The research conducted by Las Vegas wedding chapel, Chapel of the Flowers, analyzed worldwide elopement trends and Google search data from the past year to discover where couples are searching to elope, both in America and worldwide.  

It may come as no surprise that Las Vegas takes the crown as the most popular destination to elope to worldwide. Las Vegas receives a whopping 11,800 searches every month worldwide for terms search as ‘Vegas elopement’ and ‘elope in Las Vegas’, etc., while #Vegaselopement has 24,000 hashtags on Instagram.

Vegas has been hailed as the world’s elopement capital for many years now, known for its easy and budget-friendly options for elopement packages, as well as its Elvis impersonators and little white chapels. Eloping in Vegas has also been the backdrop for many celebrity weddings over the years, including iconic names such as Elvis Presley and Priscilla Beaulieu and more recent additions such as Sophie Turner and Joe Jonas and Lily Allen and David Harbour.

Italy places as the second most popular destination in the world to elope to. From the romantic canals of Venice and the historic streets of Rome to the scenic Amalfi Coast and the rolling hills of Tuscany, Italy offers a diverse range of breathtaking locations for couples. So, it’s no surprise that #Italywedding has almost 494,000 hashtags on Instagram. Italy is a popular wedding destination for many couples, such as celebrities Emily Blunt and John Krasinski and the now-divorced Kim Kardashian and Kanye West.

Ranking in third place is Scotland. Many couples are drawn to Scotland for its breathtaking landscapes and historic castles, with destinations such as the Isle of Skye, Loch Lomond and Edinburgh being popular with couples looking to elope. The term ‘wedding venues Scotland’ receives 3,500 average searches every month from across the globe, while #Scotlandwedding has 384,000 hashtags on Instagram.

Spain ranks as the fourth most popular destination to elope worldwide. Known for its stunning historic architecture in cities such as Barcelona, Seville, and Madrid, as well as its beautiful beaches along the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts, Spain offers couples a variety of choices to tie the knot.

The top 10 is rounded out with Nashville in sixth place, New Orleans in seventh, followed by Iceland, Greece and New York City in eighth, ninth, and tenth, respectively. Interestingly, four destinations out of the top 10 are located in the United States, illustrating that America is a prime choice for couples looking to elope.

2023 Elopement trends

Eloping has become increasingly popular in recent years, with many couples choosing to elope for a more intimate and private wedding experience. Google searches for ‘elopement’ are currently the highest on record and have significantly increased worldwide since 2004, increasing 203% since the beginning of the Internet. The phrase ‘elopement packages’ has also risen substantially in the United States, increasing 186% since 2004.

According to Google Trends, the United States is the country most interested in elopement worldwide, followed by Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Ireland, respectively.

Savvy-saving millennials are now opting to elope over hosting large traditional weddings as a means to save towards other life expenses. According to Pinterest trends, 66% of searches for ‘elopement ideas’ over the last 12 months are from people aged 25-34, 88% of which are female.

Chapel of the Flowers CEO Donne Kerestic commented on the study: “Between navigating pandemic restrictions and the hassle of planning an elaborate celebration, more couples have been choosing to elope over recent years in order to save themselves time, stress and money.”

“This study offers a fascinating insight into which locations are the most desirable for couples to elope worldwide, with Las Vegas unsurprisingly taking the crown.”