Has there been a more popular time in the wedding industry for elopements? This new season has couples embracing intimacy and showcasing their romance like never before – and we are swooning. In today’s blog “Santa Barbara Courthouse Elopement Guide: A Photographer’s Perspective on Intimate Weddings” we discuss our favorite aspects of Santa Barbara Courthouse elopements and the real life trade off’s for choosing to have one. There’s some very good things to consider if you’re on the fence about eloping, so let’s dive in together and see what works best for you.

Why Elope?

Now, this is one of those “different strokes for different folks” conversations. Because, we get it. Not everybody is able to just stray from tradition. Especially us Hispanic’s who are expected to follow a more traditional path (can you imagine the shockwaves it would send throughout our family). But, like we tell our couples all of the time, this moment is about you and the love of your life. And, if life and love are calling for you to elope – by all means do it. Love is one of those things that doesn’t require explanation. However, as your guides, we take on the responsibility of laying it all out for you. So, why elope at the Santa Barbara Courthouse?

First of all, the courthouse is absolutely gorgeous and take a look at the benefits of eloping. There’s no massive price tag. You can keep your total for such a celebration below $10k at a beautiful location – and that’s saying something these days. Second, the guests you do invite will know exactly how much you mean to them. This is one of the most personal and intimate days of your lives. It tells your guests “You mean the world to us”. Third, there is so much more flexibility in scheduling. We love a weekday elopement at the Santa Barbara Courthouse, especially a Thursday/Friday one.

We might be biased, but trust us, we’re just keeping it real here. Something that nobody admits is that elopements allow you to capture even more bridal photos together. Now, this isn’t coming purely from a photographers perspective and I’ll tell you why. Years from now, when you look back on your wedding day bridal portraits are going to be THE photos you look forward to the most. They are the showstoppers. Eloping allows you to dedicate more time to these images without feeling rushed to follow a timeline of events.

We’ve captured plenty of weddings and elopements throughout the years. We can say without question that our elopement couples are the most relaxed of them all after their ceremony.

So, what’s the catch?

You’re probably thinking, “Sure, that sounds good and all, but if it were so great EVERYBODY would elope, what’s the catch?” Now that you’re starting to seriously consider it, let’s speak plainly about the trade-offs.

Intimacy – while very very personal and appreciated, it does limit the amount of guests you can bring along for the memory for such a special day. If that’s a deal breaker for you, chances are there’s nothing about an elopement that can sway you. Traditional weddings will always allow for more guests than an elopement.

Likewise, if you’ve been planning the wedding of your dreams since childhood, an elopement (no matter how perfectly executed) might never live up to the “big reveal” moment that a traditional wedding day can offer.

Lastly, and this is a big one. Elopements don’t typically include formal dances and traditions. Think, “Father/Daughter Dance”, ” Bouquet Toss”, and “Grand Exit”. These things are typically reserved for much bigger celebrations that have more time to fill. So, if you absolutely have to include these in your big day, you might stick to a more traditional celebration.

A Santa Barbara Courthouse photographers’ take on choosing your perfect celebration.

In a perfect world, you would be able to elope while planning the wedding of your dreams. It’s the best way to “have your cake and eat it too”. We’ve seen this before and we enjoy it more than we can possibly explain in a single blog post. So, what’s a couple in love to do? Well, as I said before, different strokes work for different folks. You’ll have to seriously consider your options and weigh them against those things that really matter to you most.

We encourage our couples to be true to themselves and their relationship. If you love architecture and good weather, an elopement at the Santa Barbara Courthouse in the Spring might be more your speed. On the other hand, if you’re more methodical and detail oriented, perhaps a full blown wedding that embraces tradition at a wedding venue might work better with your vision.

If you’re staying true to yourself, you’re going to be just fine. And hey, I’ll let you in on a little secret every married couple knows. No matter if you choose to elope or if you go the grand wedding route, there will be a million little “we should’ve/could’ve/would’ve done this differently” after the wedding. And that’s just fine – because you’ll be married to your best friend. And that, is what really matters.

If you would like to chat more about your Santa Barbara Courthouse Weddings and Elopements, reach us HERE! We would love to connect and discuss the possibilities. Thanks for reading our Santa Barbara Courthouse Elopement Guide!