03/27/2026
Thinking about skipping the giant guest list and choosing something more intimate?
Eloping on Florida’s Forgotten Coast lets your wedding day be about the two of you — not the seating chart, not the pressure, and not the price tag. With quiet beaches, soft sunsets, and that laid-back Old Florida feel, places like St. George Island and the surrounding Forgotten Coast are known for their unspoiled shoreline and lack of high-rises, making them a beautiful fit for couples who want simple, meaningful, and stress-free.
And for a lot of couples, “smaller and simpler” is sounding better than ever. A 2022 national survey of more than 1,000 engaged U.S. couples found that 62% were open to a scaled-back, elopement-style wedding.
Money is a big reason why. The Knot’s 2026 Real Weddings Study says the average U.S. wedding cost for couples married in 2025 was $34,200. LendingTree also found that 67% of newlyweds surveyed said they went into debt to pay for their wedding, and more than half regretted how much they spent.
There is also research suggesting that spending more on the wedding itself does not translate into better long-term outcomes. In a study of more than 3,000 ever-married people in the U.S., researchers found marriage duration was either not associated or inversely associated with higher wedding spending.
That doesn’t mean traditional weddings are wrong — plenty of couples love them. But if your dream day looks more like ocean air, a peaceful beach, a few happy tears, and a ceremony that feels personal instead of performative, eloping on the Forgotten Coast might be exactly right.
Your wedding does not have to be bigger to be more meaningful.
Sometimes the most unforgettable “I do” is the simplest one.
If your dream wedding feels more like a peaceful shoreline than a packed ballroom, an elopement on Florida’s Forgotten Coast may be exactly what you’re
