If You're Thinking About Eloping, Here's What You Should Know

It's expensive and time-consuming to host 150 people for a sit-down dinner, no matter how many cost-saving measures you employ for your wedding. Maybe you'd rather spend your wedding money on a downpayment for a house. Or hike a big mountain and say your vows in seclusion. For a number of reasons, it's no wonder more and more people are tempted to elope.

Jennifer MacFarlane, a wedding photographer in Bushwick, Brooklyn, who cofounded the company Eloping Is Fun, told The New York Times that the couples she works with "want something more laid-back, and there's this very punk-rock feeling about being married like this in New York City."

Or anywhere else, for that matter. Elopements aren't what they used to be: clandestine, quick, quite possibly in Vegas. These days, couples are personalizing their elopements, holding their ceremonies in ever-more exotic locales, and maybe even inviting a few guests. It's just cheaper and less work overall — perfect if you hate wedding-planning with a passion.

But you still need to get your paperwork in order and work out a few logistics. Ahead, read everything you need to know if you're thinking of eloping.