Create an Intimate Special Day With These 10 Ideas for Small Weddings – Part 2
Whether you’re planning a micro wedding or an elopement with your nearest and dearest, here are 10 small wedding ideas to get your creative juices flowing!
1. Go all out with the details
From romantic lighting to lush plants and textured fabrics, your choice of details on your wedding day can have a big impact on the overall aesthetic. When your wedding party is small, it gives you more opportunity to be really artistic in the design or maybe even create some handmade details. A quick browse through Pinterest will give you plenty of inspiration for designing your wedding details and executing them in a small space.
2. Add in family heirlooms
Got vintage china or silverware in the cupboard that’s been passed down through the generations? An intimate wedding is a perfect opportunity to dust it off and showcase it to the world. Incorporating family heirlooms doesn’t have to stop there, however, and can be extended to the decor in your wedding ceremony and reception space. If you have grandparents or family members who are no longer with you, consider including something of theirs as a symbolic gesture. Shown below is a beautiful handkerchief owned by the bride’s grandmother. It was on a table at the ceremony site and the bride placed her bouquet on it during her ring exchange. There is also a photo of a vintage tea set that was a family heirloom, displayed in an antique hutch. These touches are so precious!
3. Personalize a welcome box
One way of splurging on your guests at a micro wedding is by gifting them a welcome box featuring a few items that are of significance to you. It might be gourmet treats from your wedding’s location or treasures from a brand that’s close to your heart or it might even be something you’ve handmade. It’s a small gesture to say thank you for their friendship and support over the years, as well as for making the effort to attend your special day. The wedding box photo shown here is not my own, but it shows customized wedding boxes and containers by a talented creative on Etsy. The options are endless. https://www.etsy.com/shop/KnotJustWeddings?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=789678521
Add in Family Heirlooms
Family Heirlooms For That Special TouchCustom Designed Gift Boxes For Your Guests
Another way you can splurge when planning a micro wedding is in the floral department, which traditionally takes a big bite out of your budget. But with fewer guests, why not spend that extra money or elaborate floral features throughout your ceremony and reception spaces. For something different, you might even want to consider hanging arrangements to help draw the eye up and make a small space feel bigger than it really is. See an example below of a stunning head table with gorgeous florals. This smaller micro wedding didn’t require a long head table, so the couple had the luxury to have this lovely antique table with a big splurge on florals. 5. Curate your rituals
When you think of a traditional wedding, some rituals immediately come to mind – reading the vows, the first dance, and the reception toasts, as well as things like the garter removal and bouquet toss. But when you have such an intimate gathering, there’s greater opportunity to curate the wedding day timeline with moments that mean something to you and/or the people around you. So don’t be afraid to throw those standard rituals out the window and replace them with something more significant.
6. Hire live music
There’s nothing quite like music being performed live to get a party started and while it might seem like a big expense compared to a DJ, it’s one of those extras that you might be able to splurge on with a smaller guest list. For intimate weddings, you probably want to hire a smaller group of musicians than you might for a large-scale wedding…and don’t feel like you have to go with a covers band. There are plenty of amazing groups out there who perform in a wide variety of genres that might be the perfect fit for your wedding. In the photos I posted below, you can get a great idea of the super fun energy that a live band can bring to your micro wedding.
7. Create a cozy lounge
While the atmosphere and energy of large-scale weddings means that people are more likely to spend the reception on the dance floor, this isn’t always the case at intimate celebrations. So consider creating a space where guests can mingle and relax once dinner is served, similar to a cocktail hour. This might mean a few sofas set up beside the bar or a fire pit outside if you’re getting married during the cooler months. See the photo I posted below of some beautiful, creative guest seating.
Create Your Floral FantasyA Solo Musician For Your Intimate Wedding
Splurge On A Live Band
Create Cozy Lounge Seating
If a multi-tiered wedding cake has never been your thing, a small wedding is a perfect opportunity to ditch that idea in favor of something you really love. Perhaps it’s individual rounds of Persian love cake or maybe it’s a table filled with cupcakes topped by sprinkles – whatever your dessert dreams are, now is the moment to make them a reality. The images I posted below show some amazing desserts that one of my couples treated their guests to – amazing!
9. Book a highly experienced photographer and videographer
With all that money you’ve saved by having a small-scale wedding, you might have a little extra to spend on vendors. One vendor that you should never skimp on is your wedding photographer and videographer who is tasked with capturing all the moments and memories so they can be treasured for years to come. But their role is even more important when you’re having a micro wedding with only your nearest and dearest in attendance. It is the images they take that will allow you to share your special day with those who weren’t there in person.
10. Make an announcement
If you’ve decided on a small wedding with just your nearest and dearest, chances are there are lots of people who you didn’t invite who you would still like to include in the celebrations. After the wedding, you might want to think about sending a wedding announcement via post, just to let them know that you’ve tied the knot. This could include a portrait of you and your spouse from the wedding day, plus a little mention that it was a small-scale affair (so nobody gets offended!). See a super cute We Tied The Knot announcement that you can order from another talented creative on Etsy. https://www.etsy.com/shop/KnotJustWeddings?ref=simple-shop-header-name&listing_id=789678521
Missed our first 10 small wedding ideas? You can read all about them here.
Wow Your Guests With a Unique Dessert
Have The Dessert Of Your Dreams
Pamper Your Guests With Sweet Desserts
