AN Intimate Wedding
What is a …
Mirco - Wedding
An intentionally small gathering, bringing in a handful of people together to celebrate a special moment in time, hosting close friends and family. Usually taking place at a restaurant, small venue, Airbnb, or destination where 10 - 50 guests celebrate your wedding day.
Elopement
You are forgoing the formalities of a traditional wedding and choosing to have an intimate ceremony concluding with a small celebration or running off. Typically will take place at a city hall, specific outdoor location, or destination where you have 3 - 10 as witnesses.
Make it stand out.
If you are planning on downsizing your wedding from a big hoopla to something more intimate due to budget, or maybe personal preference. We believe that there are still many ways that you can make your wedding day, that will capture the essence of you and your fiancés love for one another in a smaller setting.
For starters, I think hosting a smaller, more intimate wedding actually opens up more options for you when it comes to planning. And if you are worried that your small wedding will look DIY, trust me, there are still many ways to make your wedding day timeless and elegant.
Location
When planning a smaller more intimate wedding, you will find that you can be more creative with the venue/location. Think of your favorite restaurant, a cozy backyard with a view, a favorite winery with a smaller area to host, or travel far and host a destination wedding.
If you are in the North Bay, think of venues such as:
Barndiva, Healdsburg CA
McArthur Place, Sonoma Ca
The Barlow, Sebastopol Ca
Charter Oak, St. Helena Ca
Floral Needs
Just like a larger wedding, your floral needs will vary. If you want to invest in florals for your wedding and dress up your ceremony or the dinner portion of your wedding, this can be done! But at a minimum, I would say your ceremony can be kept minimal with your bridal bouquet and a boutonniere. And if the ceremony needs some floral moments to enhance the space, those are easy to add in. At the reception, this is where I think you can truly play around and lavish your guests with enchanting floral moments that dress the tables with the ambience of candles or fruit. Think about what you wish your evening to capsulate, and then talk with your florist :)
Enchant your Guests
With a smaller more intimate wedding, you have more opportunity in the budget perhaps to elevate the evening.
Elegant Tablescape
As soon as your guests walk into the reception, there are many things that they will take in and most likely they will have never been to your location before, so as they are taking in the sites around them, grabbing their cocktails or glass of wine, they will soon sit down to enjoy their meal. They will begin to see the beauty and whimsical moments that are unfolding on the table, from the details of the candle color and the menu cards to the intricacies of the florals that dress the tables, your guests will know immediately that this is not just another wedding!
SPLURGE on the Menu
This works in your favor if you are choosing a venue or hosting your reception at a restaurant, the meal is built into the evening. But if you are getting married outside of a restaurant, the food is an amazing way to elevate your small wedding. Nothing says class and timeless elegance like a dinner with courses. Guests will be wowed and impressed by the food but also the experience.
INCORPORATE Meaningful accents
Something that I have noticed at weddings that makes them stand out from the rest is the little details that differentiate them from the others. For example, having a specialty cocktail made, personalizing the name cards, or elevating the escort cards to hold a personalized message. There are so many ways to make the evening special and these are just to name a few.
Have ACTIVITIES + Live Music
I might be biased, but I love a wedding with an activity! Whether it is between you and your fiancé getting your pictures taken, or even during the evening, bring in activities to keep the night alive. Corn hole I think is a classic example of this, it provides guests the opportunity to mingle and grab a drink while they wait for your return. Another way to enhance the evening is by incorporating live music, whether a band or an orchestra, the beauty and sound of live music, will never lose its magic!
Link to Wedding
