Kelly and Paul's 2020 wedding plans went from a 160 person guest list to just 21 immediate family members and closest friends and, in hindsight, even without a pandemic, they wouldn't have wanted it any other way.

The bride spent a lot of time in Lake Tahoe growing up and nearly all of their guests were coming from the Midwest and East Coast, so their wedding weekend doubled as a beautiful destination vacation for their friends and family.

Downsizing their guest list significantly because of COVID was stressful, but allowed Kelly and Paul to create an intimate setting that truly reflected them as a couple. Working with

Forget Me Knot Events + Design

, they added subtle touches to Kelly's parents' peaceful back deck, but mostly let the private, forested location speak for itself.

A stunning floral arch with pops of bold color, created by

Love & Lupines

, framed the couple as they exchanged their vows and the sweetest first kiss. Photographer Kay Kroshus captured all the details of their special day.

For Kelly and Paul, a favorite part of the day was when everyone sat around the long King's table, sharing speeches and stories in celebration of the couple. In those moments, they realized that a small, intimate wedding had offered them exactly what they wanted: quality time and the ability to truly bond and connect with their closest family and friends.

"My advice to a future bride is to not think twice about having a small, intimate ceremony if you are unsure about it feeling like the BIG day," says Kelly. "I would do it all exactly the same way if I was given the opportunity to redo it outside of a pandemic." And, she adds, "Spend a little extra on well-reviewed vendors that will truly take care of everything. Our vendors gave us a stress-free wedding that we got to attend and enjoy in every way."