Having a large wedding with a crowd of guests and a budget that equals most couples’ down payment on a house isn’t for everyone. Some couples are even ditching the idea of keeping things traditional, instead running off to get married solo or planning secret weddings that nobody but their small guest list know about.

We’ve seen this trend before with celebrities, most recently Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth, who tied the knot at Christmastime without paparazzi or a crew of their celebrity friends. Nobody knew about the wedding until Miley posted a photo on Instagram a few days later.

Wondering what it’s like to have a secret wedding and who in the world would want that? Read on to hear the stories of eight real brides who share why they kept their wedding a complete secret.