My great-grandfather and great-grandmother eloped.

My grandmother got engaged to my grandfather when she was 25 and at Berkeley working on her master’s. My grandfather was also at Berkeley, but was playing football professionally soon after that.

My great-grandparents did not approve of the match, for no reason I know about, and my grandparents waited five years (5!) for their permission. When it wasn’t forthcoming, my grandparents eloped.

My mom was just turned 15 when she met my father, a 20 year old college boy. They eloped four months after they met. (Been married almost 44 years now.)

Growing up the one thing my mom said was, “Don’t elope.” The one thing my dad said was, “Finish school before you get married.”

I broke a three generation tradition and got married in a fancy church wedding. And I’d finished high school, college, and my master’s before I got married. But I wasn’t through with my PhD. That took years to finish, juggling work, husband, and the boys.