An Exciting Day

Gorgeous Golf Resort Wedding in Truckee, CA

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A global shutdown changes your plans, but your wedding day is still on par? That’s the story I’m excited to share with you today about two of my close friends getting married in Truckee, California not once – but twice! First with a “micro” cabin backyard ceremony, and second with a gorgeous golf resort wedding celebration.

Top picture of a bride and groom embracing in a forest, bottom picture of a woman in a white dress holding hands with a man in a tan suit walking an Australian Sheppard with overlay text reading "micro + macro Truckee wedding".

Beth and Scott did not intend to have two wedding celebrations, but when life gives you lemons you make the best dang lemonade you can! With their engagement at the beginning of 2019, this couple had great plans for the perfect mountain golf resort wedding in late summer of 2020. However, in early 2020 there was news of a global phenomenon that forced a change in plans.

With the 2020 gathering restrictions in place, Beth and Scott had to postpone their large wedding celebration until summer 2021. However, their desire to be wed remained the same and decided to host a micro wedding in August of 2020 with a larger celebration planned for the following year. Here is how they made it all happen!

Woman in a white two-piece dress holding a bouquet standing with a man in a tan suit within a forest, both smiling.

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Highlights Part I: Cabin Backyard Wedding (micro)

Cabin Backyard Ceremony Details

A private family cabin in the Sierra Nevadas was the perfect solution for hosting a micro wedding on Beth and Scott’s original wedding date. There were tall evergreens surrounding the rustic wood cabin, and the pine needle dusted forest floor required only a few additions to create a designated ceremony site in the backyard.

Heart ground stakes lined the aisle up to a flower adorned metal arbor and DIY macrame backdrop. Gold painted bottles filled with wildflowers and thistles surrounded the base of the wedding arch.

Gold painted bottle with wildflowers.
Wedding arch with macramé and flowers in a pine grove with wooden hearts down the aisle.

Micro Wedding Ceremony

There was standing room on either side of the aisle for the small gathering of guests. Once the processional music began, the bride’s brothers assumed their positions below the wedding arch to serve as dual officiants. Scott’s father and Beth’s mother were next, followed by Scott and his mother. Their Australian shepherd, Luna, was led down the aisle by the Maid-of-Honor and Best Man.

Australian shepherd standing in front of a woman in a floral dress next to gold painted vases with wildflowers and wooden hearts on stakes.

As a new song started over the bluetooth speaker, Beth and her father began their walk down the heart lined aisle. Beth held a bouquet of wild flowers and thistles, and her dress was a two-piece white gown with lace detail on the shoulders and back. Scott embraced Beth’s father before accepting her hand, then the ceremony began. To conclude the ceremony, Scott stomped on a glass, breaking it for good luck!

A wedding ceremony in a pine grove with two men in matching white shirts, suspenders and slacks as the officiants, bride in a two-piece white dress and groom in a tan vest, white shirt and tan slacks.
Woman in white and man in tan holding hands during a ceremony.

Mountain Cabin Reception

All the wedding guests (ages 21+) were invited to kick-off the wedding reception with a fun game: beer roulette! To play beer roulette, guests were invited to select a brown paper wrapped beer from the variety concealed in a pile. Whichever beer you unwrapped was yours to enjoy.

Man in a button-down shirt and white pants selecting a bag from the pile of filled brown paper bags.

Micro Wedding Design Details

Beth and Scott wanted to share their original vision with their micro wedding guests, however they also wanted to keep the design for this first celebration simple. They included details, like Beth’s royal blue velvet shoes with daisy accents on the heels, to hint at what was to come in 2021. The flowers chosen for Beth’s hair, bridal bouquet and ceremony decor were also on theme with soft pinks and blue thistles.

Royal blue velvet heels with metal white daisies on the heel and ribbons to tie around the ankles.
Wood ring box adorned with flowers on a wood table with a pink ribbon surrounding the box of rings.

Highlights Part II: Gorgeous Golf Resort Wedding (macro)

First Anniversary First Look

One year later, the day has finally arrived for the wedding celebration Beth and Scott had originally planned. And how fitting they were able to host their larger celebration on the First Wedding Anniversary! Even though they had already said “I Do” the prior year, the newlyweds wanted to have a “first look” prior to the wedding ceremony at the golf course.

As Scott waited in anticipation for Beth to arrive, his heart beat so loud he was sure the photographer could hear it from where they stood to capture the moment. Then Beth tapped Scott’s shoulder, signaling him to turn around. The joy of seeing each other for the first time in their wedding ensembles was absolutely contagious!

Woman in white lace gown holding a bouquet of flowers approaches a man in a dark blue suit with his back to her.
Woman in a white lace gown holding a bouquet of flowers stands before a man in a dark blue suit within a grove of evergreen trees.
Woman in a white lace gown holding a bouquet of flowers over a man's shoulder while they embrace.

