Creative Small/Intimate Wedding Ideas
Alrighty, I have been wanting to write this blog post for some time now!
I’m so excited to share some ideas with you for an intimate/tiny wedding, in case you decide to forgo more of a traditional plan for your wedding day!
In light of the situation going on in the world, I am not suggesting going against any current laws, regulations or recommendations that are put in place. This is a blog post that will serve couples, both now during the corona virus pandemic where some content may apply, and also serve future couples as our world continues to heal.
This blog post is for those of you who may feel stressed out by the idea of planning a big wedding day or you may want to create something unique that reflects more of who you are, and many other reasons! The fun thing is, that there are no rules when it comes to creating your intimate wedding, so let’s get creative!!
Here are some location ideas when it comes to your intimate/small wedding:
Beachside:
This is probably my favorite option (eeep!!).
Envision exchanging your vows with your closest family and friends all around you, feeling the warmth of the sun & hearing the sounds of the waves! After having a beautiful ceremony on the beach, head off to either a local restaurant or airbnb where you can eat some amazing food with your guests, or have your florist or rental company create a sweet little setup right on the beach for you to enjoy an intimate meal together! End your time together with a little dance party on the beach and watch the sunset!
(Those of you in the Lake Michigan area, you can literally search right around the Lake, or here’s some info about Indiana Dunes State Park Weddings )
Ideas for beachside wedding venues: Crook Point Vacations & Weddings (OR), Key Largo Lighthouse Hidden Beach (FL)
Your home:
This can be such a sweet & intimate option especially for those of you who just want to celebrate your wedding in a private way, but still want to have an intimate party.
Clear out a room with good lighting in your house and decorate the room in any way you envision! Make a whole wall of balloons, floral standing pieces, or an arch with palm trees & pompas grass! You can cover the room with candles, lights, you name it! (I recommend hiring a florist and/or rental company for this part to take the stress of off having to go get the materials & to leave it to the professionals who can make your space look exactly how you dreamt it would look!) Invite a few family members or friends to the ceremony, and share a meal & some drinks after, or send them on their way & end the night with a private dinner with just the two of you! This option also allows you to include your furry friends in the celebrations!
Destination Wedding:
Dream as big or as small as you’d like!! You could get married in a small villa somewhere in Europe, or somewhere tropical, like a resort in Hawaii! Before really diving into this option, decide on your budget, and consider the budgets of your guests, unless you are able to cover part of their costs. Share the idea with your friends and family as not only a wedding celebration but also a vacation for all of you to share together and create amazing memories!
Some resorts/venues to check out are: Haiku Mill (HI), Secret Harbour Beach Resort (VI)
Mountaintop or Mountain Views:
If you love adventuring, hiking and/or exploring, this one is for you! Pick a place with a gorgeous overlook and maybe even do a bit of hiking with your family & friends to get to that spot! Take some epic wedding photos & then meet back up with your guests at your Airbnb/hotel or at a local spot for dinner!
There are also many wedding venues with epic mountain views, which makes your planning even smoother with them providing some rentals for the day of & a space for an intimate reception.
Some examples of venues are: Garden of the Gods Resort and Club , The Little Nell , Deer Creek Valley Ranch , Sage Lodge
Favorite Restaurant:
Keep it simple & connect with your favorite place to grab food! If you love the space & can envision celebrating a day there with your friends and family, rent out the place, have a little ceremony there & and then do what you came to do there - EAT ALL THE YUMMY FOOD!
Backyard:
Whenever I see a beautiful home, my first thought is, dang that would be an incredible place to have a wedding!!
If you know of a friend or family member who have a beautiful home or space, ask them if you can use their home for your intimate wedding! Plan a little ceremony in the backyard, or even inside the home if there’s a spot you love, then string some lights in the backyard, cater in your favorite foods & sweets or hire a food truck or mobile bar, and then dance the night away!
Courthouse:
Keep it simple & classy, and head over to your local courthouse, and bring your friends and family there! After saying your I Do’s, then head downtown (I’m near Chicago, so I would recommend going into the city!) to share a meal and explore the city, and to take some wedding photos there!
State Park or Nature Preserve or a Park:
Whether its getting married in front of a waterfall, or somewhere in the forest, this is a beautiful way to celebrate your commitment to each other! Pick an outdoor space that fits your vision, check the policies about performing a ceremony there (& if you can have a reception at the preserve or park as well), and then take some incredible wedding photos! Afterwards meet back up with your guests at your Airbnb/hotel or at a local spot for dinner!
