Eloped and now the big wedding

Hey! First off, congrats on both the elopement and the upcoming celebration. That's honestly such a sweet situation to be in.
To your question: you absolutely do not owe anyone an explanation. Tons of couples elope privately and throw the big party later, and it's way more common than people think. If you want to keep it simple, just treat the 2027 day as your wedding day. Most guests won't even think to ask about the legal side, and frankly, they don't need to know unless you want them to.
That said, if you're close with your family and it feels weird keeping it from them, you can mention it casually not as a confession, just as context. Something like, "We couldn't wait to make it official, so we did the paperwork last year, and now we're doing the celebration with everyone we love." People generally get it, and anyone who matters will just be happy for you.For the ceremony itself, you can absolutely do the full thing without the legal signing. Lots of officiants do "commitment ceremonies" or "vow renewals" that look and feel exactly like a wedding with the readings, vows, ring exchange, the whole deal. No one in the audience will know the difference, and it still carries all the meaning you want it to.At the end of the day, this is your marriage and your party. Do what feels right for you two, and don't stress too much about the "rules." There really aren't any.Wishing you the best planning it all out and let me know if I can be of any help even at the last minute.