We Eloped!

Getting married... our way.

Hi, I’m Reid! I write about my life experiences and how we can all live in brave new ways. Dare You is a reader-supported publication. To receive weekly posts and support my work, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. 💗

---

Two weeks ago today, we ran off to Hawaii and said, “I do!” It was absolutely perfect and better than anything we could have ever imagined. The topic of eloping can spark strong opinions, but choosing to make such a monumental commitment, just the two of us, was undeniably one of the best (and most romantic) decisions we’ve ever made. It was the most intimate and magical ceremony… the whole thing was just so “us.”

I am a wife now… which feels so punk rock and like the coolest thing I could do with my life- and thats a strong statement considering I was single as a pringle three years ago. It is also not lost on me how lucky I got with my husband… I mean, I literally hit the jackpot. My family loves him, my girlfriends love him, I’m so in love with him, and he makes me feel like the most special girl in the world.

Getting to marry the love of my life was the best day of my entire existence. What I personally loved the most about eloping is that it was all about us. There wasn’t a huge party that we had to plan for months or years ahead, we weren’t preoccupied with making sure everyone else was having a good time, there was no drama with guests or things going wrong…. It was TRULY just about us. We didn’t care if things weren’t perfect… which made everything perfect. To be clear, I don’t think there is anything wrong with wanting a big wedding… hell, I love going to weddings! But it is important to acknowledge that your wedding should be exactly how YOU want it, and if your heart is wanting something other than the status quo, then you should definitely do that.

Also, you know what is so hot? A very short engagement. We got married five months to the day after we got engaged. I used to say I wanted a long engagement to, I don’t know... show off my ring and do all the things you do when you are engaged, and live in anticipation for my wedding. But I was like twenty when I said that, and once we got engaged I was SO ready to get married. I couldn’t wait to be his wife. Eloping had come up a few times in deciding what we wanted for our special day, but eventually, we decided to do a wedding with everyone we loved. We started to plan a big wedding, toured venues, and then a few things happened to where one day my husband entered the front door after taking our dog for a walk and said, “What if we just eloped?” I mulled it over for 5 seconds in my mind… thinking about all the legwork we had already done to plan a wedding with the help of my sweet parents… and I replied, “What about Hawaii?”

Best decision we’ve ever made. After all, my mother prophesied that I would elope when I was 13 years old. We were on the way home from school, and I was talking to her about a boy I had a crush on or something. “Who do you want me to get married to?” I asked… a very pre-teen question. “I want you to marry whoever you want,” she replied. And then, after a few moments of silence she said, “I can see you eloping.”

It felt random at the time, but how cool is it that she knew her daughter so well that she could predict the future? And how lucky am I to have a mother who accepted me for who I am from day one and, when it came to my wedding, has only ever wanted me to be happy… even if that meant getting married in a way where she wouldn’t be there. She, time and time again, shows me unconditional love. I hope I can be as understanding and supportive of a mother as her when my own daughter inevitably pulls some shit like eloping on a tropical island.

So yeah, I’m Mrs. Phelps now. It really does feel different. I feel more calm, at peace… the colors look brighter. And I know we should all feel whole on our own without a partner… but I really do feel more complete. I’m glad I waited.

-Reid

📹 Meanwhile on Youtube: 📹

WE ELOPED IN HAWAII: why it was the best decision ever

Manifestation Made Easy: Relax and Allow to Receive Your Desires

Unlock Your Full Potential in 2025: Top Tips You Need to Know

Find Balance in the Chaos | Embrace Change & Achieve Inner Harmony