A little over 2 million people get married each year, according to the CDC. In 2019, it was estimated that the average couple spends around $34,000 on their big day.
With COVID19 limiting the number of individuals allowed to attend events, and many couples unwilling to spend so much on one day, some opt to get married at home and keep it intimate.
In this blog post, we’ll discuss ideas for small wedding ideas at home to make your day even more intimate and special for everyone involved.
Read on for more.
1. Don’t Get Too Carried Away with Bridesmaid Dresses
If you want your wedding to nice, small and intimate, you probably want your wedding party to feel very much part of the ceremony and that their opinions matter to you. Some couples can be very particular about how they want things to look and how they want people to look, but if you’re cutting corners cost-wise, this might be a good way to do so and honor your close friends.
Instead of forcing them into a style that may not be for everyone, and may be very expensive, give your bridesmaids a color and let them pick out their own dresses. This allows them to look coordinated without making any of them feel uncomfortable.
Ties for groomsmen might help coordinate the male side of the bridal party whether or not they’re in full tuxedos. This will give your wedding party some cohesiveness, no matter how practical they are.
2. Have One or Two Large Tables for the Reception
While most weddings have guests sitting all over the venue in their assigned seats for the reception portion, create a big table for everyone to come and sit. If one table is too crowded, you may opt for two tables.
This kind of family-style seating makes everyone feel like they’re part of the mix, and no one feels excluded. Sometimes, seating charts can make people feel like they’re being ranked as friends or guests, but you can avoid that hassle or hurt feelings with one long table.
3. Keep It Really Casual with a Potluck
It’s definitely unconventional, but if you don’t have enough money to pay for catering and the party is small, have each guest or family bring a dish. You can assign it by surname, or if anyone has a dish they’re “famous” for cooking, you can have them bring it along.
Ask your guests to bring the recipe as well so that you can make a recipe memory book for your newlywed life. If you’re ever stuck for what to make for dinner, you can always look into your wedding day recipe book and find something to whip up.
4. Allow More People to Say a Few Words During the Ceremony or at the Reception
At large weddings, toasts or people sharing words during the ceremony can sometimes get tedious. This is especially the case if you’ve invited so many people that you don’t know all of them that well or they don’t know one another.
In small wedding venues for 20 guests or less, this can actually be a great time to share meaningful words. It is more likely guests know one another and have a close connection to you as a couple.
Allow friends and family to get up to say blessings, read poems or give toasts if they wish. This can make your big day even more special and emotional.
5. Have a Tent, or At Least a Rain Contingency Plan
If you live on a large piece of land and want to have a rustic chic wedding, you may find that if you don’t have a tent or a plan for what to do if it rains, the whole thing goes awry.
Having a tent outside for the wedding itself is a great idea in order to protect guests from the elements. This is especially the case if you live somewhere where summer showers are frequent, or if you’re hosting during the day and you’re afraid of the sun burning your guests.
You can always use greenery or some of the elements of the beauty around you to help enhance the tent space so that you still feel as though you’re outside.
6. Make Sure Your Guests are Comfortable
At a small wedding at home, you want to make sure your guests are comfortable, so plan ahead. Does it get chilly after the sun goes down? If so, provide blankets to drape over themselves. Do you live somewhere where it is really hot? If so, give guests water bottles and misters. You may even wish to give guests complimentary sunscreen on their chairs in case they forgot theirs.
Keeping your guests warm and cozy or cool and comfortable is key for having a successful at home wedding.
Finding the Right Small Wedding Ideas at Home for Your Bridal Party
The best part about a small and intimate wedding is that a lot of the pressure is off to have a perfect flawless day for people you don’t really know. Instead, your ceremony can be catered exactly to your tastes and help make each guest feel as though they’re incredibly special and honored to be included.
This list of small wedding ideas at home only scratches the surface. What you can do to create a beautiful and intimate afternoon or evening is limitless.
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