Stacy and Raymon are a gorgeous California couple (seriously, check out those megawatt smiles!) who had originally planned to get married in Piedmont in July 2020. And while they’d always wanted a small summer wedding, they actually hadn’t originally planned to have a micro wedding.
Unfortunately for them and countless other couples, COVID had other plans. Undeterred, Stacy explained that “Given the necessary health and safety restrictions because of COVID-19, we decided to drastically reduce our guest list (instead of postponing). We took an optimistic approach and saw this as a chance to have a day where we could have intimate conversations with the people we love. We got married at a family friend’s backyard, which was the perfect location.“
Couldn’t tell that this was their backup plan? Yup, neither could we! From the breathtaking vibrant and lush backgrounds to the sweet and personalized reception (with plenty of tequila!), Stacy and Raymon absolutely nailed their micro wedding for an unforgettable celebration.
Planned by Stacy’s sister-in-law and perfectly captured by the ultra talented Kate Waterman Rose, we hope that you enjoy looking through their photos and reading their story as much as we did. Enjoy!
Photography: Kate Waterman Rose | Florist: Miranda Wang | MUA: Arlene Espi | Caterer: Dia De Los Tacos Catering | Planner: Marina Nojima
Tell us about your planning process!
Both of us are planners by nature. We used a master google spreadsheet that included our budget, our in-person and virtual guestlist, supply list, to-do list, and day of timeline. With such a small in-person guest list, we asked each person for help–from building the arch (Stacy’s dad) to hair/makeup (Raymon’s sister-in-law) to flowers (Stacy’s friend) to singing at the wedding (Raymon’s friend).
It helped to make the day feel special knowing that each person we care about had a significant part of the wedding. We made sure to have details that fit our personality–like a taco stand for dinner, party fruit cups to help cool down, along with donuts and candy for dessert.
We incorporated all of the traditional elements that were important to us. We shared our vows, we had a first dance, and a bouquet toss. Having a small wedding also allowed us to expand our scope and think about the entire weekend. Every wedding guest came back for a bbq the next day where we played music, ate tri-tip, and jumped in the pool!
What was your favorite moment?
Our favorite part of the wedding was being able to have genuine interactions with every single one of our guests. With a microwedding, we played lawn Jenga with the kids, exchanged personal stories, and shared laughs. It was not a whirlwind of guests. Instead, the wedding had a very relaxed vibe, which is exactly what we were imagining.
Is there anything you would’ve done differently?
We wished we would have hired someone to help with the virtual component. It was a bit stressful trying to make it easy and accessible with guests joining online. We had to make sure to connect with individuals the week of to explain how zoom worked, how to log in, how to mute/unmute, etc. We also would have loved to spend a bit more time greeting and thanking our virtual guests.
What advice do you have for couples considering a micro wedding?
Just like any wedding, big or small, things don’t always go exactly as planned, so being flexible is important. Having less guests doesn’t always equal less work. We did a lot of planning in the months ahead of time. Yes we had a smaller guest list, but it was still tough to narrow the list down because it is full of people we love and cherish. However, the guests we invited virtually completely understood and they were happy to join us through Zoom! If you are thinking about a micro wedding, do it – it is very worth it!
