Ashley McElvey

So Eric and I had been together almost 10 years when we got engaged.

We had lived in three different houses in two different states, and we would have eloped, but my brother had eloped.

And so when I got engaged, my dad said, you know, you guys can do whatever you want about a ceremony, but your mom and I would like to be there.

I'd kind of like to see one of my kids get married.

And I was like, Jesus Christ, Dad, obviously we're going to plan a wedding.

But I didn't.

I didn't plan a wedding.

I just found it so overwhelming and I could not think about it at all.

And so Eric and I had been engaged for about three years when my parents drove out from Arkansas for a visit and to tell me that my mom might be dying.

So she had had cancer before, and she goes in regularly for scans and checkups.

And they'd seen something on the scans that had been concerning.

And now my parents were sitting in my kitchen saying that October would be a really good time for Eric and I to get married.

It'd be really great if we could get married in October.

And it was mid-September.

And so as soon as they left town, I just started to panic Google.

small wedding, tiny wedding.

And this phrase popped up and it was micro weddings.

And I was like, that's what I want.

I want a micro wedding.

And so I called a friend of mine and I was talking to her about it.