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Gorgeous Airbnb Jekyll Island Micro Wedding

April 9, 2021 | riley

A sunset beach portrait session, a memorable drive in a vintage convertible, and a reception so rowdy that the cops were called. Lindsey and Drew’s Jekyll island micro wedding was unforgettable, to say the least. With the help of friends and family, the couple planned a DIY wedding at Jekyll Island United Methodist Church before partying the night away in a small yet lively reception at an Airbnb.

Using deep orange and red sunset-inspired decor they ordered online, along with florals arranged by Gray Harper, Lindsey and her sister transformed the backyard into a space where the beach met the desert for a unique COVID-conscious experience. So whether you’re looking to host your own creative micro “I do’s,” or you just want a little backyard wedding inspo, these portraits captured by Ben and Vicky Photography are sure to inspire.

The Couple:

Lindsey and Drew

The Wedding:

Jekyll Island, Georgia

Recommended Reading: Adorable Bridesmaid Robes For Your Best Girls

Why A Jekyll Island Micro Wedding

We knew we wanted something special that represented our relationship while also being close enough to our guests after both of us living out of state for seven years. Jekyll Island was a destination wedding idea while still being home–an adventure while still holding nostalgia. It was a place we attempted a camping trip in 90+ degree weather one summer when we first started dating in college. It was familiar and still held its own mysterious magic we had yet to fully uncover. 

 

A Memorable Drive In The Convertible

Driving home from the beach in our rented convertible, my head resting on Drew’s lap, and the star canopy the only thing in sight. We reflected on the day and took in the surrealness of the moment. Just as I started to feel a dip in the overwhelming emotions of the day, I sat up to see our whole family with sparklers waiting for us at the front of our Airbnb backyard reception. The song I picked to play, “Bittersweet Symphony,” carried over the sparks. Tears filled my eyes with an appreciation of our loved ones there who helped us make this day special and at how far we had come to get to this point of bliss. It was the perfect song for the perfect moment that will last forever.

Putting Together A DIY Wedding With The Help of Family

Our wedding was one big DIY project! We were originally supposed to have our wedding reception at Jekyll Island Club Resort, but due to COVID, we decided to cut down our wedding to our immediate family members. We ended up having a backyard Airbnb reception with our own setup, string light production included. I had our decor delivered to my parent’s house in Georgia. My sister and I laughed with relief while we unboxed decor—everything was what I had envisioned. I can’t thank her enough for helping this vision become a reality!

Getting The Police Involved  

Our reception got the cops called on us, which really had us laughing since it was a gathering of under 15 people–seniors included! We had to unexpectedly move back to our other Airbnb with a pool that was closer to the beach. Not too shabby! Our night ended with a dance party by the pool, beach walk, and a family huddle that we’ll all treasure for our lifetime.

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Ben & Vicky Photography
Ceremony Venue – Jekyll Island United Methodist Church
Floral Design – Gray Harper
Cake – Sarah Holden
Invitation Design – Truly Engaging by Magnet Street
Makeup Artist & Hair Styling – Mane + Mascara
Rings – Worthmore Jewelry, Alp Sagnak

 

Congratulations again to Lindsey and Drew on their Jekyll Island micro wedding! Big thank you to Ben and Vicky Photography for sharing their special day with Junebug. To get started on planning your own micro nuptials, check out our guide to hosting a creative micro wedding!

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Beautifully Neutral-Toned Airbnb Ranch Wedding

April 9, 2021 | kailey

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!

The Wedding Team:

Photography – Tayler Ashley Photography
Event Planning – Blush and Bloom Events
Ceremony Venue – Ma Sa Ya Ranch
Floral Design – Fleurish
Cake – Kimberly Cupcakes 
Live Music – Christian Anthony Music
Videography – Kaylee Duke
Makeup Artist – Candice Renae
Hair Styling – Jason Hair
Rentals – Oak + Poppy

 

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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8 Reasons You Should Hire a Wedding Planner

April 8, 2021 | riley

Image by Elizabeth Grant. See more of this real wedding here

Wedding planning can be stressful, and although it should be a joyous chapter of your life, it’s easy to get wrapped up in the pressure. That’s why hiring the right wedding vendors can make a world of difference. And the one vendor that will truly make your wedding planning journey a breeze is a wedding planner. But we understand that it can be a big expense, especially if you are on a tight budget. So is it worth it to hire a wedding planner? We think so! And we’re telling you why.

8 Reasons You Should Hire A Wedding Planner

1. They’ll help execute your wedding vision

So you’ve put together your wedding mood board and figured out your theme, color palette, and decor style–but now you don’t know how to execute it. That’s where a wedding planner comes in. They’ll know exactly where to rent the backdrop of your dreams or who to talk to about the floating floral arrangements you want above your reception tables.

2. They take responsibilities off your plate

We understand that wedding planning can be stressful. There’s so much that goes into organizing the perfect day, that many couples forget to soak up the time being fiancés together. Planners are there to take most of the responsibilities off of your plate, so you can enjoy the chapter that is engagement.

3. They help with budgeting and scheduling

Although hiring a planner may seem like it will cost a good portion of your budget, their job is also to assist you in sticking with budgeting as much as possible. They’ll help you with vendor discounts, purchases, rentals, and negotiations. So while it may seem like a lot upfront, they’ll end up saving you money in the long run. 

The same applies to scheduling. If you’ve seen our wedding planning timeline, then you know that you need to book certain vendors by a certain date before your wedding. Planners will keep you on schedule, ensuring everything on your to-do list is checked off in time.

Image by MemoryBox Photography. See more of this real wedding here

4. They know the best vendors around

A wedding planner’s job is to communicate with florists, caterers, DJs, photographers, videographers, etc., on a daily basis. They can help match you up with the perfect vendors for your celebration, so you don’t have to spend hours scrolling the internet. And as we mentioned earlier, if they have a close relationship with vendors, they may even be able to get you deals you may not have access to if you were doing everything yourself.

5. They help with contracts

You may not want to hear this, but you are going to run into a few bumps in the road while wedding planning. That’s totally normal! Your planner is here to smooth out any hiccups you come across–especially when contracts are involved. While they may not be lawyers, they’re there to help negotiate before you sign any paperwork and ensure that all the work is done fairly.

6. They’ll introduce you to new ideas

With social media taking the wedding industry by storm, it’s easy to want a Pinterest-worthy wedding. But rather than copy every detail from a photo you found on Instagram, your planner will introduce you to new ideas that are original and special to you and your partner. You’ll find that throughout your planning, your planner will become one of your close friends. Trust them to understand who you are and what you want.

Image by Kapsule Co. See more of this real wedding here

7. They’ll get you out of tricky situations

Speaking of bumps in the road, contracts aren’t the only thing you may face along the way. From disagreements with your wedding party to wardrobe malfunctions on the day of the wedding to guests who neglected to tell your their dietary restrictions beforehand, your planner is there to sort through these problems so you can focus on tying the knot, not the drama.

8. You’ll have day-of assistance

Lastly–and arguably one of the most important reasons–they’re there to ensure that your special day goes smoothly. Your only job on your wedding day is to sit back, relax, and focus on marrying the love of your life. Everything else falls onto the planner’s lap–and they will take that responsibility with a smile on their face. 

Now that you know why you should hire a wedding planner, check out our vendor directory to find a planner near you and check out our ultimate wedding planning guide that breaks down every aspect of planning possible!

hire a wedding planner graphic

Image by Rachel Black. See more of this real wedding here

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