Intimate Inspirational Real Wedding stories

This Intimate Minimony at Brooklyn Winery was Officiated Remotely

Carrie and Jonathan Durbin's, "wedding plans started and stopped a few times, all for logistical reasons. Most recently, we had been planning to be married in June. We were planning a small wedding in Brooklyn, but the pandemic changed that. Even if it had been safe to gather, much of Jonathan's ...

An Intimate 7-Person Private Estate Minimony in California

After the COVID-19 pandemic forced Tiffany and James to scale back their original plans for a large wedding in northern California, they opted for an intimate vow exchange in the backyard of Tiffany's childhood home with only her brother and both sets of parents in attendance. "The pandemic meant...

An Eclectic Wedding Filled with Burgundy Dahlia and Scabiosa Blooms at Metropolist in Seattle, Washington

Inspired by their favorite color, black, Paige and Jesse planned a moody, Autumn wedding at Metropolist in Seattle, Washington, filled with dark hues and edgy accents. "I prefer a moodier and darker palette and I wanted to focus on more of an 'until death do us part' vibe. I provided our event de...

Romantic Shades of Blue Set the Tone at This Intimate Wedding at Hotel Bennett in Charleston, South Carolina

Amy and Bob envisioned a wedding that felt like an elegant dinner party, with close friends and family members gathered around one long table. “We wanted it to feel intimate, personal and beautiful, honoring the people who have carried us to this point,” Amy says. <br><br>The couple set the 46-se...

One Couple's Laid-Back, Intimate Wedding at CAVU in Tampa, Florida

When planning their wedding, Barb and Arthur considered eloping, but soon realized they still wanted a chance to celebrate with loved ones. Their perfect middle ground? A private exchange of vows in a flower shop, followed by a lively reception filled with family and friends. “We got to have an i...

This Church Wedding Was Followed by a Casual Reception at Jimmy on the James in Lynchburg, Virginia

Amanda and Mike had their first date at Jimmy’s on the James and returned so often that they soon became good friends with the owner. When the time came to make it official, it was only fitting to have Jimmy himself officiate their ceremony before celebrating at his restaurant. Following their vo...

Intimate Restaurant Wedding at Blagden Alley and Calico in Washington, DC

Kyle has worked in restaurants for years and helped open Calico, a hip spot in the Shaw neighborhood of Washington, DC. He and Raleigh became the first couple to marry there, with a ceremony outside in Blagden Alley and a reception on the large back patio. Raleigh and Kyle built the copper arch t...

This Couple Got Married on A Mountain Overlooking Lake Superior in Lutsen, Minnesota

“Family and nature were the focus of our wedding and, from there, everything just fell into place,” Alexa says of her and Peter’s celebration. Alexa kicked off the day by honoring her father with a personalized tie. Then, at the ceremony overlooking Lake Superior, her uncle officiated and her cou...

Tuscany Inspired This Mountain Ranch Soiree in Telluride, Colorado

For their wedding, Blaire and Kyle, who both work in marketing, brought the charm of Tuscany to Telluride, a place close to Blaire’s heart. “We got married at my grandparents’ ranch,” she says. “It’s a sacred place for my family.” Rustic reclaimed wood and kilim patterns, including those on the g...

A Minimalistic, Modern Wedding at Wrong Marfa in Marfa, Texas

Married on the eight-year anniversary of their first date, Meredith and Juan-Carlos focused on simplicity. “We let the venues dictate the style,” Meredith says. The couple took part in a hand-fasting ceremony, using a cord the bride braided herself at Wrong Marfa and honored Juan-Carlos’s Mexican...

A Bohemian Pastel-Hued Microwedding at The Barn at Willow Brook in Leesburg, Virginia

Chelsea and Mike's bohemian microwedding at The Barn at Willow Brook in Leesburg, Virginia, was a prime reminder that minimonies, elopements and microweddings can still be personal, over-the-top and packed with dreamy details. While the COVID-19 pandemic forced Chelsea and Mike to postpone their ...

