Eloping with guests can be such an incredible experience to share with your loved ones. A lot of my couples love nature and exploring the outdoors. So they want to share their passion (and these stunning locations) with their friends and family for their wedding day. I wanted to create this guide to give you helpful tips for planning a fun, relaxed elopement while including some guests.
Am I still eloping if I bring guests?
To me, an elopement is planning a more intentional wedding day built around how you want to celebrate. You can elope in secret without bringing anyone, just bring your dog, or bring your closest loved ones to share the experience. Bringing a small group of guests that are important in your life is a very intentional choice on your part. And that’s what eloping is all about: being intentional.
That being said, bringing guests tends to involve more traditional wedding activities. But a lot of couples who elope by themselves also decide to do a first dance, eat cake, and other traditional activities. It’s all about choosing activities and ideas that get you excited (regardless of whether or not they are traditional).
Once you pass about 15 guests though, I would probably call it an intimate wedding. Mostly because you’ll need a venue/space to accommodate a larger group. And most couples bringing 15+ guests tend to want to plan a more traditional wedding (just a lot smaller). However, it doesn’t change the fact that you’re planning an amazing wedding day that’s right for you.
My Top Tips for Eloping With Guests
Keep your guests comfortable
I want to help keep your guests comfortable and keep the logistics of your wedding ceremony stress-free. Chances are they would LOVE for you to have a private, easy-access ceremony spot with the amenities they’re used to having (like a bathroom, paved walkways, air conditioning, etc). If your guests have to hike, buy hiking boots, drive a rough forest road with steep drop-offs, or need detailed instructions on how to access a wedding ceremony–it’s just more hassle for everybody. So my #1 tip is to keep them comfortable.
Book your cabin like it’s your backup ceremony location
A lot of couples choose to have their family ceremonies at their Airbnbs to begin with. It’s the most convenient option, guarantees privacy, and works great for hosting any reception events. Everyone is comfortable and knows what to expect. But if you’re opting to host your ceremony at one of my approved vistas or a reservable ceremony site (like an amphitheater), you’ll still want to book a cabin as if it’s your backup location for your family ceremony. The larger your group, the fewer locations I will have that work as a backup. So if we need to pivot because of weather or other circumstances, your Airbnb might be the only suitable option. So make your cabin a great option to start.
Everyone you invite will come
A lot of my couples tell me they’re not sure how many guests will be able to come to their elopement. After all, it involves traveling to a small mountain town and has more logistics than normal. However, in over seven years of documenting elopements, everyone invited usually does attend. About half the time even more guests end up getting invited. I’ve seen guests go to incredible lengths to be there for a couple on their wedding day. Which is incredibly sweet. So when inviting guests, just assume everyone will come.
Make sure guests are prepared
Since you’re eloping and planning on a more adventurous wedding day, you’ll need to make sure your guests are prepared for the experience. After all, most guests have probably only attended traditional weddings. Communication is really important to keep everyone on the same page. That way, you can relax on your elopement day knowing everyone already knows what to expect. I provide my couples a guide they can send guests that should help answer their questions, ensure they come prepared, and ultimately provide everyone a fun, stress-free experience. So I already take care of about 90% of the work for you.
Guests will take their time
When you plan a traditional wedding, guests know to follow the timeline and be more efficient. They can see all of the events going on and all of the people in attendance. They know to be quick. But when you’re in the middle of nature with just a handful of guests, they tend to be more relaxed and take their time. And I don’t blame them. Even your guests feel at ease and like there’s no rush to be anywhere. Which is exactly the kind of experience couples are looking for on their day: to spend more quality time with their guests.
However, it does mean that any events with family will take longer than you expect. For example, family photos usually take longer for elopements than traditional weddings. Because you really can take every photo combination imaginable, be silly, chat between photos, etc. This is great. And I want my couple and their guests to feel this relaxed on their day. This just means I’ll buffer more time in your timeline than you might expect. And we’ll need to be mindful of what time we’re trying to step away for photos, a short hike, etc. But otherwise, enjoy your extra time with your loved ones.
Ways to Include Guests On Your Elopement Day
There are so many ways you can include family and loved ones on your elopement day. It really depends on your location, your guests, and ultimately what works best for you. So let’s dive into all the ways you can include your guests on your elopement day:
Invite Guests to Your Ceremony
This is the most common way couples include their loved ones on their elopement day. They’ll host a ceremony at a comfortable location for everyone invited to attend. This allows family to be present for the “big moment” while still allowing you to go on your own adventure before or after the official ceremony.
Host A Reception After You Elope
Some couples choose to keep their adventure and family events completely separate. After you elope and explore the mountains with me, you can head back to an Airbnb/cabin where you can host a reception event. I’ve even had some couples keep it even more casual and meet their loved ones for dinner at a restaurant in town. It’s completely up to you how elaborate you want this celebration to be.
Have Guests Give Speeches (during your ceremony or at a small reception)
When you invite a small group of your closest loved ones, having them give speeches can be such a sweet and heartfelt experience. This helps your family feel more involved and adds a traditional element to your elopement that family can get excited about. It’s free, convenient, and doesn’t add any logistics to your day. So this is easily the best way to make guests feel included.
Have A Loved One Officiate
While I am an ordained minister, it can be really special to invite someone close to you to officiate your ceremony. They can be easily become ordained at Universal Life Church online. You can have them write a speech and guide your ceremony however you see fit. If you need help with the ceremony itself, just ask me. Having a friend or family member officiate your official ceremony makes your ceremony feel more personal and gives someone special in your life a bigger role in your elopement day. It’s a great option.
