by riley | Sep 18, 2021 | Wedding
Just a year and a half ago, elopements were considered a pretty abnormal and unique wedding style. That changed thanks to the pandemic, and now more couples are opting to tie the knot in intimate ceremonies than ever. We couldn’t be happier to be seeing more elopements than ever. The changes in opinion about elopements opened the door to every couple unsure about whether to elope or throw an elaborate party. When it came time to plan their own wedding, Hannah and Trevor knew they wanted to say “I do” with just a few of their closest family members. Their dreams of an epic outdoor elopement began.
The couple–along with their pup–hiked to Upper Sardine Lake, where they exchanged vows before capturing forest portraits with photographer Elsa Boscarello. And although we’ve seen our fair share of weddings, we’ve never seen the “reception in a bag” that they put together for their guests. There’s no better way to celebrate than with mini champagne bottles, cupcakes, and In N’ Out fast food.
Not sure if an elopement is right for you? You’ll be sold once you see these beautiful photos!
The Couple:
Hannah and Trevor
The Wedding:
Sardine Lakes, Sierra City, California
A Memorable Sprained Knee
Aside from Hannah spraining her knee on the rocks, the most memorable part of the day was getting dressed behind a tree just off-trail! We were lucky the day was so cold so very few people were hiking in the area. It gave us enough time to have a moment of semi-privacy.
Why A Tahoe National Forest Elopement
The single most important factor that dictated the shape of our wedding was having Hannah’s sister, brother, and sister-in-law safely attend as witnesses, so we knew we wanted to be in a secluded outdoor area. Being avid hikers, we looked straight to the mountains and let the natural beauty of the Sierras be the backdrop of our ceremony. Sardine Lake stuck out as being on public lands, and the short one-mile hike to the upper lake was a bonus. We couldn’t wait to drag our guests on a hike for our elopement. It was the perfect mix of accessible, secluded, and adventurous.
Wedding Advice From The Groom
Spend time thinking deeply about what you need from your wedding. When everything is taken off the table and you can only bring back a few core pieces, you’ll be surprised by what stays and what goes. We hope that couples in the near future will be able to do this by choice rather than necessity. The practice of starting from a “minimum viable wedding” can be freeing.
A Unique Wedding Favor
We built a “reception in a bag” for our guests, since we didn’t have an in-person reception. The bags included mini champagne bottles, our favorite cupcakes, cake sparklers, a custom coaster, and an In-N-Out gift card so we could still treat everyone to dinner, drinks, and dessert!
Congratulations again to Hannah and Trevor on their elegant Tahoe National Forest elopement! We’re so thankful that Elsa Boscarello LLC was there to capture the intimacy of the day. To make sure you’ve got all the boxes checked for your own elopement, check out the ultimate elopement planning checklist!
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by kailey | Jul 30, 2021 | Wedding
Backyard weddings have become increasingly popular in 2021—a trend we don’t see going away anytime soon. Emily and Abdo’s Woodland Hills sunset backyard wedding proves you don’t need an over-the-top or expensive wedding venue in order to pull off your dream celebration. With the help of planner Bone Soiree Productions, their backyard was fully transformed into a breathtaking wedding space complete with candles, draped twinkle light, and a band that turned their reception into a fun-filled party.
Photographer Lauren Belknap did a great job capturing images packed with memories—fully immersing us in Emily and Abdo’s sunset backyard wedding. This is what photographer Lauren Belknap had to say about this unforgettable celebration:
This event was the epitome of, “love is never canceled.” Emily and Abdo had a large wedding planned to celebrate with all their family and friends. But when COVID regulations continued into the winter months of 2020, the two realized that getting married in an intimate backyard wedding with loved ones was important to them.
This wedding is a gorgeous example of practicing COVID guidelines while also celebrating love! The bride’s wedding gown is from Marchesa and the style of classic, romantic, and stunning was impeccable throughout the night. The tent created an intimate scene, candles enhanced the atmosphere, and the band created a lively mood.
The Couple:
Emily and Abdo
The Wedding:
Woodland Hills, California
Enjoy The Planning Process
I would challenge every couple to really think about what is the most important part of the wedding. COVID forced us to give up the idea of a giant party at a big venue. It was initially difficult to accept this, but it ultimately made us realize that it didn’t matter where, when, or how we got married. We just wanted to be married, and for the most important people in our lives to be there. The wedding is just one day of your life, your marriage is forever! Enjoy the process as much as you can, be kind to yourself and others, and just remember what this whole process is supposed to be about: you and your person committing to each other forever. Everything else will fall into place.