Wedding Attire Details

Beth wore a beautiful lace ensemble with a detachable a-line skirt that transitioned the look from a ceremony ballgown to form-fitting reception dress. Scott matched his groomsmen with a tailored dark blue suit and leather accessories. He included a custom topographic print tan necktie and pocket square depicting Lower Yosemite Falls. (where they got engaged!)

White lace wedding dress hanging in front of a wood door.
Close up of a topography printed tan necktie atop a white button-down shirt above a leather belt holding dark blue slacks.

The wedding party looked stunning with the groomsmen in matching dark blue suits, and the bridesmaids in dresses of soft pinks and baby blues that matched the groomsmen’s neckties. The Maid-of-Honor’s gown had an overlay of white flowers allowing her to stand out from the other ladies, and the Best Man had a floral necktie similarly unique.

A wedding party lined up with the groomsmen in dark blue suits on the left, bridesmaids in blush and blue dresses on the right and wedding couple in the middle.

Gorgeous Golf Resort Wedding Venue

The wedding venue, PJ’s at Gray’s Crossing, had a main space that served as both the wedding ceremony and reception site. Dark wood chiavari chairs were set in neat rows overlooking the golf course in preparation for the ceremony . There were white ribbons and greenery on every other chair lining the aisle. A geometric triangle arch adorned with flowers stood tall in front of the chairs marking the ceremony alter.

Wood triangle arch adorned with flowers in front of pine trees.
Wedding ceremony set-up with dark brown chivari chairs and a triangle arch adorned with flowers with a backdrop of a golf course and pine trees.

Mountain Wedding Ceremony Details

Shannon, Beth and Scott’s officiant and close friend, asked guests to be seated for the ceremony. Once everyone was settled, “Home” by Phillip Phillips began to start the ceremony procession. Again, Scott’s father escorted Beth’s mother down the aisle, followed by Scott arm-in-arm with his mother. A stream of bridesmaid and groomsman pairings were next, ending with the Maid-of-Honor and Best Man.

Wedding ceremony with a golf course and pine tree backdrop.

Beth and her father made their way down the aisle to the acoustics of “Latch” by Sam Smith, and were greeted by Scott and their officiant at the alter. After again reciting their vows and “I Do”, the entire wedding party walked out to “Bones” by Galantis featuring OneRepublic. Ceremony complete, the newlyweds stood for family portraits before sneaking off to capture additional portraits just the two of them.

Wedding couple walking back up the aisle arm in arm.
Woman in a white lace gown and veil holding a bouquet of flowers leans into a man in a dark blue suit for an embrace.

Wedding Reception Festivities

Beth and Scott opened the reception with their first dance, choosing a remixed “May I have this Dance” by Francis and the Lights featuring Chance the Rapper to lead the way. They enjoyed a wonderful buffet dinner before taking to the dance floor once more for special family dances. Beth tossed her bouquet to “all the single ladies” and Scott’s bachelor buddies were ready to catch the slingshot garter. Also, as a fraternity member, Scott and his fraternity brothers continued a long standing wedding tradition of serenading the bride.

Woman in a white lace gown tosses a bouquet over her shoulder to a group of ladies behind her.
Man in a dark blue suit prepares to slipshod a garter to a group of men behind him.

Before the sun could completely disappear behind the pines, Beth and Scott took a moment to capture a few more photos of their perfect wedding day. Their gorgeous golf resort summer wedding day in the Tahoe basin was not just on par, but a hole in one! (or would that be an eagle, or birdie, since there were two weddings??)

Woman in a white lace gown embraces a man in a dark blue suit before a sunset lit sky with a backdrop of a golf course and pine trees.

Planning + Logistics: Micro + Macro Truckee Weddings

Venue for Micro Wedding

Given the gathering restrictions in 2020, Beth and Scott limited the guest list for their micro wedding to just immediate family, a few close friends and their wedding party. Knowing their original venue would not be available to use as planned for this first event, they made the decision to find a new venue for their wedding ceremony.

With family owning a local cabin, it was a smooth transition from hosting their wedding at the planned venue, a golf course in the area, to a backyard. This provided Beth and Scott the privacy to say their vows in front of a small group and include their beloved pet, Luna, in the ceremony.

Woman in a white two-piece dress holding a bouquet being lead by a man in a tan suit walking an Australian shepherd in the forest.

Including Luna, the Australian shepherd

It was important to Beth and Scott for Luna, their spunky Australian shepherd, to be included in the wedding day celebrations. With the micro wedding at a family cabin in Truckee, it wasn’t difficult to have Luna in the ceremony and hanging out during the reception.

For the larger wedding at the golf resort, Luna’s participation was a bit more restricted. Since the venue is a working golf course, Luna had to be on leash and could not stay for the full duration of the event. A friend was able to help chaperone Luna to and from the venue, giving Beth and Scott a chance to capture some photos together with their pup.

