40 Totally Unique Ideas for Your Small Wedding Reception

Published:

May 15, 2024

Updated:

Micro weddings are totally trending and we’re so stoked to highlight all the things that make them unique and how you can take advantage of alllll the benefits of having a smaller guest list. We recently covered 35 Micro Wedding Ceremony Ideas covering how to make your vow exchange a perfect reflection of your love story and today we’re covering how to continue the party with an awesome reception.

There are a lot of blogs highlighting micro wedding ideas generally, but we’re really diving into things to do specifically for the reception part of your event.

Traditional Wedding Receptions vs Small Wedding Receptions

Similar to the ceremony, micro wedding receptions can be just like a traditional size wedding, but just on a smaller scale. What we absolutely love about the reception aspect of an intimate celebration is that there are less mouths to feed, you will have more money to go around and spend on other really cool things if you want, or you can just keep it in your bank account.

Customizing Your Micro Wedding Reception

There is not one part of the reception that is required so feel free to throw out tradition and have the party that best suits your personality!

One of the most common mistakes is couples trying to cram too many things into their reception. We skipped about half of what was on the list and still felt like we had really limited time with our 38 guests. So, word to the wise: just be super mindful of how much you try to squeeze into your micro wedding timeline.

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Small, Intimate Wedding Reception Ideas

Micro Wedding Reception Locations

Micro weddings can fit into many places! Pro tip: Couple one of these reception locations with a unique location from our list of ceremony ideas, and you have a pretty cool, non-traditional wedding. You're Invited WI, who provide all-inclusive micro wedding packages, suggests considering an Italian Coffee Shop for your special day. And Gabby, the photographer behind Gabby Bridge, recommends really cool alternative spaces such as a bowling ally or old movie theatre. Here are some more small wedding venue ideas to get your creative juices flowing.

Borrow a backyard or rent one
Rent our a local brewery, restaurant, or coffee shop
A creative space such as an art gallery or museum
Rent out a campground or lakeside resort
Look for pop-up wedding options in your area

If you want help thinking of totally non-traditional places to have your reception, check out our blog: How to Find a Unique Wedding Venue.

Food & Drink

There is no limit to small wedding food ideas when you have fewer guests to feed. You could even cook your own food if you wanted. Pampas Picnics, a wedding planning team in New Jersey, suggests "build your own" stations for cocktails or charcuterie boards. And Amanda of Amanda Matilda Photography suggests considering a mobile bar for those off-grid locations. Here are a few more cool ways to feed your guests.

Have a build-your-own pizza, taco, or dessert bar
Rent a food truck or two
Go total luxury and do a multi-course plated dinner cooked on-site by a private chef
Provide a late-night snack
Hire a champagne skirt lady
Create signature drinks
Provide the opportunity to build your own drinks: flavored lemonades, infused waters, and cocktail stations (if you’re brave enough to let the liquor flow)

Dessert

Feel free to forego the traditional wedding cake and choose something reflective of what you love, such as these creative small wedding dessert options:

Candy bar
Macaroons or cookies
Cotton candy station
Mini pies
Donut station
S’mores
Chocolate fountain

A white wedding cake with cherries as a micro wedding reception idea

Gabby Bridge

Reception Seating Arrangements

Gone are the days where you have to have 10 round tables, a sweetheart table, and a seating chart.

Write a personalized note to every guest and set it at their seat
Don’t assign seats
Rent lounge seating to create a cozy living room vibe
Seat your entire party, including yourselves, at one long dinner table or a U-shaped table so everyone can see each other

Unique Centerpiece Ideas

When you think of centerpieces, you might think of florals. But you might not be thinking of other options that could not only set your reception tables apart from everything else you've seen, but also serve as keepsakes and even conversation starters!

Photo Centerpieces: Display pictures and fun facts about you on your wedding reception tables like the ones pictured above by Smiles by Megan. These unique and affordable centerpieces serve as great conversation starters for your guests and double as keepsakes! Check out her designs here.

Record the Moments

It’s easier to record all the happenings when there are fewer people in attendance at your reception. Consider these ideas to preserve the memories of the entire day.

Take a group photo
Have an intentional photo with each one of your guests
Have a phone booth to record messages instead of a guest book

A single long table is set up in an orchard for a micro wedding reception

Amanda Matilda Photography

Micro Wedding Reception Entertainment

Choosing to have a smaller wedding can sometimes free up funds for other expenses, like entertainment. Go beyond the DJ with these creative micro wedding reception entertainment ideas to add to the experience.

Play trivia or bingo
Hire your favorite local band
Consider performers like acrobats or magicians
Casino

Interactive and Immersive Experiences

Having your wedding guests participate in some part of the ceremony or reception is a great way to not only keep them entertained, but make them really feel like they’re a part of the event. You're Invited WI suggests a cigar bar or a live illustrator.

Live wedding painter or caricaturist
Tattoo station–fake or real
Poet–have a poet on site to type up little poems for your guests
Video games–instead of lawn games, have video game stations
Wedding edition Mad Libs
Do a scavenger hunt

Wedding guests play lawn games at a micro wedding reception

Savannah Chandler

Keep the Party Going with An All-Weekend Event

In some cases, for the same or less money than you would spend on a traditional wedding, you could consider having an weekend wedding or even a weeklong event which is much easier when you have a small wedding. There are many options across the US where you can rent an entire resort or campground to house all of your guests, or you could all just rent spaces near to each other and assign one of them as the gathering place like we did.

For our wedding, we were able to have the VRBO where we got married for the entire week, which also turned out to be a great place to host everyone every night. We hosted dinner a few nights, went to live music at the nearby ski resort one night, had fly fishing, hiking, via ferrata, hot springs, spa activities, and mountain biking. We encouraged everyone to enjoy the incredible area during the day while providing a space for everyone to gather at night. We kept it super simple, providing drinks every night and burgers a few nights when we knew people didn’t have dinner plans.

Be sure to plan activities that bring everyone together during the event while also allowing time for everyone to explore and enjoy their time as many of them will be using this as a vacation.

Welcome parties are great ways to bring everyone together
Morning after brunch
Plan a bunch of fun activities that appeal to everyone and encourage people to experience the area

Micro wedding receptions don’t have to be simple, or boring. In fact, they provide an incredible opportunity for really intentional connection and celebration. By incorporating elements that are unique to your love story, you’re sure to have party that’ll you’ll remember for years to come.

If you need more help planning your micro wedding, check out our blog, Planning a Stunning Micro Wedding.

Author Bio

Jennie Swenson is a former micro wedding bride, and she now supports countless couples in planning their own intimate celebrations through her blog, featuring real micro wedding stories and a curated vendor directory. Her practical advice and firsthand experience make her a go-to resource for those seeking to create memorable and meaningful micro weddings.