I Don’t Want A Wedding…
If you are here looking for tips on getting married without a wedding, you have come to the right place.
I get it.
Weddings are stressful, expensive and can take up to one year to plan.
That’s a lot of pressure to put on a couple.
Let me start by first congratulating you on your recent engagement.
It must be an exciting time for you.
But at the same time, I understand that it might bring on some unnecessary stress, especially if you are not financially able to plan a wedding or can’t handle the stress that comes with all the planning.
And in some instances, other family members can stress you out.
No wonder couples are looking for different ways to get married without a wedding.
Lucky for you, there are other things you can do instead of planning a wedding.
It’s possible to get married without having a wedding; there are a few ways to go about it.
You could have a small, intimate ceremony with just the two of you!
If you want to include just a few close family and friends, you can do that too!
It’s your day, and it’s best to plan something you are comfortable with.
There are a few great ways to celebrate love without marriage while keeping the budget to a minimum.
Whether you have a budget of $2,000 or $50,000 but are not keen on a wedding, that is okay.
I hear it all the time, especially in my wedding Facebook groups.
“I don’t want a wedding, but I want to get married,” or “I don’t want a wedding, but he does. What is the middle ground?“
And another popular one is – “Am I weird for not wanting a wedding?“
To that, I say, no, you are not weird for not wanting a wedding.
A lot of other brides had the same questions.
Here are a few more that were asked:
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What can you do instead of a wedding?
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Do people regret having a wedding?
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What is a non-traditional wedding ceremony?
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What is the best way of getting married without a wedding?
Weddings are expensive.
I plan them for a living, so I understand entirely.
When you list all wedding expenses, you will soon understand that for one day, it might not be worth it for you.
Marriage is a lifetime, not just a day, so you can have whatever you wish for your special moment.
Getting married without a wedding is possible, but it is a choice.
This is a tough decision you will have to make as a couple.
But remember, you can change your mind later on; when it comes time to renew your vow, you can do a bigger wedding.
For now, we understand that weddings can be overwhelming and can also cause stress!
One of the biggest causes of stress in wedding planning is managing the mountain of tasks ahead of you.
You can quickly get overwhelmed if you don’t have a great wedding planner checklist and task management system.
But weddings can also be a great experience for couples that allows you to celebrate your love with family and friends.
Ultimately, the final decision is up to you and your partner, and whatever you decide goes.
So what are some conventional ways to get married?
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5 Intimate Ways To Get Married Without A Wedding
I hear it all the time:
“I want to get married but not have a wedding!”
And that’s fine.
If you are considering getting married without a wedding, be sure to have that discussion thoroughly.
You want to ensure all parties involved are 100% okay with this and will not have regrets later on.
It’s important to consider all the factors involved, such as family and friends.
Your loved ones might want to be involved; some might have waited years for this.
But it’s your wedding day, and you can do what works best for you as a couple when all is said and done.
Everyone will need to be okay with your wedding plans.
So now the most anticipated question.
What can I do instead of a wedding?
You could look into courthouse weddings or eloping to a unique destination.
Whatever you decide, make sure to savour the moment and take time to celebrate your love!
Here is what to do if you don’t want to have a wedding:
1. Get married at a courthouse
For couples looking for different ways to get married without a wedding, consider other options.
If you want to avoid all the unnecessary wedding expenses that come with planning a great day, consider going to court.
Get legally married at a courthouse or other local government office.
This is the perfect step for couples eager to tie the knot and start their married life without spending thousands of dollars.
If your goal is to save money and avoid all the fuss of planning a wedding, I suggest you plan an intimate court wedding.
It doesn’t have to be boring or seem all official.
A courthouse wedding can be planned to reflect your style as a couple getting married.
You can still find your dream wedding dress, invite a few people to witness your love and order that bouquet.
Don’t forget to get a fantastic photographer to capture your love.
After saying your “I dos,” go to a fancy restaurant and eat a delicious meal.
Be sure to book a fancy hotel room for the night.
And from here, you can go on a honeymoon of a lifetime.
Here are a few places to get stunning courthouse wedding dresses:
And don’t forget to get some killer wedding shoes with your dress.
Just because you are getting married without a wedding doesn’t mean you can look good.
