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cdelray
Savvy January 2023

Eloping after initially deciding on a larger Dw??

cdelray, on November 20, 2019 at 4:04 PM

Posted in Planning 36

Hi all! I need some advice :/ My FH and I have been engaged since 2017, over the course of the years leading up to today we were planning a DW. It was originally supposed to be a small gathering with maybe 30 people and.. then the guest list ended up getting out of control. We sent out Save The...
Hi all! I need some advice :/
My FH and I have been engaged since 2017, over the course of the years leading up to today we were planning a DW. It was originally supposed to be a small gathering with maybe 30 people and.. then the guest list ended up getting out of control. We sent out Save The Dates several months ago and after coming to the horrible conclusion that unless we wanted to be $20k in debt, we should probably change our course. My family has been difficult with me in terms of planning, I’m feeling way more overwhelmed and stressed out than I had thought I’d be. We came to a decision a few nights ago that we should just “elope” in our location of the DW with a max of 10 guests (I have elope in “” because I realize it’s more like an intimate ceremony).

What do I do now?? We have informed our guests on the website that we were holding off on the plans. Do I send them a more formal change so everyone knows it’s off? Will people not even really care? I never got to the formal invite part, just the STD’s were sent out.
I feel really horrible about all of this because we were just going to postpone the wedding (so we told our vendors that) and then my FH voiced that we shouldn’t keep waiting- we’ve been together for 8 years. And I agree with him! It’s been more stressful planning this huge thing when we’ve been together so long because it doesn’t feel that special and we’ve always been the kind of people that it’s just US. We are a 2 person team and we basically can only count on each other. (Sorry thats side tracking a little bit)... but now I’m reluctant to tell my vendors again that we change our minds once again! I feel like an idiot and I need help 😞 how do I deal with feeling like a fool? Lol.. this is what we want and we have both agreed that this is the plan and we aren’t changing it, (I am very indecisive and I also try WAY too hard to accommodate to everyone else).

36 Comments

  • cdelray
    Savvy January 2023
    cdelray ·
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    LOL that one is super cute and it is tempting but I think what I'm really after is that glass (or bottle) of wine! Good luck on finishing up planning for yours, like my FH often tells me "everything always works out", and congratulations!! Smiley smile

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  • Adrienne
    Dedicated February 2020
    Adrienne ·
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    Thank you!! I'll join you in that glass of wine. 🍷 Cheers to our weddings and our amazing future husbands for their support! Mine told me that yesterday when I called him in a frenzy! 😆 Best of luck to you with your planning, and congratulations as well!
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  • thisismrsb
    Expert June 2019
    thisismrsb ·
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    Definitely send a formal letter to everyone who got a save the date about the change of plans. Go ahead with the intimate ceremony. If you want to, you can have a casual "reception" at a restaurant and invite the people who received the save the dates. No need for a DJ, and all the other bells and whistles. Just your guests and catering by the restaurant. Maybe some cocktails and cake too.
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  • cdelray
    Savvy January 2023
    cdelray ·
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    Yes! I’ll cheers to that!! 🥂 thank you 💕
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  • cdelray
    Savvy January 2023
    cdelray ·
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    That’s exactly what we are planning, no typical reception (DJ, etc) just a dinner and then going out afterwards. I am in contact with two restaurants. We are looking at no more than 10 guests. How would you word the formal letter? Or could you point me in the direction of a link that would be helpful? I am seeing “change of plans” and lots of postponements or cancellations but nothing totally similar and I just want to make sure I don’t screw this up anymore lol
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  • thisismrsb
    Expert June 2019
    thisismrsb ·
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    You're only inviting ten people to the restaurant? It's doable, but not what I was suggesting. Lol. Last summer, we went to a wedding reception of a couple who had a private ceremony at city hall on a Friday with only a handful of people. The reception was at The Boat Basin in New York City a day or two later. The couple's family and friends were invited to that. There was a sectioned off area for their event with an open beer and wine bar and a buffet of appetizers. The establishment had cash bars if any guests wanted other cocktails outside of the reception.


