How to Throw a Post-Elopement Celebration
It’s one of the most common questions I see: “What should I do after my elopement wedding day? Do people host post-elopement parties for friends and family?”
The short answer is, “Yes!”
Your elopement wedding is a celebration of your love. And even if you decide to have no guests or only a few guests for your ceremony, you can certainly have a post-elopement celebration with all your favorite people.
So, this blog is totally dedicated to everything from the why to the how. Without further ado, let’s cover all the details you need to know when throwing a post-elopement celebration party!
What Is a Post-Elopement Celebration?
Eloping is the adventure of a lifetime. It commemorates your marriage in a highly personalized way, that aligns with your values, and turns your nuptials into an outdoor adventure.
But even if your ceremony is small and private, that doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice the fun of something akin to a wedding reception.
Think of a post-elopement celebration as the best of both worlds—a private ceremony and a big party with your friends and family.
Why Have a Post-Elopement Celebration?
Post-elopement celebrations offer low-stress intimacy between you and your beloved: Have a more intimate, stress-free wedding ceremony experience with just you two—or the two of you and a few guests.
You two want to travel, but don’t want to make your guests travel: Logistics can be a challenge—especially when getting a large group of guests to travel to your destination or adventure wedding. In which case, some couples I work with choose a post-elopement celebration because it allows them to explore the world—while keeping family and friends from spending too much time and money to come along.
A post-elopement party empowers couples to invite guests who couldn’t join the ceremony: Sometimes friends and family can’t join your wedding ceremony. Maybe it’s due to health, finances, schedules, or something else entirely. That’s A-OK, because you can still host a party nearer to home—so more folks can attend your festivities.
Post-elopement parties can save money when compared to a traditional wedding or reception venue: It’s a classic rule that an event venue jumps in price when it’s booked as a wedding venue. And that’s true, to some extent. Some couples choose to save money by throwing a big party at a non-traditional venue—like a backyard, ballroom, brewery, or restaurant—without the official label of a traditional wedding.
You have more opportunities for creativity when planning a post-elopement party: Traditional wedding receptions (more or less) have a standard schedule—cocktail hour, dinner, speeches, first dances, cake cutting, and open dancefloor. While that’s all great, many non-traditional couples choose more casual parties or even themed events instead.
Think of your post-elopement party as a blank slate, allowing you to add, subtract, or completely rethink what you want your reception to look like.
You’re in a rush to get married: Military, moving, pandemics, politics—you name it. You might be in a rush to get married, and it’s a lot easier to plan an elopement in a short time frame.
Your wedding day will be equally meaningful whether you plan your elopement in 3 months or choose a traditional wedding in 12 months.
When to Have a Post-Elopement Celebration?
When should you host your post-elopement celebration? There are a few different options:
Immediately after the ceremony: In the same way that some couples choose to host a larger reception after a smaller wedding ceremony, some elopement couples choose to say their “I do”s during a private ceremony—followed by a return reception with their guests.
For example, I had a couple get married privately in a national park (just the couple, their officiant, and me as the photographer). This allowed them to focus on the moment and each other fully. Afterward, they returned to their Airbnb to party with friends and family.
Month(s) later: Weddings are fun, but they can also be exhausting. So, some couples choose to break up the activities. By having an elopement ceremony on one day, then a party later on—couples can keep from getting worn out before and during their wedding day.
For example, I’ve had a couple secretly elope—because they wanted to secure a specific wedding date, without too much scheduling stress. About a month later, they threw a house party, inviting everyone they knew. It was an affordable way to celebrate their love.
Around your first anniversary: Spreading out your festivities can make the magic of your wedding feel longer.
For example, I attended a friend’s post-wedding celebration on her first anniversary. She wore a white summer dress, cut the cake, and had a dance floor.
Whenever you want: There are no hard-and-fast rules when it comes to your elopement and celebrations. As long as you two are vibing and smiling, that’s all that matters! Feel free to get creative with it.
What’s most common? To be honest, the most common timeframe I have seen from couples who throw a post-elopement celebration is a few weeks to a year after the elopement ceremony.
There are no mandates, so it’s about what works for you two and your people. That being said, think about practicalities: Consider when everyone is likely to be available, the weather (if you’re outdoors), and other things like venue availability (if you go that route).
Where to Have a Post-Elopement Celebration?
The nice thing about a party is that it doesn’t have to be at a traditional wedding venue. There are plenty of other options to consider:
Backyards: If you’re lucky enough to know someone with a big backyard, this’ll be the cheapest option. You’ll likely need to rent or buy chairs, tables, and any other decor. You can even schedule a food truck or catering.
Outdoor Spaces: Think local parks or even National and State Parks. Parks often have their own shade, seating, and bathrooms. Feel free to bring your own food. But check with the park regarding amplified sound, decorations, and the like.
