I saw a comment in another post along these lines and it made me curious. Does this actually happen that the couple doesn't get to see the guests at the wedding? They have many opportunities to do so. In my personal experience both at large and small weddings, the guests got to interact with the couple pretty often. Is that not the case for most? Does the couple hide away somewhere and not talk to anyone past the dismissal of the ceremony? Why invite guests then when it sounds like eloping with no afterparty is better?