Cousin is engaged and thinking about having a wedding this year in spring but...honestly the money could go toward the house and she needs to look for a new job.
she thought about eloping and I wouldnt blame her for doing that. His parents are divorced. Her parents arent particularly fussed about it.
I dont want her to do it just for the sake of my mum and inviting family some of whom she doesnt get on with. Mum doesnt care for a wedding and has never pressured or even hinted for any of us to have one or be married. Even though my siblings are single.
anyway. Again its expensive so just said get married legally and then throw a party in your backyard, invite your friends and say you got married that morning.
As long as the father of the bride gives her away and consents to it (one thing from the way we do weddings which has some kind of connection to the teaching of the Bible on the topic) I suppose one could 'elope.' That's not really eloping.
When we eat cantaloupe I remember my daughters that they've got to remember a lesson from the melon--- they can't elope. (Maybe that should go in the Dad jokes thread.)
If mom and grandma seem to show no interest in a wedding, that doesn't mean they won't actually miss it or have their feelings hurt.
The backyard party to save money sounds like a great idea. It could be fun, too. A couple could also do something fun. It could have a theme, like if her great grandma were Amish, as people to dress Amish if they want to, and serve sausage and sour kraut... or serve a cheaper ethnic food.
Of have a middle eastern night and ask guests that want to to dress middle eastern, buy a sheep or goat, and roast it over the yard. People might not think it is cheap, just unique. Doritos and pizza for a football party, or get some Doritos and some Great Value and mix them in a bowl. If they are on a tight budget, do little Caesars.... but it's a wedding, so spring for Dominos.
One of my buddies from church and high school got married in the late 1990's. They wed and had the party in a church fellowship hall. His family made and brought food, and other people brought food as for a covered dish dinner. IMO, this would be a good thing for churches to do, arrange to treat weddings like a covered dish dinner. Invite the whole congregation or much of it plus family and friends to come. If not everyone shows or there is extra space in the building. Have a practice of helping provide food. This would be a way of encouraging and supporting weddings.