Dress from BHLDN weddings
2. Private ceremony without a wedding
One of the best ways to create a beautiful and curated wedding where you can reflect and take time to spend with your partner is to cut out the extra stuff that comes with all the planning.
Even if you don’t want a wedding, you can still plan something small that is meaningful, impactful, and full of great memories.
This, you will have for a lifetime.
We encourage you to have a private at-home ceremony with your closest family and friends.
A small intimate ceremony with just a selected few is special.
You can exchange your wedding vows with only immediate family and friends and call it a day.
This can be done in your living room, backyard or garden.
Then serve some cake and champagne.
Call it a day, or enjoy each other’s company before heading out on your honeymoon.
There is no wrong way to do a wedding; plan something that reflects you as a couple.
3. Elope somewhere special
The are many different ways to get married without a wedding!
Eloping is one other option.
Eloping allows you to share your vows privately with just each other.
Of all the ways to get married without a wedding, eloping has to be top of my list.
Have a destination elopement in a beautiful location with just the two of you.
Eloping allows you to spend the entire day with the love of your life and give you an almost complete timeline to do what you want; instead of feeling pressured to have events or things planned for a large group of people.
Getting married quickly and quietly, somewhere secluded, is the best way to get married without a wedding.
Book a photographer, and head out to a romantic spot to get married in front of a few friends and family present or just the two of you.
Or you can find a location where you can host your private vows.
You can hike on trails to find a romantic and secluded spot to exchange your vows.
Choosing to elope allows you to go anywhere in the world to exchange your vows.
Instead of spending $10 000 on a wedding to feed 60 to 70 people, you can go to a different state or country to marry your partner.
If you choose this route, combine your elopement and honeymoon into one experience!
This will give you more time to spend and enjoy that time together as newlyweds.
You can also choose to include an officiant for all the paperwork or file that later in court.
Will you be eloping?
4. Consider a commitment ceremony
What do you do if you don’t want a big wedding?
Have a commitment ceremony instead!
A commitment ceremony or vow exchange is a non-legally binding way to celebrate your love.
Two people will hold a ceremony in which they commit their lives to one another through vows, exchanging rings, or other similar means.
This is not legally binding and does not affect the legal marital status of the two people.
So if you want to be legally married, this is not for you.
If you plan to get married without a wedding for other reasons, for example, a family member’s health is failing, and you want them to witness your love, this way of getting married is perfect.
And if you can’t legally get married for any reason, you can choose to have a commitment ceremony.
Because a commitment ceremony is not legally binding, you do not need an officiant or witness.
So how can you plan this wedding?
A commitment ceremony is generally planned the same way a typical wedding or elopement ceremony would.
If you want to plan a wedding with 100s of people, a cake artist, music and all, go for it.
You can even send out wedding invitations.
And if you would love to elope instead, do that instead.
The only thing that will not happen is the legal part of it.
You can still exchange vows and rings, share a kiss, make a toast, dance, and do everything else during a commitment ceremony.
All you have to do is decide with your partner if you wish to have people there.
5. Virtual wedding ceremony
If planning a wedding and spending thousands of dollars is stressing you, have a virtual wedding with family and friends joining in online.
One thing that the pandemic taught us is to plan and host a live-stream virtual wedding.
And even though the pandemic is almost out the door, you can still plan virtual weddings.
Live stream your wedding ceremony and include other details such as your first dance, cake cutting, or even the party from the comfort of your home or your chosen location.
Or only share the ceremony portion.
Ensure you have a fast and stable internet connection if you plan to host a virtual wedding in your house, backyard, or rental space!
I would use a wedding website like Wedsites to help you plan the perfect virtual wedding.
It’s convenient and perfect for planning a seamless, stress-free wedding.
There you have it, great ways to celebrate love without marriage
As you can see, you have so many options for getting married without planning a wedding that will cost you an arm and a leg!
Just make sure that this is what you want.
The perfect wedding is the one that you plan.
That’s because it reflects you as a couple.
Whether you elope or go to the courthouse, you can keep things simple or go all out.
But you will save money on food, venue rental, DJ, wedding decorations, and more.
If you are thinking of not planning a wedding but getting married, we would love to hear from you.
Leave a comment below with what you are planning.
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