Mammoth Lakes Micro Wedding Case Study

What began as a luxury elopement in Mammoth Lakes evolved—just ten days before the wedding—into a 22-person micro wedding set against lakes, mountains, and thoughtfully curated moments.

Event Details

Planned and executed in under two weeks over Labor Day weekend, the experience blended intentional storytelling, elevated design, and seamless logistics to create a deeply personal wedding weekend. Each location, transition, and experience was designed with purpose, ensuring the couple’s celebration felt intimate, epic, and unforgettable.

Event Type: Planning - Wedding

Location: Mammoth Lakes, CA

Date:  September 2022

My Role

  • Led full planning, coordination, and execution of a destination mini wedding, managing all logistics, vendor sourcing, timelines, and guest experience within a two-week timeframe.

  • Secured and coordinated local vendors including florist, rental company, catering/private chef, photographer, and videographer during a fully booked holiday weekend.

  • Scoped and selected ceremony, portrait, brunch, and picnic locations in collaboration with the photography and videography teams, ensuring compliance with local regulations and accessibility considerations.

  • Managed all on-site setup and teardown across multiple locations, including ceremony décor, brunch reception styling, and a luxury lakeside picnic experience.

  • Served as the central point of communication for the couple, guests, and vendors, ensuring clear direction, smooth transitions, and calm execution throughout the weekend.

This wedding presented a rare combination of constraints: an ultra-short planning window, a holiday weekend with limited vendor availability, and a last-minute shift from elopement to guest-inclusive mini wedding. Working within local regulations and without time to secure special permits required careful location scouting and strict adherence to public land guidelines.

The addition of guests introduced new logistics—lodging, transportation, meals, mobility considerations, and timing—while still preserving the privacy, flow, and intentionality of an elopement-style experience across multiple locations in a mountainous environment.

The Challenge

Execution and Strategy

Execution focused on adaptability, precision, and proactive communication in a rapidly evolving planning environment. Location scouting the day prior allowed for accurate timing, transportation planning, and mobility guidance for guests while maximizing photography opportunities.

Strategy emphasized creating a seamless flow across ceremony, brunch reception, downtime, and evening picnic—balancing structured moments with space for rest and spontaneity. By partnering closely with local vendors and respecting the natural landscape, the weekend unfolded effortlessly despite its complexity.

The weekend delivered an intentionally designed wedding experience that felt both expansive and deeply personal, allowing the couple to celebrate their marriage surrounded by nature and their closest people.

Every transition—from lakeside ceremony to mountain-view brunch to a private luxury picnic—felt thoughtful and unrushed, with logistics handled quietly behind the scenes. The couple and their guests were thrilled with the experience, the vendors delivered exceptional work, and the result was a wedding weekend rooted in meaning, beauty, and unforgettable memories.

The Outcome

Vendor Partners

Photographer: Dana Shular Photography | Videography: Tim and Krista | Event Planning + Design: BG Events and Designs | Floral Design: Red Lily Design | Venue: Mammoth Lakes, CA | Rentals: Green Fox Events, I Do Wedding Rentals | Catering: East Side Event Company