ELOPING BUT STILL WANT FAMILY INVOLVED? HERE'S HOW TO INCLUDE FAMILY IN YOUR ELOPEMENT

Eloping doesn't mean leaving the people you love behind, and don't let anyone tell you that it's selfish either. It's your day! It means choosing the most intentional version of your wedding day – and there are so many beautiful wats to bring your people along for the journey, even if they aren't standing right beside you on the mountain.

Elopements aren't about leaving people out: HERE ARE 5 WAYS HOW TO INCLUDE FAMILY IN YOUR ELOPEMENT DAY

One of the biggest things I hear from couples who are considering eloping is some version of this: "We love the idea of eloping, but we're worried about hurting our family's feelings." And I get it — that tension is real, and it comes from a place of love.

But here's what I want you to know: eloping doesn't have to mean disappearing. It doesn't mean your mom misses out on seeing you in your dress, or that your dad doesn't get to be part of the day. It just means you're choosing a different — and honestly, often more meaningful — way of doing things.

There are so many beautiful ways to weave the people you love into your elopement day, even if the ceremony itself is just the two of you. Here are some of my favorites.

1. Ask your loved ones to write you letters

This is one of my all-time favorite ways to include family and friends in an elopement, and it never fails to be one of the most emotional and meaningful parts of the day.

Before your elopement, reach out to the people who matter most — parents, siblings, best friends, grandparents — and ask them to write you a letter to read on your wedding day. It can be advice, a memory, a prayer, a poem, or just the things they've always wanted to say to you. Seal them in envelopes and bring them with you.

Then, sometime during your elopement day — maybe after your ceremony, maybe over a picnic, maybe while you're watching the sunset — sit together and read them out loud to each other.

I have watched couples absolutely light up reading these letters. Even when their loved ones couldn't be there in person, their love showed up anyway — folded into envelopes, opened on a mountain or by a waterfall. It's one of the most powerful things I've ever witnessed, and I will never stop recommending it. And I always hear that their loved ones loved this idea and it did make them feel more included in the day. Plus you can then share the photos with them of you opening their letters.

2. Bring Them Dress shopping or do a special try on with them

For a lot of moms, the dress shopping moment is one they've been looking forward to for years. And just because you're eloping doesn't mean that has to go away.

Bring your mom, your sister, your best friend — whoever your person is — dress shopping with you or to pick out your suit, or whatever it is your're going to wear on your day. Let them be part of helping you find the perfect outfit. That experience doesn't require a big traditional wedding to be meaningful. In fact, when the shopping trip isn't wrapped up in a stressful planning process, it can be even more fun and special.

If you've already found your dress or outfit, you can also plan a special try-on just for them — put it on, let them see you, take photos together. Give them that moment. You'll both treasure it. This is actually something I did, I bought my dress off of etsy and waited to try it on until I had both of my parents over one day and it was so sweet. I could tell how much it meant to them that I did that.

3. Get ready together the morning of or facetime with them while you get ready

If your family is going to be nearby on your elopement day — whether they're joining you for part of it or just in town to celebrate — consider spending the morning getting ready together before you set out on your adventure.

There is something so grounding about having your mom help you with your veil, your dad helping your tie your tie, or your best friend doing your hair while you all sip coffee together and soak in the morning. Those quiet, unhurried getting-ready moments are the ones people remember. They're soft and warm and full of love, and they don't require a bridal suite or a big wedding party to feel special.

Get ready, hug them tight, and then head out into your day knowing you brought them right to the edge of the adventure with you.

If they won't be nearby, another great option and something else I did on my elopement day was facetime our parents while we go ready before we set out on our jeep tour. This was a great way to include them and still talk to them on our day.

4. Invite them to be there – even for just part of the day

Just-the-two-of-us elopements don't have to mean zero guests — they just mean you're in charge of exactly who's there and when. Some couples invite one or two of their closest people to witness the ceremony itself. Others have family join them for the celebration or a meal portion of the day but keep the ceremony private. Some do the whole day together as a small, intimate group.

There's no right or wrong way. The beauty of an elopement is that you get to decide. If having your parents there at the summit while you exchange vows feels right — do it. If you want the ceremony to just be the two of you and then celebrate with family after — do that. It's your day, and you get to make the rules.

You could even have loved ones meet you in the picnic area near the trailhead of a hike to celebrate with you when you get down from the mountain. There are so many options, it just important to do what speaks to you and feels right.

5. Plan something special to celebrate with them after

One of the easiest and most joyful ways to include family in your elopement is to plan a celebration with them after the fact. This could be a dinner out at a favorite restaurant the evening of, a backyard gathering the following weekend, a trip together somewhere special, or even just a small ceremony or blessing with loved ones once you're back home.

A lot of couples worry that having a celebration after means their elopement wasn't "real" or that it undermines what they did. It doesn't — not even a little. It just means you get two celebrations instead of one. You get the intimate, adventure-filled day you dreamed of, and then you get to come home and share your joy with everyone who loves you and you get to be fully present and focused on just each other one day and your loved ones for your second celebration. That sounds pretty perfect to me.

Your Elopement your way

At the end of the day, the most important thing is that your elopement feels true to you and your relationship. Whether that means a completely private ceremony on a mountain summit, a small gathering of your five closest people, or a letters-and-picnic moment that brings your whole community into the day from a distance — there is no wrong answer.

I love helping couples figure out what that looks like for them. If you're in the early stages of planning and trying to work out how to make everyone feel included while still having the day you actually want, I'd love to chat. That's exactly the kind of conversation I'm here for.

Reach out anytime — let's figure out your perfect elopement day together.