JOURNAL

Guest User 3/3/21 Guest User 3/3/21

The logistics of planning a micro wedding

We are in an unprecedented era for weddings with the Pandemic where couples are embracing smaller gatherings. Call them Intimate Elopements, Micro Weddings, Minimonies or what have you, these smaller, more intimate gatherings come with many benefits and challenges.

It is truly possible to have your minimony look like the styled shoots you see on your favorite wedding blogs and we are here to make it happen.

Small weddings don't mean you have to sacrifice great style

Designing your wedding decor is a key element of a wedding planner’s job, and one of the benefits of styling a smaller wedding is that budgets can now be reallocated into decor and details, or destinations. We love the challenge of setting up an intimate elopement on a rocky overlook or bringing in all the decor for a micro wedding in the woods.

Personalized touches are a fun way to pamper guests

Smaller weddings mean you have only invited the most important guests. Take this opportunity to show them how much you care by adding special touches that give your guests the VIP treatment.

Go all-in on your wedding theme

Getting married in the woods? Make it a fairytale forest woodland theme. On an island? Deck your decor out with nautical touches. You get the gist. Have fun designing all the extra touches that make your wedding unique.

Challenges & Logistics

There are certainly logistical challenges to veering off the beaten path when you choose a destination outside of a major city or even on the edge of a cliff.

Finding a space to host a small gathering without booking an entire venue. Most couples want a remote location with a cool view. You will have to do your research to find the space that works best for you.

Competing with postponements for key Saturdays. Consider holding your event mid-week, Sundays, or during the off season.

Hire extra hands to transport the elements. You likely won’t have all the vendors bringing things in if your destination is hard to reach. But you don’t want to have to make 20 trips to the truck to move everything yourself. Hire some muscle and save your back.

Planning with the same vendor teams but are frequently omitting the dance party or cocktail hour, instead focusing on a longer dinner with multiple courses or some special dances and great background music.

Checkout some of our Elopement Galleries

Guest User 8/4/20 Guest User 8/4/20

Jedediah Smith Redwoods Oregon Coast Elopement

Adventurers in life and in their careers, Ali and Eli (even their names are perfectly paired together) knew that they wanted something intimate and memorable for their wedding. They both work in various environmental fields so being out in nature was their top priority. The Redwood Forest is especially dear to their hearts so it was an obvious choice when choosing their destination elopement location. Partnered with an epic destination elopement photographer, Sam Starns, their day was exactly as they imagined: fun, adventurous, silly, epic, and memorable.

With their Danner boots laced up, they hiked in with Sam and their officiant Blu (Your Humboldt Officiant). The ceremony was short, sweet, and breathtaking under the majestic giants.

PRO TIP: Lace dresses, while stunning, pick up ALL the redwood needles and they are a beast to remove. Opt for a dress that has a minimal train or fabric that isn’t lacy to avoid sweeping up the entire forest.

Ali and Eli loved the idea of getting married on summer solstice. They incorporated a fun pagan fire jump at the end of their evening, representative of nature and balance both of which are important in their lives.

Their photographer is extremely passionate about elopements and started the “Elope Your Life” movement for elopement couples to empower them to be unapologetically themselves and to create a wedding day (and life) that they can be uniquely proud of. This is exactly what Ali and Eli did on their special day and we couldn’t be happier for them!