Can You Have a Bridal Shower If You Plan to Elope?

Elopements have lost some of their mystery. Where the word "elopement" previously referred to a couple (often young) stealing away into the night to secretly get hitched, it now has an alternate meaning: having a very small wedding that isn't a secret and which includes a few of the couple's closest friends and family. The elopement could take place anywhere, from a local courthouse to a luxury resort in the Caribbean. So, when it comes to bridal showers and elopements, people are bending the old rules, too. The consensus: Whether or not the elopement is a secret, it's perfectly fine to have a bridal shower. Here's how to make sure it's done right.

Let someone else throw the shower.

Exactly as is the case with a traditional wedding, a bridal shower thrown in advance of an elopement should be hosted by the bridesmaids, family member, or any other willing person—just not the bride. You don't want to make it seem like you're doing it for the gifts.

Invite all to the post-elopement reception.

If you're planning to have a reception after the I dos, send an invitation to everyone who's invited to the bridal shower. It would be bad manners not to. On the flip side, you can invite people to the reception and not the shower.

Think tea or luncheon.

If you're a little uncomfortable having friends and family invited to a shower, consider having a tea or luncheon instead. Since no gifts are involved with these celebrations, you may feel better about this type of event.