Woman in a white lace gown holding a bouquet of flowers pets an Australian shepherd being held by a man in a dark blue suit within a forest of pines.

Shared Location: Gorgeous Golf Resort Wedding Ceremony & Reception

Although PJ’s is a gorgeous golf resort wedding venue, it is just one site. Once the ceremony was complete, the venue staff removed the ceremony chairs to set up the wood dance floor. Next the staff placed wood farm tables around the dance floor along with the ceremony chairs. This transition happened while guests enjoyed the cocktail hour inside PJ’s and the newlyweds were capturing family portraits with their photographer.

Dark brown chivari chairs with white pads aligned in neat rows, every other row starting chair adorned with a white ribbon and greenery.
Wedding tables set with white plates and napkins, wood log table numbers, and greenery down the center of each table.

If your wedding venue is similar in that it has just one main site, keep in mind the “room flip” that will need to happen between the ceremony and reception. And your guests will need a place to go during the flip.

Most timelines include a cocktail hour which is a perfect “between events” destination for guests to enjoy and usually only requires standing room. Have a few tall cocktail tables set-up near the beverage station or bar to help keep guests to the side as the venue staff moves quickly to reset the room.

Wedding dinner reception venue amongst pine trees.

Honest Q+A with the Newlyweds

Q:  What was the most exciting extra part of your wedding day beyond saying “I Do”?

A:  [Beth] Finally getting to celebrate the wedding we had been planning and replanning after 2 years! Also I really enjoyed getting together with close friends after the wedding to keep the celebration going.

A man in a blue suit staring in awe at an opened black watch box and a woman in a white lace gown laughs to his side.
A man in a blue suit staring in awe at an opened black watch box, a woman in a white lace gown laughs to his side, and another man in a blue suit smiles on his other side holding a flower bouquet.

A:  [Scott] I’m embarrassed to say that the most exciting part was when Beth surprised me with a watch. It was my first nice watch, and she worked with my best man, and a jewelry buyer out of New York to get it for me. Completely caught me off guard. Outside of that, the most exciting parts were what I can only describe as shenanigans: Games, Traditions, Pranks, Speeches, Walkouts to “Levels – Radio Edit” by Avicii. Both of our weddings were the best two days of my life. (Below… My Little bro doing a backflip on his walk out. My Brother-in-Law’s wife chugging out of a flamingo. And my dad pulling a Four Loko out of Brown Bag Roulette)

A man in a blue suit doing a backflip over a wood dance floor outside amongst pine trees.
A man in a blue suit cheers on a woman in a pink dress drinking out of a pink flamingo.
Man in a white shirt holding a beer can aloft while another man behind in laughs.

Q:  What was the biggest surprise or unexpected event that happened the day of your gorgeous golf resort wedding?

A:  [Scott] The crazy thing is, I think it was all unexpected. Weddings are just something that you have to plan the best you can, then relinquish control and let the event take you. Things will break, timing will be off, you’ll forget cues, and miss things. But if you live in the moment, and remember to eat, it’ll be one of the most amazing days you ever experience.

Two men in matching dark blue suits wearing sunglasses sit behind a table with a sign reading "Mr&Mrs".

A:  [Beth] I think the altitude plus alcohol from multiple events took a toll on me. I started to feel the effects after the rehearsal lunch, but then met many guests at a local brewery that night. We were so focused on seeing everyone throughout our “destination” wedding weekend, it was hard to pace myself. In the end it wasn’t that big of deal as I got over it and enjoyed the night, but think it is best to just take it easy the day before and not worry about catering to others!

Mirror reading "find your seat" with sixteen paper lists attached.
Wedding sweetheart table with a wood sign reading "Mr&Mrs" in front of a row of greenery and pink flowers atop a wood table in front of a white settee with a backdrop of pine trees.

A:  [Scott] One more thing. I grew up Jewish, now I’m a little more Jew(ish), especially because my wife does not maintain any religious affiliation. With my upbringing, there were aspects of Jewish traditions that I pushed to include in our ceremonies. (The breaking of the glass, a chuppah [We settled for a macrame canopy in our first wedding], and the hora) We remembered the glass in the first wedding, but missed it in the second one. Luckily we collected enough good luck on that first break *knock on wood* because we’re going very strong at almost 5 years and have an amazing, healthy daughter to show for it. 

TIP: For those who don’t know, a lightbulb breaks easier than a traditional wine glass. The last thing anyone wants is a wine stem making it through the bottom of your shoe, and cutting your celebrations short. Proceed at your own risk.

Wedding couple smile at each other while walking down a wooden walkway through pine trees.

Q:  Was there anything that you thought would be a big deal that turned out to be minimal?

