A Welcoming Home In Michigan
Wedding planner Alicia Fritz wanted to evoke the feeling of a welcoming atmosphere when it came to her wedding. What better way to fill a house with love and laughter than to invite all of your closest friends and family to celebrate your big day? Alicia and Matt’s wedding kicked off with lawn games at their Michigan home, followed by a ceremony by the property’s fern-covered forest, and a reception under a black tent on the lawn.
Because Bigger Isn’t Always Better
Hyatt Carmel Highlands | Carol Oliva Photography
Small weddings are trendingand it’s not just because they’re easier on the wallet. Couples are opting for a more intimate celebration to get quality face time with each attendee as well as create a more relaxed, casual vibe. But casual doesn’t have to mean simplethere are so many ways to craft a bite-sized event that’s brimming with custom-curated details!
Small weddings provide a bit more wiggle room with the budget, which allows ample opportunity to get creative. To prove it, here’s a compilation of swoon-worthy ideas for a small wedding that you’ll no doubt want to steal.
History Of The Viennese Hour
As the name suggests, the Viennese Hour, or Venetian Hour, has Italian roots. Historically, a decadent display would be put together during a wedding to offer a plethora of sweet options. For some occasions, relatives may have baked the cookies or other treats, with each family member responsible for adding to the decadence of the table. Couples can opt to create a Viennese hour that’s themed around their heritages or favorite family treats, or something that’s rooted in traditional Italian or Parisian fare, says Nick and Aleah Valley.
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Tips On Planning A Small Wedding
Planning a small wedding is definitely easier and much less stressful than a big wedding. A destination wedding with your closest family and friends is not just the ultimate trend. It is also highly recommended to enjoy a wedding, a honeymoon and a holiday at the same time.
Most of the couples who decided to have an intimate wedding have a very clear vision. The drive of cutting the guests list is not dictated by the number of seats. Instead, the idea is to share the day with the most important people in their life. Enjoy every little meaningful moment and have fun! From that vision to booking a destination wedding and sending out Save The Date notice is a very small step.
Sara Bartolini, wedding planner and coordinator for SposiamoVi
Here Are 10 Fun Ideas To Make Your Small Wedding Still A Flair
Wedding venue ideas. Get a venue that is the right size for your wedding party. You need a venue that is not too large feeling like you are all over the place or too small and youll be squeezed in there. So, the best way to create an intimate feeling is choosing a non traditional venue that complements the number of your guests. Some of the best venues for small weddings include country houses, private restaurant rooms, barns, airbnb, a boat, the beach, or a summerhouse.
Consider a registry office or city hall wedding. Most people dismiss the registry office, but it may surprise you. The registry offices and city halls have beautifully renovated rooms. Also, they have the right atmosphere for your ceremony as well as the wedding reception.
Choose a brunch or a sunset ceremony. A small wedding gives you enough flexibility to chose what best fits you. You may choose a 10 am wedding service followed by a big brunch instead of the common afternoon reception. Or choose to have the sunset as your backdrop as you exchange your vows. No matter what, there are so many ideas you can play around with to customize your big day.
Take as many group pictures as you can. Group pictures are impossible at larger weddings. Thats why small weddings take advantage of them. So, group photos are a must-have if you are looking to keep the memories for your big day.
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Restaurant Weddings In Montreal
- Ristorante Beatrice For a chic and elegant upscale Italian wedding. This restaurant is known for its greenery wall & candles and its terrace with a retractable roof. It is perfect for an upscale summer wedding in the heart of Montreal
- 40Westt host your intimate wedding in a private charming room or take up the whole restaurant! This Steakhouse is perfect for a West Island wedding
- Portus 360 a wedding in a revolving restaurant with the view? Yes please!
- Jatoba Restaurant Beautiful solarium, its like an indoor garden all year round with a Japanese menu for an interesting wedding twist
- Le Richmond Another lovely indoor garden option for your wedding
- Ferreira Cafe a versatile and intimate space in the heart of downtown Montreal
Only Invite Your Personal Vips
You need to be very selective with a small guest list and your guests will understand this. You are perfectly entitled to say no plus ones, no children, and no extended family. Every single person you invite to a wedding this size should be someone that is close to you and you can’t imagine marrying without them there. Often couples ask: have we seen this person in the last six months ? Would I want to go for a coffee one-on-one with this person? If the answer is no, then they don’t make the cut.
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How To Set Up A Viennese Hour
Table décor for a Viennese hour is typically more minimal, as you let the lavish desserts on display do all of the talking! Opt for a long rectangular table, a large round table, or multiple round tables put together to form the base for your spread. Dress the table up with a tablecloth and other linens to add color or texture. Then, use various plates and platters for displaying your desserts, and fill the table to the edges.
Because the Viennese hour spread is most often self-serve, be sure to offer guests everything they need to fill their plates. Serve bite-sized treats on platters or in paper wrappers or cups. Be sure to include tongs, toothpicks, or other serving utensils to finish the display.
A Beachside Wedding Punta Mita Mexico
If you’re lucky enough to have access to a family beach house in Mexico, it may be the perfect answer to planning a destination wedding. Often, destination beachside weddings come with venue fees, or at least the rental of an Airbnb. But with this option, the couple didn’t need to factor venue costs into their beachside wedding at all.
