As an elopement photographer, a common question many of my clients ask themselves is whether to include family in their plans or not. In many cases, folks who are wanting to elope or have a micro-wedding want to keep things small and stress-free. It’s not always they want to exclude people, per se, but they can’t include everyone for a multitude of reasons. So, I wanted to give you 5 ways that you can include family in your elopement without sacrificing your own wants and needs for your elopement!

Also, if you’re looking for tips on how to elope in North Carolina, I have a whole section on my website for that! Click here to learn more!

1. Have a ceremony with family/friends and then go on a separate adventure together!

Are you wanting to do a hiking elopement but you’re worried family members won’t be able to hike? Many couples choose to have a ceremony at an Airbnb or venue and then go on a separate adventure for post-ceremony portraits. You get to have your closest family and friends at your ceremony, AND you get epic photos in the mountains! It’s the best of both worlds!

2. Elope and celebrate with family and friends later!

Some couples might choose to elope and then either join family/friends for a special dinner after, or have a reception-type celebration at a later date. Either way, it’s a great way to celebrate with those closest to you!

3. Have your family and friends write you letters that you can read the day of your ceremony.

A really special way to honor those closest to you is to read hand-written letters from them together after your elopement ceremony. This is a great way for them to send their well wishes and have a part in making your day special!

4. Live-stream your ceremony!

This was a pretty common practice at the height of COVID. Couples still wanted to get hitched but it wasn’t safe for some family members to travel or attend. A nice Facebook Live or Zoom was a great way for folks to virtually attend!

5. Have a gallery reveal party!

If you’re trying to save money and/or you don’t want to have a full-blown reception with family/friends, you could choose to have a small gathering after your photographs are delivered to share the day with them! Having photographs of your elopement day is so important for this reason! I really try to urge couples to have full coverage of their wedding day so the entire story is told. You can show them where you got ready, where you had the ceremony, and what you did to celebrate the day!

Elopements deserve to have just as much (if not more!) coverage as a bigger, more traditional wedding does. Sharing photographs from your day is a great way to show the ones you love how special your day was and let them feel like they were a part of it.

Want some tips on eloping in the Asheville area? You can read more about how to elope in Asheville here! https://laurasparksphotography.com/how-to-elope-in-asheville