A:  [Scott] Not that I can think of, but there were probably things. Especially planning for the first wedding before COVID shut everything down. But after that first one was out of the way, the second one, there was much less pressure on things going exactly to plan.

Table setting with a white pocket fold napkin holding a menu card atop a white plate, a low tumbler water glass, silver flatware, all on a wood table.
A round frame with an opening at the apex for small wood leaves to fall behind the glass, with a pile of small wood leaves set before it on a wood table.

A:  [Beth] The little details. I was so focused on little details and wanted them to be perfect. But in the grand scheme of things, people didn’t notice or it just wasn’t that big of a deal. For example, I focused on what the dessert table would look like, but I didn’t see the table until the end of the wedding let alone get a dessert. Also, I was determined to have a photo backdrop and champagne wall, but I don’t think either were used properly. 

Wedding dessert bar of fudge, cupcakes and pies.

Q:  What was the most troublesome part of planning your wedding day?

A:  [Beth] 100% COVID. While the venue was outdoors, we weren’t sure what the restrictions were going to be. We had no idea until closer to the date if we could invite all the people we wanted. Therefore, it meant having to expect change and adapt to the surroundings. It also meant we had to adapt and change the way the food would be served as it was going to be a buffet, but buffets were a big no-no during COVID. The food service for the first wedding turned out to be a good thing because the meal ended up being family style, which is what I preferred. By the second wedding, when something couldn’t happen, I learned to not stress as much. At least I feel like I stressed less, not sure if Scott would say the same!

Group of women in long dresses of pink and blue and white all holding a bouquet of flowers standing in front of pine trees.
Group of men in dark blue suits and dark leather shoes standing with their hands in their pockets in front of pine trees.

A:  [Scott] COVID definitely threw a wrench in things. The biggest pain in the ass was managing the opinions of family members. I won‘t name names, but certain family members had very strong opinions on who they could invite, where people sat, and anything else one could have an opinion about. 

Planning a wedding is first and foremost a day about celebrating your love for each other. It is your day and no one should be able to, or attempt to, take that away from you. That said, you will most likely have to deal with egos, divas, and unrealistic expectations. In the moment, those experiences will feel devastating, but years later you will laugh about them… I promise. Pick your battles, hold your ground, and understand that while planning an event of this magnitude, everyone’s “crazy” is going to show a little bit. That’s also the perfect test to welcome you into your now joined families. You’re going to be stuck with the whole circus forever, better get used to the Lions and Tigers and Bears.

A bouquet of white and pink flowers, perfume bottle reading "I Do" on the label, dark blue velvet heels with white metal daisies, spools of pink ribbon, white velvet ring box, and white lace garter.

Q:  What advice would you give a new couple approaching their own wedding day?

A:  [Beth] Your wedding is meant to be about the two of you. Don’t let anyone, or anything, get in the way of that. Make sure you guys are a team throughout the process.

A:  [Scott] Don’t get wrapped up in perfection. Love, Friends, Family, and celebrating the funny events/ inside jokes is what makes it special. I viewed our wedding(s) as a capstone of the courting journey between my wife and I. A reflection on our years of dating, the friends and family who joined us on that journey, and the transition from being two separate people and lives joining together as one. We wanted it to be fun for everyone. Good food, good music, good people just vibing on a golf course surrounded by pine trees in Truckee. 10/10 highly recommend. I do not, however, recommend getting married during a global pandemic. Somehow one wedding turned into 2 weddings and 3 honeymoons. My wallet was not happy with me.

Group of women in floral dresses all smiling at the center woman in a white dress, all holding coffee mugs.
Group of men in button-down shirts and slacks standing with their hands in the pockets in front of pine trees.

Quick Facts

Conclusion

I hope there is something you were able to take away from this Truckee Golf Resort Wedding. Remember to Pin this post for when you are ready for next steps.

Bride in a white dress and groom in a blue suit embrace for a kiss, with overlay text reading "micro + macro Truckee wedding".
Three photos with overlay text reading "micro + macro Truckee wedding". Upper left photo of a triangle arch adorned with white and pink flowers, upper right photo of dark brown chivari chairs adorned with white ribbon and green sprigs, and bottom photo of wedding day accessories.
Top picture of two men embracing in front of a woman in a white dress amongst a forest, bottom picture of a bride and groom in front of a sunset in the forest, with overlay text reading "micro + macro Truckee wedding".
Bride in a white gown and groom in a blue suit looking at each other while walking down a wooden walkway, with overlay text reading "micro + macro Truckee wedding".

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Rust colored text reading "xoxo Jenni" with light Tiffany blue background.

P.S. Thank you Beth & Scott for allowing me to be a part of your wedding day(s)!

Two blonde women standing together, one in a floral dress and the other in a white gown holding a bouquet.
Woman in a white lace gown holding a bouquet of flowers standing next to a woman in a blush dress holding a bouquet of flowers with pine tress behind them.

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