Best Post Elopement Party Ideas

Maybe your 2020 was as crazy as everyone else’s, and you’re looking for the best post elopement party ideas!  Maybe your original plan turned into plan a, b, c, and got all the way into plan z so you’re left trying to figure out how to celebrate your elopement!  It could be true too that eloping was your plan the whole time, but now you need a post elopement party to include those who didn’t make the teeny tiny guests list.  We’ve got all the best post elopement party ideas as elopement photographers!  We’ve seen countless couples plan, not only their elopement, but their post elopement party so they can have their (wedding) cake and eat it too.

We’ve compiled some of our couples’ best post elopement party ideas for you ranging from when to have it, who to invite, and what is the best post elopement party timeline!  Stick around for some more funsies like the best elopement reception invitations we love recommending to our couples too!

Let’s get going with a few reminders.

No one can tell you exactly when or how to have your post elopement party.

It’s kind of like the pros and cons of eloping–there is no straight and narrow when you’re talking post-elopement parties.  This is actually a great thing!!  You’ll be able to craft your post elopement celebration with all the intention and originality you found while planning your elopement!

Sadly, sometimes there is pressure from family or friends who didn’t come to your elopement to make the post elopement party happen as soon as you arrive back home.  First, let me say–this is totally fine if this is what you want to do.  However, if you need a breather, don’t let others dictate when/how/or if you have your elopement celebration with the masses!  Now that we’ve got that out of the way… onto the fun stuff!

Pros of choosing a Post Elopement Party

Post elopement parties sometimes get a bad rap… like maybe they’re just a wedding reception in disguise.  However, this couldn’t be further from the truth.  Your post elopement party can be as formal or as casual as you would like.  This is one of the pros, but let’s hop to a few more!

Post Elopement Party Perks

• Allows you to celebrate your actual wedding day and celebration day so you can focus whole-heartedly on both
• Includes meaningful relationships that you could not bring along to your elopement date
• Gives the opportunity for others to see the joy that eloping and being married brings you
• Consoles others who feel elopement etiquette is confusing and gives them the ability to feel included
• Offers you freedom to plan a post elopement party exactly how you want rather than a cookie-cutter wedding reception

Probably the biggest perk of all of these is the potential for reliving your elopement day through photos, videos, and stories for your guests!  We love when couples choose us to help them determine How to Elope and follow up with a post elopement party to share their stellar experience with others!

Let’s get going to check out who to invite to your post elopement party!

Who to Invite to Your Post Elopement Party

If you’re considering eloping, you’re probably used to the concept of choosing guests intentionally.  You know the value of having meaningful relationships nearby, and your post elopement party guests should be no different.  Like deciding when to have your party, no one can truly tell you who and who not to invite, but we’ve got some diagnostic questions to help get you started thinking through it.

When thinking through your elopement party guest list, take time to list out all the potentials you would consider inviting.  Then run each name through these questions to help you determine which relationships are the most life-giving.

Elopement party guest Questions to Consider

• Have I seen this person in the last year?
• Do we talk regularly throughout the year even if we don’t see each other?
• Has this person shown support of my initial decision to elope?
• Is there any hurt left in this relationship that needs to be resolved?
• Do I want to prioritize family or friends, and where does this person fall?
• Would not inviting this person cause any irreparable drama?
• Do we generally enjoy spending time with this person?

If a person doesn’t pass this initial slew of questions, we’d recommend having a conversation as to why they are on your potential list in the first place.  We really believe your post elopement party is just as special as your elopement, so the guest list should be as intentional.

What to do During Your Post Elopement Party

For your post elopement party, it really should be a celebration of your relationship and your elopement.  Just like a big traditional wedding gets a celebration, elopements deserve a celebration all the more as your guests were not in attendance originally.  You’ll want to create an environment that lets your guests enjoy your day as much as you did!  A lot of typical wedding reception ideas can flow over into an elopement party, but you’re free to be creative to.  Here are some wedding reception ideas that can easily carry over, but feel free to nix these and create your own order of events!

Here are some ideas of what to do:

• Have both of you retell the story of the day
• Show a slideshow of your wedding photos
• Show your elopement video
• Have guests give toasts dedicated to your relationship
• Renew your vows for your guests
• Do a first dance

Where to Have Your Post Elopement Party

A post elopement party doesn’t have to be as bougie and in a ballroom.  Instead, you’ll probably enjoy having your elopement party somewhere much more relaxed and authentically you.  If you’re the type who loves to chill around a campfire, let this be your setting.  If you have your absolute favorite restaurant in town (no matter how fancy or not fancy it is), try to have your party there!

