In the age of COVID-19, weddings have transformed into something else entirely from what I’ve always known. The wedding industry has taken a huge hit with varying degrees of shut downs, businesses closing, couples choosing to cancel, and tons of layoffs or furloughs of planning and design companies.
I wasn’t immune to this, but I did have a much better year than what I could have ever imagined back in March and April. I have been able to do several micro weddings, or small-intimate weddings along with elopements and newlywed sessions.
What exactly is a “micro wedding” and how is different from a small, intimate wedding or elopement? Let me define what the difference between each of these are:
Micro Wedding
Micro wedding is a wedding designed and planned on a smaller scale. There’s still attention to traditional elements, and they usually include an officiant, floral design, day of planning, and wedding details. Micro weddings typically are still at a wedding venue or a private residence with a catered meal or private chef cooking for the guests.
Small, Intimate Wedding
Smaller guest count is the main difference between a micro wedding and a small, intimate wedding. Small, intimate weddings have a guest count of 10-20 and they can be a mix of your family or best friends.
Elopement
Elopements involve just the two of you or maybe even a few of your closest friends. Elopements take place in free spaces to get married. The great thing about getting married in Colorado is that you can self-solemnize or “marry yourselves” without any witnesses.
Newlywed Session
Whether you had a backyard wedding or the large affair, a newlywed session in your wedding clothes is a great idea. I’ve done several of these types of sessions recently and love it! You don’t have to worry about getting your dress dirty and you can literally let your hair down and relax with your new husband while finding a trail or two to adventure down in the mountains.
Molly and Jake’s Destination Micro Wedding in Breckenridge
Molly and Jake’s destination micro wedding was hosted at a rustic rental home right outside of Breckenridge, Colorado in the Sun Valley. The home has an expansive deck that overlooks a pond. The setting was gorgeous and had a unique rustic feel. The guests dined on the back deck together at a long family style table. I got to help them put together their intimate affair with planning out their timeline and sending them my all-star list of local vendors. I can’t tell you how much I enjoy doing this! When it all comes together on their wedding day, it makes me over-the-moon!
Read for yourself what Molly had to say about her wedding day:
“Save yourself the time and stress of looking for a wedding photographer and just book Andrea. Andrea photographed our small, family-only wedding and the photos are amazing! She was extremely well prepared and went above and beyond to get every photo on our list and made us feel comfortable in front of the camera. The photos are even better than I could imagine and are the perfect way to remember our day.
We decided to give Andrea a call because we wanted to a photographer that could capture outdoor and mountain landscapes. Not only did she deliver on the landscape shots, she also perfectly captured the close-up details. She was also extremely prepared and helped us before the wedding with a few wedding/flower prep details we had not considered. On the day of the wedding, she arrived early and scoped out the area to take all the scenery and detail photos while we were getting ready. She did a great job directing everyone for the group photos and was game for our goofy photo ideas.
After the wedding when it was time for us to view our photos, we were blown away by the quality of the photos. I highly recommend choosing Andrea as your photographer!”
-Molly, the bride
Venue: Private Vacation Home Rental (not currently accepting weddings and events)
Flowers: DIY
Arch: DIY
Catering: Bangkok Happy Bowl Thai Bistro, Breckenridge
Dress: David’s Bridal
Bridesmaids Attire: Birdy Grey
