Small wedding ideas

It’s fair to say many couples hoping for a big white wedding have had their plans somewhat scuppered this year, but as restrictions begin to ease, there is light at the end of the tunnel. With strict regulations still in place around group gatherings because of COVID-19 concerns, there’s been an increase in soon-to-be-married couples rearranging their plans for a more intimate affair.

And there are plenty of reasons to have a small wedding:

• The overall cost of your wedding will be cheaper – leaving you with more to spend on the wedding ring of your dreams
• You can spend more time with loved ones – not plus ones!
• You are able to create a more intimate and personal day
• Fewer guests mean less stress and worries over table plans

Whilst the day may not be what you had originally planned, you can still create a day to remember and cherish. And besides, you can always have a big bash on your first anniversary! To give you some inspiration, here are some of our favourite small wedding ideas for a day that’s totally your own.

Non-traditional wedding venues

Traditional white weddings are so pre-pandemic, instead look closer to home for a cute intimate venue. This could be anything from an art-house cinema, cool independent café you both love grabbing brunch from, or even a beach house at your favourite weekend wandering spot.

Make it feel intimate

Even if you choose your venue because it could cater for a larger guest number, you can still create an intimate space for your streamlined guest list. Draping fabric can help create the illusion of a smaller space and will help dampen the potential acoustic echo. Similarly, dimming the lights and using fairy lights in warm white can help create a soft atmosphere, while the flicker of candles is oh-so romantic.

Make it a two-day event

Instead of having just one wedding, have two! Invite your nearest and dearest to the ceremony, and then the next day invite your friends to a cocktail party. You get to wear your dress twice, and compared with a traditional wedding breakfast, your friends will get to spend more time with you.

Head outdoors

Why not head to the great outdoors? Hire a marquee for a long weekend and pretend you’re getting married in some far-away place like Morocco or Ibiza. String fairy lights up inside and out and incorporate colourful soft furnishings, large palm plants in terracotta pots, and of course space heaters.

Feature Photo by mari lezhava on Unsplash