Should We Elope?

November 18, 2022

When it comes to fairy-tale weddings, there’s not much that compares to the magic and drama of a mountaintop elopement. The enchantment of the alpine surroundings, the beauty of the vows, the on-the-run thrill of it all – it makes our hearts flutter just thinking about it!

Rocky Mountain Photo Co.

Of course, modern-day elopements aren’t typically quite the nerve-wrecked, adrenaline-fuelled affairs they were in centuries passed. Rather, they tend to be thoughtful, more intimate events with the pomp and pressure dialed down and the fun dialed way up.


Now, don’t get us wrong! We love a big, beautiful wedding more than just about anyone – but there’s something to be said for the delightful joy of a small elopement-style ceremony, too.

It makes our hearts flutter just thinking about it!

First, there’s the simplicity of it all. Planning a large wedding can be exciting, but it can also be exhausting. From chair rentals and centrepieces to guest lists and seating charts, there’s so much to think about. Now, that said, you’re not necessarily on your own there – especially when you have the Rocky Mountain Wedding Collective in your corner. 

Consider a venue like mainspace, for example. When you plan your wedding with us, you’re gaining more than just a beautiful, flexible space. You’re also getting access to a comprehensive collection of thoughtfully designed Vision Packages to ensure your event looks its best; onsite catering provided by Take A Hike Market to make meal planning easy; and expert assistance from a world-class team of planners and designers to ensure everything goes off without a hitch. 

That said, we’re well aware that weddings can still feel like a lot, and that’s precisely where elopements shine – and where mainspace can shine likewise as a venue that really does do it all, elopements included!

When you make the decision to elope, you can say goodbye to concerns about complicated event planning and whether Uncle Harold will start a fight if he’s at the same table as Aunt Mildred for dinner. Instead, you can focus fully and completely on enjoying your big day – the beauty of the mountains, the romance of the moment, and the giddy high of saying “I do” to the person you love most in the world.

There’s something wonderfully human and intimate about elopements.

One detail that comes about when planning to have an elopement as opposed to a bigger, more boisterous wedding is the fact that the guest list will be dramatically smaller as a result. If you’re planning your big day with Rocky Mountain Elopements, you’ll be able to have up to 15 people in attendance, including yourselves – a far cry from the +150 people guest lists we often manage on the other side of the business at Rocky Mountain Weddings & Events

That said, those smaller attendance numbers are typically seen more as a blessing than anything for those looking to get hitched via elopement. Having a whole host of family and friends there with you on your big day is a beautiful, joyous thing, but it also makes for an extremely busy evening! Talk to just about anybody who’s gotten married and they’ll tell you the day was wonderful, romantic, and special in about a thousand different ways – but also that the whole thing went by in an absolute blur. When your guest list balloons into 100-plus territory, it can start to feel tough to find more than two seconds to chat with everyone who made the trip to help you celebrate. 

Elope, on the other hand, and you’ll be enjoying an entirely different wedding experience. 

Suddenly, those in attendance won’t just be guests attending your big day; they’ll be active participants, helping to make the moment memorable and entirely integrated into everything taking place. You’ll be able to connect directly and meaningfully with everyone you’ve invited – and it will be a foundational experience for everyone in attendance. There’s something wonderfully human and intimate about elopements in this sense, and it’s part of what we love about them.

Leave the traditional behind.

The other thing we love about elopements, of course, is the freedom they offer to really turn a wedding into a personalized adventure that’s all about you. You’re embarking on one of the biggest, most exciting journeys of your life by tying the knot, after all, so it only makes sense that the moment should rise to match the occasion – and what’s more exciting than getting married on top of a literal, actual mountain?

That’s exactly what a Banff or Canmore elopement offers: the chance to leave the traditional behind in favour of something that feels a little bit more like the two of you. Isn’t that what weddings are about, after all? 

Whether you’re looking for the intimate, smaller-scale experience of an elopement or you’ve still got your heart set on a big bash of a wedding, mainspace is the space to make it all happen. 
Contact us to learn more about eloping to the Rockies at mainspace today!

If you would like more information on either our wedding planning team or our elopement packages, please check out http://rockymountainelopements.ca and https://rockymountainweddings.ca

Rocky Mountain Wedding Collective

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