5 Tips on How to Announce Your Elopement in 2024
Wondering how to announce your elopement? Losing sleep over what the response might be?
We are all for keeping your nuptials an intimate experience, especially when saying “I do” involves a little adventure, but we also understand that the news is not always well-received. To ease your fears and help prepare you for the big announcement, we asked real couples to share their thoughts and personal stories. Now we’re passing their advice on to you!
Wondering how to elope? We can help with that too!
If you know how to announce your elopement, then explore and shop some of our favorite elopement announcement ideas to tell your family and friends you said “I do”.
*This post contains affiliate links. You will not be charged extra, but we do earn a small commission if you use these links to make a purchase.
How to Announce Your Elopement
1. Wait Until You’re Ready
There are no strict guidelines on how and when you should announce your elopement. If you’re thinking about eloping, then you want something intimate. If you want to announce your elopement the day after or a month after, that is completely up to you and your partner.
Here’s what to keep in mind when thinking about when to announce your elopement:
- Before Eloping: If you know in advance that you’ll be eloping and feel comfortable sharing this news ahead of time, you can inform close family and friends. This is especially helpful if you want to avoid any surprises or hurt feelings later. However, remember that sharing the plan may invite opinions or expectations that could complicate your decision to keep things private or intimate. You can say something like:“We’re planning a very intimate elopement ceremony, just the two of us, but we wanted you to know before it happens.”This approach helps manage expectations and allows loved ones to feel included, even if they’re not present for the actual event.
- Immediately After Eloping: If your elopement was spontaneous or intimate, you might want to share the news right away to keep the excitement going. This can also help prevent hurt feelings if people find out from other sources.
- After Celebrating Privately: If you want to enjoy your newlywed bliss first, it’s perfectly fine to wait until after your honeymoon or personal celebration to share the announcement.
Keara from Hilo, Hawaii shares…
“I felt as though I wanted to talk to my parents about it before we officially decided, so that conversation went great! My mom was pretty relieved, to be honest, to not be helping in planning a big traditional wedding. I’m also sure my Dad was relieved he wouldn’t be needing to figure out how to pay for it. We told Aaron’s parents after we eloped, that as per his request. That conversation went great as well, and they were also very excited for us!
Best advice for telling family and friends? Tell them when YOU are ready! Eloping is meant to be more of an intimate way to say your vows to each other and that day is about what you and your significant other want, not what everyone else thinks it should be. We ended up still wanting to have a backyard BBQ/potluck, so when we started telling everyone else, it came along with an invitation to the party.”
2. Send Out Invites Announcing Your Elopement
A great way to announce your elopement is to print your favorite picture from your elopement day and send it to your family and friends with a personal note. At the end of the day, your loved ones will be happy for your unity, and there are more ways to celebrate than being present when you say “I do”. If you still want to dance the night away, add a reception date with your announcement invites!
Kaylie from Southern California shares…
“We wanted family and friends to still feel like they were part of our special day, even though they couldn’t be at the actual ceremony. Before our elopement, we sent out invitations that were worded, ‘Join us for the celebration of our marriage.’ All of our guests knew that we would be getting married ahead of time in Yosemite.
The party took place two weeks after we got married at my parent’s house and included most of what you would have at a wedding reception. We had an entrance, first dance, DJ, food, and drinks. Our vows were recorded, and we played it right before our grand entrance as a way to include everyone in the ceremony. We also had pictures from the wedding day at the party, which was really fun for our guests to see. Fortunately, we did not have a lot of push back, and I think people really admired the fact that we knew what we wanted and we were willing to go the distance to make it happen.”
3. Announce Your Elopement on Social Media
Maybe you don’t want to go through the hassle of sending snail mail. A lot of couples think these elopement announcements just end up in the trash. A great alternative or addition you can add to your elopement announcement is utilizing social media. Everyone and their grandma is on social now, so use this to your advantage. Compile together some awesome pictures from your wedding day and post them away!
When announcing your elopement on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok, you can get creative with visuals, captions, and stories.
Here are a few fun and memorable ways to announce your elopement on social media:
- Instagram Post Example: Classic Elopement Announcement. Post a simple picture of just your hands showing off your rings.
