Elopement celebration/dinner

You pay for your guests period.

Isn't the point of eloping avoiding all of this?

When you elope, it's just you and your DH. That's the point of eloping.

If you invite witnesses, they are your guests and then you need to pay for their meals.

Usually people who elope don't have a reception. If you want to have a celebration afterwards, there's no way to avoid paying for your guests. I mean you could ask them to pay, but they'll be talking about you for years whether they choose to come or not. I'm speaking from experience as a guest who had to pay for my own dinner three years ago at a wedding, and still talking about it. It was rude.

What they said.

You pay, they're your guests.

Decide how many people you are willing to pay for and only invite that many people. You can easily keep it very small.

If you are inviting people to dinner to celebrate your marriage, you pay for them. Period. There is no alternative. If you don't want to pay for other people, then the two of you can go out to dinner alone.

Why does your FH not want to pay? Is he just generally cheap?

You should pay for your guest since they are helping you celebrate

My brother and his wife eloped (in the mountains of Alaska *swoon*) and when they came back they had a small family only celebration. They rented out a small room of a restaurant and had a limited menu and drinks. It was very nice and well received but they did pay.

If you are inviting people out to celebrate with you then they are your guests and you need to pay. This could be a simple BBQ in your backyard. But as with any event only invite who you can afford to properly host.

Okay, thanks everyone!

Your friend is cheap. @emily

Except she invited you there to celebrate her life milestone which you took time out of your day to do. The least she could do is spring for dinner.

Eh, eloping can be any small number of people; ours range, generally, from four to twenty.

You don't make them pay. That is truly, truly gross. They have come to celebrate with you, and they should at least be thanked with a glass of wine and a nice little meal.

Or dont' invite them.

@emily; many of my couples who elope do so because they want a small, personal celebration instead of a 300 person fracas. It's very often a style thing, not a money thing. But if you have guests, you pay. The end.

The alternative is to not invite anyone and go out to dinner by yourselves. But bring your wallet because FH might expect you to pay for your share.

I've been saying I'm having an elopement of sorts. 12 guests at a home ceremony then we're going out for dinner & drinks and more drinks. I am paying for all of it, even the transportation both ways for everyone because I'm the host.

You pay, dude. Das it.

Got to pay if you invite people to celebrate with you!!!

@Fall Bride - Really? Did you just suggest OP lie to her nearest and dearest and spring a wedding celebration on them JUST to lower their expections to get out of paying for a meal? That's low.

@OP - Pay for any witnesses you have. If you're really that concerned about it, lower your guest count or have it at a non-meal time.

What, @FallBride? That's an elaborate ruse to get out of buying dinner.

@Fall Bride - you can't be serious with that. right?

Why doesn't he want to pay? If you can't afford to host, you can't afford to go out afterwards. Invite who you can pay for and leave it at that. And no surprise, we eloped, celebrate with us and pay for it yourselves thing either, that's yucky.