Chris Elam Photography
What is a Micro?
The Grand Pend Oreille Micro Experience is for the budget conscious couple who desire sharing a gorgeous wedding day with their closest family & friends.
It includes all of our standard venue inclusions:
Choice of ceremony (woodlands or waterfront) with seating & choice of arbor (rectangle, triangle, hexagon or bring your own)
Reception tables, chairs & linens
Standard setup & venue reset
The Trail Map (a comprehensive guide to getting married at Grand Pend Oreille
Personal online planning portal (amazing tool - it even includes a personal wedding website builder!!)
VIP Access to all Open House Events for planning & visiting the venue
Venue decor access
Retreat, Changing Suite & Base Camp (for the wedding party & VIP guests)
Inviting outdoor powder room & two portable restrooms
And of course... over 1000' of breathtaking shoreline full of epic PNW backdrops
The main differences between the Micro & the Traditional Experience is the amount of time (10 hours instead of 14) and the amount of people (up to 100 instead of 150).
Our Micro Experience is for the couple who wants all the traditional wedding day has to offer without the pricetag. Having up to 100 people still allows you to invite your closest circle of family and friends who you know will continue to be part of your life after the wedding. It also gives you more time to celebrate with each one of them and let them know how important they are to you.
We understand that the venue is a big part of your dream wedding but the other pieces have to fit too, right? You still have to find the perfect dress, book the incredible photographer, hire the delicious catering, order the drinks & bar service, etc. The fact that everything adds up so quickly can be a big problem. So we brought in the perfect solution... you guessed it... the Micro!
Now you may be saying to yourself, "Wow that's a great deal but is 10 hours really enough time without a rehearsal?". Great question! The best answer - absolutely! Can a wedding be prepped, celebrated & cleaned up in 10 hours? It does take coordination & planning but we've seen it done very successfully many times before. Off site rehearsals are very successful with the help of a day of coordinator but the good news is you don't have to do it offsite if you don't want to! You can utilize an Open House Event prior to your wedding day for an onsite rehearsal as well. The choice is yours!
If you still feel you may be rushed a bit, another great option to get ready at a great local waterfront VRBO or in one of the many beautiful hotels nearby and then arrive at the venue ready. When you arrive ready to go all you need to do is head straight to the Retreat & Base Camp to wait for first looks & the ceremony to begin. You can even rent a limo to make sure the wedding party arrives together at the same time. It's a great way to start the day & always makes for an incredible send off!
Here's an example of what a Micro timeline could look like for you:
12:00: Arrive at the venue (busy time!)
Bride Tribe: Arrive at the venue & take a deep breath! Soak in the view as you prepare for this amazing day. Depending on your wedding party size, you'll have plenty of time to get ready at the Retreat. If you feel pressed for time maybe consider having your hair/makeup done prior to arrival and save the dress photos for when you arrive. The choice is totally up to you!
Groom Squad: Arrive at the venue and head to the Base Camp. Soak in the view, play some lawn games, write your vows, explore the woodlands - don't forget to breathe ;) - it's going to be an incredible day! Take your time & get ready in the Changing Suite when you please - you have lots of time so take it all in.
Decor team arrives & gets busy! Typically, a group of 5-10 people can get the ceremony & reception spaces decorated in an hour depending on the level of difficulty - utilizing the venue decor, florists/wedding coordinator services & keeping things simple saves on time & budget here.
Another incredible option you have with the Micro is the budget flexibility not only to hire the required professional Wedding Coordinator but to invest in their services beyond day-of coordination. In addition to taking the weight of the world off your shoulders you'll find many coordinators also carry decor inventory you can use. It's so helpful to have a professional keep your timeline going since it is a shorter window to work with - yet another reason why we feel these professionals are so imperative that we decided to require their services with every event. Plus, to be able to save on decor while having a trusted professional take care of all the details is an amazing deal!
Photographers, videographers & florists arrive at this time too.
2:00: Photos begin with the wedding party.
Helpful Tip: Having a photography team of two definitely helps here!
3:00: First looks & more photos.
Helpful Tip: The Private Shoreline and/or Boardwalk (depending on how bright the day is) is ideal for first look photos if you're wanting this to be a truly intimate moment. Because this area is restricted to the couple only you're guaranteed time to say your vows in peace and spend a moment alone soaking in the view just the two of you.
3:45: Sneak back to the Retreat & Basecamp to hide & wait for ceremony as guests arrive.
3:50: Head to the Ceremony Barn Doors for lineup!
4:00: Ceremony begins.
4:30: Cocktails/ appetizers for guests & newlywed/family photos.
The Waterfront Barn Reception Lawn & Enchanted Woodlands make for great photo spots after the ceremony. This allows you to capitalize on all the incredible locations available at the venue.
5:30: Newlywed Entrance & Welcome Toast
Helpful Tip: Having the barn doors open to reveal the newlyweds makes for a great entry!
5:45: Dinner starts.
6:45: Wedding Party Toasts.
7:00: Cake Cutting / Dessert Served.
7:30: First Dances.
7:30-9:15: Let's PARTY!
9:15: Bouquet & Garter Toss.
9:30: Grand Exit / Send Off.
Fun Option: Seaplane departure to CDA Resort anyone? ;)
9:30- 10:00: Clean Up time.
The more hands to help, the faster it goes! Our rule of thumb is please leave it like you found it & if you brought it in please take it out.
10:00: Venue Closes.
Fun Option: Hire round trip Party Bus transportation for your guests so they can safely meet you for your after party at the CDA Resort!
Bottom line, even with a tight budget you can still have it all with the Micro Experience (plus room for some fun extras)! We understand that you want your dream wedding to be affordable and inclusive at the same time. Is that really too much to ask for these days? We don't think it's too much to ask for at all and we work hard to give each of our couples a beautiful day according to their needs and budget.
If you feel the Micro Experience would be a great fit for you please make sure to take the next step & schedule your venue tour on our website at:
www.grandendoreilleweddings.com/tours
As always, from venue to vendors we want you to find your perfect fit. We are so honored each & every time we get to welcome a new couple into the Grand Pend Oreille family and hope the Micro Experience will allow us to serve more amazing couples in the future!
Happy Trails,
Peggy & Susan :)