There are also many outdoor wedding venues, which makes planning even smoother with them providing some rentals for the day of, and a space for an intimate reception.
Some ideas: Toccoa Falls (GA), Yosemite National Park (WA), Redwood National and State Park (CA), Palisade Head (MN)
Rent out an Airbnb!
Check out some amazing Airbnbs that really stand out to you!! Then grab a select group of family and friends and travel to the location, and plan to spend a few days there together! If its a beach house on the lake, plan to spend some time soaking in the sun, enjoying the water, and having some bonfires at the end of the day! Then celebrate a beautiful intimate wedding day with a ceremony right on the property (if permitted), and then hire on a vendor team to create your dream reception for you all to share an intimate meal together!
Find a really unique space:
Greenhouse, an alleyway with gorgeous trees, a unique garden, a gorgeous little chapel, a plant shop, cliff-side, or mind-blowing wedding venue/idea/location.
Some unique wedding venue ideas: Emerson Venue (TX), Garfield Park Conservatory (IL), Korakia Pensione (CA)
Again, the sky’s the limit.
These are literally just a FEW suggestions, and the amazing thing is you can get even more creative with your wedding day! It could be as simple as getting married in your living room & decking out the place, or flying across the world with a group of select family and friends to get married on an island.
You’ve decided on your vision! Now what?!
Decide your location. Pick a place that reflects your vision (it could literally be the closest beach to you, or a beautiful beach on the other side of the world that you’ve been dreaming of going to).
Do some research! Gather information on how to go about renting or using the space for your wedding day! (For example, go online & check out the state park policies for intimate wedding use or call your family member & ask to use their backyard!!)
Make your guest list. Since you are choosing to have a smaller gathering, think through who can I not envision my wedding day without? Before deciding on a wedding date, maybe consider if anyone has any limitations or issues with certain dates, so that everyone you want can make it.
Hire your vendors. Hire a local florist, photographer, videographer, wedding planner, hair & makeup, catering (& servers if you’d like that option!) & cake, music professionals, an officiant (or have a friend get certified to officiate the wedding!), rental company (or if you have certain vendors in mind that you absolutely love & want to see if they are willing to go on your adventure with you, see if they can come along & join into enjoying the celebration even if they aren’t local to the location you choose). You can also hire unique vendors! A caricature artist, live musicians/band, a food truck etc!
Pinterest is your best friend. Check out Pinterest or brainstorm with your florist & rental company the possible setup for the ceremony! Create Pinterest boards or ideas that you can share with your vendors so that they can create the most accurate depiction of what you want this day to look like. Work closely with your vendors, especially if one or either of you do not live near the location for the wedding. You can show them your ideas on Pinterest so they can help capture your dream.
Respect the space you use. Especially if this is not a wedding venue that cleans up after you, make sure you take care of any mess that might be left. Especially with any outdoor options, clean up after yourself to not leave any trash or items behind that could harm local wildlife or pile up outside. Be mindful to follow rules and guidelines at state and national parks, which are put in place to protect you and the environment.
Instagram or Facebook Live. Have your family and friends jump on a Facebook live or record the ceremony to share with others.
Make a vacation out of it! Explore the areas you choose to go to, plan some fun events with your guests, and then head into a wedding day where you all feel comfortable, settled in and excited for the wedding festivities!
Plan for the weather to possibly change. When traveling, staying a few extra nights can also allow you to possibly make a quick switch to another date for the wedding if the designated day is predicted to have terrible weather. If you are celebrating at home or another more relaxed option, ask your friends and family to be flexible if they can if the weather doesn’t cooperate, mainly if the wedding is outdoors.
Have a day after session! If you choose to travel to another place for your intimate wedding, plan to stay an extra day or two to keep having fun with family and friends who can also stay, and invite your photographer to meet you the following day for some laidback wedding photos, so your wedding day can feel really relaxed in not having to rush your photos. Check out another local epic spot, and really take this time to relive the excitement of yesterday! Ask your florist if they can somehow preserve your wedding bouquet or boutonniere or provide you with a second one for both.
PARTY WITH EVERYONE LATER!
If you decide that although you’d like to keep the day more intimate, that you’d still like to somehow celebrate with your whole community, create a reception, or picnic or some sort of celebration where you can invite all your friends and family, show off photos of the wedding day, and share a meal together!
