Welcome to K. Saw Weddings Elopement & Microwedding Guidelines!

I am so honored to be a part of your Wedding planning journey. I can’t wait to start the ball rolling and let the fun begin in helping you plan your Big Day. I am not only your Wedding Planner, but your wedding designer and stylist too. You can pretty much come to me for any advice when it comes to designing your tablescape all the way to your accessories!

First of, take a moment to gather all your thoughts together in order to keep yourself in the mood in planning your wedding. The beauty of your story is going to evolve on every detail that will be a part of your elopement or wedding.

Pro tip: Always remember to take a break and spend time together. Our ultimate goal is for our couples to enjoy the process while we do our job in making your elopement or microwedding dreams come to life!

Checklist.

Planning an elopement or a microwedding is not as simple as it may sound. Although it is not a traditional wedding where there’s a larger amount of guests and vendors involved, it should not be overlooked as they can still be as beautiful as traditional weddings.When it comes to larger scale weddings, a more extensive checklist may be needed. We will work together as a team to get all tasks checked off before your big day using different wedding planning platforms to get everything in one place. Gathering your thoughts and ideas by brainstorming and creating a checklist is one way of getting yourselves organized. Remember a single detail is never too small to be overlooked.

Timeline.

Creating a timeline the moment you set your elopement or wedding date is the key in creating a well planned event. There may be some issues that may arise that you cannot avoid last minute, but having a good timeline will give you an ample amount of room for back up plans. It is always a good idea to visit this from time to time or periodically to remind yourselves of what needs to be prioritized first.

Setting your Budget.

Out of all your wedding planning priorities, this should be one of the top priorities. As your wedding planner, my role is to guide you in managing your budget after you have set your budget. Don’t hesitate to be upfront with your budget in mind. No matter what it is, there is always a way to create a beautiful wedding without compromising your set budget. Whether it is an elopement or traditional intimate or larger scale wedding, it is a special milestone that you will look back to in the future. Spending your time and money wisely on details that matter is a very important thing to consider in planning your wedding.

Pro tip: Talk about your priorities as a couple. Consider each other’s priorities when it comes to creating a beautiful and memorable event.

Venue Selection.

Selecting your venue is one of the first steps in planning your elopement or microwedding. This will definitely set the tone of how your wedding vision will be. Consider reaching out to the venues you have in mind and schedule a site visit to see them in person. There are a few things that you need to consider in selecting the perfect venue for you as this may make or break your elopement or wedding considering the pandemic which may cause these venues to close in such a short notice. Unless your heart is set on one and only venue, try to consider having a few other options to compare each other from. This is very important because back up venues are always a good idea nowadays. Consider the city and county’s restriction in regards to the amount of guests that are allowed. Some venues can only welcome ceremonies and not reception, while others are lenient enough to take cocktail hours at the most. Safety should always be your priority when it comes to this and consider hosting your events outdoors as this is more doable during these times.

Consider the Season of when you want to hold your wedding. Venue pricing varies depending on the wedding season. March to May have lower prices than June to August for example. Depending on the location, what type of venue (ballroom or vineyards, garden or beach), you should consider the possible weather situation and if back ups are needed just in case there is an extreme whether issue (extreme heat/ rain).

Pro Tip: Consider scheduling for a site visit to see these venues in person. It is always a good idea to start of with this step so you can experience and feel the true ambiance of these venues. Some of them may look different in photos than in real life. It is easier to imagine where you will be walking down the aisle as you’ve already seen it person. I recommend revisiting your venue of choice a few weeks or days prior to your big day as your final walkthrough.

Vendor Selection.

Photo by: Stella Yang PhotographyFlorals by: Awaiting the name floral — *Photo by: Stella Yang Photography*
*Florals by: Awaiting the name floral*

As your wedding planner & stylist, I will be helping you connect with vendors that I have knowledge with and who can be a good fit for you. Once I provide you a list of my recommended vendors, try to review their portfolio and packages and I’d be happy to reach out to them for you to request for pricing (if not yet indicated). Remember, these are just my recommendations. You will ultimately decide on who can be a good fit for you so feel free to make your own research as well if you prefer. I encourage you to meet or connect with each of them by phone, by zoom or even in person as long as its safe to do so. It is always a good idea to meet them prior to your wedding so you have an idea of who will be a part of your special day.

Who are included in your vendor team?

Your vendors usually consists of the following: Photographer, Officiant, Wedding Planner, Florist, Bridal Salon, Hair & Makeup Artist, Rentals, Stationery Designer, Videographer, Entertainment (String Trio/ Duo/Violin, Guitarist/ Harp, Band, soloist), Catering, Venue and the list goes on. Each of them has a special role in your event. Due to the pandemic, some of them may not seem to be necessary but it will make a whole lot of difference to have them rather than not.

Behind the scenes on our French Soiree in California Editorial with (clockwise) Katrina of KSW, Melissa of Le Bloomerie & Aimee of Aimee Artistry while assisting our bride for her last shot. Photography by: Jasmine Lee Photography — Behind the scenes on our French Soiree in California Editorial with (clockwise) *Katrina of KSW, Melissa of Le Bloomerie & Aimee of Aimee Artistry* while assisting our bride for her last shot.
Photography by: *Jasmine Lee Photography*

Reviewing Contracts and Proposals.

Once you’ve selected your dream team, consider taking your time in reviewing your vendor contracts and proposals. Try to obtain this from your vendors as soon as you consult with them so you have an idea of what their payment options are so you can prepare it on time. As your vendor team, we would like to make sure we have everything available for you on the day of your elopement as shipping delays (for materials) are unavoidable due to the pandemic and now the “wedding boom.”

Marriage License.

