Small weddings have an intimacy and charm factor that most grander ceremonies can rarely replicate. They allow you and your soon-to-be spouse some flexibility to create a more personalised experience for the fewer number of guests who will be attending.
This however doesn’t mean your nuptial has to be simple and predictable. The world of wedding planning and design is bursting with creative ideas that you can incorporate into your special day and make everyone feel close and connected while they celebrate with you.
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Here are five ways to add flair to your micro wedding:
Trying to take a singular group shot for a wedding party can be a logistical challenge, however, micro-weddings don’t have this problem because there are fewer guests. You can take advantage of this by capturing creative group photos that include your newlywed partner and your guests all within the same frame surrounding a single concept, poses, or prop.
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The key to pulling this off is to choose the right wedding photographer and discuss your idea with them first. They’ll be able to advise, plan, and direct the shoot on the day and bring accessories if necessary. There’s plenty of inspiration online for editorial-style wedding entourage photography if you need some suggestions. Some popular choices have been a mock tug-of-war between the bride and groom party or the guests surrounding the newly married couple with feather fans or setting off coloured smoke flares.
Décor and hanging arrangements are one of the areas where your micro-wedding can go big and create visually stunning displays for your reception. You can choose an alternative to the usual flowers or canopy above to give your guests something eye-catching and playful to ogle at. These can include draping fairy lights over the seating area or hanging a curtain of lights cascading down a large tree for instance.
If you’re indoors, you can opt for other hanging décor ideas such as mounting large vintage chandeliers with hanging beads as your light fixture above your guest table. To add some flair to the dancefloor you can have old-school disco balls attached to the ceiling and act as a fun accompaniment to the evening dancing and party celebrations.
With fewer guests attending your micro-wedding, you have more opportunities to get more hands-on by making something special for them. You can do this by personalising their placement cards at each table setting. You’ll love this idea if you’re into DIY projects where you can make an item using crafts, beautiful handwriting, and homemade embellishments.
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Past brides have put their unique signatures on wedding place cards by using calligraphy to write out each person’s name as a simple yet elegant design idea. Some chose to use small cork bulletin boards placed on each table with the guests’ names pinned onto them to add a rustic feel to it. Laser-cut wooden name signs are also a favoured choice for rustic brides who want to make keepsakes.
Keep the entertainment ongoing throughout the party by bringing in some outdoor activities for everyone to participate in. These activities will appeal to guests who get tired of dancing but still want to have some fun and to children looking for games to play outside.
An exciting activity where guests of all ages can get involved is hitting a piñata with a wooden stick and setting up an oversized Jenga tower on a table. To get the entire party involved all at once, there are musical chairs in a wide radius and throwing darts to pop balloons pinned to a board. Adult-only activities can consist of drinking games and a poker table set up.
A great way to create an intimate atmosphere and keep everyone socialising is to use a singular long table at your reception. These long and rectangular banquet-style tables act as a blank canvas and a centre point of your dining area. They can be customized to suit the theme and colour hues of your wedding by combining table linens and baby’s breath floral bouquets to match for instance.
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Alternatively, you can forgo the linen tablecloths to showcase the exquisite wood if it complements the dinner set and tone of your reception area. In this case, you should consider smaller table ornaments arranged between each seat instead of the tall vase centrepieces. Doing this can encourage conversation among your guests as they face each other directly and comfortably without anything blocking their view.
You can add flair to your micro wedding by changing up the familiar ideas with unique designs that are full of fun and personality. Do this by bringing everyone together with outdoor activities, single table seating and wedding entourage photos.
As for the décor, your canvas is limitless as you can choose draped arrangements that are dramatic and dazzling. Finally, add your personal touch by self-creating place cards for your guests to make them feel special. With all these elements, your small wedding can capture the essence of a palatial celebration.