Old traditions die hard, and there may not be any stronger proof than many modern day couples thinking about having a post-elopement party.
People elope for all sorts of reasons. Elopements and micro weddings can be stress-free, more affordable and focused on what the couple wants their wedding day to be. But the internal and external pressures to still throw a party are very real.
This article covers common reasons to have a post-elopement party, shares ideas for making it memorable and enjoyable rather than painful, and gives some celebration-worthy tips on ways to please your friends and family without defeating the purpose of eloping in the first place.
What is a post-elopement party?
If you’ve done a hard-core elopement just-the-two-of-you style, with no guests at all, then a post-elopement party is a way to celebrate with people you care about later on.
But you don’t have to elope to have a post-elopement party. It could also be a smaller reception for a different group of people than the guests who came to your original wedding reception.
If your family is spread out across time zones or continents then maybe you want to have multiple small gatherings rather than one big one.
It really depends on how you want to celebrate.
When is a good time to have a post-elopement party?
You could do it on the same day as your just-the-two-of-us style wedding ceremony.
For instance, maybe you wanted to keep your vows private but then celebrate with close friends and family later over dinner. You might call this a micro wedding reception, but it’s just another name for a post-elopement party.
You could do it a short time later when you’re home from your destination micro wedding, at a time and place that allows more people to be there.
In this instance, there might be someone close to you who was physically unable to travel for health reasons perhaps (pregnancy, old age, disability). It’s ok to jet off, do your thing and then celebrate a happily-ever-after party upon your return.
You could even have your celebration months later. There’s nothing that says you can’t wait until the timing is right — maybe when school is out or when a loved one is home on leave from military service or the weather is more cooperative or the venue you want is actually available.
You could even wait to tie it into another important life milestone, such as a birthday or anniversary or graduation or something that would see a number of your friends and family together already.
Keep a post elopement-party from turning into a full flown wedding reception
The number one way to keep your happily-ever-after party small is by distancing the party from the time and place of your ceremony.
A destination micro wedding will by nature have fewer guests attend, and by extension, so would having a reception right then and there following your intimate ceremony.
Waiting a few months can also help you keep it small and intimate. Seeing more distant friends and family during the natural course of the rest of the year, at picnics, holiday gatherings, work, church outings or family reunions may give people the chance to see you, congratulate you, hand off wedding gifts or propose a toast in your honor without the spotlight being fully on you.
Then your new marriage might drift off their minds and out of their system and perhaps they won’t expect there to be a party specifically for the two of you. If that’s the case, you can gather with more meaningful friends and family for the small reception you hoped for all along.
Guest List
Set your expectations for an intimate gathering early and then stick to your guns. If anyone tries to push you to make it bigger, saying things like, “You have to invite so-and-so!” your answer should be “Nope.”
If need be, just explain that you want more time to spend with the people that do make the cut.
Or you can justify your decision by reminding dissenters that money doesn’t grow on trees and it’s more important to you to make the celebration special for a smaller group than to provide a lackluster experience for more people.
Food & Beverage Costs
Large parties cost lots of money. But there’s no reason to go into massive debt just because your auntie served steak and lobster at her wedding reception in 1979 and thinks you should do the same.
Make smart choices about where your budget will get spent when it comes to food and beverage. Consider a cocktail party instead of a sit down dinner for instance.
Venue
Think of all the wedding receptions you’ve ever been to. Have you attended ones at the golf club, the Elks Lodge, the dining hall in your church’s basement? Did people dance? Did they even bother to leave their seats to mingle?
Now think about all the best parties you’ve been to. Were they at rooftop bars downtown, in a friend’s garage, on a yacht circling the harbor? What made them special?
Probably great music, yummy food, good vibes and some of your best friends and/or most-loved family members hanging out in one of your favorite places.
Make your post-elopement party more fun by selecting an exciting venue. Wherever you choose to have your happily-ever-after-party, probably don’t rent out the conference room at the Marriott.
Las Vegas is home to some of the best party venues on Earth. And you don’t have to be celebrating a major league championship to take over one of them! Because we have spaces that are just right for any sized group of you and your friends and family.
I can recommend amazing places in Las Vegas that are suited for a small wedding reception. You want to pick a place that specializes in good times.
One of my faves is Wax Rabbit — a speakeasy inside a Mexican restaurant inside a Las Vegas casino.
One More Reason to Have a Post-Elopement Party
Here’s another scenario that might lead you into thinking about having a post-elopement party: you got married in a private elopement ceremony (destination or otherwise) but want to take advantage of the great places in your hometown to celebrate with friends and family.
This might be true if you live in an especially entertaining city like New Orleans, Miami or Las Vegas. (Hey, locals need an excuse to visit Bourbon Street, South Beach or the Strip once in a while too!)
Las Vegas has so much going for it in the way of great dining and stylish venues that you may not want to miss out on a perfectly good excuse to throw a party. You could even invite out-of-town friends and relatives to join you for a night at Barry’s Downtown Prime or the Front Yard at Ellis Island — just two of our favorite reception venues.
If you’re busy planning your micro wedding or elopement in Las Vegas (hint hint! with us here at Cactus Collective Weddings) you should know that we do receptions too!
Need photography for a Fremont Street stroll in your wedding day attire? How about behind the scenes content creation for your private vow renewal. We’d love to help you coordinate any or all of these extras to make your day an elevated experience.
No matter what type of post-elopement party you decide to have, remember to enjoy the process. This is an opportunity for those in your life to embrace your new status.
If you need help planning your elopement and/or your post-elopement party, we can help. Get in touch today and let us make the magic happen so you can sit back, relax and enjoy your special day and your post-elopement party too!