How to Include Elopement Guests Who Cannot Attend
Whether you’re deciding to elope without any guests or have someone who cannot attend, there are other ways they can still be included in your elopement day. Wether it’s in the planning process, on your day, or after you get back home–let’s dive into how you can help include them in your day from afar:
Have Guests Write Elopement Letters
If an important person in your life cannot attend your elopement day, you can always invite them to write an elopement letter. In fact, I have a whole Wedding Letter Guide that’s included with my Writing Vows Intention Guide for my couples. It includes helpful prompts and also helps them organize their writing. It’s a really sweet way to include them. I’ll be sure to document you reading their letters out in nature on your elopement day. That way you can share that special moment with them when you get back home.
Call or Facetime Them On Your Elopement Day
It sounds so simple but your loved ones would love to get a picture of you in your wedding outfits or get a call/facetime from you on your day. It’s something you can easily do back at your Airbnb. I’ve even had couples Facetime their family at their cabin while they cut cake or signed their marriage license. Your cabin is the best place to do this since you most likely won’t have reliable reception in the mountains.
Bring Heirlooms or Elopement Details From Loved Ones
You can bring a broche, a vintage necklace, a tie clip, or any other heirloom from your family as part of your elopement details. This is an easy way to keep a family tradition and help your family still feel involved even if they’re not in attendance. I love that you can carry an important keepsake to help you reflect on loved ones while still going on your own adventure to celebrate.
Involve Them In The Planning Process
Even if loved ones can’t be their on your day, you can still include them in the planning process. Whether it’s going with you to try on wedding outfits, helping you with elopement details, or just helping in the general planning process. Especially if you have a family member who was looking forward to helping you plan, this is a great way to include them.
Host A Reception Back Home
More and more couples are separating the family celebration from their elopement adventure. It’s more affordable, easier for planning, and ensures you get the best of both worlds. Hosting a reception back home also means more of the guests you care about can easily attend without taking off of work. I’ve even had a couple plan a reception road trip where they drove back home from their elopement stopping to visit family and friends along the way. So you can get creative.
Ceremony Locations
Now that we’ve seen ways to include your guests in your elopement day, we also need to talk about your ceremony location! A good rule of thumb is to plan a ceremony location that works for the least adventurous person in your group. After all, you want everyone to attend. So here’s my expert advice to plan a stress-free elopement ceremony experience:
Airbnb/Cabin Ceremony
The easiest and most stress-free location when eloping with guests. Plan your ceremony at your Airbnb or cabin. You’ll have a physical address that’s easy for guests to find. You will have a bathroom, a comfy place to sit, snacks, water, and everything they would need. It offers complete privacy at any time of day. You can set up decor, play music, and treat the space like it’s your own. And because it’s private property, you don’t have to worry about any construction projects, trail closures, or anything like that. Not to mention, if there’s rain, everyone can easily step inside and wait (or grab umbrellas). Besides setting things up (which can be fun), there are almost no logistics or complications when hosting a ceremony at a cabin. It’s easy peasy.
When looking for a cabin for your elopement ceremony, I would look for:
- A large enough backyard to host a ceremony
- Ample parking (a bigger driveway or extra roadside parking)
- The more bathrooms the better
- Enough bedrooms/space if you plan to have guests stay and share the Airbnb
When you find an available Airbnb you like, message the host to see if they would allow the small elopement ceremony. Most Airbnbs are okay with this (some even build their rentals around weddings), but it’s always important to ask. In my planning process, I also have a list of my favorite cabins + Airbnbs for elopement ceremonies depending on where you elope.
Vistas & Walkout Viewpoints
There are lots of amazing vistas and walkable viewpoint for ceremonies. A spot that celebrates nature while still keeping your family comfortable. Since different loved ones usually have a widely different background in hiking and what they consider adventurous, vistas are a great way to keep everyone comfortable so you can focus on this big moment together. You can save the adventurous hikes for your time with me.
Designated Ceremony Locations & Reservable Vistas
Every National Park has designated ceremony locations that they allow for elopements and weddings. You have to apply for a “special-use permit” in advance to secure a date and a two hour block to use the location. If you’re eloping in a National Park, I’ll help you fill out the permit and make the process as easy as possible. These designated ceremony spots are a perfect way to host your ceremony within a National Park, and they’re usually $200 or less for the permit.
Some locations outside of National Parks also have reservable vistas or amphitheaters that you can reserve for a wedding event (typically on Recreation.gov). It’s an easy online process to make a reservation and I’ll be sure to send you all of the necessary info to get your ceremony site booked for your elopement.
What about short hikes?
Hiking for a ceremony spot is definitely not required. There are just as incredible views in these mountains at vistas, reservable sites, and designated ceremony locations. However, you can definitely take guests on a short hike for your elopement day. Some tips to make the experience stress fee would be 1) Keep your group smaller so it’s easier to manage everyone on trail and 2) make sure everyone has experience hiking and has the physical ability beforehand. I’ll be sure to walk you through what options are available and what would work best for your guest count.
Final Thoughts
I hope you are even more excited and confident in eloping with guests. I absolutely love helping couples plan a day that lets them have an amazing adventure elopement while still making time to celebrate with guests. My #1 goal is make to sure you have an incredible elopement experience. So I hope I answered your questions, gave you some helpful tips to get started, and now you’re more excited than ever to get married/ Whenever you’re ready to chat with me about your elopement, be sure to fill out my contact form to get started.
