Surrounded by the breathtaking views of the Big Sur Coast and beauty of its redwood forest, Kaitlyn and Matt chose Limekiln State Park in California to begin the next chapter of their lives together.

Eschewing a more elaborate affair, they focused on weaving their distinctly romantic design aesthetic into the fabric of the sweeping rugged landscapes, creating an enchanting setting for their closest family and friends.

Kaitlyn’s sister Paige, owner of Paige Nelson Photography, captured Kaitlyn and Matt’s most intimate moments and Big Sur’s magnificent landscape. 

Kaitlyn & Matt

Location:  Big Sur, California

Wedding Date:  Sept. 13, 2015

Number of Guests:  10 including Kaitlyn’s best friend who served as officiant, and her photographer sister

Wedding Cost: $10,000, which included a four-night stay at the Treebones Resort 

Wedding Ceremony Location:  Limekiln State Park

Wedding Reception Location:  Nepenth

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

Matt and I decided to have an intimate wedding the moment we got engaged. After attending several of our friends large weddings, we decided that just wasn’t for us. We wanted our ceremony to focus on getting married, rather than all the commotion that can come with having a big wedding. We debated back and forth between eloping and having just our immediate families there and the more we debated, we liked the idea of being able to celebrate at dinner with our closest relatives after our ceremony. Our engagement was non-traditional from the beginning (mutually deciding to get married with no big proposal and deciding for both of us to wear engagement rings), so it was no surprise to our families that our wedding would be of this sort. Having an intimate wedding is like nothing else – our family members were feeling everything that we felt and they helped create a safe space for us to be us. It also meant a lot less stress and more time together- just the two of us.

What are some challenges you faced planning an intimate wedding?

We were very fortunate that our family members were supportive of having an intimate wedding and even more fortunate that Matt’s father threw us an after party so that our family and friends could still feel included in our celebration. Don’t get me wrong, there is still a significant amount of planning to be done for an intimate wedding, especially a destination wedding. My sister and I were worried that she wouldn’t have time to be present with us since she was our photographer, but it meant a lot to her that she was there to capture everything and I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
  

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?

Matt and I decided to have our guest list be strictly immediate family. We became pretty anxious letting our family members know that their significant others would not be able to join us, but it ended up working out. Our family members were very understanding and sympathetic to what we envisioned for ourselves, so it ended up being a lot more anxiety provoking in our heads than it actually was.

Did you have any “issues” with the small guest list from friends and family? If so, how did you address them?

We anticipated that more of our friends and family would be disappointed that they were not able to attend our ceremony which is why Matt’s dad offered to throw us an “after party” at his house. We showed pictures and emailed everyone our wedding video so that they could feel apart of it in a small way. We feel this really helped to ease the blow that they weren’t there.

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

Where to start? Matt and I hiked around a couple days before the ceremony date to scout out possible locations. I think doing this made our ceremony that much more special because hiking around is a memory I will cherish forever. We were in a fairy tale forest, by a stream, literally circled by our closest loved ones. It was such a magical ceremony that included my best friend officiating for us, a reading from Matt’s mom, ring warming, and many group hugs. Matt and I felt so close and so connected to each other. It was perfect (to put it into one word).

What were the highlights of the reception? 

My sister-in-law surprised us with a table full of beautiful purple flowers and we enjoyed dinner and wine by candlelight. It was truly what we imagined for ourselves and fit “us.” We are not necessarily into dancing and the traditional wedding activities, so we splurged on a wonderful dinner, with an incredible view, and great conversations.

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding? 

Matt and I have been together for nine years and our goal for our wedding was to remind ourselves why we were doing all of this: to celebrate our love and commitment. This was absolutely accomplished and I’m not sure that it would have stayed the focus if we had a big wedding. The best thing about an intimate wedding is that there is no precedent for how things “should be.” Although there will always be nerves and stress leading to any type of wedding, on the day of we did not have to think about the details and had time to just relax and be present together.

What advice do you have for couples who are considering an intimate wedding?

DO IT! Be yourselves, do what you want, and don’t worry so much about what other people want for you. In the end, all that matters is who you are marrying.

Vendors:

Photography:  Paige Nelson Photography

Videography:  Whitney Justesen Photography

Make up/Hair:  MUAH Make Up and Hair

Florals:  Christine Cater Florals

Dress:  Rue de Siene 

With its unspoiled natural beauty, Michigan’s Drummond Island was the perfect backdrop for a late afternoon sparkling Prosecco toast to Celina and John’s union. Drummond Island & Conference Center, which is a remote retreat tucked offshore at the top of the state, was the ideal location for the couple’s casually elegant wedding on the island. The couple planned their rustic resort wedding as a weekend away limiting the informal invitations to family. This managed not only cost but also enhanced the intimacy of the moment.