Vacation Rentals: Airbnbs and VRBOs will sometimes allow events. Just be aware of local restrictions around sound and time. And be clear with the Airbnb owners about your plans, to ensure everything is A-OK.
Wineries, breweries, and restaurants: These are great places to throw a party, especially since you’ll have alcohol, seating, food, and bathrooms all taken care of. You’d be surprised how much space you can book at some of these locations.
These are just a few common examples. Feel free to explore other options as well.
What Vendors to Hire for Your Post-Elopement Celebration?
The nice thing about post-elopement celebrations is there are fewer expectations. This is more of a party after all, so you can be more flexible on things like seating and DJs. But there are some things to consider and some vendors you might want to hire.
Rentals: Chairs, tables, tents, and decor can sometimes be rented together. This is something you’ll need for backyard or other outdoor locations.
Decor: If you’re doing this all to save money, you might not want to hire a vendor for decor. Instead, consider using decorations you already have, DIYing them, or buying decor you can reuse in your home. You can even use your elopement photos as decor!
Food and Drink: If you’re opting for a celebration at a vacation rental or outdoor space, you’ll need to get food or drink. Look into local caterers, restaurants you can bulk-buy from, or food trucks. You can even make it interactive, like a s’mores or caramel apple bar.
Photographer: This is not a must! After all, everyone is a photographer with a phone in their pocket. But think about it this way—this might be the last time you have all these people together at the same time! A photographer can capture portraits of your guests, but also the beautiful candid moments you’ll be having.
What to Wear for Your Post-Elopement Celebration?
To wear the wedding outfit? Or go casual? What about something in between? Again, this is totally up to you.
Some will want to wear their wedding outfits. Look, you spent a lot of money on that dress or suit! You might as well wear it more than once!
On the other hand, it could be uncomfortable to wear such fancy outfits to a more casual celebration. It really all depends on your vibe. Feel free to wear jeans and a T-shirt that says, “Bride” or “Groom.” You two probably have your own aesthetic already—lean into it!
And there’s the “in-between” option: Dressing nicely, but don’t go for the traditional attire. This is a big one for fashion-forward couples, who love any excuse to dress to the nines.
As a quick aside, one of my past couples loves Halloween and wanted their celebration to include elements of that and their Mexican heritage. They still wore their wedding outfits, but painted their faces as skeletons—how fun!
What to Do During Your Post-Elopement Celebration?
Weddings come with an expected schedule. While you can certainly take from that list of activities, the nice thing about a party is it can be just that. My own brother and sister-in-law’s post-wedding celebration had no activities—just a moment to hear from the couple and shmoozing.
Want to have some kind of schedule or activities? Here are some ideas:
Traditional Events: First dances, cake cutting, speeches, toasts, and more.
Have a slideshow: Show off your elopement photos and couple's portraits with a slideshow.
Entertainment and games: Lawn games, photobooths, family trivia, and more. This is especially helpful for having kids at your post-elopement celebration.
Other ideas: Host a picnic, hire a DJ, schedule a food truck, have a pool party, visit the beach, pop champagne, invite signatures in a guest book… The possibilities are as big as your imagination.
Invites For Your Post-Elopement Celebration
This might be a different type of invite, especially if people don’t know you’re going to elope! Use the invitation to set expectations and give necessary information. Save money and be eco-friendly with online invitations, such as Zola, Paperless Post, or an evite.
Make sure to still include all the details you would for any other party, including:
The purpose of the party, such as a post-elopement party or celebration of marriage
Where and when the party will be
Dress code, if applicable
How to RSVP and when to do so by
Whether gifts are encouraged or not
Real Post-Elopement and Post-Wedding Celebration Stories
Don’t take my word for it—check out these real stories from couples I’ve worked with, regarding their own post-elopement celebrations!
Lauryn & Jameson
“[Our] families live out of state. We wanted to celebrate with them, but have the wedding drama-free, stress-free, and no worries on lodging. Party was thrown for us, so we paid nothing! Overall, a cheaper option as well compared to an all-day event.
We had a backyard party. We had a taco bar catered, but the majority theme was national parks. We had a trail mix bar, beer and wine provided, and a wedding cake. Cake was mostly for our families, since we really didn’t care. We hired my sisters friend to cater at the party for appetizers, refill trays/jars, clean up, and manage taco bar.
No DJ. We rented a table, chairs, and a pop-up tent in the backyard. All tables had centerpieces of a different national park postcard on a little wood card holder, lantern, and themed-colored flower arrangements.
Dress code was casual, but lots still dressed up for photos. We had a photographer for an hour for family photos, and we did wear our wedding gear.
