MUST WE HAVE A FORMAL WEDDING?

If you are old enough to marry and are romantically involved with someone, the option of quietly slipping away to get married might seem attractive. In some cases a couple may elope. What principles can help you to decide what to do?

IS TRADITION PARAMOUNT?
While marriage is common to most cultures, the customs surrounding the ceremony vary greatly. For a christian couple, the primary concern is not whether their wedding will fulfill all the expectations of local custom. Rather, their paramount desire is to conduct their courtship and marriage in a way that brings honor to Jehovah God.
since marriage is an honorable arrangement, it is not something most couples would want to keep secret. It must be admitted, though, that organizing a wedding and a reception is stressful andd may entail considerable expense. For example, in the United States, wedding receptions often cost thousands of dollars.
In an attempt to minimize stress and expense, some couples have chosen a more simple option. Your parents too might be dissapointed if you decide to have a very simple wedding, since they may want as many people as possible to share the joy of this special day. What, though, if you are thinking of getting married without even telling your parents because you know that your family would oppose the very idea of your getting married?

CONSIDER YOUR FAMILY'S FEELINGS
It may be that your parents would object because they feel that you are too young to make such an important decision. They may fear that your tastes will soon change as you mature and that you will soon regret your choice of marriage mate. Alternatively, they might consider you old enough to marry, but they see what they perceive as flaws in your loved one's character. Or they may even forbid you to marry because your chosen partner does not share the same religious convictions as you.
If your parents are true christians, they likely have Bible-based reasons for their concerns. It is only right that they would express any misgivings they might have. Indeed, our Creator would veiw them as negligent and unloving if they failed to do so. And it is in your interest to hear their point of veiw.
True, some parents might have selfish reasons for objecting to a marriage- for example, to maintain control over their child. However, before you dismiss your parents' concerns as selfish and slip away to be married, why not analyze their objections?