How to Choose Between a Wedding, Micro-Wedding, or Elopement
How Do You Want Your Wedding Day to Feel?
Planning an Intentional Wedding Day Through Elopements and Intimate Weddings
If you’re engaged and starting to think about planning an intentional wedding day, you may already feel torn between tradition and what actually feels right for you. Many couples know they want something meaningful and relaxed, but they aren’t sure what that looks like in practice.
Because of this, more couples are choosing elopements and intimate weddings as a way to slow down and focus on connection. Rather than planning a day around expectations, planning an intentional wedding day allows you to build an experience that reflects your relationship instead of a checklist.
What Planning an Intentional Wedding Day Really Means
Planning an intentional wedding day means making decisions based on how you want the day to feel, not just how it should look.
For some couples, that means a small guest list and meaningful conversations. For others, it means exchanging vows somewhere quiet and beautiful with no audience at all. Either way, intentional wedding days prioritize presence, flexibility, and emotional connection.
As a result, elopements and intimate weddings often feel calmer, more personal, and far less rushed.
Intimate Weddings and Planning an Intentional Wedding Day
Intimate weddings—often called micro-weddings—typically include 10–50 guests. They are ideal for couples who want to share their day with loved ones while still keeping the experience intentional.
When planning an intentional wedding day through an intimate wedding, timelines tend to be more flexible and moments unfold naturally. Instead of moving from one obligation to the next, you’re able to slow down and actually enjoy the people you chose to be there.
However, it’s important to remember that even small weddings can come with family expectations. That’s why clarity and communication are such an important part of intentional planning.
Elopements as an Intentional Wedding Day Experience
Elopements are one of the most intentional ways to get married. Rather than removing meaning, they often deepen it.
By choosing an elopement, couples gain complete freedom in location, timeline, and structure. Because there are fewer outside pressures, planning an intentional wedding day through an elopement often feels deeply personal and emotionally grounded.
While family members may need reassurance, many couples find that the tradeoff is a wedding day that truly reflects who they are. Don’t let your family members pressure you into doing what they want, ultimately it is your day and decision!
Questions to Ask When Planning an Intentional Wedding Day
If you’re unsure which direction fits best, these questions can help guide your decision:
- Do we want to host a day or experience it fully?
- Do large groups energize us or overwhelm us?
- Do we want a structured timeline or flexibility?
- What moments will matter most when we look back?
Answering these questions honestly often brings more clarity than any checklist ever could.
Location Ideas for Planning an Intentional Wedding Day
One of the biggest benefits of planning an intentional wedding day is location freedom. Because elopements and intimate weddings aren’t tied to traditional venues, couples have more meaningful options.
Some Options in/near Iowa
- Maquoketa Caves State Park
- Backbone State Park
- Palisades-Kepler State Park
- Mississippi River bluffs
- Starved Rock State Park (Illinois)
- Devil’s Lake State Park (Wisconsin)
- Galena, Illinois
(Lake Darling State Park, Brighton, Iowa)
Destination Locations
- Colorado mountain elopements
- Utah national parks
- Pacific Northwest coastlines
- Arizona desert landscapes
- The Smoky Mountains
- European city elopements
For additional inspiration, couples often explore resources like state park websites, National Park Service guides, or destination travel blogs when planning their day.
A Personal Note on Planning an Intentional Wedding Day
I’ll be honest for a minute—my husband and I had a big, full-production wedding 10 years ago. It was beautiful, fun, and full of people we love. And still, if we could go back, we would 100% elope—just the two of us—and celebrate with family and friends later.
At the time, we didn’t even realize that was an option. Looking back, we both agree that planning an intentional wedding day focused on us would have allowed us to slow down, be more present, and actually experience the meaning of the day rather than moving from one moment to the next.
Because of that experience, I understand both sides. I know what it’s like to plan a larger wedding—and I also know why so many couples are choosing elopements or intimate weddings instead. Ultimately, that perspective is what shapes how I photograph and support couples today.
There Is No Right or Wrong Way to Get Married
Whether you choose an elopement or an intimate wedding, the most important part of planning an intentional wedding day is choosing what feels aligned with you.
I photograph elopements and intimate/micro-weddings, focusing on celebrations that are slow, meaningful, and connection-driven.
Ready to Start Planning an Intentional Wedding Day?
If you’re considering an elopement or intimate wedding and want help planning an intentional wedding day, I’d love to connect.
Learn more about working together:
https://tashamaephoto.com/
View my intimate wedding and elopement portfolio:
https://tashamaephoto.com/elopements#elopements
Check out our Pinterest:
https://www.pinterest.com/tashamaephoto/
Even if you’re still early in the process, you’re welcome to reach out. Intentional planning starts with clarity.
If you’re ready to book or have questions, feel free to reach out (email me at hello@tashamaephoto.com or fill out an inquiry form on my website here!) — I’d love to help plan an intimate wedding or elopement true to you.
– Tasha