    Having a casual dinner or cocktail hour as your reception for all of the people who received the save the dates might be a gentler way to go. A save the date is essentially a promise to be invited to the wedding, so be prepared to face feelings of disappointment, hurt and rejection. I know that you can't please everyone, but just be prepared. It's always a good idea to have things, especially guest lists, finalized before sending save the dates.
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  • Savvy December 2020
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    I absolutely get where you are coming from! We have been together for 5 yrs...I’ve been married twice and he’s never been married so I didn’t want him to feel like he wasn’t getting the wedding he wanted bc he has been super interested in planning the wedding but all my family live out of state there are some family conflicts going on with his AND he just inherited a house tht we need to work on to move into ASAP soo I say all tht to say I quickly ditched the big wedding plans and we decided to elope to Vegas w my 2 besties as my maid and matron of honor and his daughter as his best woman - We are all driving out together and gonna make it a family vacation/celebration type weekend just the way we want it - I am a little broken hearted bc the venue we had chosen was on a giraffe sanctuary and we were gonna hav bridal pics w the giraffes but we can use tht 10+k else where w the house and having to train my new service dog (6k)
    I think you should let everyone knw tht due to budget issues the plans have changed and then maybe at some point do a cookout or small reception type thing bck home to celebrate your marriage thts kinda our plan- I don’t think you should have to change the date if Thts one you specifically picked out Things happen and plans change if people can’t understand tht then they are as supportive as they should be
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  • Sherry
    Master September 2019
    Sherry ·
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    If you are eloping on the same date that was on your STD's, then yes, you should send a formal cancellation to all your guests. If you are eloping before the STD date, I would let your elopement announcement be your notice to the guests.

    Don't be surprised when you still have more than your 10 people saying they want to come lol. People love weddings!

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  • D
    Dedicated December 2019
    Decemberbride ·
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    Weddings are so stressful! I was losing my mind with this planning business, especially for a destination wedding in another country. I totally get where you're coming from. We are packing our bags now and leaving for our destination wedding in a couple days. I have mixed feelings about it. We originally expected 10-20 guests and spending $7-8,000. Our guest list is at 60 and we are over $20,000. And, that was with a 4 month engagement and literally sending a text invite for an international wedding 3 months away and over Thanksgiving weekend. It makes me sick thinking about the money spent on one day and what else we could've done with that money to celebrate. Like see the world haha We own our house and are paying out of our savings account. But, still yuck on spending that for a party.
    Good luck to you! Those that love you, and matter will understand and shame on them if they don't. Don't lose sight of what's truly important and don't stress about others expectations and opinions. Do what's best for your new family❤️You and your future spouse.
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  • cdelray
    Savvy January 2023
    cdelray ·
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    Ah, thank you!! Yes!! Back when we very first got engaged all I wanted was a small little wedding that I could pull off DIY and affordable. And thennn my eyes lit up when I found this resort and somehow we ended up sending out STDs to 62 different groups/families (so total over 100 if I give plus ones and account for kids). And then it got even worse when my brother said he couldn’t come and then my sister followed with that and then the thought of being stuck with a loan as much as my car LOL seriously it gives me a headache thinking about.. I just ordered my “we ditched the plan!” cards to tell everyone it is off and I am thinking we will do a “reception”..celebration of our marriage.. in August. I totally feel you on the money aspect, it just drives me nuts how when you throw the W word out, the price doubles 😳.
    I wish you the best of luck!! It will be great!! That is so exciting- where is your wedding take place? Try to soak up these last few weeks before and make time for yourself! Time flies by!
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  • D
    Dedicated December 2019
    Decemberbride ·
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    Thank you so much!! Your new plan sounds great💗 And, you'll get two parties🎉 Where are you guys getting married?
    We are off to Playa Del Carmen. I am super excited, super anxious and just super emotional haha! I can't believe how fast the time has flown by. We have way more guests than we expected. Some that surprised us, some that weren't even invited and also disappointed by some that we thought would come for sure and arent🤷‍♀️
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  • cdelray
    Savvy January 2023
    cdelray ·
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    Those sound like the exact emotions I was experiencing! lol.. and wow that is awesome! We had actually put down a deposit there (for a little while until my family refused to go there and made us change it...LOL) for the Panama Jack Resort! Ah, that is going to be so much fun and I'm sure perfect weather! Smiley love We are getting married in Key West! And the reception will be in our hometown, Grand Rapids, MI. Smiley smile So many congratulations to you!! Smiley heart

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  • cdelray
    Savvy January 2023
    cdelray ·
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    Thank you! The cards are ordered and should be on their way soon Smiley smile

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  • cdelray
    Savvy January 2023
    cdelray ·
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    Thank you for this input! And just 10 people to the "elopement" in general (just close family) which will be ceremony and restaurant after. We have decided to have a "reception" a couple months after we get back! That will be for all the people that we had originally planned on.

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  • Future Mrs. B
    Devoted August 2020
    Future Mrs. B ·
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    I would send something ASAP, but why did you guys go from 30 guests to 10? I imagine whoever would like to attend the DW after the invites were sent would be fine. Not a lot of people tend to go to DW's. Good Luck!

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  • thisismrsb
    Expert June 2019
    thisismrsb ·
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    Okay, then I think that's good. You can send out cards that say, "Change of plans!" and explain that they're invited to a party to celebrate your marriage.
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