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Courtney Bowlden Photography Blog

Photographing classy, timeless, and fun couples around the world. Sharing the details, inspiration, and education with you here. 

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Hi there! Welcome to the blog, a place to share wedding beauty, engagement inspiration, and plenty of photography tips. I'm glad you're here and I hope you'll stick around and check out some of my posts!

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destination micro wedding in north carolina

The Best 5 Micro Wedding Ideas (And How to Know Which One Is Right for You)

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Wedding

The Best 5 Micro Wedding Ideas (And How to Know Which One Is Right for You) Every couple has a love story that is entirely their own. The way you met, the places that shaped you, the things you reach for when you want to feel most like yourselves. A micro wedding, more than any […]

why choose a micro wedding - lairmont manor micro wedding

Why Choose A Micro Wedding: How They Feel More Meaningful (From a Photographer’s Perspective)

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Elopement

Why Choose A Micro Wedding: How They Feel More Meaningful (From a Photographer’s Perspective) I have photographed weddings with 200 guests and weddings with 12. I have worked in grand ballrooms dressed with towering centerpieces and in quiet olive groves with nothing but candlelight and the sound of people who genuinely love each other. And […]

How Much Does a Micro Wedding Cost?

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Wedding

How Much Does a Micro Wedding Cost? One of the first questions couples ask when they start considering a micro wedding is also the most practical one: what is this actually going to cost us? Understanding the micro wedding cost is essential for effective planning. It is a fair question, and the honest answer is: […]

Destination Micro Wedding: The Best Planning Guide For Your Small Destination Wedding

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Elopement

How to Plan a Destination Micro Wedding There is something about getting married somewhere that means something — a coastline you discovered together, a city that changed you, a landscape so beautiful it made you stop and catch your breath. Destination weddings have always carried a certain romance, but for a long time they came […]

luxury micro weddings

Luxury Micro Weddings: How to Make a Small Wedding Feel Elevated

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Bridal Education

Luxury Micro Weddings: How to Make a Small Wedding Feel Elevated There is a persistent myth that a small wedding means a simple wedding. That fewer guests somehow translates to less beauty, less care, less magic. But here is the truth that couples planning luxury micro weddings already know: when you remove the obligation of […]

micro wedding in florida

What Is a Micro Wedding? (And Is It Right for You?)

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Elopement

What Is a Micro Wedding? (And Is It Right for You?) You’ve been scrolling Pinterest for hours. You’ve looked at grand ballrooms, 200-person reception halls, and towering five-tier wedding cakes. And somewhere in the middle of all of it, a quiet little thought crept in: “What if we just… didn’t do all of that?” If […]

choose a micro wedding at lairmont manor

Elopement vs Micro Wedding: What’s The Difference

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Wedding

Micro Weddings vs Elopements: What’s the Difference? So you’ve decided to skip the 200-person blowout — but now you’re wondering: should you elope or plan a micro wedding? You’re not alone. More couples than ever are ditching the traditional big wedding in favor of something smaller, more intentional, and deeply personal. But the terms “elopement” […]

frungillo wedding

Thornwood Castle: Washington’s Magical European Style Wedding Venue

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Wedding

Thornewood Castle: Everything You Need to Know Before Booking Your Wedding Here If you are in the Pacific Northwest and dreaming of a fairy tale wedding, there is a good chance Thornewood Castle has already crossed your mind. Nestled in Steilacoom, Washington, this stunning historic estate is one of the most unique and sought-after wedding […]

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