Thank you to photographer Bryana Riutta of Riutta Images for so perfectly capturing the day’s delight in the faces of the future Mr. and Mrs., and the couple’s family in attendance including furry, four-legged Blu the dog.

 Celina, 31 & John, 32

Location: Drummond Island, Michigan

Wedding Date: Sept. 5, 2015

Guests: 9, plus Blu –the groom’s parent’s dog

Wedding Cost:  $5,000

Ceremony Location: Drummond Island Resort and Conference Center

Reception: Bayside Dining

What are some the challenges that you faced planning an intimate wedding?

Since we invited our guests informally, we did not have the benefit of RSVP cards so we had to follow-up with all of our guests individually to make sure we had an accurate head count. We also had a difficult time coordinating everyone’s schedule and travel because, even though we all live in Michigan, the wedding still qualified as a destination wedding since Drummond Island is such a remote location.

  Was it difficult to pare down the guest list? 

Celina has two sisters with big families. Had we invited her sisters’ husbands and their kids, we would have more than doubled our guest list. Thankfully, both families understood our desire for a small wedding, and the two sisters’ husbands stayed home with their kids.

It was difficult to not have our friends with us, but it would have been even more difficult to only consider inviting two or three friends, then having to choose between them. By only inviting our immediate family members, we avoided any stress from having to choose which friends we would include.

Did you have any “issues” with the small guest list from friends and family? If so, how did you address them?

Celina’s grandmother later decided that she could not make the long trip, so we had to cancel one hotel room that we reserved. It all worked out in the end when one of our nephews decided that he would rather go stay with her (his great grandmother), which they both enjoyed.

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

We had perfect weather and a beautiful view of Potagannissing Bay as we held our ceremony. At dusk, the sun remained out long enough to give us great lighting, but hidden enough to not be too hot.

We decided to write our own vows which we said to each other in front of our family while standing next to the water. Writing our own vows felt so genuine, and we’ve kept copies of what we wrote to cherish forever.

What were the highlights of the reception?

John’s dad insisted on a Prosecco toast right after the ceremony, and it turned out to be a very nice way for the family to be included as we capped off the formalities. As we headed into dinner, our parents surprised us with a custom wedding cake that looked as good as it tasted.

Because we kept our reception so small, it felt more like a family dinner. Everyone had the opportunity to talk and laugh with each other and no one felt left out. We didn’t have to spend the whole night going from table to table trying to greet everyone. We were able to relax and have a wonderful meal with our families.

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

We noticed over and over in the days, weeks, and months leading up to the wedding that we were not going through the same amount of stress that we have seen other couples experience who chose big weddings.

We were able to spend quality time with each other, and with every single person who attended. We didn’t spend a bunch of money on unnecessary things, and we enjoyed the satisfaction of doing things our way!

What advice do you have for couples who are considering an intimate wedding?

Even though we were less stressed, we did still experience some pressure to make things more complicated than was truly necessary. So to you other couples out there, our advice is to not sweat the small stuff. Keep it simple. If you get caught up trying to make every detail of the wedding perfect, you will drive yourself nuts –even if your wedding is small –and you will be giving up one of the benefits of a small, intimate wedding.

Vendors

Photographer:  Bryana Riutta, Riutta Images

Vendor Support: Drummond Island Resort & Conference Center

Unique headpieces have been a part of bridal fashion for centuries. Nowadays, there’s so much variety in headpieces, that it can be difficult to chose the right piece for your wedding style. To make your life a bit easier, we’ve scoured Etsy for what we think are 12 headpieces that have the dazzle factor!

This silver gilded Swarovski Crystal floral halo by VeiledBeauty blends the boho look with a bit of flash. Perfect for the bride that wants to dress up an earthy look.

There are so many options when it comes to headpieces, but for the bride that really wants to stand out, we recommend this beautiful beaded headpiece with stones  from OffwhiteStudio.

A large part of your big day is spent with your back to your guests. Why not add a little something to dazzle them, like this Dogwood flower reverse crown headpiece from myrakim?

This headpiece with beads and vintage gold leaves from Truvelle is elegant and understated. It is a look that would pair well with a myriad of different bridal styles.

If you’re going for a more laid back look on your wedding day, this bronze headpiece with crystals from BrideLaBoheme would be the perfect accessory.

This feather and crystal headpiece from featherandcoal is whimsical and fun! It combines modern aspects with an old world edge.

