2020 Elopement and Microwedding Report

It’s fairly easy to find statistics about all-things traditional weddings: things like the average cost of a wedding, the average planning time, and the average guest count can be found instantly with a quick online search. But when it comes to elopements and intimate weddings, there is far less research. With smaller celebrations on the rise, wouldn’t it be nice to know helpful answers to all of your elopement-related questions? We thought so, too. So, if you’re wondering how much the average elopement costs, which vendors are booked the most for their services, or just how much travel costs added up for a destination elopement, we’ve got some pretty useful elopement stats for you! Simply Eloped surveyed couples who married with us in 2019 for a better look into elopement trends, costs, and preferences – and the stats might surprise you!

Scroll through our guide below to see useful information that may just help you plan your best day ever.

Compare the cost of an elopement to the cost of your average wedding in 2019 – which is over $30,000 – and it’s no mystery as to why intimate weddings are on the rise. At just a fraction of the cost of a traditional wedding, eloping has financial benefits (not to mention that eloping is better for the environment) that simply can’t be ignored.

Currently, the five most popular dates being booked for 2020 are 10/9/20; 2/28/20; 6/19/20; 10/2/20; 10/16/20.

Clearly, October is still the go-to month for getting hitched- it’s still ranked as the most popular month for 2020! As for the most popular day of the week booked in 2020, Friday comes in first, while Thursday takes second. Who would have thought?

You may be surprised to find out that you can still celebrate with a reception or small get-together if you decide to elope, but it’s actually quite common! If couples prefer a less formal affair than a venue reception, other activities – such as a private romantic dinner or an outing with friends and family – are still a great way to celebrate.

That’s right: eloping doesn’t mean running away and marrying in secret! In fact, the phrase “elopement” has less to do with being whisked away, and more to do with wanting an intimate day that’s focused on the couple. Whether couples choose to elope for financial reasons or simply because they don’t want to be in the spotlight, eloping is a perfect alternative in lieu of a larger, more traditional wedding day.

How has COVID-19 impacted this data?

It’s no surprise that the coronavirus outbreak has had significant affect on the wedding industry, and we now have tangible evidence of that impact. Here’s what we’ve found:

• As of mid-March of 2020, the average elopement costs $1,200 – thats a 20% a decrease from 2019’s average of $1,485. This shows that couples may be prioritizing the financial aspect of a wedding due to the economic impact of COVID-19.
•  25% of bookings since mid-March are happening in the couple’s home state, compared to the 18% of couples who had an in-state ceremony in 2019. This 30%  increase is likely due to the travel restrictions brought on by the outbreak.
• The average guest count decreased from 10 to 7, making their guest lists 35% smaller, possibly due to the gathering limits put in place to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
• In April and May of 2020, there was a 499% year-over-year increase in people searching Google for information about virtual weddings. During this period, there were 71,000 Google searches on the topic.

Written by Karen Norian

Karen Norian is an elopement photographer and has photographed over a hundred elopements. Karen has also worked as an elopement planner for Simply Eloped. She's been quoted in the New York Times, Brides, Hello Giggles, Bustle, Yahoo, and more.