrise vows in Big Sur, fog-wrapped mornings in the Tetons, cliffside champagne in Greece, or a barefoot black-sand beach moment in Iceland.
This isn’t a trend. It’s a reclamation.
A return to what matters.
A choice rooted in freedom, intention, and the desire to craft a wedding day that actually feels like you.
If you’ve been wondering why so many couples are skipping the 200-person wedding for something wildly more personal, here’s the breakdown.
1. Because traditional weddings feel like performing. elopements feel like living
Large weddings are full of obligations…guest lists, expectations, budgets that snowball because your second cousin wants a plus-one. Many couples realize they’re planning a day for everyone but themselves.
Elopements flip that entirely.
Instead of performing for a crowd, you get to be fully present with the person you love most. You get to breathe, explore, savor, and actually enjoy your wedding day.
When the pressure disappears, the real magic shows up.
2. Because couples want a wedding day that feels like them, not a Pinterest checklist
Your ideal elopement couples aren’t interested in cookie-cutter. They want personal, intentional, experiential.
Maybe “you” looks like…
sunrise coffee on a mountaintop
a quiet lakeside vow reading
hiking boots under a designer dress
a post-ceremony waffle brunch at 10,000 ft
sunset champagne on the cliffs
a private chef dinner back at your luxury stay
Destination elopements are infinitely customizable. You can do everything… or nothing.
There’s no program. No timeline pressure. No template.
Just your vision, brought to life.
3. Because luxury now looks like clarity, space, and experience
Today’s elevated couple doesn’t define “luxury” by chandeliers or chair rentals. They define it by how a moment makes them feel.
Luxury is:
staying in a boutique lodge with spa robes and an outdoor hot tub
taking a helicopter to a glacier for portraits
having an entire day designed around your connection
exploring a national park with no time limit
a creative team guiding you through a stress-free, stunning experience
This is where we shine, with our inherent mix of NYC editorial taste + candid documentary style + intentional creative direction. We’re not just giving you photos and video. We’re giving them a curated, immersive experience that feels effortless.
4. Because travel is a core part of who these couples are
You don’t just travel, it’s part of your identity. You plan quick breaks from the city, long-haul adventures, weekends in the mountains, and you know the difference between a “vacation” and an experience.
So choosing a stunning destination for your elopement makes sense. Your wedding becomes…
a trip
an adventure
a story
a shared memory instead of a staged production
It becomes the beginning of your marriage, not a performance for an audience.
5. Because elopements create space for meaningful storytelling
When there’s no rush, no chaos, and no crowd, your photographer + videographer can tell the full story of your day.
Not just the pretty portraits, but the in-between moments:
the breath before vows
the laughter as you change into hiking boots
the wind messing up your hair in the best way
the little looks you share that no one else ever sees
This is why sunrise-to-sunset and multi-day coverage is becoming the new standard for elevated elopements. You get a whole day (or two) chronicled in a way that looks cinematic, editorial, and deeply true to who you are.
6. Because couples are tired of spending a down payment on a party that flies by
Traditional weddings often cost more yet, feel like less.
Destination elopements tend to be:
more intentional
less chaotic
more aligned with what couples actually value
a better return on emotional investment
Couples aren’t asking, “What should we do?”
They’re asking, “What would feel unforgettable for us?”
7. Because eloping gives couples permission to rewrite the rules
Want both sunrise and sunset?
Want family at the ceremony and a private hike after?
Want to elope in another country?
Want to wear something non-traditional?
Want to read private vows somewhere no one else knows about?
Want to make it two days?
Do it. You don’t need permission. You can truly do whatever you can think of.
Elopements are built for rule-breakers, romantics, adventurers, creatives, introverts, dreamers, and everyone in between.
Final Thoughts
Couples aren’t ditching tradition because they’re anti-wedding. They’re doing it because they’re pro-experience. Pro-connection. Pro-intention.
The new era of weddings is personal, cinematic, immersive, and deeply meaningful and destination elopements are at the heart of it.
If you want a day that feels like you,
A day that feels designed, not templated,
A day that blends adventure + an elevated experience + ease…
A destination elopement might be exactly what you’ve been looking for.
I can help you with turning your vision into a reality and help you remember exactly how it felt.
Check our availability ↓
