If you’re planning an elopement, you might feel beyond excited to escape the pressure of traditional wedding hosting—but still want your day to feel emotionally full and joyfully marked. That’s where an elopement celebration comes in. Whether it’s just the two of you camping under the stars or a tiny dinner party with your family after a mountaintop ceremony, you absolutely deserve to celebrate this moment in your own way.
As an intentional adventure elopement photographer working across the western and southwestern U.S., I help couples not only document their story—but also shape an experience around their unique values, relationships, and the land they love.
Here’s how you can bring intentional celebration into your elopement, whether you’re hiking into a canyon, riding a gondola in Telluride, or kicking back at camp with your nearest and dearest.
What Is an Elopement Celebration?
Think of an elopement celebration as anything you do to mark your marriage in a joyful, intentional way. It might happen right after your ceremony or a few days later. It might include loved ones—or be completely private.
Unlike a wedding reception, an elopement celebration doesn’t follow a fixed template. There’s no need for seating charts or a DJ—just connection, beautiful scenery, and the freedom to celebrate your commitment in a way that feels real and relaxed.
If you’re wondering what to do after your elopement ceremony, this guide will walk you through meaningful, low-impact ideas that can bring warmth, fun, or sacred stillness into your day.
Private Elopement Celebration Ideas for Just the Two of You
If you’re eloping without guests, you have unlimited space to tailor the celebration to your personalities and relationship. After you’ve exchanged vows, here are beautiful and low-key ways to honor the moment—right there in the wild, or tucked away at your cabin or campsite.
Intentional, low-key ways to celebrate alone:
- Sunrise or sunset picnic with your favorite local foods or snacks you packed in
- First dance on the trail
- Sparkling water toast on a panoramic overlook (with reusable glasses + a blanket)
- Read letters from loved ones who support you from afar
- Cook a favorite meal together back at your basecamp, cabin, or van
- Stargazing wrapped in a sleeping bag
- Campfire stories and s’mores, if campfires are permitted where you’re staying
- Gondola ride just for the two of you, like in Telluride or Jackson Hole—let the world glide by while you soak in the moment
- New personal favorite: I had a couple completely infuse their hobby into their day and bring a mini art kit and paint together moments from their elopement day.
I’ve photographed couples dancing in epic locations, splitting tacos on picnic blankets, and passing a tiny vow book back and forth in silence after their ceremony. These quiet, organic celebrations may feel small in logistics—but they’re huge in emotion. If you’re looking for even more creative ways to personalize your day, be sure to check out 30 Unique Elopement Ideas to Inspire Your Perfect Elopement—you might just find the missing detail that brings everything together.
Elopement Celebration Ideas with Guests
Just because you’re not throwing a traditional wedding doesn’t mean your people aren’t a priority. One of my favorite things as a photographer is capturing the closeness between couples and their loved ones in these tight-knit, relaxed elopement gatherings—when everyone feels seen and connected.
There’s no rule that says a joyful elopement celebration can’t include thoughtful structure and a few more guests. If your dream looks more like an intimate wedding in nature, that’s absolutely valid too.
For example: Katrina and Cody chose to celebrate their marriage with a small forest wedding in Kalispell Montana surrounded by their closest friends and family. Their ceremony was followed by a meaningful celebration in the woods—complete with emotional toasts, shared laughter, and a quiet dinner tucked under the trees. It was still personal, low-key, and completely aligned with their values, just with a wider circle holding them.
Other guest-friendly celebration ideas include:
- A mountaintop toast after the ceremony—glasses raised against big skies
- Private chef dinner at your Airbnb, lodge, or rental cabin
- Post-ceremony picnic or food truck lunch in the desert or woods
- Sunset gondola ride with family for epic views and quiet connection
- Mini reception with twinkle lights, cake, music, and your people
- Dancing barefoot to a favorite playlist after dinner
- Guests sharing letters, prayers, music, or stories under the stars
A guest-inclusive elopement or micro-wedding celebration doesn’t have to be fancy. It just needs to feel intentional and true to the kind of relationships you’ve built.
Multi-Day and After-the-Fact Elopement Celebrations
You don’t have to celebrate everything on the same day you say your vows. Many couples choose to elope quietly and then plan a follow-up gathering with family or friends—either later that week, month, or even on their one-year anniversary.
Some ideas for elevating your elopement celebration into something longer-lasting:
- Post-elopement brunch with family the next day
- Adventure day after the ceremony (hike, jeep tour, hot spring, etc.)
- Mini road trip or honeymoons through state parks or hidden gems nearby
- One-year vow rewrite or anniversary session to relive the experience and photograph the growth
- Post-elopement reception, you can plan as big or as small of a reception as you’d like. I’ve had a couple who surprised their guests nearly a year later at their “wedding and reception” when they walked down the isle together and shared their elopement photos and then partied the night away.
If you’re thinking about gathering friends and family for a party after your elopement, check out my comprehensive guide to planning a post elopement reception for ideas and inspiration.
Even if the “official” elopement ceremony is just the two of you, there are endless ways to include your community or make space for joy and reflection after the fact.
How to Keep Your Celebration Intentional and Low-Impact
As someone who documents love stories in wild, beautiful places, I also believe deeply in caring for the land. Your elopement celebration should feel grounded and joyful—and also aligned with the Leave No Trace principles that keep these landscapes healthy and open for the next couple who gets to experience them.
Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you plan:
- Use reusable materials: Real glasses, cloth napkins, and durable décor
- Avoid confetti, rice, flower petals, or anything you’d leave behind—biodegradable doesn’t mean LNT-friendly
- Skip loud music or large group setups in national parks or sensitive areas
- Stick to durable surfaces (rock, sand, gravel) and avoid trampling vegetation
- Pack out all trash—even tiny things like corks, food scraps, or ribbon
Celebrating in nature can be meaningful—for you and the planet. I’m always happy to help recommend options, vendors, or timelines that honor the place as much as the people.
You Deserve an Elopement Celebration That Feels Like You
Big receptions aren’t the only way to honor a marriage. As an adventure elopement photographer, I’ve experienced firsthand how deeply joyful and heartfelt these smaller gatherings and private moments can be.
Whether it’s a quiet sunrise picnic, a gondola ride into golden hour, or a sunset dinner with your parents in the backyard of your Airbnb, your elopement celebration can feel grounded, beautiful, and deeply intentional—in every sense.
If you’re dreaming up a day that blends wild places, real connection, and celebration in whatever form feels most you, I’d love to help you bring it to life and document the experience as it unfolds.
Elopement Ceremony Ideas for the Outdoorsy, Untraditional Couple
How to Elope in Utah: Ultimate Planning Tips and what to Expect
How to Elope in Colorado Springs With Heart and Intention
