The very first wedding I ever photographed back in 2007 was a micro-wedding. They had a small, intimate ceremony with their children and immediate families. It was casual, stress-free, and full of quality time with each other and their families. I absolutely loved it.
Kate & Ben enjoyed an afternoon of hiking and exploring Red River Gorge for their elopement after their backyard mini-wedding earlier in the year.
Since then, I’ve been lucky enough to be part of a few elopements every year. Recently, "elopement" has been used as a catch-all to describe all different types of smaller weddings— from two people going to the courthouse together to couples renting a 20-person cabin for the weekend to celebrate with a smaller group. You’ll also see the terms intimate wedding, tiny wedding, and even minimony floating around. They all have slightly different very nuanced meanings, but if you’re going this route I recommend just choosing the term that feels like the best fit for you and your day!
There have always been many advantages to elopements, but after COVID-19 threw a wrench in so many couples’ plans for 2020 and 2021, elopements and micro-weddings have become more and more popular. I love that couples are able to have a more affordable celebration, a chance to really connect with each guest present, and the opportunity to utilize locations that would have been too small for a more traditional, larger wedding.
Lizzie & Kevin had an adventurous sunrise hiking elopement in Red River Gorge.
So if you’re choosing to have a more intimate celebration, where do you start? How do you plan an elopement or mini-wedding in Louisville, Kentucky?
First, narrow down a guest list— this will inform a lot of your other decisions. For Kentucky, you need two witnesses and an officiant to be present for the ceremony, so you’ll need at least three other folks as part of your day.
Then you’ll want to choose a date. I recommend talking to important guests as well as your photographer about availability in order to find a day that works for everyone involved. Often elopements take place on non-Saturdays — which can really help with availability.
Hallie & Shawn had a smaller 40 person ceremony on a Friday and then a larger reception on the Saturday
How do we make our marriage official and legally binding?
Both of you will need to apply in person for your marriage license at the county clerk. There is no waiting period, so once you have your license you can have your ceremony anytime in the next 30 days. Kentucky marriage licenses may be used in any Kentucky county, so if you live in Louisville but are wanting to get married at Red River Gorge or another natural area that is easy to do!
When choosing an officiant, if you’d like to have a friend perform the ceremony, they can get ordained online for free through The Universal Life Church. The website has information on rules & regulations by area as well as some example scripts you can modify to suit your needs. This is where I got ordained! If you’d rather hire a professional instead of having a family member perform the ceremony, Inclusive Kentucky Weddings has a directory of inclusive vendors and there are several very talented officiants listed there.
I got to photograph and officiate Alex & Kriston’s Elopement!
From there, it’s time to choose a venue! The Parklands have several beautiful spots for a ceremony as well as really nice pavilions that can be rented for a reception starting around $175. The Parklands’ five parks are some of my favorite places— there is a lot of variety in landscape and flora. Louisville Metro Parks are also a great outdoor option— they have wedding permits for $150 and a variety of different shelters in all of their parks. If you’re interested in traveling outside of the city, Bernheim Arboretum is absolutely stunning and has a variety of options for elopements as well. And of course, Red River Gorge is one of the most popular spots to elope in Kentucky for very good reason! I love it so much that I made a whole guide specific to eloping in Red River Gorge.
A summer micro-wedding in the Parklands
You can also look to Airbnb or even Hipcamp for unique venue options! I had a couple get married at a treehouse in Nashville once and it was such a unique space. Lots of more traditional wedding venues or restaurants also have smaller spaces that can be really great for micro-weddings. And last but not least, there is always the option of your own backyard! Eloping at home can be so romantic and intimate.
Once you have a venue, you can start thinking about what you all would like to wear and how you’d like to decorate. For some spots, you might not want to decorate at all! I’ve seen couples bring a few houseplants from home for centerpieces or to define a ceremony spot. You can do as much or as little as you’d like! If you find yourself wanting someone else to work it out for you, Inclusive Kentucky Weddings also has lots of talented planners in their directory, as well as florists, hair & make-up artists, caterers, and more.
Sunrise elopement in Cherokee Park
The best part about elopements is that you can really choose how simple or extravagant you want to be. I know couples who skipped decorations and ordered pizza after their ceremony and others who went big on decor for the one table in their backyard. Both options were perfect for each respective couple. It is 100% up to you and you should do whatever feels like the right fit for who you are! Not all of my wedding planning tips translate to elopements, but I’d say 80% of them do— it can be a great resource when planning as well.
Jennifer & Tyler chose the Virgin Islands for their intimate wedding
Do you still have questions about elopements? Want to talk through some things to see if a micro-wedding might be the right fit for you? Contact me and let’s brainstorm together!