Eloping has several advantages over your typical wedding ceremony, and saving money is a big one. (What you’ll be spending on your elopement ceremony is probably the same as what you’d be paying just for your wedding guests’ food!). You’ll also be saving money by merging your elopement and honeymoon into one!
There are many affordable, beautiful places around the world that offer elopement services, stunning venues, and scenery, and have relatively low costs. We’ve listed some places that make for beautiful elopement destinations that won’t break the bank!
The Cheapest Places to Elope in 2019
Don’t think that because we’ve listed these places as inexpensive, that they’re not truly magical in their own ways! City life, friendly people, natural beauty and exotic destinations are some of the reasons why we love these countries as elopement destinations!
Italy
You can find picturesque, olden towns and cities, beautiful artwork, yummy food and delicious wines at such reasonable prices! There definitely won’t be a lack of options for your elopement venue destination because of how popular it is as a wedding destination. You have plenty of elopement venues that range from vineyards, Italian villas, coastal beaches or century-old cathedrals, and you’ll be able to elope here at a reasonable price. Many Italian towns are not popular tourist destinations but still offer a traditional Italian feel. Because they’re hidden gems, you won’t fall into the tourist trap or have to pay seasonal holidays!
Interested in eloping in the South of Italy? We wrote about it!
Jamaica
When most people think about planning a tropical island wedding, they’re drawn to the expensive and well-known places that have become quite expensive.
Jamaica, on the other hand, has some of the most beautiful beaches with crystal blue oceans and a marine life that is worth exploring. Living like a local is key to stay on budget; you won’t need any fancy resorts or hotels, rather choose the local vendors and sellers to get a real feel of the Jamaican culture. There are also a number of outdoor activities to do, which won’t require you to spend all your savings.
The Jamaican people are always incredibly helpful and friendly, so the services you’ll need for your elopement will be handled with ease!
South Africa
South Africa is an extremely popular tourist destination, not only because of their inexpensive attractions but the most beautiful scenery! South Africa has so many different venues to choose from, whether it be coastal beaches, vineyards or orchards, mountain ranches, tropical forests or vibey street life to make for a beautiful elopement destination.
Another thing South Africa is famous for is the amazing Safaris they offer. Safaris make for the prettiest elopement destination, and you’ll be able to witness some beautiful endangered species. These safari lodges offer luxury living, but because of the exchange rate in South Africa, you’ll find that these luxury lodges can fit well into your budget.
India
If you’ve always imagined eloping in a country that is rich in culture, then India is the place for you! Of course traditional Indian weddings are an experience on their own, but choosing to elope in India means your elopement can have an elegant Indian touch (which means lots of bright colors!). If you’re not too religious, this might be a fun way for you to try out a new experience.
You’ll find a ton of beautiful resorts and hotels here that offer accommodation and services that are reasonably priced, and because they’re aimed at tourists, there are plenty of different packages to choose from.
Dominican Republic
Wedding season is a real thing! It’s the time when most couples plan their wedding and it means that vendor costs go up! What’s great about the Dominican Republic is that their offseason runs during peak wedding season. This means you’ll be saving money on flights, vendors, city life tourist activities and accommodation. There’s also going to be a lot of wedding coordinators that’ll have some spare time to plan an elopement (if you’re going the ‘hiring a wedding planner’ route). You’ll also be avoiding the crowds of people, which makes for a more relaxed atmosphere.
Tips on how to make your elopement budget friendly
- Don’t get married on a Saturday: hair stylists, photographers, and vendors are going to be in high demand during weekend periods, which means they might bump up their prices
- Choose the same elopement and honeymoon venues and reduce transportation costs
- Opt for an elopement package: not only does this save you money, but it also saves you time. Check out our post about the best elopement packages
- Ask for discounts and specials
- Nature alone can make for the most beautiful venue, and it’ll be free!
- Airbnb offers beautiful accommodation across the world, so you won’t be needing to stay in fancy hotels
- Follow our elopement checklist!
- Find inspiration from real elopements
Mexico
Growing in popularity, Mexico is a great destination for your elopement in 2019. The city is super affordable and has the most stunning scenery, with colorful cultures. The warm climate, white sandy beaches, and turquoise waters make this a great spot for your honeymoon! The process for eloping in Mexico is relatively easy, you won’t need to be filling out a load of legal papers and all you’ll need is your passport and a tourist visa. And you’ll be paying a marriage license fee of just $30 dollars. Local street foods, Spanish musicians, exotic decorations and endless venue options will make eloping in Mexico a breeze!
Nevada
After all these beach-styled elopements, we think it’s time to mention a beautiful inland elopement venue. The mountains that surround Lake Tahoe are famous for romantic elopement venues, with snow-capped mountains and crystal blue waters providing the ultimate backdrop! Accommodation is also a real bargain here, with options of log cabins with steamy saunas and cozy fireplaces. Because of how popular it is as an elopement venue, there are so many simple packages available for eloping. A drivers license and $50 dollars is all it’s going to cost you to get legally married in the Washoe County, and there’s going to be no waiting period either, so a quick and easy legal process.
There are obviously ways that eloping at these places can cost you an arm and a leg, but it doesn’t have to be this way! If you’re choosing to elope, you already know that the celebrating the love the two of you have for each other is the most important part! The money you’ll be saving by not having a wedding and eloping in a budget-friendly destination means you may of the option on splurging on yourselves as newly weddings, whether that be an extra nice bottle of champagne, a well-known photographer or even a beautiful elopement bouquet. Keep it simple, write up a budget list, asses you options and hope on the plane!
Need help choosing an elopement destination? Here are our tips!