Caption: “We did a thing! 🖤 On [date], we exchanged vows in [location], surrounded by nature and love. Though our day was intimate, our hearts are full, and we can’t wait to celebrate with you all soon! #WeEloped #JustMarried”
2) Facebook Post Example: Casual and Fun. Post a carousel of your top favorite pictures for Instagram and Facebook.
Caption: “No big party, no fuss—just us! 🎉 We eloped on [date] in [location] and couldn’t be happier. Sending love to everyone and looking forward to sharing our joy with you in the future!”
3) TikTok/ Reel Video Example: Short and Sweet. Start with a “Before” clip of you both packing or getting ready in your wedding attire for your adventure. Transition to a “During” clip of you both exchanging rings or a first kiss as newlyweds. End with an “After” shot showing off your rings.
Caption: “Surprise! We eloped! Can’t wait to celebrate with you all soon. 💍✨ #Eloped #JustMarried #AdventureTogether”
4) Create a Pinterest board from your special day and share the link with your friends and family.
5) Send a live stream link to your elopement ceremony!
Mandy from Colorado shares…
“We told our immediate families before we went, so they knew the plan. Corey and I are both so close to our families, so we couldn’t keep it from them! We did keep it a secret from everyone else, and I actually posted an announcement on Instagram and Facebook. We have so many friends and family that we wanted to tell ASAP, that seemed like the best way to get our exciting news out!“
4. Throw a Post-Elopement Party to Celebrate Your Marriage
We hinted at this before, but throwing a post-elopement party is never a bad idea. We love it when couples throw a BBQ reception and surprise their family and friends with their elopement announcement. This is a great way to keep things casual and include everyone without the fear of not being able to afford to.
Ideas for Post-Elopement Celebrations:
- Casual Backyard Party: Host a low-key get-together with food, drinks, and a slideshow of your elopement photos.
- Formal Reception: For those who want a more traditional vibe, consider hosting a reception-style event with speeches, cake cutting, and dancing.
- Destination Celebration: Plan a fun trip where you and your loved ones can all gather and celebrate together.
Meghan from Baltimore, Maryland shares…
“We decided to elope with our parents and siblings present. We both have large immediate families who are so important to us, so we also threw a BBQ at our house a few weeks after our wedding for 50 of our nearest and dearest. The same 50 who would have been present had we chosen to go the traditional wedding route. We sent invitations announcing the date of our elopement, and we would be having a party to celebrate.
It was so fun, laid back, and exactly what we wanted. We also sent out announcements to the rest of our extended family and friends with pictures from our elopement, and a short explanation of our day. My advice is to not worry. Your family loves you, and you are going to worry way more than they will!”
Check out Meghan’s Misty Rocks State Park Elopement in Jarrettsville.
5. Keep It Casual
We saved the best for last because it’s important for all couples to remember this. If you want to keep things casual, then that is perfectly ok! You can have a party, you can wait to tell people, you can share a couple of boxes of pizza with your family and friends…If all else fails you can always Facetime or call your closest family and friends! You can do whatever you want and keep things as simple as you want.
Taylor from SLC, Utah shares…
“We kept all of it really casual. We didn’t even post about our engagement on social media until quite a bit later. A lot was done by word of mouth, and when people asked, we would preface by saying that the ceremony would just be family.”
BONUS: Don’t Forget to Make it Official
Once you announce your elopement, you can then change your name! For some couples, changing their last name can be overwhelming, but we are here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be. Hitchswitch is an online service that makes changing your name easy and quick for our adventurous couples. Our team has personally used it, and we love it!
Announcing your elopement is a personal and joyful moment. Whether you choose to go the traditional route with mailed announcements or a modern, fun approach with a social media reveal, the most important thing is that it reflects your love story and your excitement to share the news!
Elopement Etiquette Tips
While elopements are often private and intimate, it’s important to consider the feelings of those who were not included in the day.
Here are a few etiquette tips to keep in mind when sharing the news:
Tell Close Family and Friends First
Before making any public announcement, ensure your immediate family and closest friends know about your elopement. Doing so will prevent them from finding out on social media and feeling left out.
Be Honest About Why You Eloped
People may have questions or even feel disappointed that they weren’t invited. Be upfront about why you decided to elope—whether it was for intimacy, spontaneity, or to avoid the stress of a traditional wedding.
