Are You Worried That Eloping Means Ditching Meaningful Traditions?

Here are some of our favorite traditions we’ve helped couples include on their wedding day.

You’re dreaming of an elopement. A day that feels intimate, adventurous, and deeply personal. But there’s a nagging voice in your head asking: Am I giving something up? What about the traditions I’ve always pictured?

Let me stop you right there. You don’t have to give anything up when you elope — at least not with us. We’re all about helping couples like you expand your horizons and see just how much is possible on your wedding day.

You Don’t Have to Choose Between Eloping and Tradition

Our wedding planning process at Eloping is Fun is very personal. We get to know you, your wishes, dreams, anxieties — all of it. We offer ideas and options at each step of your journey, to help you identify what a “dream wedding” looks like for you.

There are wedding traditions that we adore and could not imagine getting married without. You don’t need to be in a big wedding hall to indulge in your favorite rom-com wedding must-dos! What’s great about eloping is that you have a clean slate, a blank canvas, and you can color and fill it in however you want.

And the best part? You won’t have to do all the planning alone. We love listening to your dreams and fantasies and then getting creative about how to make them happen!

How to Include Wedding Traditions in Your Elopement

Here’s the secret: you don’t have to do everything “by the book” to honor what matters most to you. Eloping actually gives you more freedom to choose the traditions that feel meaningful and toss the ones that don’t.

Whether it’s a religious ritual, a cultural practice, or a personal family tradition, here’s how to make it happen:

1. Start With What You Love (Not What You “Should” Do)

Instead of asking, “What are we supposed to include?”
Ask: “What traditions actually feel good to us?“

It might be saying a blessing in your native language, wearing a family heirloom, or doing a champagne toast after your vows. We’ll help you brainstorm creative ways to weave those elements into your day.

2. Adapt It to Fit the Moment

We’ve helped couples recreate big wedding moments in intimate, elopement-sized ways.

No dance floor? Let’s do your first dance on a rooftop or under the cherry blossoms.

No massive cake? Grab matching cupcakes from your favorite bakery.

The joy is in the essence of the tradition, not the size of the guest list.

3. Involve the People Who Matter Most

Even if you’re keeping your elopement private, you can still include loved ones in meaningful ways:

• Ask a family member to write a short blessing or letter to read during your ceremony
• Incorporate a religious or cultural symbol they’ve passed down
• Facetime your grandma during your ring exchange

Want to Include Time-Honored Traditions? We’ve Got You Covered:

• A first look
• Walking down the aisle
• Your first dance as a couple
• Father-Daughter dance, Mother-Son dance
• Wedding party toasts and speeches (if you’ve got a crew)
• Cake cutting (yes, cupcakes totally count!)

Religious and Cultural Traditions? Let’s Bring Them To Life:

• Jumping the broom
• Korean tea ceremony
• Chuppah and breaking the glass
• Ketubah
• Mangalya Dharanam ceremony
• Nikah and Salah
• Ring warming, handfasting, and more!

You name it, we’ve made it happen in our elopements. In fact, over the last fifteen years, we’ve incorporated ALL of these into our custom NYC weddings.

We hope our message is coming through loud and clear: You don’t have to throw away the baby with the bathwater. Eloping does not mean that you can’t incorporate tradition.

Here are some fun elopement-flavored twists on classic wedding traditions:

• Let’s do a first dance on the Brooklyn Bridge with a marching band and NYC cheering you on!
• Let’s get red velvet cupcakes from Magnolia Bakery for your cake cutting!
• Let’s call up one of our beloved florists who will craft traditional Hindu flower garlands for you!

Let’s Make Your Traditions Magic

Eloping Is Fun means more than just a quickie ceremony. It means crafting a wedding day that feels real and rooted in what you love.

Whether you want to jump the broom in Central Park, dance under a cherry blossom tree, or say your vows in two languages, this is where we come in.

We’ve worked with couples from all over the world, across many backgrounds, faiths, and cultures. So if you’ve got a vision (even a half-baked one), we’ll help you bring it to life in a way that feels real and honest for you.

Is there a tradition you’ve always dreamed of, or one you never thought you’d see in a NYC elopement? Tap the “Inquire” button below and let’s chat about it!