Elopement vs. Wedding 🤍

So… What Is an Elopement?

First things first—you are still getting married.

An elopement isn’t a watered-down wedding or a compromise. It’s a deliberate decision. A conscious choice to let go of what doesn’t feel like you and hold onto what feels true. At its core, it centers the vows, the love, the connection, and the stillness of the moment itself.

Traditionally, elopements were associated with secrecy. Running off because a relationship didn’t fit expectations or rules. Today, that meaning has shifted. Modern elopements are rooted in intention and autonomy. They’re about opting out of pressure, oversized guest lists, and the unspoken obligation to turn your marriage into a spectacle.

At The Vow Exchange Suite, we embrace the word elopement because it feels gentler. Less rigid. Less overwhelming. It gives couples permission to slow down, to exhale, and to remember that this day belongs to them; not timelines, not opinions, not table layouts or décor decisions that don’t matter in the long run.

Choosing to elope isn’t about spending less, it’s about spending wisely. It’s prioritizing the moments that linger: the mood of the space, the intimacy of the exchange, the meaning behind every word spoken, and the few people—if any—who truly need to be there.

An elopement is still a marriage. It’s simply a marriage shaped around you. Calm instead of chaos. Presence instead of pressure. Beauty without excess.

That’s the purpose behind The Vow Exchange Suite: to offer a way to get married that feels effortless, personal, and deeply intentional.

How to Obtain Your Marriage License

A marriage license is valid for ninety days from issuance. A seventy-two hour waiting period is required from the time the marriage license is issued until the wedding can take place

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Here’s how to make it official before your ceremony at The Vow Exchange Studio, it’s simple!

1. COST:

The cost is $81.00 in CASH OR CREDIT/DEBIT CARD ONLY, unless you have taken the “TWOGETHER IN TEXAS” premarital Education Course which brings the cost down to $21.00

2. OBTAINING A MARRIAGE LICENSE:

Each applicant should bring Proof of Identity and Age when applying for the marriage license. Both applicants must swear or affirm that the information provided is correct and both sign the application for the marriage license.
Applicants can complete an online Marriage application on our Online Public Records website to expedite the process, but will still have to appear at the County Clerk’s office with valid identification to complete the application process. Be sure to inform the clerk you have completed the online application.

3. WHAT IS TWOGETHER IN TEXAS?

What is Twogether in Texas? It is a state program working in partnership with a federal Healthy Marriage Initiative. Each person applying for a marriage license is encouraged to attend a premarital education course of at least eight hours during the year preceding the date of the application for the license.
A person who provides a premarital education course shall provide a signed and dated completion certificate to each individual who completes the course. The certificate must include the name of the course, the name of the course provider, and the completion date.
72-Hour Waiting Period waived.
Reduces the marriage license fee from $81.00 to $21.00
The course completion certificate is good for one year.
Who should a couple contact to obtain more information on the state sponsored premarital education classes? http://www.twogetherintexas.com

4. WHEN WILL I RECIEVE THE RECORDED MARRIAGE LICENSE

The person who conducts a marriage ceremony shall record on the license the date on which and the county in which the ceremony is preformed and the person’s name, subscribe the license, and return the unexpired license to our office by not later than the 30th day after the date the ceremony is conduced. (A person who fails to comply with this section commits an offense which is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than $200 and not more than $500).
It may take up to 7-10 business days to receive your original license in the mail by the person who conducts the marriage ceremony. Once received, the clerk shall record a returned marriage license and mail the license to the address indicated on the application. However, if it is needed sooner, once recorded by our office a certified copy of the license and application may be obtained from our office for $7.00, the county clerk may e-mail the marriage license to an email address provided to the county clerk by the applicants in addition to mailing the license. (If you are going to change your last name you will need a certified copy to take to the Social Security Administration & the Department of Public Safety office.)