There is something deeply moving about tiny weddings. I’m not talking about the kind with 100 guests and a Pinterest-perfect timeline. I mean the truly small ones. The ones where it’s just the two of you, maybe your parents, a witness or two, your baby... and your dog. A quiet place that feels like it was made just for this moment.

That’s exactly what Derek and Katrina chose.

They woke up one morning and decided this would be the day they became husband and wife. No seating charts, no rehearsals, no crowds. Just love and a deep knowing that this moment was only for them.

They found a simple but beautiful place along the Salmon River, a stretch that offered stillness and meaning. With the sound of the river behind them, their daughter Stevie in their arms, and their loyal dog Spooler at their side, they said their vows in front of a handful of people who love them deeply.

Weddings come in all shapes and sizes, and every single one is special. Whether you’re surrounded by six guests or 350, your wedding day is a celebration of the life you’re building together. Large weddings are full of energy and community, a kind of joy that comes from seeing all your people in one place. Intimate weddings, on the other hand, offer a different kind of beauty. They leave space for quiet glances, slow breathing, and deep connection.

And when the groom holds his baby in one arm and the hand of the woman he loves in the other, while tears stream down his face, you realize that the smallest weddings often hold the biggest emotions.

Derek didn’t try to hide those tears. He let them fall freely, and I’m so grateful he did. There’s something truly beautiful about a man crying at his wedding. It’s a vulnerable, honest expression of love, one that reminds us all that it’s okay to feel deeply.

Stevie wore the most delicate lace dress and was held by her daddy throughout the ceremony. She won’t remember it, but one day she’ll look back at the photos and know she was part of something real. And Spooler, faithfully watching nearby, added the perfect touch of loyalty and warmth that only a dog can bring to a family moment like this.

After the vows, there were hugs, happy tears, cheers, and the quiet signing of a marriage certificate. No big party. No formal exit. Just a family, a river, a dog, and a forever kind of love.