Here are some more ideas of where to have your elopement party:

• A modern Airbnb with yard space
• Your favorite restaurant and/or food truck
• An outdoor space you spend a lot of time (like kayaking your go-to lake)
• A reception hall for larger parties is great too!
• A tiny home village
• An amusement park (if it’s not in 2020 lol)

You get the option to have your post elopement wherever you choose, and creativity is always encouraged!  Contact us to talk through more elopement party ideas that will be unique to you. 🙂

Now let’s chat about exactly what to wear to your elopement party!

Related: Best Places to Elope in the US

What to Wear to Your Post Elopement Party

As you’ve noticed, we’re all for folks making their own decisions!  However, a lot of couples choose between two options when deciding what to wear.  You can opt to re-wear your wedding attire (which we think is a stellar idea) or dress up in an all new snazzy outfit even if just for a bit!

Guests will love to see you dressed up, and it does help to make the post elopement party feel a bit more special.  If you’re opting for something a bit more casual, you can choose to order a new dress and/or suit!  ASOS, Lulu’s, and BHLDN are some of our favorites to recommend for cost-effective and a range of styles.

On a more casual note, wearing what you would wear to any regular party is great too!  Depending on the vibe of your particular post elopement party, you may want to show up in something comfortable!  Your guests would surely love to see you in your wedding clothes, but don’t feel pressure to say yes to that at the expense of being comfortable at your own party.  Perhaps you could wear your attire initially and change out into something way more cozy along the way.  It’s truly your party, so being comfortable enough to celebrate your new marriage is of the utmost importance! 🙂

Post Elopement Party Timeline

Because you have freedom in your party, timelines can vary wildly.  We have found that couples make the most of their post elopement party timeline when they include food, a reiteration of their elopement of some sort, and some fun activity for the guests to take part in.

This can be as simple or complex as you would like.

Casual Post Elopement Party Timeline

7:00 PM | Guests arrive at your local campground to be greeted by some grills already fired up.

7:30 PM | You socialize a bit in comfy clothes and eat some yummy food.

8:00 PM | You watch a slideshow of your elopement day from photos cast on a massive white sheet hung from a tree while sitting in lounge chairs with brews.

8:30 PM | Allow any guests to say any nice words or “toast.”

8:45 PM | Change into your wedding attire as a surprise to your guests so they can get pictures with you.

9:00 PM | Make s’mores with all your honored guests wearing your wedding best!

10:00 PM | Everyone retreats back home feeling excited and loved by your post elopement party celebration!

This is one of the best casual elopement party timelines we have seen because it includes something personal to you (camping and the outdoors), lets your guests feel like they’re a part of your day (them watching your slideshow), and gives you the opportunity to surprise them with something special (getting to take pics with you in your wedding attire).

Formal Post Elopement Party Timeline

5:00 PM | Guests arrive to the venue for a cocktail hour.

6:00 PM | Dinner is served and speeches are made.

7:00 PM | Guests watch a slideshow of your elopement photos to relive your day.

7:30 PM | Traditional first dances and an elopement cake cutting take place.

8:00 PM | Dance floor opens and guests are welcome to take photos with you and deliver personalized well wishes!

This approach is modeled after a wedding reception, and a lot of couples utilize a post elopement party timeline like this when they originally wanted a big wedding with a reception.  This is a great way to incorporate your original plan and keep the intimacy of eloping privately.  A lot of our couples love Eloping in Montana and then retreating to a nearby brewery with guests for their elopement!  This hitches the two ideas of casual and formal as guests get to dress up, and you’re still in your wedding attire!

Related: Glacier National Park Elopement

Yo.  You need a hiking wedding guide and photographer.

Imma be so honest.  We love elopements, and we love helping couples plan their elopement days to be full of meaning and intention.  Kick that tradition crap outta here, and let’s plan something magical together!

You deserve for your wedding day to bring you peace in the great outdoors, and this is only a taste of how we help our couples.

All of our elopement packages come with professional elopement photography, two photographers, and unlimited planning assistance.  We think this is the best way to serve eloping couples, and we can’t wait to chat!

Contact us about photographing your elopement!