My husband and I eloped. But, I did tell my immediate family before I did it. My family likes my husband, so I knew they’d be okay with it, but I also know that they would have had me drawn and quartered for not telling them about it.
When we got back from our “vacation,” there was a message on my answering machine from one of my uncles, telling us that he was having a small birthday party for his daughter, and he hoped we’d get back in time to make it. We did, and that was where we told the rest of the family that we’d gotten married. It was funny. The party was at a restaurant, so we were able to sit at the table with our hands hidden for quite a while, while we ate & chatted. One of my other uncles asked us “So, how was your vacation?” My reply: “Oh, it was nice. Didn’t do much of anything, really. Ate, slept in, visited with Tim’s family, got married. No big deal.” There was silence for about two seconds, then there was much joy.
We eloped because a) we didn’t have a whole lot of money, b) I had been married once before and didn’t feel like doing the huge wedding again, and c) between us, we already had enough to start a home with, so we didn’t need gifts.
My mom has been living with her SO for almost six years now. They’re actually engaged, but they just haven’t gotten around to getting married yet. My mom says it’s for tax reasons, because Mike (her SO) is self-employed, and it’ll just mess everything up. I didn’t used to buy that one, then I married a self-employed musician. I understand her reasoning now. They’ll get married eventually, I’m sure, but they’ll probably wait until Mike retires, which won’t be too much longer, since he’s almost 60. My mom did the extremely low-key wedding when she married my dad (she’d already given birth to me & my sister by then, so having a big wedding was not appropriate for her back then, in 1968). If she doesn’t do a big wedding this time, I’ll be really honked off. I know she wants it. 
Cristi, Slayer of Peeps
I made my husband join a bridge club. He jumps next Tuesday.
(title & sig courtesy of UncleBeer and WallyM7!)