Are you thinking of having a small wedding? Perhaps you are only inviting a small circle of friends or you want to do something unique and intimate. Smaller weddings can be just as wonderful as larger wedding parties. Not only can you make your big day incredibly special and poignant, intimate weddings will also allow you to simplify your planning and focus on what’s really important on your big (or small) day.
Choosing a Small Wedding Venue
You may find with a smaller wedding party that there’s plenty more choice when it comes to choosing a small wedding venue. You will find having fewer guests opens up a whole range of venues that would otherwise be cast aside. You can even consider less traditional venues when you have less people – from restaurants to self catering holiday homes you will find a whole range of options available to you that weren’t before.
Get Married by Candlelight
If you’re thinking of having a smaller wedding you may also want to scale down the schedule. Perhaps go for an evening wedding at sunset followed by an indulgent dinner or a small party with dancing – you may also find greater availability to book a venue or destination if you’re only looking for evening hire. Small weddings will open up a range of opportunities for you to consider.
Go Off Grid with Your Intimate Wedding
You and your smaller party have much more choice and flexibility when it comes to destinations. We’re thinking cliff top ceremonies, beach weddings and small pretty village destinations which would otherwise be unavailable to large parties.
Host a Little Wedding Brunch
Forget the wedding breakfast, we are thinking of a delicious wedding brunch. If you’re early birds why not have your small ceremony at dawn followed by a lazy brunch with cocktails and coffee. The great thing about smaller weddings is you can create a timetable and style to suit you much more easily. There’s far less to worry about when it comes to coordination and catering for large parties so take advantage of this new found flexibility.
Plan a Destination Wedding
The great thing about a small circle of guests is that you can be selective about your destination. If you’ve always dreamed of getting married in the Maldives or you would love a beach wedding, a small wedding party is much easier to plan for and manage. Take a look at intimate wedding venues or venues with a private beach for the ultimate destination wedding.
Make Your Own Wedding Favours
With fewer guests it is much easier to get personal. You can take your time over the wedding favours and little extra details that mean so much to your guests. Try writing a personalised poem for each place name, or look out for personalised wedding favours such as wooden carved initials, handwritten name tags or personal notes to each of your guests.
Find a Tailor
With (hopefully) less bridesmaid dresses and 4-course meals to pay for, you may be looking to spend a little extra time and money on your wedding dress or suit. Treat yourself to a tailored suit, or look for an experienced seamstress who can ensure your wedding dress fits like a glove. With a small wedding you can often cut down on cost when it comes to headcount, leaving you with a little extra to spend on something you want to keep and cherish.
Personalise Your Thank You Gifts
If you’re thinking of giving your bridesmaids or guests a special gift it’s much easier to personalise each item when you only have a small wedding party to cater for. There are plenty of personalised items available for your loved ones – from engraved jewellery to personalised books, to stationery and photo frames you will have time to consider each guest when you have a small intimate wedding party.
Prioritise Where to Spend Your Budget
When it comes to a small wedding you can really start to consider what you do and don’t want at your wedding. If you’re a real foodie you may want to invest your budget into a sumptuous seven course meal, or perhaps you have some carefully selected vintage wine and champagne in mind. Small weddings are much easier to personalise so go all-out and make sure it’s all about you.
Save Your Funds
With less to spend on your wedding day itself you might be hoping to allocate more of your funds towards something else big you have your eye on. From your first house to your dream honeymoon, a small wedding can open up opportunities to divert your hard earned cash towards something else you want.
Go for Cocktails
It can often be tricky to offer a complex cocktail menu to 100’s of guests, and is often too time consuming to consider. The great thing about small weddings is that you can go all-out when it comes to details. Set up a cocktail bar or create a special cocktail menu, you might even want to help mix your very own cocktail recipe for the big day.
Monday Funday
Small wedding parties are more flexible – there are less people to consider and less timetables to try and adhere to. A smaller wedding often means your guests will be more willing to take a week day off work or to extend their weekend. Try a weekday wedding to save on venue hire too.
Host a Garden Party
A small wedding party can be just as special held in your garden. If home is your favourite place and you want to keep costs low, try holding your small wedding reception as a garden party – hang bunting and festoon lights, have a barbeque or hire a band for a relaxed family affair.
Plan a Separate Party
If you want to keep the wedding day small and quiet but wish to celebrate in a less formal way with friends, try planning a celebration for extended family and friends at a later date. Perhaps on your anniversary, or at a more convenient time if it’s not possible to gather in a group right now.
Still Consider Grand Venues
If you still want the wow factor when it comes to booking your small wedding try looking for large and beautiful venues that will cater for a small group. You can often create a wonderful atmosphere in a large venue, try a centre-stage dining table with candelabra and grand chairs, or ask your venue to create an extravagant dining experience at the chef’s table.
Small weddings can be incredibly special, they give you more time with your loved ones and can be just as wonderful as large- scale events. Not only will you find plenty of choice when it comes to venues, you will also find you can spend time considering what you really want to be included on your big day. Start searching for your perfect wedding venue now.
