Elopement is becoming more common these days as many couples are steering clear of traditional wedding experiences. Reasons that couples decide to elope can vary from budget concerns, planning stress, footing the bill for a party for everyone but them, and feeling pressured with lofty expectations by outsiders. In this guide, we highlight the best ways to celebrate after an elopement and make your big day unforgettable.
How to Celebrate After an Elopement: Post-Elopement Party Ideas
The next step after eloping is to host a celebration with friends and family to celebrate this special occasion. But how you celebrate after an elopement all depends on how you as the couple wants to share your special day.
Planning a Post-Elopement Party
Planning a post-elopement celebration tends to be a lot less stressful than a traditional wedding reception. I would first start with an elopement party invitation to friends and family notifying them that an elopement will take place at a to-be-determined date. Within the elopement announcement, include information about the celebratory elopement reception following the ceremony. The next steps would include setting a date, a venue, and a theme.
Fun Ideas to Incorporate
Many couples decide to base the theme of the reception on where the elopement took place. For instance, if they were married in Hawaii, a fun way to celebrate is having a Hawaiian-themed reception, with pineapples, leis, coconuts, hula skirts, etc. The food and drinks might also be based on the theme.
Another neat idea and a way that can help you save on costs is hiring a food truck or a close friend or family member to make food.
Make sure to make memories along the way to provide a fun looping slideshow to show off your special trip to your loved ones. Adding some special background music makes it a little more unique.
Alternative Ways to Celebrate an Elopement
Some couples elope mainly because they don’t have it in their budget to host a traditional wedding and reception, or they want to be different. There are plenty of other ways to celebrate after an elopement including:
- Hosting a bonfire with only family and close friends
- Renting a party bus or limo and enjoying a night out on the town with loved ones
- Camping and float trips as a fun little weekend getaway to share with friends
- Planning and organizing several small dinners with different groups. This helps with making your loved ones and close friends feel more special than having an all-out bash for everyone at once.
Side note, I believe it is ok to have a bridal shower and bachelor/bachelorette parties if you decide to elope. Elopement is still considered a wedding, just a non-traditional way to make sure you are not the cookie-cutter couple you do not want to be.
Throwing an Unforgettable Post-Elopement Party
Remember when planning an elopement ceremony, most couples will invite immediate family and a few close friends, to make it more memorable for the loved ones that matter the most. Other couples might choose to go at it completely alone and tend to use that trip for their honeymoon as well. It helps with cost and availability with daily life duties such as careers, children, schedules, etc.
Andre’s Banquet and Catering can help with you after elopement ceremony, party or catering needs. Call 314-894-2622 to speak with our sales office team to help you plan your celebration after your special day.
Andre’s Banquet & Catering | St. Louis, MO
At Andre’s, we are a full-service catering company. We provide the meal, 4-hour open bar, china dinnerware, linen tablecloths, chair covers, the personnel, as well as an onsite coordinator. We are a one-stop-shop facility that can offer guidance in planning and organizing your day. Andre’s coordinates with several different vendors to make your planning process painless!
Contact us today for any questions or reservations.