Sammamish, Washington Elopement – July 2021

When you choose to elope, it is all about you and your partner getting married, with the people who matter the most to you; Kyra and Brayden did exactly that! These two cuties eloped in July of 2020, and celebrated their one year anniversary with their closest friends and families. They had a quick ceremony to renew their vows, followed by a sweet little BBQ reception and some dancing. Their Sammamish, Washington elopement was full of family, love and excitement!

Eloping With Your Family in Washington

Depending on how intimate you’d like your elopement to be, you might consider inviting your closest family members. That could look like your parents, siblings, grandparents or even just your best friends! Your family doesn’t have to be who you are biologically related to either. Your family is the people who you choose to surround yourself with and celebrate you and your partner always!

If you choose to elope with your family here are a few tips to make sure it goes smoothly and is tons of fun!

Who to Invite To Your Family Elopement

Many of us have larger families of siblings, cousins and so forth, or larger friend groups, that it can be challenging to narrow down who you want to invite to a smaller, more manageable list. Some questions I like to ask myself and my couples are…

Has this person been a part of my life for many important years?

Does this person bring my partner and I deep joy?

Does this person celebrate and support my relationship and marriage?

Would I be devastated if this person could not be with us when we got married?

If you answered most of these with a resounding YES, then this might be someone who you should invite. But, if there are some unknown answers or definite no’s, then this could be someone you might not want to invite.

Your wedding day should be focused on celebrate the shit out of you and your partner’s love. If there are people who joyful celebrate it with you on a regular basis, then those would be awesome people to include on your elopement day! Your love story deserves to be honored and you deserve to be surrounding by the people who love you the most.

How to Invite Guests To Your Family Elopement

There are many ways you can invite guests to your family elopement! Sending out paper invitations, Evites, or a Facebook group. If you are wanting to keep your elopement to a smaller guest count try these things in your invites:

1. Write specific names on the invitation envelope. If they have kids and you want it to be adults-only, only write the parents’ names! You could also write their names directly on the invitations as well.
2. Include a small note in the envelope. A simple phrase like “We want to keep our ceremony small and we are excited to celebrate with you!” will do the trick!
3. Send a text or give a call. If you are wanting to be the most direct, hop on the phone or send a text to your guests. Direct communication is never a problem and your guests will be thankful to know exactly what you envision!

How to Have The Conversations with People Who Aren’t Invited

Now this section is a tough one! Aunts, uncles, grandparents, extended cousins, friends from work or close friends might be some groups of people who would assume they were invited to your wedding celebration. However, if you choose not to invite these people you might have to have conversations with these groups. Here are some tips on how to have these conversations:

1. Be gentle. People who love you want to celebrate with you, so approach the conversation with gentleness and kindness! Many people have positive intentions of assuming they are invited, so it is important to come at these talks with understanding.
2. Be direct. While also being gentle, it is extremely important to be direct. Using phrases that beat around the bush can leave people you care about confused and unclear of your intentions. Tell them straight up the circumstance of your wedding ceremony; they should be understanding!
3. Be prepared to hear upset responses. It is human nature to be upset if you want to celebrate with someone and you aren’t able to. While many people will be understanding and encouraging, it is normal for there to be a sense of disappointment. However, don’t hold that disappointment on your shoulders! You are choosing to surround yourself with a very particular group of people because they lift you up and fully celebrate your union with your partner. Don’t let the sadness of others take away from your intentions for your wedding day.

Below is a little gallery from Kyra and Brayden’s Sammamish, Washington Elopement. They invited their immediate families and closest extended family members and it was SO much fun! Choosing to surround yourself with people who truly love and want to celebrate the shit out of your love story is so worth it.

Planning Your Sammamish Washington Elopement

Planning you elopement in Sammamish, Washington can be so much fun! Check out this blog post to pick the perfect season for your elopement. Wondering how much your elopement will cost? Check out this blog post for more info about elopement costs!