If you’re about to join the 2.1 million American couples that live in holy matrimony, you’re likely feeling some pre-wedding jitters. While a lot of that’s probably excitement, some of it is anxiety. After all, planning the perfect intimate wedding isn’t easy!
Here, we’re going to help you alleviate some stress with the best small wedding ideas of 2021. Read on for some ideas on how to conduct an intimate ceremony with your most beloved people watching you walk down the aisle.
Choose an Awesome Venue
The first item on any wedding checklist is to find an appropriate venue. For a small wedding, this generally means a place that will comfortably fit around 50 guests.
Small churches are a great choice for more traditional religious weddings. However, if you aren’t committed to the idea of a church, there are lots of fun options available to you. A public garden or beach is a great choice, as is a restaurant that you and your partner love.
Make sure that you call all prospective venues before making a decision. Consult with your spouse-to-be before putting any money down. You don’t want them to lose the opportunity to invite more people by choosing a venue that’s too small for your intimate wedding.
Invite the Right People
Many new brides and grooms believe that one can’t have a wedding without everyone in their life in attendance. However, this is often more trouble than it’s worth.
More people means more drama. It’s best to just share the day with those that you genuinely love and care about rather than trying to invite every blood relative that you’ve ever met.
Invite your parents and your siblings. If you’re close with your grandparents or cousins, invite them too. Only invite relatives that you know well and care about personally.
You also, of course, need to invite those closest to you in your heart. Your best friends should all be smiling either at your side or from the pews as you walk down the aisle. Make sure to ask those dearest to you to be bridesmaids and groomsmen- you’ll want them to share your special day.
Ask for Input From Loved Ones
The core group of loved ones that you invite- your parents and bridesmaids/groomsmen- should have some input in your small wedding. They have your best interests at heart and may have some good ideas.
This doesn’t mean that they get to have the final say in any decisions. That, of course, is up to you and your new spouse.
However, make sure to actively listen to their thoughts and seriously consider them. You may find that they have good ideas that you haven’t considered yet.
Consider Simple Music
Smaller wedding venues don’t lend well to traditional music. Loud DJs and large bands are far more trouble than they’re worth. If your wedding has around 50 people or less, you should look into simpler music options.
A string quartet is one of the best options that you can choose. If you get a talented group, they can play gorgeous renditions of all your favorite songs. If you’ve ever heard a string melody or a rock or pop song, you’ll know what we mean.
If you’re committed to having your favorite songs played exactly as a band would, a pair of high-quality speakers is a great way to enjoy your dances. You can pre-set a playlist before your wedding so that you get all the songs that mean the most to you.
Hand-Pick Your Bouquet
Another awesome way to simplify your social distance wedding is to pick your own flowers. This gives you full control over what goes into your wedding bouquet and lets you arrange blooms in a configuration that you love.
It’s also a great way to save money. A store-bought bouquet can range up to several hundred dollars, which is unfortunate since you won’t be able to keep it anyway. Hand-picked bouquets look amazing in pictures and, while they don’t last forever, stop you from wasting money that could go into other parts of your wedding.
You also can have a ton of fun picking flowers with your partner or bridesmaids. There are specialized venues that let you collect wildflowers and take them home. You can then arrange them and try new things out until you have the perfect bouquet.
DIY Your Cake
In addition to DIYing your bouquet, you can also DIY your cake. This doesn’t mean that you and your partner should bake it on your own (unless you really want to). Delegate this task to a loved one and pay them to bake you a personalized wedding cake.
Everyone has a friend or family member who loved baking. Just tell them the cake flavor you want, buy the ingredients, and wait for them to produce something amazing. They’re sure to charge you a much more reasonable fee than a professional wedding cake shop, and they’ll make it with a lot of love.
More Awesome Small Wedding Ideas
Now that you have some of the best small wedding ideas for your intimate celebration, it’s time to get started. Check out the ‘sex and love’ tab on our home page for some ways that you can express your affection and celebrate your relationship.
You may also be interested in looking at our ‘beauty’ tab. Here, you’ll find tips on how to make your hair and makeup look amazing as you walk down the aisle, so what are you waiting for? Start browsing!