Fenton Michigan gives you that small town feel with big town dining options. Fenton has a few parks that offer a great spot for a small intimate wedding ceremony, check out Mill Pond Park directly in downtown Fenton or just up the street Bush Park.

Once you've had your amazing small wedding ceremony head on over to Andiamo's for an upscale dining experience or perhaps the Fenton Fire Hall is more your style with their insane mac and cheese and smoked meats, oh but let's not forget The Scoop! The newest and cutest little ice cream shop - maybe vows and and a milkshake are more your style! 

The point is to not overthink your small wedding plans, book your ceremony and make a dinner or dessert reservation - married and done! 

Historic Holly Michigan offers quite a few options for hosting your small wedding. The historic Holly Hotel...not a hotel anymore, is an upscale restaurant with first class service and food. The Holly Hotel offers an elopement wedding package that offers an all inclusive wedding package, and you can add on guests to this amazing wedding deal. 

The Holly Vault is also located in downtown Holly, it offers 3 unique sites for weddings, currently, they have set up an outdoor tent to allow you to host your wedding with all your family and friends while following the state mandated guidelines for weddings. 

But what if you want to keep your small wedding short, sweet and very simple? I've got you covered, let's meet at a local park where you can exchange vows and sign your marriage license, after that you can head across the street to Northern Oak Brewery to grab a pint and cheers to your marriage! 

Holly has a lot to offer with its picturesque battle alley, lovely downtown shops and friendly community. Your small wedding will be a memory that last forever, why not make it picture perfect in Holly. 

You've been planning your wedding for a year, heck even longer in most cases and now that the big day is finally arriving, you've learned you must shift gears for your wedding day. 

It is important to ponder what is most important to you in this moment, and know that there is no wrong answer. Perhaps most important to you is getting married this year or maybe the most important part is celebrating that marriage with all of your family and friends. 

So let's take scenario 1 - Most importantly you want to get married this year

If this is you, then shift your mindset to the excitement of getting married in and of itself. Focus on what your ceremony will look like, the words you will carefully choose to hear while standing facing each other. Focus on what is allowed and work within those guidelines. Do you want to stand in a field of wildflowers, do you want to take a city approach? The options are plentiful when your working with a much fewer guest count. You can still have the pretty flowers, music - maybe an autistic guitar will help to set the more intimate mood and even cake and Champagne! Celebrate your love. You can choose to broadcast your small wedding via zoom or Facebook live so that all the people can see you celebrate with you. 

Scenario 2 - Most importantly you want to celebrate with all of your friends and family

If this is you, then...take a deep breath, move your date to mid to late next year. If you choose a date later in this year or early next year you may have to reschedule...again, and let's face it that is simply causing more stress. So, I suggest you just push that date and then refocus on making that new date magical! Embrace the love that will surround you that day and all the hugs you will be able to have and give. 

I know it's difficult right now, trying to decide what to do, I hope this straightforward post helps you think through the fog. 

I had this idea last year of #elopenotbroke. You see, I'm big on not going into debt for well, anything. And anything includes your wedding. Don't get me wrong I love a big wedding with all the fanfare and you can totally have that if you desire, but save and spend wisely and don't go into debt. Moreover, you can have a lovely small intimate wedding for much less an investment. 

There are so many great ways to host your wedding nowadays and so many labels for it, intimate wedding, micro wedding, elopement, small wedding, tiny wedding, you get the idea. 

The idea is that you can keep your guest count small - think 20 or less and still have amazing venue, food, music and flowers and not go broke or completely stress out over the idea of planning this big large wedding. 

I love the idea of small weddings so much that I've pivoted the focus of my business to just that...small weddings. 

My ceremonies can still include all the personal and lovely details you like. We can create a wedding ceremony that is filled with laughter, love and shines a light on your love story, or we can keep it simple and more streamlined. 

Whatever your desire for your wedding ceremony, I can meet it! 

A true elopement used to mean running away with your beloved to secretly get married. Today many couples have adapted the word to simply mean a quick small gathering to get married. Elopements usually are a stress free way to get married, you keep it simple as they are planned in a short time frame. 

Intimate weddings often have the same fanfare of a larger wedding, think DJ, floral, catering but on a smaller scale. 

Today we are allowed to have outdoor events of 100 or less and indoor events of 10 or less - these numbers also include your vendor and venue headcount as well. So, shifting to a smaller guest list is simply what we must do to continue to get married. 

I specialize in performing small, intimate and elopement ceremonies. I've been known to get a call today and perform a wedding the same day! You can make your small wedding whatever you like, wear your wedding dress or suite or keep it causal and wear your best summer outfit. Bring flowers, balloons and even a cake or don't, it's all okay in my eyes. 

Whatever the size of your wedding, the thing to remember is to keep your love the center of attention. Let your love for each other shine and lead the way. 

Email me today to discuss the best option for your wedding day. 

​

Michigan Governor issued a clarification on 7.2.2020 to the guidelines for what is allowed for weddings. 

Here's the short version: 

Indoor wedding - you are allowed to have 10 people present and all must wear a mask
Outdoor wedding - you are allowed to have 100 people present 

Please remember your wedding vendors and professionals and the venue staff all count as people, we are present. So, the two of you plus me and we're up to 3, add on your two required witnesses and now we've got 5. 

I know it's jarring to think of only having 10 people present at your indoor wedding but hey, a few months ago you couldn't get a marriage license! 

If I participate in a wedding that does not follow the guidelines I can be fined or have my  credentials revoked. As this is my passion and my livelihood I must ask that each and every couple adhere to this state mandated Executive Order, 

Here is the exact wording from the Michigan.gov website; 

The most up-to-date guidance on these and other mitigation strategies is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus.
This matter is rapidly evolving and MDHHS may provide updated guidance.
Executive Order, 2020-110
Temporary restrictions on certain events, gatherings, and businesses - Rescission of Executive Orders 2020-69 and 2020-96
Q: What are the guest limits for weddings, receptions, or other social events held at a restaurant/banquet hall?

 
A: These events are subject to the limitations in sections 5 and 6 of Executive Order 2020-110, if the event takes place in Region 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 7.  Accordingly, if the event is outdoors and among people not part of the same household, it may not exceed 100 people; if the event is indoors and among people not part of the same household, it may not exceed 10 people.  In all cases, people not part of the same household must maintain six feet of distance from one another during the event.
 
If the event takes place in Region 6 or 8, the event is subject to the limitations of section 7(a) of Executive Order 2020-115.  Accordingly, if the event is outdoors and among people not part of the same household, it may not exceed 250 people; if the event is indoors and among people not part of the same household, it may not exceed 50 people.  In all cases, people not part of the same household must maintain six feet of distance from one another during the event.
 
The separate capacity limits applicable to restaurants, food courts, cafes, coffeehouses, bars, taverns, brew pubs, breweries, microbreweries, distilleries, wineries, tasting rooms, special licensees, clubs, and like places do not allow for larger social gatherings or events to take place by reason of the fact that they are held at such venues. A central risk of a large social gathering or event is that the people who have congregated for that gathering or event will interact with one another over a long period of time. That same level of risk is not present among people who happen to be in the same establishment and are seated at different tables.