Bistro lights were prepped for nighttime. We set up a tent and a zip line for kiddos in the family. No specific activities other than our Polish traditional dance, my family made us do.
The party doesn’t have to be right after your elopement. Let people help you or give them some control of things/tasks, so you can fully focus on your elopement day.”
Kayla & Rosbin
“Wanted the chance to celebrate with family and friends!
BBQ / Buffet Style event (super casual, I told people to dress like they were going to a graduation party) at our friend's house (on the lake), outside. We are lucky that our friends are used to hosting large events, so they had a tent, tables, chair,s etc.
We did rent a school bus and set up a hotel block & after the BBQ said school bus brought all those wanting to party to Rosbin and my favorite dive bar. The dive bar let us cater with taco bell.
I wore a white sundress (to match the vibe but still wanted to be bridal) - there was no makeup/ hair ordeal, and it was very casual!
We used the photos from our elopement as decorations, and the theme of the decorations was deserty-Joshua Tree (to match the elopement!) - everything was DIY.
We didn't hire a photographer, though I wish we did to get some professional photos with family members
There was no "activities" - just food, sun, and good company. We made a playlist and had a Bluetooth speaker. The food was catered and it was BYOB.
Do whatever the hell you want - all of this is about you!”
Olya & John
“We wanted to have a smaller wedding with just family, but wanted to celebrate with friends as well.
I think our only theme was "party". We rented a venue. The dress code was semi-casual, but still dressed up. We wore the same wedding clothes we got married in (no veil, though).
We did not really have any activities, but we had a DJ, food, and an open bar. Our venue came with pretty much everything (seating, food, bar, valet parking); we only had to hire a DJ separately. I did not get any decorations, like flowers; the venue was beautiful on its own.
If you don't mind the cost, find a place that has pretty much everything included; it is much easier. If you want to have a party on a budget, enlist help of friends and family, and you may have to do a lot of DIY projects.”
Devin & Jason
“Since we wanted to have a more intimate wedding, we also wanted to have another celebration to include those whom we were unable to invite to the wedding.
We did rent a small club house that could hold more guests. Dress code was business casual. We had a photo booth and a taco truck.
Have a support system for setup and tear down, and find your venue and vendors with enough time in advance. Hate to be scrambling last minute.”
Liz & Jaime
“As much as we knew that eloping was the right decision for us, we also kind of wanted to celebrate with our friends and family. We debated just having a dinner for our immediate family. I think we jokingly said we could throw a Halloween costume party, and once that idea was out there, it sounded really fu,n and we knew we really wanted to do that.
We wanted a casual brewery space where we could hang out with our friends and family. After a ton of research, we ended up booking Brewheim in Anaheim. It was such a cool space, and we were able to book the entire brewery for the evening.
We both love Halloween, so we ended up having our party on 10/31. Costumes were required, and we wore our wedding outfits but with a Día de Los Muertos twist (Callie included!).
Most of our budget went toward the space, food, and beer, so we didn’t have many vendors. The brewery itself was pretty cool, so the decor was minimal and DIY. We went to LA and bought a ton of marigolds, and my sister and girlfriends helped me put together the flower centerpieces the night before.
We had tacos catered through Jalapeños in Tustin. My sister made some sides, and we bought a bunch of desserts from Costco. We also had pizza skulls as a fun themed appetizer, but I won’t shout out from where because they got delivered 2 hours late, and even though it ended up working out as an end-of-the-night snack, their customer service was not the best. I was super worried about there being enough food so we ended up having more than plenty. Overall, we accomplished the fun, casual vibe we were hoping for!
Honestly, the party was super fun! I’m glad we did it, and everyone seemed to love it.
The main thing is I’m SO glad it wasn’t the same day/weekend as our elopement. I’m glad it was a few weeks later. The elopement felt like it was special and just for us. It was our weekend, we said our vows and made our commitment to each other, and we did it the way we wanted to.
The party felt more like… bonus fun. It was for our friends/family. We knew they were happy for us and wanted to celebrate with us.
The day of the party, we were running around talking to everyone, and despite our best efforts to stick together, we were constantly being pulled in every direction. We were ok with it, though, because we had already had that special weekend just for us.
I think if we had done a regular wedding with everything on the same day, we would have been too overwhelmed and wouldn’t have enjoyed it as much. This way we got to enjoy both events equally!”
Book Your Post-Elopement Celebration Photographer
Want photos to document this super fun party you’re about to throw? Hit me up and let’s party!
Pricing & Packages
+ 2-8 hours of coverage
+ Online gallery with high-resolution photos
+ Option to download images or purchase prints online
+ Vendor recommendations
+ Travel fees included
At this time, all post-elopement packages are reserved for previous clients of Love & Latitudes.
