Intimate Wedding 101

Are you changing your wedding plans for 2020?

While our schoolhouse is the perfect place for an intimate wedding, we understand that a small wedding may not have been the first choice for many brides who are getting married during the season of Covid-19. With so many couples having to rethink their wedding day, I wanted to offer some peace of mind to brides wondering if a small, intimate wedding can really be a good start to your happily ever after.

An intimate wedding is easier to plan. I know there are some brides who love all the details. I also know that many brides use our venue because it’s simple and sweet, and they don’t want the planning of their wedding to be a full-time job. Planning food for and thinking about dancing in front of 30 people is a lot less daunting than 150.

A smaller group is a great opportunity to treat your guests really well. Your close friends and family will truly appreciate the extra details like the intimate venue, gift baskets or favors you might have for them, fancier food and drinks you might opt for. These things are suddenly more in reach when your guest list is quaint. Yes, this is your special day, but most couples also love spoiling their favorite people… even on their own wedding day.

A smaller group also means it’s a more personal experience for everyone who is a part of the day. There is more time for guests to socialize with one another and (most importantly) more time for the newlyweds to socialize with their close friends and family.

The hard part is preparing ourselves for conversations with friends and family about being excluded. There really is no easy way to do this except to be honest. Most people are understanding when couples desire a small event and limit a guess list, especially in light of a pandemic.

Now let’s talk about the party. If you’re set to get married in 2020 or 2021, and you’re thinking about a smaller gathering for the ceremony, that doesn’t mean you can’t invite the town to a wedding celebration later, when all the fear and anxiety that comes with social gatherings right now brings. Once life as we once knew it returns to normal, all of your friends and family will be ready to celebrate by your side. And that’s when you can max out your venue, your yard, or a local park. 

Let the ceremony be intimate, and all the details be glorious. At the end of the day, it’s just good to be married to your favorite person.

Here are three tips for planning a perfect wedding day celebration for 25 people or less.

1. Decide your budget

If you had a budget planned already for a larger wedding, are you going to keep it the same and spend way more on the guests of your smaller guest list? Or perhaps if you’re saving money on dinners and drinks, maybe you can afford that dream photographer you wanted. A great experience with a professional wedding photographer is worth every penny. The photos will last forever, and you don’t want to forget those details.

2. Location

Pick the perfect location that allows you to decorate as much or as little as you desire. With a smaller group, you’ll need something intimate and you’ll want to make it special for everyone.  A garden or a private back yard might suit you well. (Of course this is a great place to plug our Schoolhouse. It’s charming and beautiful and perfect for groups of 25!!!)

3. Make it Your Own

Add personality and make your own rules! Since a smaller wedding celebration might not be the most “traditional” you can most certainly opt out of traditions that don’t speak to your heart. The best part of an intimate wedding is that anything goes! Make it your own.

I know that a small wedding might be a different concept for some couples to wrap their heads around, but it truly is a beautiful option for those wanting to get married during these somewhat uncertain times. I’m here to help ...and to not only make planning an easy process, but to help create a wonderful wedding experience for the bride and groom, and for all of their guests.

Whether you’re celebrating at The Bellflower, or in a backyard in Southwest Michigan, feel free to call or send an email if you have questions about planning your special day. I’d love to help.

Hang in there, Michigan. We’ll get through this. 

Photography by Rikilee of Get Lucky Photography