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Concorde Fifty + Five
Located just off the expressway in Chicagos Lincoln Yards neighborhood, Concord Fifty + Five features a 2000 square foot indoor space for receptions and an adjoining 500 square foot landscaped garden. Exposed wood beams and brick run throughout for a warm and homey ambience. Additional amenities include custom lighting, SONOS surround sound, and seating.
Website: www.concord55.com
Get Creative With Cocktails
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If youve got 100 guests, it can be very slow to have a bar making cocktails fresh with a smaller guest list, this isnt a problem. Design four signature cocktails that your barman can whip up on the spot, and make them with flavours you like or appropriate to the season. Frozen margaritas or a twist on Pimms with ginger beer are lovely for summer gin, brandy, apple and cranberry are all gorgeous autumn flavours.
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The Top 20+ Small Wedding Venues In Chicago
a venue guide for planning an intimate wedding or elopement
The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic brought with it a host of adjustments for everyone from how and where we work, to how we spend time with friends and family, and even how we get married. With changing regulations for social gatherings, weve seen as surge in intimate weddings since 2020.
While we hope that well be able to go back to normal soon, I think micro weddings are here to stay. To help you plan your intimate wedding, Ive gathered a list of the best small wedding venues in Chicago.
The Balconies Of Napoleon House
The best wedding venues in New Orleans are the ones that offer something different. If youre looking to get married on a balcony overlooking the historic French Quarter streets, there are few locations better in all of New Orleans than the Napoleon House. While youre there, try their famous Pimms Cup!
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Enjoy The Great Outdoors
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Whether its your backyard, woodland, a secret garden or a camping ground by the sea, you wont feel out of place among the beauty of nature. String lights around trees, create an arch out of branches and florals, use haybales or lawn chairs as seating, set up outdoor games to play like croquet, and have a really relaxed, fun, nature-inspired wedding.
Do You Have To Have A Wedding Reception And Is It Tacky To Have A Wedding Ceremony Without Reception
Source: Statista
While having a wedding reception is a tradition that is commonplace, there is nothing wrong with not having one. It is certainly not tacky if you choose to have a wedding ceremony without a reception. Increasingly, people are opting for this option because of the high cost of weddings, in particular the reception component as seen in the chart in this section. By cutting out the reception, a significant amount of the budget is reduced.
Thus, the answer is that you do not have to have a wedding reception if you dont want to. It will not be tacky if you choose to have a wedding ceremony without a reception. Ultimately the deciding factor is your wedding budget and what works for you.
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What To Do Instead Of A Wedding Reception
WhatToGetMy Instructional Article
- This article answers questions like do you have to have a wedding reception, and is it tacky to have a wedding ceremony without reception? Read on to find answers to these questions and find out the 13 unique wedding reception alternatives we specially picked out for you.
Maybe you are part of the 32% seen in the above chart from TheKnot.Com who have had their wedding but havent had their reception yet and are contemplating what to do. Or maybe you want to be part of the 7% and cancel the entire reception altogether. Or perhaps you fall within the undecided 3%. Hopefully, by the end of this article, we would have provided you with cool wedding reception alternatives for you to know what alternative wedding reception ideas to run with for your big day.
You can also check out our article on How to plan a wedding step by step instructions as you plan your big day.
Personalize Your Wedding Stationery
Since you’re sending out 50 or less save-the-dates and invitations, use the opportunity to create an ultra-personalized stationery suite. Order custom engagement illustrations off Etsy for your save-the-dates that depict you and your partner, your wedding venue or your home. For your invitations, choose colors, wording and designs that feel authentic to you.
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Diy Your Party At The Backyard
Another alternative to a reception is to organize a party at your backyard. Actually with less guests you can really go to any extent of quirkiness. It wont be wrong if we say that it gives you privilege to plan an outside the box wedding party. Backyard parties have always been popular, if you want you can organize your wedding party in your backyard or someone elses backyard. Believe you me, it will not only save a lot of money, but also it will come out to be a great event for all you and your guests. You can always DIY a party in the backyard. All you will need to arrange is décor, food, drinks, music, wedding guests favors, etc. And all these can easily be arranged by your family and close friends.
Believe it or not, a celebration just with your close people can make it really happening and great event to cherish all your life. You and your guests will have a lot of fun at the event organized in your backyard.
Find A Different Ceremony Venue
You may need to shop around for a larger ceremony space that accommodates your guest list.
I know thats probably not what you were hoping to hear, but it is the advice I would want someone to tell me if I were wondering the same thing. It simply isnt worth the conflict that will inevitably arise when some guests arent invited to the ceremony but are invited to the reception.
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What Is The Difference Between Reception And Wedding
The wedding itself is the legal process of getting married to your partner, in the presence of an officiant and often times friends and family. Whereas a wedding reception has no legal element and is often a time for the wedding party and guests to celebrate the newly married together in a way that reflects the couple. It certainly doesnt need to be a costly event if you dont want it to be, you can enjoy a Fun wedding on a budget as well as unique wedding reception ideas on a budget too.
Plan Your Wedding Decorations
Once youve hired all the helpful vendors youll need, start decorating your space! Here are some quick links to our favorite must-haves this year:
backdrops like this, great as photo walls for guests or as visual interest at your reception
coffee bar accoutrements and plenty of coffee like this
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