Micro Wedding Weekend on the Buffalo River

Buffalo River Intimate Wedding 

While planning a micro wedding weekend-styled shoot (styled shoot: a chance for vendors to collaborate and express their complete creativity during a photo shoot) on the Buffalo River with Katie and Cambre, I received the best Instagram DM. Cambre wanted to know if it would be okay if she were to propose to Katie during the styled shoot. (WOULD IT BE OKAY!??!)

A little background: Katie has been my hair stylist since 2018. She and Cambre have been dating for over eight years. So you could say we are all very committed to our relationship with each other. The first time I sat in Katie’s chair, she told me how she and her girlfriend had lived in Colorado, had rescue pups, and the stars just aligned where I decided she was going to do my hair forever. I instantly knew I wanted to be her friend. I have had the honor of hearing many of Katie’s stories while sitting in her chair. Some stories are deeply joyful, and some stories, unfortunately, are pretty typical of the trials a gay couple faces in the South. In all these years, I had never actually met Cambre, but I had a good idea of the silliness and fun she brought wherever she went, her commitment to her education, and her love for Katie. 

So again, WOULD IT BE OKAY?! Yes, of course, it would be!! I decided not to tell most of the vendors involved with the shoot. On the day of the shoot, I could barely contain my excitement and actively avoided them unless I had to communicate with them for fear of slipping up. I had to pretend this was the first time I had ever conversed with or met Cambre, even though we had been messaging for weeks to get the plan together.

Northwest Arkansas Wedding Planner 

The wedding weekend story: 

The whole story behind this shoot was to create a micro wedding weekend. In Arkansas, you can be swept away by the stunning beauty of the Ozark and Boston Mountains – making it a perfect spot for a wedding. Staying in a lodge or cabin with your closest friends and family, getting photos atop the picturesque overlooks, and having your ceremony by the riverside- there are endless ways to do it. 

Our vision started with welcoming guests on their first night with a welcome party at a campfire. Roasted marshmallows, someone playing guitar, and just the coziest hang out to initiate the togetherness of the gathering ahead. We didn’t expect to get to listen to Katie and Cambre’s best friends and family sitting around the campfire talking about why they always knew Katie and Cambre belonged together and what they loved most about them. There were happy tears, and the vibe was truly authentic to the couple. 

Arkansas Microwedding Planner 

In our story, the following day, you would wake up with your people and have a slow lazy morning getting ready to have the best day of your life. Want to hike or sip coffee, looking at the scenic mountains while the sun rises? Then, it is your day to do as YOU please.

Then you go down to the riverside and have your ceremony. I asked Katie and Cam to write letters describing what they meant to each other. I wanted to capture some real emotion even though this was a styled shoot. Real tears were shed as they read the sweetest words to each other. Everything felt incredibly romantic, with the painted bluffs of the Buffalo River in the background and the sound of the river lazily passing by. We even had the occasional kayaker pass by, shouting their well wishes to the happy couple.

Arkansas Intimate Wedding Packages 

From the ceremony, we moved to the reception space, where we had a beautiful tablescape set up. Dreamy bud vases lined the table with matte black plates and amber goblets. The scene felt like a meadow within the riverbed. The guests toasted the happy couple and ate some decadent cake.

Fayetteville Arkansas Wedding Planner 

The party moved to a lounge area for hanging out and snapping some photo booth pictures.

The day ended with our beautiful couple taking photos at Sam’s Throne Overlook. The love and romance are palpable in these photos.

With more wedding weekends on the rise and more couples choosing intimate weddings, we loved working with incredible vendors to show what a micro wedding weekend could look like in the Buffalo River Region.
From lugging tables through the woods to driving through the mountains to multiple locations, every vendor was such a champ, and stunning images came about because of it.

Vendors:

Aura Events + Rentals – Planning + Design
Boston Mountain Photo – photographer
Sojourn + Abide – Florals
Alchemy Event Rentals – Rentals
Tesori Bridal – Bridal Boutique
Looks by Marlana – Makeup Artist
Cake- The Cake Occasion
Photo Booth – Aura Events + Rentals
Thistle Florals – Floral Assist

What do you love about the shift to wedding weekends? What fun ideas have you seen carried out?

Bonus:
Here are the stunning real-life photos of Cambre proposing to Katie at Sam’s Throne Overlook. Happy engagement season, Katie and Cam!