A playful bride, throwing a rustic wedding needs that fun accessory to show off her personality. For her, we recommend this glittery star crown headpiece from EstivalCrowns.

This jeweled stars and filigree headpiece from EricaElizabethDesign is modern and sophisticated.

After you’ve picked out the perfect dress, you’ll need something truly royal to finish off your look. For that we recommend this star tiara from EricaElizabethDesign.

We are swooning over this rare myrtle headdress made from 800 silver (stamped) and a matching corsage from PollyMcGearyAntiques.

Dramatic. That’s the first word that comes to mind when you set your eyes on this rhinestone headpiece from myrakim. This comb is a memorable accessory that will  leave your guests talking about how amazing you look!

UntamedBridal‘s Swarovski pearl and twisted wire sparrow headpiece created this fabulous bridal hairpiece. We love the uniqueness of this piece!

*This post includes Etsy Affiliate links

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Groomsmen do a lot more during a wedding than stand around looking handsome in their dapper suits. Like bridesmaids, they serve an important supportive role.  Why not thank them for their part in making your day special? We’ve found 10 fabulous groomsmen gifts that we think you’ll love!

Does your groom need a clever way to ask his guys? Use these unique gift tag cards from LiaGriffith to do it in style.

Everyone in your party can look uber dapper in these two tone leather suspenders from NoSlipSuspenders. It is a gift they can wear even after the wedding is over.

Going away for the bachelor party? You can all travel in style with these personalized duffel bags from HeritageWedding.

These leather travel tags from Exsect are another travel-related gift idea that we love.

For a fun and totally unique idea, why not give these personalized, custom leather belts from Exsect. Just imagine the wedding photo possibilities!

If you like the belt idea, but want something a little dressier, these personalized leather belts from AniseLeather are another great option. The engraving is more subtle, but they still have that personal touch that makes them stand out.

The toiletry bag is a classic groomsmen gift. It is practical and something than can be used for many years. These monogrammed, leather bags from SivaniDesignsShop are a great gift that look super chic and sophisticated!

These card and suede tags from SouthernCalligraphy paired with some whiskey make for a fun and fabulous groomsmen gift.

Why not gift the guys a pocket knife? Not just any pocket knife, but a personalized one like these wood handled, personalized pocket knives from NikkiReclaimedDesign.

What’s not to love about these personalized shot glasses from BluDogDesigns.

*This post includes Etsy Affiliate links

Grab a cup of coffee and settle in with us as we share this beautiful styled shoot from Paula Player Photography. Celebrating the hazy, warm red and pink hues of sunset in Charleston, pure southern charm is captured in all of its elegant glory.

With a vintage car, gorgeous flowers and delicious cake, this styled shoot is perfect inspiration for what to do during the often cold and bare winter season. Paula shared with us her thoughts on the shoot.

For this styled shoot, we were craving inspiration centered around our favorite time of the day—golden hour. We love those hazy, warm hues the southern sunlight exudes this time of year. Winter can be a bit barren, so we wanted to use hints of gold, pink, and green within our reception decor. It’s chic, classic and very versatile. The venue speaks to the beauty of Charleston, and we knew it would be the perfect place to capture this inspiration in. The elegant brick home, charming Spanish moss, and serene setting, all perfectly encompass the South. We rented an old vintage car to top off the shoot. It was the perfect accompaniment, and something all couples should consider if they are holding their nuptials in this part of the country. ?Our model was a real bride, whom I recently had the pleasure of photographing a few weeks back. Her wedding dress was divine. The lacy flower top was so refined and made her look like a true southern belle. The exquisite white and champagne-colored wedding cake effortlessly matched the pattern of her gown. We love attention to detail, and thought this would be a charming way to decorate the cake. ?We kept the paper goods fairly neutral, as we didn’t want them to compete with the florals. Within the tablescape, we had an array of delicate flowers, fresh eucalyptus leaves, gold-rimmed china, and vibrant fruits such as pomegranates and blackberries. Everything organically complemented one another. While most places can’t hold an outdoor wedding during the wintertime, this is one of my favorite seasons to shoot in!

Vendors:

Models: Laura Lebar and Pablo Viafara

Film Develop: Indie Film Lab

Photography: Paula Player Photography

Goods: Wedding Paper Divas

Flowers: Little Shop of Flowers 

Venue: Debordieu

Cake: Croissants 

Make up: Laura Griego 

Hair: J. Leigh Stylist Boutique

Tux: Fancy Frocks

Rentals: Event Works Rentals

Gown: London and Lace Bridal