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This Intimate Backyard Wedding Proves How Beautiful and Meaningful A Small Wedding Can Be
This intimate backyard wedding proves a small wedding can still be a beautiful one (and have so much meaning)! With only 9 guests, Courtney and David were able to truly experience and cherish their day, forgoing the frenzy that comes hand-in-hand with a large scale event. The day was just as meaningful, if not more, as they were able to celebrate with their very closest friends and family (and their cute pup, Dublin!).
We got the chance to talk with the bride and groom about planning their wedding amidst Covid, and what the experience was like for them. You can read their responses below as you scroll through some beautiful backyard wedding inspiration!
From the Photographer:
I know a lot of couples are very upset about having to change their wedding plans and rightfully so, it’s very stressful. But to be completely honest I think it’s made us all stop and look at what is really important in life. I love a big luxurious party, don’t get me wrong, but I think sometimes we get so wrapped up in the details that we lose sight of what a wedding day should really be about. The number of guests attending won’t change how special of a day it is. Elopements and intimate weddings are just as beautiful and special as a big wedding with hundreds! Minted Photography
The morning
A Backyard Wedding
We were glad to have gotten to chat with Courtney and David about their experience planning a wedding during Covid, and hear their perspective on the downsizing process:
What were your original wedding plans and how did they change?
David and I had planned our original day at the Old Timers Cabin with a guest count of 150 people. We planned to hold the ceremony outdoors and hoped to incorporate elements of the Edmonton River Valley with lots of greenery and natural space. We had a few musical performances lined up from some friends and family members, and we were really looking forward to sharing the day with our closest friends and loved ones.
We threw these original plans to the wind due to the pandemic but knew that we were committed to getting married on our original date that we had chosen a year prior. We were fortunate that a lot of our original themes and aesthetics carried through.
What was the downsizing process like for you?
When the pandemic hit Alberta in March it became quite clear that we wouldn’t be able to proceed as originally planned. With the ever-changing restrictions on gathering sizes, we committed to downsizing the wedding to 15 people early-on so that we could strategize a new event.
Given that we were such a small group, we did not require the scale of our original venue, and because we love our home in the Old Strathcona neighbourhood so much, we decided to host the event in our backyard. It was a bonus that our dog, Dublin, could partake in our wedding day with us.
Do you have any advice for couples currently looking at downsizing their wedding?
Let go of perfectionism. No matter how much planning, time and energy is poured into the preparations, the pandemic showed us that some things simply can’t be controlled. If you let go of micromanaging the wedding and focus on your relationship, your love, and your values, the day can unfold more beautifully than you ever could have imagined.
From the bride:
Our backyard setting ended up being our favourite element. During the dinner, we had the twinkle lights on above us, we were surrounded by greenery in our own garden, and we had an eclectic playlist of meaningful songs playing in the background. David’s dad commented that he felt like he was in the movie “Under the Tuscan Sun” which really encapsulated the feeling of the evening.
From the Photographer:
When Courtney, David, and I first met at their home when planning their wedding we joked that their home was so beautiful and unique that they should just get married there. Little did we know that’s exactly what the future had in store!
The reception dinner on their patio reminded me so much of a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, with the entire family gathered around one giant table laughing and making memories that will last forever. Normally at weddings there is a head table for the bridal party and then the parents table and so on, but at this wedding, the bride and groom were surrounded by everyone they love most in the world all at one table! Minted Photography
Portraits Around Town
Here’s some more insight into the bride and groom’s thoughts about their wedding day, and what made it so very special:
What was the most important thing to you when planning your wedding day?
It was crucial for us to really make the day a reflection of ourselves and our relationship. We wanted to make sure that we would be relaxed and able to enjoy the day while surrounded by the most important people in our lives.
What was your favourite moment of the day?
David and I had written personal vows and neither of us had heard them prior to the ceremony. I think a favourite moment would definitely be when we exchanged these vows for the first time: the weather was perfect, the neighbourhood went completely silent (there were no sirens or blaring motorcycles to be heard) and the intimacy of the small group meant that we could really sink into our own little bubble and be deeply present in that moment.
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