Planning Tools, Ideas, & Advice
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For Wedding Pros
Small weddings, often referred to as micro weddings, have grown in popularity due to their intimate, meaningful nature. With a guest list under 50, a small wedding allows couples to focus on personal details and create a memorable experience for themselves and their loved ones. We've pulled together some great small wedding ideas to help you dream up your ideal day and make it a perfect reflection of who you are as a couple.
It’s important to know that choosing to have a small wedding doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice having an amazing day. Going small allows you to focus on quality over quantity by splurging on the elements of your wedding that are most important to you like having an incredible meal or hosting a destination wedding in a dream location or even hiring that live band you and your partner enjoy seeing together. No matter what you choose to do, remember that this is your day!
Here are 25 small wedding ideas to ensure your day is as special as you imagine. And be sure to keep an eye out for links to other helpful resources throughout the blog!
One of the biggest perks of a small wedding is that you have more flexibility in venue choice. While a large wedding might require a ballroom or expansive outdoor space, a small wedding opens up so many more options. Consider hosting your wedding in unique, intimate spaces like:
Learn how to find unique wedding venues in your area with our guide.
With a smaller guest list, you can focus on creating personalized experiences for each of your attendees. Some ideas for your small wedding include:
Another benefit of a small wedding is that it’s more manageable to DIY many elements. You can infuse your personality into the decor by creating your own centerpieces, table settings, or signage. Some ideas for DIY wedding decor include:
Family-style dining is a great idea for your small weddings because it encourages conversation and a cozy atmosphere. Instead of multiple tables, consider having one long communal table where all guests can dine together. This setup fosters a sense of togetherness and allows everyone to interact easily. You could also select to have a u-shaped or curved table set-up, both of which allow for a unique dining experience for your guests.
Other small wedding dinner ideas are setting up different themed stations—like a taco bar, a pasta station, or a gourmet dessert bar—where guests can mingle while choosing their favorite dishes.
For couples wanting to maximize time with their guests, consider extending the celebration into a wedding weekend. With a smaller guest list, you’re bound to be able to find a cozy lodge, a boutique hotel, or a beach house where everyone can stay. This is what we did for our wedding and it made the experience so much more memorable.
We chose to have an Airbnb micro wedding and we rented it for an entire week, giving us a place to host our guests from out of town in the days before and after the wedding. Choosing Airbnb or VRBO for your wedding can help reduce costs and allow for greater flexibility with location, vendors, and timelines.
While a DJ might be perfect for a large wedding, an intimate celebration calls for something a little more personal. Hiring a live band, an acoustic duo, or even a solo violinist or harpist can set a romantic tone and elevate the atmosphere. For couples with musical talent, performing a song for your guests adds an extra-special personal touch.
There are so many ways to incorporate cool micro wedding reception ideas into your wedding. With fewer guests, you have more opportunities to create an interactive reception experience. Instead of a traditional program, try incorporating fun activities that everyone can participate in:
This is for you, foodies! A smaller guest count means you can splurge on higher-quality food and drinks, offering your guests a really cool culinary experience. Food and beverage are likely where you’ll feel the most cost savings–or as I prefer to put it, where you can really make your dollar go further. Some ideas for your small wedding are:
A small wedding is the perfect setting for a highly personalized ceremony and incorporating some of these ideas can really elevate it. Whether you want to write your own vows, include a cultural or spiritual ritual, or have a close friend officiate, you can tailor every aspect of the ceremony to reflect your unique relationship. Some popular micro wedding ceremony ideas include:
There are a lot of ways you can do a small wedding on a budget. Here are some ideas.
My personal favorite—If you’re planning a small wedding during the warmer months, consider hosting your event outdoors. Having a small ceremony opens up options to get married in public spaces like state and national parks, on the beach, or at botanical gardens allowing you to leverage natural beauty as an incredible backdrop for your ceremony.
It’s worth nothing that outdoor ceremonies can happen during all seasons. I’ve seen couples and their guests snowmobile into an incredible location for a one-of-a-kind ceremony where the snowmobiles not only served as transportation, but also as the seating!
Small weddings give couples the chance to focus on what really matters—their love and the people closest to them. By incorporating these ideas for your small wedding, you’ll create an unforgettable, personalized experience that reflects your unique style and fosters a deep sense of connection. Whether you decide to host your wedding at a non-traditional venue, get creative with your decor, or offer your guests a weekend-long experience, the key is to make it your own.
With these ideas in mind, you can transform your small wedding into an extraordinary event filled with lasting memories for both you and your guests. So embrace the intimate nature of a small wedding and start planning your dream day!
