Heart & Truth Series

People still think eloping means running away.

Sneaking off. Escaping. Avoiding something – or someone.

I’ve heard it all over the years. That eloping is what you do when you don’t want to deal with expectations, family pressure, or the “proper” way things are meant to be done.

But that idea couldn’t be further from the truth.

Because the couples who choose to elope aren’t running away at all.
They’re choosing to step closer – to themselves, to each other, and to what actually matters.

Eloping isn’t about avoiding meaning.
It’s about removing the noise so meaning can exist.

For many couples, a traditional wedding starts to feel like a performance. Timelines, guest lists, opinions, logistics – the focus shifts outward. Somewhere along the way, the day stops feeling like theirs and starts feeling like something they’re hosting for everyone else.

Elopement changes that.

It gives space for presence.
For quiet.
For moments that aren’t rushed or watched or managed.

It allows couples to breathe.

I’ve seen it so many times, couples arriving with tight shoulders and nervous energy, and leaving lighter. Not because the day was smaller, but because it was truer. When the distractions fall away, what’s left is connection. And that’s powerful.

There’s a deep misconception that eloping is “less than.”
Less meaningful. Less real. Less important.

In reality, it’s often the opposite.

An elopement concentrates everything. The intention, the emotion, the commitment. There’s no dilution. No competing priorities. Just two people standing in a place that feels right, making a promise that actually feels like theirs.

Choosing to elope isn’t selfish.
It isn’t immature.
And it certainly isn’t a sign that love is smaller or weaker.

It’s a sign of clarity.

It’s saying: this is how we want to begin our marriage.
With calm. With intention. With respect for our own energy and values.

And that takes courage.

So no, eloping isn’t about running away.

It’s about choosing where your energy goes.
It’s about protecting the heart of the day.
It’s about beginning a marriage grounded, present, and honest.

And that, to me, has always felt like the bravest choice of all.

Donna ♥️