Acknowledge Feelings Gracefully
If someone is upset that they weren’t invited, acknowledge their feelings with understanding. Offer to spend time with them and share photos or stories from your elopement day.
Our Favorite Elopement Announcements on Etsy
So you’re all set to elope, but how the heck are you going to surprise your friends and family with the big news? As professionals in the elopement industry, we have got you covered with everything you need to prepare the most epic elopement announcements for the world to see!
When it comes to designing your elopement announcements, the sky is the limit. You can go full DIY with this one and use something like Canva, or you can buy a personalized design on websites like Etsy or Basic Invite.
Here are our favorite 4 ways you can announce your elopement:
- Buy fun elopement announcement cards.
- Send a text or photo announcement.
- Post some of your favorite elopement pictures on social media.
- Send an invitation to your post-elopement celebration with your elopement announcement.
Check out some of our favorite elopement announcements:
A Wild Bloom Printable, Simple Elopement Announcement
This elopement announcement is simple, elegant, and perfect to personalize with the main reason why you decided to elope. You can also include your favorite memory from the day or the link to your photos from your photographer!
Custom National Park Elopement Sign
If you two decide to have a national park elopement, having a custom wooden sign with your date is the perfect way to tell everyone you just got married.
Simple Modern Elopement Announcement Card
These cards are so simple and the perfect way to invite your family and friends to your post-elopement reception. The cards are sold in packs of 30 up to 300.
Dog Bandana wedding I DO
If you’re including your pup on your wedding day, then it’s only fitting to have this cute bandana to announce your wedding date to your loved ones.
We Eloped Banner
These banners are so fun to hold up and take a quick photo together to send to your family. These banners look especially cool during sunset and sunrise!
Editable We Eloped Digital Announcement
Maybe you want something you can add a quick photo in and invite a couple of friends and close relatives to celebrate after your ceremony together. This digital template is easy and a cute way to tell them!
Elopement Announcement Ideas Perfect to Announce Your Wedding Day
As you can see, when it comes to how exactly you’re going to announce your elopement to your loved ones, the sky is the limit. You can prepare a funny elopement announcement or take a simple photo of you two saying “I do” during your ceremony.
Check out some more ideas you can use to announce your elopement:
Buy a Custom Sign Highlighting Your Destination
Deciding where to elope is a big step in your planning process, so why not announce your elopement using a sign that also tells people WHERE you eloped!
Check out this personal elopement sign you can customize.
Tie a Unique Sign to Your Backpack
Another great way to announce your elopement is by tying a personalized sign to your backpacks and take a photo for your friends and family. The wording for these can really be anything you both want, but some ideas you can use include:
- To the moon…and back
- Forever…Dibs
- We…Eloped
- Just…Married
Check out these signs you can attach to your backpacks.
Create an Elopement Sign Highlighting Your Last Name
Getting married also means the start of a new journey together as a family. Include your family name on your elopement announcement. This can also serve as an awesome decor piece in your home together.
Check out this fun sign for your last name.
Show The World You’re Proud Of Your Marriage
This is an awesome idea for our LGBTQ+ couples. Incorporate your love and pride into your elopement announcement together. How epic is this?
Take a Celebratory Photo in Your Wedding Attire
Shout to the mountain tops, pop champagne, or just take a fun photo to tell your family and friends you finally said, “I do”!
Share Your Favorite Photo
Since you’re deciding to elope, share your favorite photo with everyone in your announcement. You don’t need to be doing anything to properly “announce your elopement”. You can definitely let your wedding attire do the talking!
Send a GIF of Your First Kiss!
Ask your photographer to capture a photo moment that can easily be converted into a GIF. This is an awesome wedding announcement idea if you want to post on social.
Attach a Sign on Your Getaway Vehicle
If you both are planning a 4X4 adventure, then why not attach a cool sign to your car. You can snap a few pics in front of the car, OR you can even have your photographer capture the moment you drive away with the sign.
Take a Celebratory Shot on a Custom Ski Shot
We have seen couples popping champagne bottles, but why not take a shot together to celebrate instead?! Get a custom ski shot with your last name or wedding date, and have your photographer capture the perfect moment to send to your family and friends.
Buy your ski shot for your elopement.
Ready to start planning your elopement or intimate wedding?
The first step is finding the perfect vendors to help you create the perfect day. Search our Wandering Weddings members!