Obtaining your Marriage License is something that you would need to consider checking off your list before anything else. Marriage License has to be obtained within Three Months prior to your elopement. Check your city’s requirements in terms of obtaining a marriage license. Please take note that there will be some fees incurred as well as special requirements before you make an appointment.

For more info: Santa Clara Marriage License San Francisco Marriage License San Mateo Marriage License

Mood or Vision Board.

So many ideas in so little time? Creating a Mood board is a good idea to narrow all the ideas that you have been day dreaming about. Pinterest Board is one way of creating this. Although it can be overwhelming at times, it is helpful to start with then you can narrow your ideas down to what is really necessary. Creating a theme or a color palette to start with would be helpful!

Examples of Wedding themes are: Classic, Rustic, Glam, Romantic, Chic, Modern or Boho

Once you create a Pinterest board or collect some ideas, we may begin designing the details that will be a part of your elopement or mircrowedding which will be your floral designs for bouquet, boutonnière, centerpiece or any flower installations, stationery design, cake, rental pieces and so much more. If you have signage or heirloom stationery suite, consider creating a personalized wording for your heirloom invitation suite as this will be included as one of your flatlay designs and detail shots.

Bridal Details.

Dress Shopping

I would suggest to do this as soon as you plan your wedding as this would be one of the details that can make our break a wedding due to possible delays if not planned well. Please take note that wedding dresses can take up 6 months to be made if they are made to order. Consider scheduling for fittings and alterations. Always plan ahead of time and make sure that you have this on hand one month to two weeks prior to your elopement or microwedding. The good news is, there are places that offer ready made gowns that can look as stunning as the made to order ones offered at some salons in the city. Consider getting your dress altered to make sure it fits perfectly as you would like to look your best on your elopement day.

Recommendations: SF Bridal Galleria & Off the Rack - Please take note that they are open but you will need to make an appointment prior to visiting the salon to possible lockdowns.

Undergarments

Once you say yes to the dress, consider purchasing the appropriate undgarments (brassier/corset/sticky bra) as this would make a big difference on the fit as well your comfort.

Recommendations: Flyrt -are also available at SF Bridal Galleria

Shoes

It is one of my favorite part of wedding planning; but believe it or not, it is not as easy as what I thought it would be. Once you select your wedding gown, your shoes would be based on this most of the time. But one Pro tip I would suggest is to buy your shoes before you alter the length of your dress as the heels would be based on the altered length of your dress. Another Pro tip: Either consider bringing a back up pair of shoes for comfort or select shoes that you know will be comfortable with otherwise, consider walking with them on a week or two prior to your elopement or microwedding to break them in.

Recommendations: Bella Belle Shoes

Accessories

It’s always nice to consider having accessories as part of your wedding details as these are one of the things that you want to keep as one of your heirlooms. These details are usually nicely photographed where you can always look back and reminisce. Pro tip: Little dainty things are always a good idea, less is more!

Recommendations: Grace De Bloom , El Taller & Lindsay Marie Designs

Groom Details.

Tuxedo to rent or to buy.

Different grooms have different preferences. Some prefer to purchase their own as they would want to keep them for future use while some opt to rent instead. Renting a tux or suit is also a great idea as some grooms do not wear them on a daily basis. Often times, they come with the whole set (tie or bow tie, cuff links and a pair of shoes).

Depending on your wedding vision, some prefer wearing a classic black suit and tie which are always easier to find. Some consider incorporating other colors other than black, like navy blue which are on trend right now while some opt for different color of ties alone. Pro tip: Solid colors are always a good idea! It’s timeless and will never go out of style.

Recommendations: The Black Tux -can be ordered online as long as you know your measurements that you can provide online as well. The Black Tie-located in San Francisco next to SF Bridal Galleria. Set up an appointment prior to visiting the store.

Bridal/ Groom Look.

It’s your special day! Ladies, consider getting a trim or fresh hair color/ highlights because every detail will be photographed perfectly and clearly. You want to look your best as this day will be the only day and will never be repeated. Pro tip: a single strand of gray hair over a dark base can be very visible when shot on film as well as growing roots which is not a good idea to be part of your photos. Gentlemen, consider getting a fresh hair cut as you normally do prior to your special day. Style it by using pomade or gel or whatever you prefer to look your best!

If you are planning on having a completely new look, try doing this two weeks (not too close) before your elopement or microwedding, just in case you need to make any changes with your hair color/ style or if something ever goes wrong, you still have time to reverse it. Ladies, consider a nice mani/ pedi or even a spa day prior to your elopement so you will feel refreshed and rejuvenated on your special day! Remember, you will definitely have a close up ring shot where you want to have a nice manicured nails while gentlemen with trimmed nails.

Selecting your witnesses.

Do not forget to select your witnesses as part of your elopement or wedding. Select people who you would like to witness your special day, someone meaningful and someone special to both of you.

Guest Count.

Couples often times get confused between elopements and micro weddings in terms of guest count. For Elopements, you may be able to host from 2- 12 guests with just the ceremony and a possibility of a short cocktail hour depending on the venue; while microweddings can consists between 25-50 guests with a short cocktail hour and possibly a reception but this will all depend on the city’s restriction at the time of your event. Due to the pandemic, some venues may be very strict on this. Their rules and restrictions can possibly change abruptly, consider confirming your guest count with them prior to your event.

Pro tip: Due to the pandemic, keeping a lower guest count is a good idea. Safety should always be your priority. It may be easier to increase your numbers later on than decreasing it. Always check with the city’s restriction as they can change abruptly.

Writing Vows

Take your time in writing your vows on the vow books. Avoid reading it from your phone as this will create a different feel/ vibe as supposed to reading it from an actual vow book where you can keep as an heirloom.

Elopement & Micro Wedding Planning Guidelines