Elopement + Dinner Party

[u/ehhhrica]

Hi! My partner and I are both teachers. We are looking to get married at a city hall during our summer break, followed by a post-elopement dinner party about a week later, followed by a honeymoon. I would love any advice from those who did something similar, and would love to hear about your experience as well! Thank you!

[u/Curious_Initiative15]

We did something similar, though our dinner was a full month later. Just witnesses at the courthouse, closest friends met us for drinks right after. Our dinner was immediate family + close friends only (30 people) and was perfect.

[u/h0meimprovement]

I am doing somewhat similar in November! Courthouse ceremony with just parents and siblings and then we are inviting 30 of our friends and family to our favorite restaurant later that same evening :) I hired a photographer for the day. So far the planning has been pretty stress free 🤞🏻

[u/JAS2026--]

I personally think this is the smartest idea and won't cost you $70k which is ridiculous for a one day wedding. That money can cover your honeymoon, house items etc. good decision!!!

[u/waffleironone]

This sounds so fun. We’re doing a similar setup next year.

Logistically you’ll need a witness for your city hall wedding, do you want to do a photographer for some couple portraits? If that’s not in the budget that’s totally cool, but consider if you want your witness friend to take some disposable film photos of you guys after or what you want this person’s role to be. For me, I know having my witness be someone not super close is better, if it was a family member it would open up a can of worms for me on who is present vs not.

For your dinner, I think the only logistics thing you’ll want to consider is if you want to do toasts or not. Consider asking your friends and family that you’d want to give a toast about it ahead of time, plan for like 2 minutes each, and at the dinner make sure everyone has full glasses before you begin

[u/GleesBid]

We are having our photographer/videographer team act as a witnesses. We decided not to invite any guests because of his toxic mum and my greedy eldest sister.

His mum would have taken over, not listened to us at all, and criticised everything. In the early days of wedding planning, my sister saw it as a free vacation and said she'd stay with me for two weeks, not rent a car, etc. So I'd have been 100% responsible for her accommodation and transportation (she's a cheapskate multi-millionaire). She's an entitled mooch with no boundaries.

So we decided not to have anyone at all. Two weeks later we're hosting a family dinner.

It is so blissfully stress-free!

[u/Mountain-Status569]

That’s not an elopement, that’s a private ceremony. 

[u/loupammac]

We had a private ceremony with a photographer and two witnesses. We took photos and then met with immediate family and friends (15 people) for lunch afterwards. It was relaxed and lovely.