What’s the Difference Between an Elopement, Intimate Wedding, and Large Wedding?
Choosing the right kind of celebration can feel overwhelming when you’re newly engaged.
Should you elope just the two of you, invite a small group of loved ones, or go all-in with a traditional wedding day?
Every couple is different, and your wedding day should reflect your values, lifestyle, and love story.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of each type of celebration so you can find the one that fits best.
1. Elopement (Just the Two of You)
Guest Count: 0
Typical Vendors: Photographer, celebrant, hair and makeup artist, florist (optional), videographer (optional)
What It Looks Like:
An elopement with no guests is the most intimate experience you can choose. It’s just the two of you, your celebrant, and your photographer (and videographer if you wish) in a location that’s meaningful to you. You might be hiking through the Dolomites at sunrise, standing on a cliffside in Tasmania, or tucked away in a villa in Lake Como.
Why Couples Choose This:
- Deeply private, intentional, and emotionally driven
- Allows complete freedom in your timeline and location
- No guest logistics or expectations
- Focused entirely on the connection between you both
Photographer’s Role:
As your photographer, I also often serve as your location guide, timeline planner, creative director, and sometimes even your witness. You’re not just booking coverage, you’re booking someone to walk alongside you through the entire planning experience.
2. Elopement With Guests (Typically Up to 15)
Guest Count: Up to 15
What It Looks Like:
You still elope in a unique destination, but you bring your closest people along for the experience. These guests might include parents, siblings, or best friends. The ceremony can remain incredibly intimate while also allowing shared memories with your inner circle.
Why Couples Choose This:
- A balance between privacy and shared celebration
- Space for meaningful conversations and connection with each guest
- Ideal if you want your parents or best friends present but still want something relaxed and low-key
Photographer’s Role:
Documenting the day as it unfolds naturally, with plenty of time for portraits, candid guest moments, and editorial-style details. I’ll also help with coordination, location scouting, and the timeline so you can just enjoy.
3. Destination Elopement
Guest Count: 0 to 10 (sometimes up to 15)
What It Looks Like:
You fly somewhere breathtaking—Italy, France, New Zealand, Far North Queensland—and elope in a location you’ll remember for life. Often paired with luxury accommodation and a travel experience.
Why Couples Love This:
- It’s a wedding and a once-in-a-lifetime trip
- Iconic backdrops like Lake Como, Amalfi Coast, Greece, Paris, or Queenstown New Zealand,
- You can combine it with a honeymoon, making the experience feel extended
4. Multi-Day Elopement
Guest Count: 0 to 10
What It Looks Like:
Rather than squeezing everything into one day, you stretch the experience across two or three days. For example:
- Day One: welcome drinks or adventure session
- Day Two: elopement ceremony and dinner
- Day Three: post-wedding shoot or relaxed brunch
Why Couples Love This:
- No rush, no pressure
- Allows time for multiple outfits, locations, and slower connection
- Ideal for destination elopements where you want to soak it in
5. Elopement With a Post-Elopement Party
Guest Count: 2 at the elopement, 20 to 80 at the party
What It Looks Like:
You elope privately, then return home and celebrate with your broader circle at a party 1 to 6 months later. This could be a dinner, cocktail party, or even a mini reception with speeches and dancing.
Why Couples Love This:
- You get the intimacy and the celebration
- More freedom to plan things on your timeline
- Great if you don’t want pressure on the wedding day but still want to celebrate with others
6. Intimate Wedding (Up to 45 Guests)
Guest Count: 20 to 45
What It Looks Like:
Think garden weddings, estate homes, vineyard venues. You have time for meaningful conversations with everyone and the styling is still elevated and elegant.
Why Couples Love This:
- A balance between connection and celebration
- Plenty of space for thoughtful styling and fashion
- Easy to personalise every part of the experience
7. Traditional Wedding (Up to 80 Guests)
Guest Count: 50 to 80
What It Looks Like:
The full wedding structure—ceremony, reception, speeches, dancing—but still manageable in size. You can still personalise elements and stay connected to your guests.
Why Couples Love This:
- A great balance between energy and intimacy
- Room for extended family and friends without feeling overwhelming
- More traditional timeline but with flexibility
8. Large Wedding (120+ Guests)
Guest Count: 120 to 200
What It Looks Like:
A full-scale event, often with formal seating, a wedding party, multiple vendors: including a second shooter, and a bigger dance floor. Often held in large venues with catering and entertainment.
Why Couples Love This:
- Big, vibrant, and memorable
- Great for large families or wide social circles
- A true “event” feel with lots of excitement
9. Multi-Day, Big Destination or Cultural Wedding (250–300+ Guests)
Guest Count: 250 to 400+
What It Looks Like:
These weddings often span multiple days and often include cultural or religious traditions, multiple outfits, family rituals, and celebrations. Common in Greek, Italian, South Asian, Middle Eastern, and other cultural weddings.
Why Couples Love This:
- Rich in heritage and tradition
- Opportunities for multiple celebrations and looks
- Family-focused, celebratory, and deeply meaningful
Note: These weddings typically require a photography team, extended hours, and custom coverage.
How to Decide What’s Right for You
Ask yourself:
- Who do I want present in my most intimate moments?
- Do I want to travel or stay local?
- What do we like to do together on our ideal date?
- Do I want my wedding to feel like a party, a retreat, a ritual, or an adventure? Or a mix of a few things.
- What aspects of the wedding day are most important to us? Eg getting ready, first look, ceremony, family photos, couple photos, photos with our pups, editorial portraits, photos on a boat/helicopter/forest/something offsite, candid moments, reception, sunset, blue hour, night time direct flash, dance floor, etc.
- What would make this fun for us?
- Do I want to stay onsite the whole day?
- Do I want to be surrounded by a lot of people all day or just a few?
- Do I want our pups/kids involved?
- What aesthetics/surroundings do we envision? This will then naturally lead into a ideal weather (which will help determine your season too)
- Do I value the experience over guests? Then an elopement would be for you.
- Do I value our photos together over a big guest list? Then a small wedding might be for you.
There’s no one-size-fits-all wedding. You get to choose the experience that feels most true.
Your wedding isn’t just a date on the calendar. It’s a reflection of how you love, how you live, and how you want to begin your next chapter.
No matter whether you’re hiking into a canyon at sunrise, hosting a candlelit dinner in a villa, or dancing with 300 guests at a multi-day celebration, the experience deserves to be documented with care.
Still not sure what’s right for you? Let’s talk about your options.
Every couple I work with gets a personalised experience plan that aligns with their story, their values, and the kind of wedding they actually want. Enquire now to begin.
