Halley Kate Says She Is Having an 'Elopement Party' Instead of a Wedding, Insists They Aren't the Same Thing
Halley Kate Says She Is Having an 'Elopement Party' Instead of a Wedding, Insists They Aren't the Same Thing
Tereza ShkurtajSat, March 21, 2026 at 5:00 PM UTC
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Halley Kate.Credit: Jamie McCarthy/Getty -
Influencer Halley Kate got engaged to her longtime boyfriend, Reed Williams, on Jan. 23, 2026
Since then, she has been very vocal about not having a “traditional,” big wedding
In a recent TikTok, the 25-year-old detailed her upcoming summer celebration and revealed it would be an ‘elopement party’
Halley Kate is setting clear expectations for her upcoming marriage celebration after revealing she will not be having a “traditional wedding” just days after getting engaged to her longtime boyfriend, Reed Williams, on Jan. 23.
In a recent video, the 25-year-old explained her plans in detail — sharing that instead of having a formal ceremony and reception, she is organizing what she calls an “elopement party.”
“I’m getting married this summer, and although I am ‘not having a wedding,’ I’m calling what we're doing an elopement party, because if people are traveling in for this, I want to set the expectation really clear,” she said in a TikTok posted March 18. “I don't want them to show up to a wedding and be, like, ‘That was not a wedding.’ ”
In the video, Kate also noted that her decision not to have a “traditional wedding” is not about being “different” or looking “cool,” as some online critics have suggested. To her, it’s about doing what feels right.
“I’m just sharing what I want to do, and there are, shockingly, some people that are interested and maybe interested in doing somewhat of a similar thing, so I'm just sharing my experience,” she said.
Kate and Williams plan to legally marry in a private courthouse ceremony — with just the two of them present — since walking down the aisle and participating in a formal ceremony are not traditions Kate feels comfortable with.
“TO ME it's very much giving women were property and handed off from their dad to their new man,” she wrote in an Instagram Stories post on Jan. 28. “Also I HATEEE forced attention,” she added, noting that she dislikes situations, like birthday celebrations, where people feel obligated to focus on her or prove they are having a good time.
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Halley Kate and Reed Williams.Credit: Halley Kate/Instagram
Following the private courthouse ceremony, the couple will host a celebration at their home in Sag Harbor, N.Y., rather than booking a formal venue. Kate is opting to keep the event at home to avoid what she described as high-cost venue expectations that can reach large minimum spends of “100k.”
“So, basically, I'm in the process of just planning a really good party, and through this party planning, I kind of discovered the term cocktail style reception, which is essentially what we're going to be doing,” Kate said in her recent video. “I just want everyone to come party, drink and have so much fun.”
Most of the guest list is already familiar with the Hamptons area or travels there regularly, making the location convenient, while some of Williams’ friends and family are expected to be traveling in from Wisconsin.
Instead of a seated dinner, the setup will allow guests to move freely throughout the space. Kate explained that she wants people to mingle and not feel confined to a formal structure, especially given that the event will take place in her backyard. The party will also include “trays of food,” an open bar and live music, while leaving out traditional wedding elements such as a bridal party and “first looks.”
Halley Kate.Credit: Pascal Le Segretain/Getty
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“I just feel like we kind of lost the plot on, like, what a wedding is,” Kate said in a previous TikTok video shared on Feb. 10. “It feels like you have to have this huge budget. You have to go on these bachelorettes where everybody has to spend thousands of dollars to have a bridal shower, you have to do an engagement shoot. Like, oh, my God.”
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
