These days more and more couples are opting for small weddings. Registry office ceremonies with a restaurant or hotel reception, cool city weddings in glamorous spaces, and personalised vows outdoors followed an intimate villa party on the beach.
A small wedding can come in many forms but the one concern we hear from lots of couples is 'how can we make our small wedding feel special?' The short answer? It will feel special because it's your wedding day! But for our longer answer, we've put together some helpful advice for you.
Make the Ceremony Meaningful & Inclusive.
This truly sets the tone for an intimate wedding - especially a small one. Whether you're having it at an outside location or the registry office, it's civil or humanist, pack yours with meaning. The choice of music and readings, personalising your vows where you can, thinking carefully about the space and the atmosphere, making your ceremony one to remember; putting in a little effort will set the tone for a very special celebration.
Add Lots of Personal Touches.
While we can't get enough of personal touches in any kind of wedding, a little goes a long way with a small wedding. Think of details that are achievable and impactful, like writing a personalised note for each of your guests, including photos of everyone around the room, or having a menu that's a little more curated than you might be able to pull off with a larger guest list. Add your personality to your day too; your choice of venue, the music you play over dinner, the cocktail options, the decor. Having a small wedding means you can worry less about 'pleasing a big crowd', and make your day truly reflective of you and your other half.
Indulge in the Pre-wedding Prep.
Nothing makes you feel special on your wedding day quite like getting your pamper on. Having a smaller wedding might mean you have your ceremony later in the day, so you can really take time to get your hair and makeup done, go for a hot towel shave, or maybe even start your day with a massage. Treat yourself, it's your wedding day!
Stay somewhere absolutely fabulous.
To mark the significance of your big day, why not stay somewhere bucket-list worthy for your wedding night or honeymoon. A stylish boutique hotel, somewhere with a big bathtub built for two, or a room with a view and terrace - I've said it before and I'll keep saying it - treat yourself, it's your wedding day!
Document the day.
Just because your guest list doesn't include 10 aunties, 10 second cousins, and a primary school reunion, doesn't mean you shouldn't have the day thoroughly documented. In fact for you, it might be even more important to have keepsakes of the day to show your extended circle of family and friends. You'll never regret investing in a great photographer or videographer and taking time out of your day to grab some gorgeous shots.
Stick to traditions if you want to.
Our view on wedding traditions is to keep what works for you, and ditch the rest. But if you're worried about your small wedding feeling not quite 'weddingy' enough, dotting a few traditions throughout will certainly help. Don't feel silly for going with the big white dress and veil, the flashy tux and the big oversize bouquet as their on point for 2024. Keep the speeches, have someone walk you down the aisle and embrace cutting the cake and doing a first dance. Some couples feel like a small wedding needs to be low-key or fuss-free, but we say, there's always room for quintessential wedding moments.
Shake up that timeline.
When you're catering to a huge crowd, venues will have tried-and-tested templates for the running order of the day in place, for a reason. One of the best things about having a small wedding is that it's easier to shake things up and make it bespoke. Play around with the timeline, whether that's having the ceremony later in the day so you can enjoy a first-look photo session with your other half. Or shake up the speeches as to where, when and who takes to the mic. You'll enjoy so much more flexibility when planning a small wedding, so take full advantage of it.
Lean Into the Intimacy.
For every wedding, it's important to think about each element of your day, and how it will unfold, to ensure there's a good vibe throughout. For a small wedding, it's important not to force the fun. Sure, the vibe will be different from a big blowout party, but that's not a bad thing! Things may not get as raucous on the dance floor, but the chats will likely be better. It could have more of a buzzy dinner party vibe, a relaxed garden bbq vibe, or feel like a really fun birthday party. So lean into the smaller crowd, and embrace it.
Try Not to Worry.
Okay, this is easier said than done, but try not to worry about having a small wedding, especially if it wasn't your original plan. It's going to be so much fun, it's going to flow, and it's going to be memorable because it's your wedding day! The guests you have asked to be there are extra special to you, and they'll be excited, thrilled and rooting to make it wonderful!
Small weddings are our favourites, because they feature the coolest couples, the loveliest guests, and are packed with thoughtful details and fun moments that make them truly unique, and don't forget, if your intimate celebration doesn't scratch your wedding itch, then you can always bring out your dress or suit for another airing reception party back home. We're also big advocates for massive anniversary celebration holidays to!
If you're ready to say 'YES' to the perfect destination wedding we would love to hear from you, and help turn your dream wedding into a reality. Contact us for a free wedding consultation at www.madisonroseweddings.com
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