Elopement and Micro Wedding Inspo and Tips...

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Photo captured by Elizabeth Nihiser.

This Pandemic is crushing your wedding vision, you’ve spent countless hours and dollars planning the “perfect” wedding for you and your partner and then life “ass-handed” you. For those who don’t know this reference, it’s essentially the hardships of life being handed to you every day…no?  Anyway, elopements are our jam, our first love, the thing we do best--I mean, come on, it’s all in our name. But I digress - here’s our plan to ensure you are supported while considering an Elopement, Micro wedding, or a third “virtual guests” option; we will talk about this more a little later.  First, what’s the difference?
 
An Elopement is an intimate celebration that include you, your partner, your officiant, and maybe a photographer.
 
A Micro Wedding is also an intimate celebration, however, this one may include some guests – no more than 25.
 
Many wedding pros know your wedding day needs to be magical and unforgettable, even during Pandemics – it is still a celebration of your love, commitment and union as partners.  Plus, it’s a great time to be planning a wedding—quarantine livin’ allows for the space and time needed to meet your vendors virtually and do any “homework” that your vendors may require. Think out-of-the-box and also outside, as we all want to keep everyone’s health and safety in mind – meeting inside generally means closer quarters and may introduce some unnecessary boundary issues for those who have preexisting conditions. Our typical ceremony is 10-25 minutes in length and on the simple and sweet side if it is just the couple with no guests, though we do custom write each ceremony and so the length truly depends on your vision. We always offer some fun rituals that may support you on your wedding day, such as our meditative moment (which comes free with all of our services).  Ring blessings, which are a great way for your rings to be presented at the altar, are another really neat offering.  Other examples of additions can include smudging upon request or any of our many unique unity rituals. So, although you may not have a large guest count, the rite of marriage will still be beautifully presented and celebrated.

 
The Hocking Hills is one of our favorite places to meet with couples for this special day.  We perform about a third of our weddings each year in that region of Ohio, so that’s to say there is some wisdom that comes with that experience.  Here’s are a few tips to help you begin your planning process!

1. If you are planning to utilize one of the many breathtaking locations with the Hocking Hills State Parks, we HIGHLY recommend applying for a permit – this ensures no one can be in “that magical location” while you are exchanging your vows. UPDATE: July 24th, 2020 Permits for elopements and wedding in the Hocking Hill State parks will not be issued until 2021.
   
2. Want the luxury of having options and not want a public display of your love? Check out one of the many majestic locations to rent. There are SO many beautiful getaways in the hocking hills and many are small, family-owned businesses that need your support to make it through this crazy time we are all experiencing. They ALL have taking extra precautions to ensure the health and safety of their staff, their guests and the community.
3. Relax, you are doing great!

 
We have a list of our favorite vendors in the area we are happy to share-- just email us.  Here are a few of our favorites because we have worked with them many times and know the integrity they carry in their practices.

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Photo captured by Elizabeth Nihiser.

Sarah Shaffer, head creator and owner of Shaffer Creative Co.  has made this lovely guide to help you with your floral and décor needs—low guest count doesn’t mean you don’t deserve flair, beauty and romance. 

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Cedar Grove Lodging & Events has the best sunsets, plenty of deer, super cozy, clean, spacious cabins for 2 and more check out their offerings.  The “Deer Run” is our favorite, it has a hot tub, gas grill, full kitchen with your basic necessities provided, a fire pit, an awesome back porch view of the woods for coffee drinking and bird watching in the mornings. It’s 10 minutes away from the parks and only 20 minutes from Downtown Logan AND they have plenty of beautiful little nooks and venues for an intimate celebration.  Plenty of room for social distancing.

Photo's capture by Windi

Photo captured by Elizabeth Nihiser

Pinkerton Cakes can provide you with a zero contact delivery of the wedding cake of your dreams, trust us! We have had the pleasure of sampling Megan’s tasty treats on several occasions.  Get the Macarons --trust me. Oh, wait and the cakes… oh goodness just look below and imagine how tasty they really are…


Can’t shake the need for your family to be present to witness your nuptials?  Loren Miller is making dreams come true with virtual weddings packages.  Loren’s offerings vary from simple ceremonies to a full-blown wedding experience that includes your friends and family, cake, toasts, dancing and more from the convenience of your guests’ homes.  This virtual wedding experience is a great way to keep your date while also keeping everyone safe and healthy! D.J. Loren is also a professional emcee and officiant – when this is all over we can throw a truly EPIC party, in the meantime, let’s get creative and make some magic happen while celebrating your love and commitment!

That's it for now...

With love,
Windi

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