Most Memorable Sunset Backyard Wedding Moments
The most memorable part of the day was exchanging our vows in front of our closest family and friends. It felt incredible to be surrounded by so much love, during such an awful time in the world, and vowing our commitments of love to each other. I also loved the moments we had after our ceremony—just us—eating appetizers between photos while our guests enjoyed cocktails in the front yard while listening to live music—everything from classic jazz hits to Kanye West.
Meaningful Handmade Wedding Favors
My mom made each guest an embroidered monogrammed blanket. Our wedding was fully outdoors, so it allowed guests to stay cozy when it got cold, and was something unique they could keep and use to remember our wedding.
Congratulations to Emily and Abdo on their beautiful sunset backyard wedding! They were faced with many obstacles that forced them to trade their large wedding for a micro wedding—like many couples during these crazy times. Their celebration turned out beautifully!
Whether you’re looking to avoid canceling or rescheduling your wedding or simply looking to trim your guest list to have a more intimate celebration we’ve got you covered. Whatever your reasoning for downsizing your wedding may be, we have the ultimate planning guides for you. Check out our micro wedding guide and elopement planning guide to get started now.
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by olivia | Jul 20, 2021 | Wedding
Creating a unique wedding that feels like it’s all your own makes your special day feel absolutely perfect. Brittny and Lawrence’s Proper Hotel Wedding was unique to their relationships with each other and their community. Not only was this the first wedding ever done at this hotel, but this couple didn’t leave a unique detail out of it.
From a semi-circle seating arrangement to a Chuppah drenched in baby’s breath, Isabel Kate Events helped create a very 70s-inspired celebration. Plus, Van Morrison’s daughter sang at the wedding—truly amazing. And let’s talk about the couple’s wedding day looks. Brittny was absolutely glowing at 7 months pregnant in her sleek white bridal gown and Lawrence kept it classic in a grey suit. But we won’t spoil the whole thing! Keep scrolling to see more of this unique wedding captured by Junebug member Teri B Photography.
The Couple:
Brittny and Lawrence
The Wedding:
Proper Hotel, Santa Monica, California
Shop similar bridal lace robes: wedding bridal lace robe ($94); lace wedding robe ($119); lace bell sleeve maxi robe ($158)
A Memorable Proper Hotel Wedding
Walking into the ceremony together was incredibly emotional and memorable. We set up the room in a semi-circle to represent the community. It was a powerful configuration to have everyone facing and surrounding us as we walked to the Chuppah together.
Unique and Personalized Ceremony
Our ceremony was very personal. We incorporated my husband’s Jewish background and my spiritual yoga practice. Our co-officiants were my yoga teacher friend, Wah, and Lawrence’s long-time friend, Andrew, who introduced us. They guided us through a ceremony where we included traditional rituals, blessings, and readings from our family, friends, and community. The ceremony allowed for everyone in attendance to participate, as well as acknowledgment of those who couldn’t be with us. The ceremony took place under a Chuppah made of baby’s breath, notes, and small items guests attached to the Chuppah.
A Surprise Serenade
The biggest surprise, and the most memorable moment, was when Lawrence—as a complete surprise to me—got up on stage with the band to sing Crimson and Clover. He had secretly prepared with a voice coach. It was amazing and everyone had so much fun with it! I was so beyond surprised and touched that he had the courage to do that.
Congratulations to Brittny and Lawrence on their Proper Hotel wedding in Santa Monica. And big thank you to Junebug member Teri B Photography for both capturing and sharing this day with us. To see more of Teri’s work, check out her profile in our directory of wedding photographers from around the globe!
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by riley | Jun 25, 2021 | Wedding
A touching first look, a ceremony overlooking all of Yosemite, and an elopement picnic to celebrate–Madison and Dallas’ DIY Yosemite elopement was the perfect combination of boho and adventurous. Despite the National Park being closed due to COVID and wildfires, the couple made their dream day come true, and we can’t get enough of it.
From the hand-written vows to the cliffside portraits captured by Wesley Harden to a DIY charcuterie board, every detail was carefully planned out by the newlyweds themselves. So keep scrolling to see how these two proved that although wedding planning can be quite the climb, the view from the top is always worth it.