An Intimate Blush-and-Green Wedding at Larkin’s Sawmill in Greenville, South Carolina

After postponing their April wedding because of the pandemic, Miranda and Joe decided to host an intimate South Carolina wedding in July with a much smaller guest list in keeping with pandemic safety guidelines. "Our wedding was special because it truly represented the love that we have for each ...

An Intimate "Desert Glam" Elopement at the Anderson House in Washington, D.C.

Lesley and Jasmine originally planned to have a wedding 2022, but the COVID-19 pandemic reminded them that "life is short and we decided to fast forward our commitment to each other. We then decided to have a 'courthouse' elopement but as we got closer to the day we realized that this was going t...

An Intimate Apartment Elopement in Missouri During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Despite their wedding plans being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Lindsay and Clifton's wedding day was so full of joy that they even ended the elopement by jumping on the bed. Lindsay shares that her wedding to Clifton was "officiated by Clifton's best friend, Christopher Allen, and attended ...

This Couple Decked Out Their Home's Front Yard with Florals for Their Washington, D.C., Minimony

Stephanie and Neal initially planned to tie the knot in front of 150 loved ones with a wedding in Charlottesville, Virginia. But when the COVID-19 pandemic made it clear that would not longer be a safe and feasible option, the couple pivoted and exchanged vows with a front-yard minimony at home (...

Soft Pastels and Lush Florals Brought Romance to This Cincinnati, Ohio, Microwedding

For Nicole and Blake's Ohio wedding, it was important to the two of them "to have our wedding outdoors, as I wanted it to feel like we were in the middle of a romantic garden. We were originally supposed to have our wedding at Laurel Court, which is very reminiscent of the Biltmore and Versailles...

This Couple's Industrial Wedding at Brick in San Diego Was Packed with Moody Florals

Although southern California's perpetually sunny weather is one of its biggest draws, Sean and John wanted their wedding to pay homage to the crisp autumns they grew up with in upstate New York. "John and I grew up in upstate New York, where fall is easily the most beautiful season. You don't re...

The Bride Wore an Orange Dress to This Backyard Minimony in Atlanta, Georgia

Chloe Bootstaylor (and attorney) and Jeremey Key (a software developer) initially planned to celebrate with a large Atlanta wedding. However, when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the couple decided to shift their plans and instead host an intimate backyard celebration with only their immediate familie...

A Luxe-Meets-Rustic Christmas-Themed Wedding at Terrain at Styers in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania

Attorneys Tammy Minott (30) and Justin Mann (32) looked to one of their favorite restaurants, the Garden Café at Terrain, when choosing the spot for their wintry celebration. “The greenery and wood elements in the greenhouse and garden shed provided the perfect backdrop,” Tammy says. The date and...

This Couple's Dog Was the Something Blue at Their Beach Microwedding in San Diego, California

Teresa and Zack, parents to social-media-famous pup Sushi (@sushisaid) met when they were just 11 years old and planned to celebrated their 22 year romance with a 200-person wedding on June 19th, 2020. However, once the COVID-19 pandemic hit, it was immediately clear that their original wedding p...

This Dreamy Garden Wedding at The Lace House in Columbia, South Carolina, Was a Family Affair

Courtney and Gerald's theme for their Columbia, South Carolina, wedding was, "'A Night in the Gardens,' We wanted our wedding to focus on family and friends gathering to celebrate two people in love. I was inspired by the venue, I love period films and this house is an absolute beauty. The house ...

This Couple Exchanged Vows at the Courthouse Then Celebrated with Friends a Year Later

For Kyra and Portia, "the idea of planning a wedding sounded exciting to us. However, it definitely seemed like a ton of work and money. The type of work we were not sure we wanted to do and the amount of money that we weren't sure we wanted to spend. Then we discussed the idea of having a courth...

Tropical Flowers Took Center Stage at This Colorful Backyard Minimony in Southern California

Before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Bettina and Andrew were, "supposed to get married at the Estancia La Jolla Hotel &amp; Spa in San Diego on September 4th in front of 150 of our closest friends and family. When COVID happened, we held off from postponing until we absolutely had to; in July. We we...