How to Include Your Loved Ones in Your Elopement Day

So you’ve decided to elope but want the best of both worlds and want to still include your loved ones in your elopement day somehow. What if I told you you can have both? Here are five ways to include your friends and family on your elopement day!

Do private vows in the morning, then a ceremony with family later in the day

One way to include your loved ones on your elopement day but still have the elopement experience, is to go off on a separate adventure without anyone else, and say your vows privately. Then later in the day you can meet up with your friends and family and have a ceremony with them!

Mona and Trace opted to go this route with their Moab elopement. We set off early in the morning before sunrise and took some photos and allowed for them to have a private moment together at Dead Horse Point. Afterwards, they headed back to their condo and made breakfast with their family and got their kiddos dressed and ready to go for their ceremony with everyone. Then we went out to a secluded arch where they said their vows in front of their family and did more photos. It was simple but so sweet and fun!

Have your loved ones write you letters to read on your elopement day

If you truly want to have the elopement experience with just you and your partner, but want to include your friends and family, you could have them write you letters to read at some point on your elopement day. These can be letters of encouragement, advice they have for marriage, or anything you want. Then you can do something a recording of you reading the letters so they can see how much their words mean to you.

Have an intimate wedding with close friends and family

You can still have the elopement experience and invite your loved ones! Just know that if you are choosing a destination location, they might not all be able to attend. And that’s okay! Many of my couples go this route, and it’s so fun to have an intimate group to celebrate with you. And you can still have the elopement experience by choosing to have a separate adventure with just the two of you.

Danielle and Steve went this route and opted to split their photo coverage into two days. The first day was spent with their loved ones where they had a ceremony at Dead Horse Point in front of their guests. Then they took photos with everyone and celebrated with dinner at a local restaurant after. The next day, we met up before the sun came up and went out to one of my favorite places in Moab for sunrise. Afterwards, we did some light off roading down one of my favorite canyons and took more photos. D even opted to wear another dress for this adventure to change things up a little bit!

Have a reception back home to celebrate with everyone

Again, if you’re looking for the true elopement experience with just you and your partner, you can do your elopement and then have a reception at a later date with your friends and family. You can even wait until you get your photos and video back and share those at the ceremony so your loved ones can see them while they are celebrating you. This also takes the pressure off of them as well if you are doing a destination elopement. That way, they don’t have to feel obligated to spend the money to be there, and can still celebrate and party with you!

FaceTime or Skype with them during your elopement

There’s a couple of ways you could go about this! You could just FaceTime a few people after your ceremony to let them know you are finally married. Let them see you in your wedding attire and show them the beautiful views of the location you chose to get married in. Or you could send everyone a link and stream your elopement ceremony for everyone to watch. This will only work if you are in a spot that still has service. But we can always set up a phone on a tripod and make it to where your loved ones can join in virtually!

There are many other ways to include your loved ones on your elopement day. These are just a few I have seen as an elopement photographer. Feel free to leave more recommendations for others to leave in the comments!