Has anyone ever Eloped or knew someone who did? Did they regret it?

I think you're looking at this in extremes--either eloping or having "the wedding experience." However, something can be very large or very small and still be a wedding experience. The real question is, given your budget, whether you'd like to have a relatively lavish wedding for a few people, a much more scaled-back wedding for a lot of people, or something in between.

When you elope, it truly is 'your day'. Once you have a 'real celebration' of any magnitude, it's not yours anymore. Neither one is wrong, they're just different.

We talked about it. I really wanted to. We honeymooned in Mexico so I suggested we go a day early and get married - but my hubby wanted his family there. About half way through the planning he saw my wisdom in wanting to skip all the things were were trying to juggle/plan/arrange/pay for - but the invitations had been sent so there was no backing out.

Am I glad we had a wedding (65 guests)? Yes. It was nice to share that day with my family and friends. Plus, I am an only child so this was the only wedding my parents would have to be a part of.

BUT, I would also be just as married and happy with my life if we had eloped.

The only thing my parents wanted if we decided to elope wasto tell them before hand. They didn't want any surprises. A marriage is a big decision and they wanted to make sure it wasn't a spur of the moment act but something we thought out and were 100% convinced it was what we wanted to do.

My good friend and her husband did, and she regrets it. BUT they did it the extreme way: they told no one and went by themselves. I think i they had involved their parents and siblings and maybe a friend or two, they would have had a totally different experience. They also did nothing to make it special-- no new clothes, no photographs at all (not even one from a phone!), no flowers, no gifts to each other, no dinner after. They had no money at the time, so I guess they thought this was out of necessity, not choice. She is also a very attention-seeking personality, so when our other friends got married and she saw what she missed, she was not happy. She now plans to have a large ceremony and reception "whenever they can afford it", but it's already been 5 years since they've been married. So basically, it depends?

My husband and I eloped. Planning the whole wedding, all the details, and family drama, were just to much for us. So one day we just drove to Lake Tahoe, found a cute little chapel, and got married! I'm happy that I am now spending the rest of my life with my best friend, and that the family drama was avoided, but I regret not being able to have that "special day" with all my family and friends. Now, as a wedding photographer, I get to experience that happiness and excitement with other couples on their big days, and it makes me wish I did it too.

I have to agree with the others who said you may be looking at this in extremes. You can easily have a small, intimate wedding that doesn't put you in a bind financially. Actually, two good friends of ours did that in Oct. They found a beautiful park that they loved (park rentals are often fairly cheap) with a shelter for the reception, had a small guest list (I think about 50), and a small but awesome cake (looked like a tree stump with fall leaves, and had a topper that was 2 squirrels and a nut!).

Shortly after our wedding, another set of friends did something similar. Again it was beautiful, and the fact that there were only about 30 guests made it very intimate. They did a potluck dinner, but if you don't like that idea you could do cake and punch, then go to lunch or dinner with whoever wants to.

I'd wager both of these cost under $2k total. They were both amazing, and both couples are extremely happy they had a small wedding, especially after hearing me vent while planning!

I have officiated many elopements with just the B&G, sometimes a photographer and/or videographer, once with a violinist. A lot of my couples are planning a reception of some sort "back home" and some bring their parents or a couple of friends to the ceremony.

I get vow renewal couples who say their wedding was the huge deal their families wanted, and now they're getting the 'wedding' the B&G always wanted.

My MIL eloped-- she doesn't regret it at all, but then it was her 3rd marriage.

Celia already touched on this, but I wanted to underscore her wise words that elopements no longer mean what they used to! You can have an intimate wedding (our officiants do them all the time) either in your home town or elsewhere, that is neither clandestine or cheesy (i.e. you don't have to go to Vegas and get married by Elvis!).

My husband and I "eloped" five years ago this month. We were married outside on a crystal clear Colorado night. We had our adult daughters and another 10 of our closest friends as witnesses. We met for cake and cocktails BEFORE the ceremony and then after we said "I do," we rode off in a horse-drawn carriage to a romantic dinner for just the two of us.

Regret it? It's the best thing I've ever done!

Awww Maureen that sounded like a night to remember!! I'm from Denver so I know that many areas in Colorado are gorgeous!~

I wouldn't have called what we did an elopement, but it was a tiny ceremony. We wanted to be legally married, even though at the time our state wouldn't recognize it. (I am in Maryland, and am thrilled to be able to say that situation has changed since.) So we had a ceremony in Massachusetts with just a dozen guests, then took everyone out to lunch at a nearby Legal Sea Foods. It was wonderful! We were able to have some splurges (like renting a house where we and all our guests could stay the night before the wedding and the wedding night) without breaking the bank, because the number of guests was so small. And at the luncheon, even without music or dancing, the guests were having so much fun just catching up with each other that the restaurant practically had to shovel people out the door when the time was up.

I've worked with many couples from the States that have eloped here in Puerto Rico. When they get back from the honey moon, they usually plan a nice dinner or cookout for the closest family/friend members, and that way they please everybody without breaking the bank

One of FH's friends recently got married for the 2nd time. This was also the 2nd time for the bride. They decided to elope several months ago and are having a reception dinner for about 80 people. I helped the bride organize the party and we started talking. I found out that her first marriage was with the JOP in 1985 and ended in a bitter divorce in 2005. I asked her if she regretted not having a wedding for either one. She said no. She had the 2 weddings she wanted (the 2nd was with their pastors and children on the beach in Orange County) However, her sister has been married for almost 30 years and is having a HUGE ($150k/500+ guests) wedding this summer. She eloped as well and her and her husband have regretted the decision. She is having the time of her life planning.

I know of brides who wished that had eloped. Have the wedding that makes your heart and spirit feel joy. I always thought I would elope. However, FH wanted a wedding and once I started planning, so did I.