How to Include Your Family in Your Elopement Day
Updated on April 21st, 2025
Years ago, we were with a couple on their elopement day, and we overheard a woman say that couples elope because they don’t like their families. As you might expect, this assumption hurt the couples’ feelings and it’s a moment none of us will ever forget.
Most couples do not elope because they dislike their families. In fact, a lot of the couples we work with want to include their families in their elopement day in some way or another. Whether that means they invite a small number of guests to be there with them, or they include their loved ones from afar.
Whether you’re planning to elope with or without guests, we’ve created a list of ideas for including the most important people of your life in your elopement day.
What kind of elopement are you planning?
Eloping with Guests
Eloping without Guests
Ideas for including family who will not be at your elopement
How to include family who will be at your elopement
Share an accommodation with your guests
Rent a home that can house your entire group. This allows everyone to spend quality time together and is a great way for both sides of the family to get to know each other.
Get ready with your guests
When choosing your accommodation, look for spaces that have enough room for you and your guests to get ready together in the same room. That way, you can all enjoy that time together.
Have a first look with your parents or other guests
If there are guests that you are very close with, it can be very meaningful to do a first look with them before your ceremony. We’ve seen couples do this with their parents, their children, and even their friends.
Have a guest officiate your ceremony
This might just be our favorite idea on the list. Having someone who knows you well be the officiant for your ceremony might not only help alleviate some of your nerves, but it will also help make your ceremony more memorable and personalized. Someone who knows you well can really tell the story of your relationship, tell their favorite stories, and often have great insight to make everyone laugh and cry.
Ask guests to do a reading during your ceremony
If you would like to include more than one guest in your ceremony, you can also have guests do readings. Whether it’s inspirational poems, quotes from you favorite childhood stories, or even religious readings, this is a great way to get more people involved.
Ask your guests to give a toast
This is one of those traditional wedding traditions that we love seeing couples carry over to their elopement day. Often, with an intimate group, speeches can be so heartfelt and special.
Have a first dance with your parents or other guests
Again, this is a really sweet tradition that you can bring into your elopement day, even if you don’t plan to have an open dance floor.
Have a meal with your guests
A group meal at some point during the day is a great way for everyone to relax and spend quality time together.
Plan an activity or adventure with your guests
This can be a group hike, a sightseeing tour, an afternoon on a boat, an evening exploring a winery, white water rafting, snowmobiling, stargazing, or even something as simple as having a barbecue with lawn games.
How to include family who won’t be at your elopement
Have an engagement party
Just because you’re eloping, it doesn’t mean you can’t celebrate with an engagement party.
Include your family in the planning process
Just because they won’t be attending your elopement, it doesn’t mean that they can’t come along for the planning journey. You can keep them updated on your plans by sharing photos of the locations you’ve chosen and the activities you’ll do. You can also invite them to your attire appointments!
Plan a video call or phone call
Schedule a time with your loved ones for a video or phone call on your elopement day. This could be while you are getting ready that morning, or right after your ceremony if you have service.
Ask your friends and family to write you letters
There’s nothing better than sitting down for your post-ceremony picnic and reading letters and cards from your loved ones. To make the process seamless, send out pre-addressed and stamped envelopes for people to fill and mail to you before your elopement day.
Hire a videographer
One of the best ways to help your loved ones feel like they were with you on your elopement day is to hire a videographer.
Have a send-off party
It can be as formal or casual as you’d like and is a great way to celebrate your elopement. This is what we did before our elopement. We had a backyard pre-elopement party with our immediate families and friends.
Ask your loved ones to leave you voicemails
If you’re going to be getting married in a location without cell phone service, ask your loved ones to call and leave you congratulatory voicemails throughout the day. Then you can listen to them together later that evening.
Send and post your sneak peek photos
An easy way to get the word out about your elopement is to send the sneak peek photos you receive from your photographer.
Send wedding announcements
Using the sneak peek photos from your photographer, design and print elopement announcements and mail them to your friends and family.
Have a post-elopement reception
Celebrate with everyone after your elopement day. This could be as formal as renting out a venue or as simple as having an open house at your favorite brewery or local park.
Make an elopement website
Once you receive all of your elopement photos and video, put together a website sharing all of the details about your elopement day. Talk about what you did, how you felt, and easily share the excitement and experience with everyone you know.
We specialize in Colorado and Utah elopements
Planning, Photography, and Videography
Let’s work together to make your Colorado or Utah elopement dreams come to life!
We have been planning and capturing elopements for over 10 years and have captured over 250 elopements. We are so lucky to work with about 20 couples each year and show them some of our favorite places.
Are you looking for a meaningful and adventurous day in Colorado or Utah? We would love to get to know you!
This blog post was published on April 21st, 2025