Elopement Reception Invitation: Post-Elopement Party Cards

Okay so post-elopement party invitations are honestly one of my favorite things to work on because there’s way less pressure than the actual wedding invites but people still mess them up ALL the time.

Why You Even Need These Cards

You eloped. That’s done. But now you wanna celebrate with everyone who didn’t make the cut for your intimate ceremony (or maybe you literally told no one and ran off to a mountaintop, which honestly, respect). The invitation needs to make it crystal clear that the wedding already happened and this is just a party. I cannot stress this enough because back in spring 2023 I had a couple who sent out invitations that were SO vague that half their guests thought they were being invited to the actual wedding and showed up with gifts wrapped in white paper and the whole energy was weird.

The main goal here is: be clear, be casual, and don’t make people feel bad that they missed the main event.

Timing Is Everything (Kinda)

You’re gonna want to send these out like you would any party invitation. If your reception is 2-3 months after you eloped, send invites about 6-8 weeks before. If it’s sooner, adjust accordingly but give people at least 3-4 weeks notice minimum.

One thing that annoyed me SO much is when couples wait like 6 months to have their party and then send invites only 2 weeks out because they “forgot” or were “so busy being newlyweds” and then they’re shocked when people already have plans. Like… you had half a year to figure this out.

What Actually Goes On The Card

The Opening Line

This is where you announce that you’re already married. Some options:

• We eloped!
• We got married!
• We tied the knot!
• Mr. and Mrs. [Name] (if you’re doing the traditional thing)
• We said ‘I do’ and now we want to celebrate with you!

I usually tell clients to keep this part short and happy. You don’t need to explain WHY you eloped unless you really want to. Most people will just be excited for you.

The Important Details

After your announcement, you need the basics:

• Your names (obviously)
• What kind of event this is (reception, celebration, party, whatever you’re calling it)
• Date and time
• Location with full address
• Dress code if there is one
• RSVP info and deadline

Something I see people forget is whether dinner is being served or if it’s just cocktails and apps. You GOTTA tell people this because someone will show up starving expecting a full meal and then there’s just like… cheese cubes and crackers, and they’ll be mad about it all night.

Wording Examples That Actually Work

Casual Version:

We eloped!

Sarah Mitchell & James Chen

got married on June 15th in Big Sur

Now we want to party with all of you!

Join us for a celebration

Saturday, September 2nd, 2024

6:00 PM

The Garden House

123 Main Street, Portland, OR

Dinner and dancing to follow

Cocktail attire

Please RSVP by August 15th

Slightly Fancier Version:

The marriage of

Emma Rodriguez and Michael Thompson

took place on May 20th, 2024

in Savannah, Georgia

We joyfully invite you to celebrate with us

at a reception in their honor

Friday evening, July 28th

Seven o’clock

Riverside Venue

456 River Road, Austin, TX

Dinner, drinks, and dessert

Garden party attire

Kindly respond by July 1st

Super Casual/Fun Version:

Surprise! We got hitched!

Alex & Jordan

said our vows on a beach in Hawaii

(it was perfect and we have zero regrets)

Come celebrate our marriage

because we miss you and want cake with you

August 12th at 5 PM

Our backyard

789 Oak Avenue, Denver

BBQ, beer, and bad dancing guaranteed

Wear whatever, it’s gonna be chill

Let us know if you’re coming by July 25th

My cat just knocked over my coffee while I’m writing this and now I’m realizing I need to finish this section before she destroys my desk completely…

Design Choices That Don’t Suck

You’ve got options here depending on your vibe and budget.

Paper Invites

Traditional paper invites are still really popular. You can go through online printing services like Minted, Zazzle, or Paperless Post’s print option. I usually recommend 5×7 size because it’s standard and affordable.

For post-elopement stuff, you can definitely be more relaxed with the design. Use photos from your elopement! People LOVE seeing the pictures. A postcard-style invite with your elopement photo on one side and party details on the other is super popular and honestly looks great.

Digital Invites

Totally acceptable for a post-elopement party. Use Paperless Post, Greenvelope, or even just a nice Canva design that you email. This is especially good if your reception is more casual or if you’re on a tight timeline.

During summer 2021 when everything was still kinda weird with COVID, I had SO many couples doing digital invites for their post-elopement parties because plans kept changing and they needed the flexibility to update details easily.

Design Elements to Consider

• Colors from your elopement (if you had a color scheme)
• Photos from the elopement day
• Casual fonts rather than super formal script
• Fun graphics or illustrations if that’s your style
• Your new monogram if you created one

Registry Info and Gift Expectations

Here’s the thing about gifts for post-elopement parties… it gets weird. Some people will bring gifts, some won’t. You shouldn’t expect them because technically you already got married and didn’t invite these people to that.

