10 tips for small weddings from a wedding photographer
Small weddings, intimate weddings and even micro weddings seem to be the new buzz words when it comes to weddings! I’m currently booking more smaller weddings than ever. My couples are loving their intimate weddings spent with close family and friends. Through my experience of capturing smaller weddings, I’ve put together this handy list of hints and tips that I’ve seen and have picked up through talking to my couples. I hope you find my top 10 tips for small and intimate weddings helpful and have an amazing wedding!
Ideas for small and intimate weddings
- Intimate wedding venues
- Your day your way!
- Bouquets as table decor
- Wedding decorations
- Personal touches
- Reception catering
- Wedding cake
- More time for couple photos
- Do it yourself
- Live stream your ceremony
1. Intimate wedding venues
If you’re having a small wedding you’ll want to create an intimate space for your ceremony. Speak to your venue about the best place to hold your ceremony that’s not too big to fill. You might also like to consider an outdoor ceremony, which can have an intimate feel with guests gathered close around. I would recommend creating a focal point like a flower arch or wooden frame draped with fabric.
2. Your day your way
There are no rules! With a smaller wedding you might be less tied to a traditional structure of the day. If there’s something you’d like to do differently then why not? For example, one of my couples decided to have a ‘first look’ and see each other before the wedding. It was a lovely moment between the two of them (and me, of course!). According to a recent survey from Bridebook, 22% of Gen Z couples are opting for a first look.
3. Bouquets as table decor
This is one of my favourite budget-saving wedding tips that I’ve seen! You’ve spent ages choosing the perfect bridal party flowers to match your colour scheme so why not show them off on your tables at the reception? This saves you ordering extra flower arrangements and your bouquets will be enjoyed throughout the day. Bring along some vases or jugs and once the formal photos are over, nominate a bridesmaid to pop the flowers onto the tables. Use the bride’s bouquet on the top table.
4. Wedding decorations
Small is beautiful and that’s true for weddings too! You can splash out a bit on some of the details because you won’t need such a large quantity. You can afford that amazing cake you’ve seen on Pinterest because you’ll only need one tier. Talk to your suppliers about what they can offer. We’re a very helpful bunch in the wedding industry and we love creating beautiful weddings albeit on a smaller scale!
5. Personal touches
With fewer guests at your intimate wedding, you can afford to splurge on some personalised wedding favours or keepsakes. At one of my covid weddings, the bride and groom were told they each needed to bring their own pen for signing the register. The groom surprised his bride to be that morning with a gift of an engraved pen ~ a lovely way to remember their special date and the quirks of having a wedding during the pandemic!
6. Reception catering
Smaller weddings mean you can be creative with your catering choices! How about fish and chips on the beach? One of my couples opted for these individual picnic baskets that can be shared by guests. It made for a relaxed mini wedding reception as guests sat on picnic blankets and enjoyed the treats.
7. Wedding cake
With fewer guests you can consider a smaller cake. Speak to your wedding cake supplier about scaling down your chosen design so that you can still keep the elements you love. If you still like the idea of a large, tiered cake, you could even have a ‘dummy’ layer ~ no one will ever know! If you would prefer guests to help themselves to individual portions then cupcakes are ideal or how about a doughnut wall (always popular!).
8. More time for couple photos
Of course, you’ll still want some gorgeous couple portraits to remember your wedding day! Smaller weddings can be more relaxed. Some of the formal elements, like having a receiving line, can be cut from your day. You’ll also get around all of your guests more quickly to say ‘Hello’. This gives you more time to capture those relaxed couple shots. One of my favourite parts of the day is when we take a stroll around the grounds of your venue and find the prettiest spots for your newlywed portraits. The two of you have some precious time alone to let it all sink in.
9. DIY and eco friendly weddings
Over the past 10 years of photographing weddings, I’ve noticed DIY weddings becoming increasingly popular. The thought of hand-making 100 wedding favours or name cards may have been daunting but with a smaller wedding that becomes easier! Think about aspects of the decor that you could do yourself ~ it gives a personal touch and saves you money! For more tips check out my DIY weddings blog post! Eco friendly weddings are a growing trend too with couples aiming to care for the environment in their choices. From choosing ethical suppliers to reducing plastic at your wedding, there are lots of options.
10. Live stream your ceremony
A wedding is always something to celebrate and having the most important people in your life around you can make a small wedding even more meaningful. Of course, you can still share the happiness with your wider circle. Video link platforms like Zoom make it easy to live stream your ceremony to those people ~ recruit one of your tech-savvy guests to help set it up so you don’t have to think about it on the day. For special guests who can’t attend, you could send them a bottle of champagne and a wedding favour for them to enjoy whilst they watch you say “I do”. And whilst we’re talking technology, why not have a digital guest book where friends record a video message for you on the big day?
The venues featured in this post are Rockbeare Manor, Bickley Mill, The Horn of Plenty, Froginwell Vineyard and Harefield Barn. If you’re looking for something a little more unusual take a look at Ocean Kave – Fantasy Wedding Finder.
