Ok so my FI and I will be paying for most if not all of our wedding ourselves. It has a pretty strict budget and we are now debating just using that money to elope and go on the honeymoon. We have thought about going to Italy or Greece or some South Pacific islands. The reason why I am really contemplating this is I have maybe 30ppl tops I would invite, I am not incredibly close to the majority of my BSC family. His guest list easily would take up the remaining 70 slots for our 100ppl guest list. Of course I sit here wondering "Would I regret not having that traditional wedding and reception?" We live in California, his family/friends are mostly in Illinois and mine in Arizona. So either way people would be traveling to our wedding in some way. Seeing the cost add up for quickly and what it actually costs for the type of wedding venue we want(outdoor) I am put off by throwing this wedding/reception.
Ok back to the point.... Have any of you done the elopement/honeymoon instead of wedding/reception because of above reasons or others? Did you regret not having a wedding with family and friends there?
Side note- His mom even mentioned if we had thought about this as an idea, she herself did this with her current husband. So she wouldnt not be upset if we chose this. As for the few family members/friends I would invite they really wouldnt care much either way.