If you DO have a registry (which is fine), don’t put it on the invitation itself. That’s tacky regardless of what kind of wedding event you’re doing. Put the registry info on your wedding website and include the website URL on the invite or on a separate details card.

Or honestly? Consider just saying “no gifts please” if you don’t need stuff. I’ve seen this work really well for couples who eloped specifically to avoid the big wedding production and just want a casual party with friends.

What Else Goes In The Envelope

You probably don’t need a million enclosure cards like traditional wedding invites have, but you might want:

• RSVP card (or just direct people to your website)
• Details card with hotel info, parking, website URL
• Weekend itinerary if you’re doing multiple events

Keep it simple. This is a party, not a three-day wedding weekend extravaganza… unless it is, in which case you do you.

Addressing and Sending

You can be more casual with addressing too. I mean, formal calligraphy is gorgeous if that’s your thing, but printed labels or even just nice handwriting is totally fine for a post-elopement party.

Do still follow basic etiquette about who’s invited though. If someone’s married or in a serious relationship, invite their partner. If you’re inviting people with kids, make it clear whether kids are invited or not.

Save The Dates?

Probably not necessary unless your reception is like 6+ months after your elopement or during a holiday weekend when people need extra planning time. Most of the time you can skip straight to the invitation.

Special Situations and Wording Tweaks

If your families are hosting:

You can still have the traditional “Mr. and Mrs. Parent Names request the pleasure of your company” thing if your parents are paying or if that’s important to them. Just make sure it’s clear the marriage already happened.

If you eloped but are having a “real” ceremony at the reception:

Some couples do a vow renewal or symbolic ceremony at their party. If that’s you, mention it on the invite so people know what to expect. “Join us for a celebration including a vow renewal ceremony” or something.

If there’s a specific reason you eloped:

You don’t owe anyone an explanation, but if you want to include something like “We were married in a private ceremony due to [family illness/pandemic/whatever]” you can. I usually suggest keeping this brief or leaving it off entirely though.

Common Mistakes People Make

• Being too vague about the fact that the wedding already happened
• Not specifying what kind of food/drinks will be available
• Forgetting to include an RSVP deadline or method
• Using wording that sounds apologetic (you don’t need to apologize for eloping!)
• Sending them out way too late
• Not including parking or venue access information

Budget-Friendly Options

If you spent all your money on the elopement trip (valid), here are some cheaper ways to do invitations:

Print your own using nice cardstock from a craft store and a template from Etsy or Canva. You can get 50 invitations printed at home for like $30-40 if you already have a decent printer.

Go fully digital and spend $0 on printing and postage.

Do postcard-style invites which require less postage and no envelopes.

Skip any extra enclosure cards and put all info on your wedding website.

The RSVP Situation

Make RSVPs as easy as possible. Wedding websites with built-in RSVP functions are great for this. Withjoy, Minted, The Knot… they all have free options.

If you’re doing RSVP cards, include a stamped return envelope. I know it costs extra but people are way more likely to actually send them back.

Set your RSVP deadline for at least 2-3 weeks before the party so you can get accurate counts to your caterer or venue.

What About People Who Are Definitely Gonna Ask Why They Weren’t At The Elopement

Someone will have feelings about not being invited to the elopement itself. It happens. Your invitation wording should be excited and celebratory, not defensive or apologetic.

You eloped because that’s what you wanted. The party is your way of including everyone in the celebration. That’s it. Don’t over-explain on the invitation. If someone asks you directly, you can have a conversation, but the invitation itself should just be happy and focused on the party you’re throwing now.

Photo Cards vs Regular Invitations

Using your elopement photos is such a good move for these invitations. It immediately shows people “hey this already happened and look how happy we are” and it’s also just really pretty.

You can do a photo as the background with text overlay, a postcard with the photo on front and details on back, or a folded card with photos inside. Shutterfly and Minted both have tons of templates specifically for elopement announcements that double as party invites.

Just make sure the photo you choose is high resolution enough for printing and that the text is readable over the image. I’ve seen some designs where the photo is so busy that you can’t read the… wait, that reminds me I need to call a vendor back about a printing issue, but anyway, just make sure there’s enough contrast.

Quick Checklist Before You Order

• All names spelled correctly
• Date and time are accurate
• Full venue address included
• RSVP method and deadline clearly stated
• Dress code mentioned if you have one
• Food situation clarified
• Website URL included if you have one
• Return address on envelopes
• Correct postage (photo cards and heavy cardstock need extra)

Order a proof or sample before you print 100 of these. Trust me. Typos happen and you don’t wanna be stuck with invitations that say the wrong date or have someone’s name misspelled.