Lauren and Sam are a sweet Colorado couple with infectious smiles that chose a micro wedding for ‘the wildly amazing simplicity of it all‘. They held their ceremony in a secluded area tucked into the Rocky Mountains, with just their closest friends and family at their sides.
Lauren explained that ‘having a micro wedding allowed for us to really plan the wedding of our dreams. We weren’t tied down by timelines, hectic schedules, trying to remember that one great uncles name. Instead, our day was filled with meaningful conversations with family, a quiet hike in nature, and lots of delicious pizza and beer. Just the way we like it’.
In fact, Lauren and Sam were so enamored with the beautiful simplicity of their wedding that they decided to move full time into an Airstream trailer after getting married. You read that right – newlywed bliss all packed into a 27 foot trailer, and ‘loving every crammed minute of it’.
Take a look at their gorgeous photos, captured by the amazing Megan Simpson, coupled with their sweet story, and we guarantee you’ll feel inspired by the natural beauty and just how much love you can feel between all who attended.
And as Lauren says, “Cheers to a life wildly simplified!“
What was your favorite moment of the day?
Sam and I, along with Megan, hiked to the ceremony spot to take pictures prior to our family and friends joining us. I think for us, watching everyone hike in and seeing us for the first time was a special moment. It was kinda like Sam and I got a first look, and then so did those who mean the most to us. That was pretty cool, and certainly a moment we will cherish forever.
Tell about your planning process.
From the moment I said yes, we knew we wanted the planning process to be enjoyable, and we found ways to make it just that. Sam and I are big fans of Mother Nature and from the get go wanted to hike into a secluded spot in the Rocky Mountains with our family and closest friends, say our “I dos” and then munch on some pizza and our favorite craft beer.
Once we had the plan of what we wanted our day to look like, we found ways to simply make it happen. We took hikes on the weekends to some of our favorite places to find the perfect spot, I hunted for a dress that was comfortable and I could easily hike in, and we made sure all members of our parties had Chacos to hike in…if you’re from Colorado…you know the joys of Chacos. And yes, Sam and I rocked the Chacos too. We found the most amazing photographer who was willing to trample through the woods with us. Not only did she take pictures that we will cherish forever, but she also saved my dress from tree branches one too times (Megan Simpson, you are the real MVP).
Food was easy, we ordered ahead of time from a small pizza joint in Estes Park, Colorado and boy did they deliver! For drinks, we bought a bunch of 6-packs of our favorite beers from local breweries and we feasted! Shoutout to Odell’s and New Belgium for quenching our thirst. For housing, we all stayed at The Residences at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park. It was wonderful to have everybody right next to each other in condos and I must say, the hot tub was a hit! We feel very fortunate in the fact that we formulated a plan, and we were able to stick to it!
The reality of things is that as you plan, people will toss in their two cents, tell you what they think you should be doing, and try to sway you one way or the other. Remember, this is your day, not anyone else’s and if what you envision makes you happy than make that dream a reality. No excuses. Looking back on our day, would we change a thing? Absolutely not. It was everything we pictured our micro wedding being, Chaco tan lines and more.
Is there anything you would’ve done differently?
Everything about our day was honestly perfect. The one thing I think we would have done differently was order less pizza, we had leftovers for weeks!
What advice do you have for couples considering a micro wedding?
Do it. Just freakin do it. If you are even considering it at all then take your idea and run with it. There is something so amazing about walking down the aisle and seeing those who truly shaped you into the person you are today, right there by your side. People always ask if we regret having a small wedding, and we never even question it. I think if we had a big wedding, we would always have wondered what it would have been like to do the micro wedding of our dreams.
Anything else you’d like to share?
Remember to enjoy every simplified moment of it. From the delicacy of the flowers, to that awful childhood memory your friend brought up while all sitting on the porch enjoying the beautiful view. It goes by so quickly, so enjoy the little things and the little moments, because a micro wedding certainly allows you to do so!