The Couple:
Madison and Dallas
The Wedding:
Yosemite National Park, California
Shop similar vow books: His and Hers Gold Foil Vow Booklets ($29); Wedding Vow Books Set of 2 ($25); Mountain Modern Personalized Foil Vow Books ($29)
Why A DIY Yosemite Elopement
We are an adventurous couple—always hiking and traveling. We chose Yosemite because it’s beautiful and we had never been there previously, but now it’s a special place we can visit as often as we would like!
All Odds Were Against Them
We’re so proud of the fact that the wedding even happened. All the odds were against us, with COVID closing the park and wildfires shutting the park down as well. We’re so proud that we made it happen so beautifully.
A DIY Elopement Picnic Set-Up
I DIYed our table setup, I was quoted $1700 for a simple tablescape, so I went to World Market and replicated it with my own flare for a fraction of the cost. We also brought in everything for the charcuterie board.
Shop similar flutes:
Congratulations again to Madison and Dallas on their DIY Yosemite elopement! Thank you to Wesley Harden for sharing their special day with us. If you’re planning your own elopement, be sure to check out our ultimate elopement planning checklist to get started.
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by kailey | Jun 18, 2021 | Wedding
This couple originally planned a Bali destination wedding, but then transformed their plans. Instead, their destination wedding turned into a California desert Airbnb ranch micro wedding fully prioritized intimate moments. The change couldn’t be more perfect. Mahalia and Nathan let fate play its course in the planning of their wedding—happy with any twists and turns their wedding planning took, as long as they were doing it together.
With the help of event planner Blush and Bloom Events, the couple brought to life their dream COVID-conscious wedding day—packed full of intentionality and fun. The beautiful neutral-toned floral arrangements, by Fleurish, complimented the naturally muted desert backdrop. Remember, large over-the-top wedding venues aren’t what make weddings memorable. Masaya Desert Ranch—and Airbnb nestled in the foothills of Joshua National park—proved to be the perfect ceremony and reception space for an intimate micro-wedding.
Photographer Tayler Ashley captured every moment that made Mahalia and Nathan’s micro-wedding one for the books. If you’re searching for inspiration for planning an unforgettable Airbnb wedding, keep scrolling. You’ve come to the right place.
The Couple:
Mahalia and Nathan
The Wedding:
Joshua Tree, California
Prioritizing Love In This COVID-Conscious Wedding
The most important thing when it came to planning our COVID-conscious wedding was the intimacy of the overall day. We wanted to make sure that our guests—along with ourselves—truly felt nothing but love.
Memorable Hand-Written Vows
Our vows were without a doubt the most memorable aspect of the day. We’re pretty private people, so it was a life-changing moment for both of us to place our hearts in a vulnerable place for all our closest friends and family to hear. Also, our dog, Simba, was an essential part of our wedding as well. He wore his bow tie and got to celebrate on the dance floor with us.
Airbnb Ranch Wedding Venue
We found Masaya Desert Ranch on Airbnb, and once it popped up on our phones, we knew we had found our place. Masaya Desert Ranch has a beautiful outdoor space, and that pretty much sold us. It was beautiful, soothing, and romantic. Everything there, from the setting and the seating to that incredible backdrop of the house, is immaculate!
Embracing The Unexpected During The Planning Process
Take out all of the other people and wedding planning lists and ask yourself what it could be if it were just you and your partner. Go from there. Think of what you enjoy doing and what you want to share with your guests—you can’t go wrong. Having a micro-wedding was much easier to plan, and you can genuinely add your panache to it! If any changes need to be made, roll with it. You just never know where you might end up and how cool it will be. Instead of a destination wedding in Bali, I ended up in the middle of the desert in a gorgeous Airbnb and dreamy sceneries. I loved the sound of anything as long as I was going to do it with Nate.
Including Loved Ones Through Music
My good friend, James, is incredibly talented, and I asked him to create an instrumental piece of Pink Floyd’s “Wish You Were Here” for our unity sand ceremony. It meant the world to Nate because he grew up listening to Pink Floyd. My friend is honestly remarkably talented, like goosebumps-up-your-arms good, and he contributed something beautiful to our unity ceremony!
Congratulations to Mahalia and Nathan, and big thanks to photographer Tayler Ashley for the dreamy inspo-worthy images that made us feel a part of their beautiful Airbnb ranch wedding.
Weddings in 2021 are getting smaller and intentionality is quickly becoming the top priority. If you’re feeling inspired to trade your over-the-top wedding venue for an intimate Airbnb, check out the top wedding Airbnb venues in every state.
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