Let me tell you a secret when it comes to weddings: You can get married anywhere you want to (at least in North America). All you need is your partner, a marriage licence, a witness and an ordained officiant. That’s it. You don’t need the fancy dress, flowers or chair covers. You also don’t need to book – or pay for – a venue either. That is if you don’t mind having a short, intimate (although potentially public) guerrilla wedding ceremony.
What is a Guerrilla Wedding?
A guerrilla wedding is basically an impromptu ceremony where you, your fiancé, an officiant, and few guests (and a photographer, if you’d like) literally just show up, unannounced, to whatever location you choose to say your “I Do’s”. It has become a modern-day version of eloping. It’s a little more personal than City Hall, but not as elaborate as a traditional ceremony.
Guerrilla wedding ceremonies are becoming increasingly popular because couples are looking for budget-friendly, DIY-style weddings. (It also helps that Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum’s characters had a guerrilla wedding in the 2012 movie “The Vow”.) They are appealing because they can take place just about anywhere you choose. Maybe you want to “walk down the aisle” at a meaningful location, like where you first met. Or maybe you’re more interested in having a unique story and want to have your wedding in the middle of a Haunted House. The possibilities are endless!
Why and how does a Guerrilla Wedding work?
Since venues are one of the biggest wedding expenses, cutting out this cost can save you a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. It’s a great way to share your special day with a few close friends and family members, without breaking the bank. Certain locations (such as parks and beaches) will most likely be free. Other locations (such as museums or amusement parks) will have an admission fee, but are still a significantly cheaper option.
It’s important to choose the location carefully, as certain venues are going to be riskier than others. Security might ask everyone to leave, especially if the ceremony is seen as a disturbance. Or the wedding party can be charged with trespassing if you are on private property without permission – which could end up costing you thousands of dollars anyways. Be sure to really think about how much risk you are willing to take, and maybe have a back-up plan (just in case).
You will have to cut down both your guest list and the length of your ceremony considerably – especially if you choose somewhere where this sort of thing is frowned upon. The more people invited and the longer the ceremony takes, the higher your chances of being caught or asked to leave. Open outdoor spaces are usually “safer” and can accommodate more people (but guest list should still be kept to about 20 people or less). Regardless, you are going to draw attention from people passing by and perhaps even the media. If you don’t want this kind of attention, a guerrilla wedding might not be for you.
Just because your ceremony is small, doesn’t mean your reception has to be. Holding a private ceremony followed by a bigger reception is also becoming increasingly popular. It saves money but still allows you to celebrate with everyone you care about. But again, it’s really up to you and your fiancé. If you’d rather keep the whole day intimate and low-key, you could always ask your guests to stick around your chosen venue (for example, look at the exhibits if you’re at a museum or ride the rides if you’re at an amusement park), or simply take them out for dinner.
If a guerrilla wedding isn’t your cup of tea, perhaps one of these other ways to have a cheaper wedding is more suited to your style?
If you are into bling, which at least lasts for a long time and you can stare at every day, you could redirect some of your wedding savings toward your ring. There are all sorts of online retailers, like this Phoenix-based diamond seller, so you can browse to your heart’s content!
Would you ever consider a guerrilla wedding? If so, what would be your ideal location?
I love this idea. We got married a few years ago and it was a fairly typical event (well, it was a double wedding — two couples — so that was a bit different) but a guerrilla-style wedding sounds awesome. I think my ideal location would be at the top of Haleakala.
Fun location idea!!
You had a double wedding?! That’s fascinating to me, I have only ever seen that as a “thing on TV.”
Double weddings do seem to be pretty rare. I don’t think they’re for everyone. 🙂 Ours worked out pretty well, though. Probably the best part was that the costs were basically cut in half for each couple. The time/effort spent planning was significantly reduced as well. The downside, though, was that each of us (brides in particular) had to make a lot of compromises. If I could do it all over again, I think I’d just elope. Or maybe try a guerrilla wedding!
Nancy recently posted…Rikishi, the Stink Face Baby Name
We had a surprise wedding.
We organised a reasonably big christening for our daughter and scheduled our wedding vows immediately after. I wasn’t fussed about having a wedding anyway and definitely didn’t want a big fluffy deal so this was the perfect solution.
Everyone was there. But no-one other than our witnesses and the minister knew there’d be a wedding, too. Not even our family members knew it was going to happen.
So, no fancy invitations, no fancy clothes, just us and the people we cared about. We catered the informal gathering afterward which was held in the local hall (for free) so the whole day cost about $1000.
I highly recommend it!
diane @smartmoneysimplelife recently posted…3 Tips to Banish Takeout Forever
No way!!!! Good for you 🙂 I have friends who did that, too. They threw a party at their house and had a justice of the peace come.
I am SUPER impressed by this, let’s say that mine cost several multiples of your $1000!
Anne recently posted…How I Use Tangerine to get FREE Money at Tax Time
This is such an interesting concept! I got married 2.5 years ago and it was quite the affair…one that I would never go through the headache of planning again if I’m being honest. Having a guerilla style wedding sounds much more appealing!
Christina @ Embracing Simple recently posted…34 Frugal and Fun Date Ideas
In a lot of things I do as a volunteer, I wish more people had been through planning a wedding, so they have a better understanding of HOW MUCH WORK it is to pull off big events!
I don’t know if you would call ours a guerrilla wedding or not.. We went to a wedding chapel in L.A, booked 2 days prior. Just us, his brother and then girlfriend. Cost us $75 thereabouts. Right after that, he changed and went off to work and l went back home to sleep. We used the money to buy a little condo in Houston that we rented…8 years later, l would have still done the same thing… 🙂
Kemkem recently posted…Nerja Caves of Malaga, Spain
I don’t think I could ever do a guerrilla wedding (too shy), but we are doing the ‘private ceremony, public reception’ for our wedding! We chose it for a variety of reasons, but I love it because it will save us so much money. I wasn’t big on spending $5k plus for a one day event, so I’m glad some things came up and are “making” us have a small wedding 🙂
Melissa @ Sunburnt Saver recently posted…How to Create Better Resolutions
🙂 That’s awesome that it’s going to save you money!
A guerilla wedding could be fun but you could accomplish almost the same thing by having a wedding in a public space where they don’t charge. We got married on a beach it was free! But no stress about getting kicked out or caught.
The Roamer recently posted…2014 Family Relationships Reviewed
Yes, as long as the space allows it!
Hah, I’d love to elope but then my entire family would shun me forever. And I think the partner also wants to do the grand ol’ party thing. Le sigh, moans my bank account.
Taylor Lee recently posted…Follow the Money River
There are a LOT of social pressures about weddings. My friend “eloped” with both sets of parents and they had to have a big bbq event at home because her grandmother was just crushed that she wasn’t there.
I would. I am planning to have one in The Grand Canyon. An elevated park will just be perfect for a quick vow and it’s our favorite place. We visit the park three times a year. So we have created some memories there.
Jayson @ Monster Piggy Bank recently posted…How to Choose a Binary Options Platform
Three times, wow. I would love to make it there just once (to start, at least ;-)).
I live in AZ and haven’t even been to the Grand Canyon 3 times, haha. Just twice! Jayson is on a roll! Also, the Grand Canyon is a beautiful place to get married. Cool idea!
Melissa @ Sunburnt Saver recently posted…How to Create Better Resolutions