From Party to Eloping

An elopement is just you and your fiance getting married. No guests. The only witnesses are those the officiant provides when you make your plans with them. Announcements are mailed to those who would have been on the guest list if a bigger wedding had taken place.
A reception afterward is usually frowned upon as people see it as a gift-grab and they weren't good enough to ceremony.
Do what works for you if it's a regular wedding or eloping.

Greetings.

If there is a possibility, maybe you should postpone the wedding all together. I am only saying that because it seems as if you are family oriented and care a lot about your family's blessings/presences. If that is not an option, maybe eloping is a better option. I know quite a few people who tend to elope for their own personal reasons and return to have a reception with family members. I think you should do what is in your heart, and of course whatever won't cause you to loose as much money in the process. Good luck!

Hi Kelsey,

I'm sorry that you're feeling worried in the midst of wedding planning. The general consensus for November is that it's too soon to panic, but it never hurts to have a plan B in place. Here's a related discussion: November 2020 wedding - anyone postponing yet?

Some couples are adjusting their plans to get married (one way or another) on their original dates. Options include ceremony now/reception later, elopement now/full wedding later, micro weddings and more. Check out these posts:

Covid-19: Marriage now, wedding later?

Covid19 Brides still getting married on original date?

Small ceremony now, big wedding later

Etiquette in the time of coronavirus?

I'm Eloping because of Covid-19.. can i still do all of the traditional events?

If you want to consider your options and next steps, WeddingWire has created a ton of resources in Our COVID-19 Weddings Advice Guide, including these articles:

What to Do About Your Wedding During the Coronavirus Pandemic

7 Ways to Support Your Wedding Vendors During the COVID-19 Pandemic

How Vendors are Taking In-Person Wedding Planning Tasks Online

I'm wishing you the best of luck with whatever you decide!

Hello there, I'm getting married on November 14th as well and I completely understand. We have to dial EVERYTHING back. We are now renting an Air bnb with a nice yard and getting married there, and THEN spending our wedding night at the house we rented. Only our close friends are coming (about 15 people TOPS) and then we're having a personal chef cook for all of us. It's not what I imagined when I was dreaming of my wedding day about I think it's gonna be AH-MAA-ZIIIING. Maybe you could do something small and intimate like that and then when the world makes up its mind on what to do, you can have the wedding you dreamed with all the family and friends you desire.


I'm rooting for you☺