Once thought to be a formality used only by troublesome teen couples, eloping has now become a legitimate event for many lovers. It includes not only the traditional form of eloping, where you head down to the local justice of the peace, but now, many couples are tying their knots in many exciting, out-of-the-ordinary ways.

What drives this need for something different?

Most couples start with exciting plans of a romantic, enjoyable traditional wedding. They dream up wild ideas for creating a memorable event to start their lives together. And then... reality hits. Family members dabble their fingers in the minute details. For example, Aunt Jan offers to sing her favorite love song, in operatic voice, while you want a cellist and pianist. In addition to your family intrusions, you can see your bank account and maybe your parent's as well, beginning to plummet from all the essentials that make a wedding successful. Estimates put the average American wedding in the $20,000 to $25,000 range. And since 30% of couples end up paying for their own wedding, this can often mean the difference between having a memorable one day event and having a down payment on a home. Plus, coordinating everything... from photographer, to location, to dates, to relatives, becomes an increasingly painful experience.

Other factors have also played an important role in couples who elope. The average age of marrying couples has slowly risen since the 1950's. This has led to couples who are more independent and not as worried about pleasing parents and friends when they tie the knot. Also, due to high divorce rates, many second marriages lead couples to opt for smaller, more practical ceremonies. It also seems, in general, that social pressures have lessened in regards to non-traditional weddings.

Some couples find they have lived together for several years, and finally decide they just want to legally consummate their relationship. In fact, a large portion of elopers, some independent statistics show up to 75%, actually plan their weddings months in advance. This is much different from the common perception of an instant, spontaneous wedding... which is often how we see elopers portrayed on TV and in the media.

If you have hit that point, where you are tired of all the stressful planning, all the schedule juggling, and all the money draining from your account, then maybe it's time to stop. Relax! And think about the other wedding option... eloping.

Although eloping may not seem like the most romantic of ideas, it is definitely a wedding strategy that can actually save you from tons of stress and can also give you a lot of fun memories to share.