As a little girl I always wanted "The Big Wedding", as I got older I wanted something small. When DH proposed we decided we wanted to elope (even planned how to get our best friends to the venue without telling them why ). Unfortunately our families had other ideas. Both sets of parents threatened to disown us should we elope. My Father because he wanted to share my day. IL's because of their religion. So, we organised a wedding back home which was small and intimate with about 20 or so people. Total cost was less than $5k including travelling from Vic to SA and back - but no honeymoon as MIL was having major surgery the following day and we needed "to be available". Still haven't been on that honeymoon . Even though I had a great day - I wish we had eloped. I'm not one for fuss over me (but love to fuss over everyone else) and hated being the centre of attention.