Jennifer and Scott, both architects, had an intimate rooftop ceremony at their home in Baltimore, Maryland last October. The day after their ceremony, they celebrated with 75 friends and relatives at the gorgeous Corradetti Glass Studio in Baltimore.

Jennifer, 31 & Scott, 32

Baltimore, Maryland

Ceremony Location: The couple’s home in Mt.Vernon, Baltimore, MD.

Reception Location: Corradetti Glass Studio in the Clipper Mill Complex

Wedding Date: October 9, 2009 (Ceremony); October 10, 2009 (Reception)

Number of Guests: 17 (Ceremony; 75 (Reception)

Wedding Cost: $20,000

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

We didn’t really like the idea of having a large crowd for our ceremony as it is a private thing for us, so we decided to split the event and have a small family ceremony one day, and the larger cocktail party the next.

What are some the challenges that you faced planning an intimate wedding?

Most vendors are set up for the ‘wedding format’.  When you deviate from that, it becomes difficult as everything is in pre-arranged packages …  I actually stopped telling people that it was for a ‘wedding’ and things started going much smoother.

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?

No. We stuck to the immediate family rule for the ceremony and then invited all for the cocktail party.

Did you have any ‘issues’ with the small guest list from friends and family? If so, how did you address them?

Not at all.

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

We had a VERY small simple event, but we did plant a ‘ceremonial’ lemon tree.  The best thing about the entire event was that it was at our home on our deck. Our dog was there running around so it kept things low key.  The pictures in Mt. Vernon park were wonderful. We love the neighborhood and have lived there for sometime, so it was really great that it meant something to us and was not just a pretty backdrop.

What were the highlights of the reception?

Again, fairly low-key cocktail party.  The food was amazing and was one of the most important things to us.  Also my aunt and uncle provided amazing wine from a vintner they met in Napa. The photo-booth set-up was a great  ‘activity’ and we have recommended to many people.  The setting was probably my favorite part.  Beautiful old warehouse (we are both architects so we are into those kind of spaces), with gorgeous glass art sparkling everywhere.

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

We did everything exactly the way we wanted without having to follow a formula.  I think we were surprisingly relaxed and we made and designed everything so it really felt like we were hosting an event that was important to us.

What advice do you have for couples who are considering an intimate wedding?

Do it!  Don’t let the expectations of others stop you.  Best advice: Don’t tell anyone you call that it is for a wedding. A ‘party’ should sufffice!

Vendors:

Photography: Stephen Bobb,  Love Life Images

Catering: Chef’s Expressions

Flowers: Crimson & Clover – Emma

Wedding Dinner: Sotto Sopra - Italian Restaurant

Music: Jim Stewart Jazz Trio

Sandra, 27 & Jason, 30

Victoria, BC

Wedding Date: September 19, 2009

Number of Guests: 54

Wedding Cost:$11,000

Wedding Ceremony Location: Glencoe Cove Park, Victoria, BC. (This is an enclosed grassy point that looks out over the Pacific  Ocean. It was really important to us to be married outside, preferably on the water, but the challenge was in finding somewhere secluded where we would have the intimacy that the day demanded.)

Wedding Reception Location: Sea Cider Farm and Ciderhouse, Saanichton, BC.

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

It was important for us to have a wedding that represented who we are as individuals and who we are as a couple. We both truly value family and the tight bonds we have with our closest friends. Thus, we wanted the people sharing the day with us to be those people who truly knew us, and understood what this day meant to us both.

What are some of the challenges that you faced planning an intimate wedding?

Once we picked our venue, we had a set number of seats, so while we knew we wanted a small wedding, our venue somewhat dictated exactly how small. It then became a little of a numbers game, as we had to decide whom to invite and make hard choices to ensure we stayed true to our vision.

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?

Initially, yes. However, we started by making groupings out of our guest list. This helped us pare it down. Aside from a couple of close old friends, we only invited friends who knew us as a couple, and family who we see or talk to on a regular basis.

Did you have any ‘issues’ with the small guest list from friends and family?

There were some questions about inviting more extended family, but we were firm with our intentions from the start. We were clear about why we wanted an intimate wedding, and addressed issues directly and right away. We approached the planning as ‘our day’. Our guests were there for us, to share in our celebration, not for our families. It helped that neither of our parents had lists of people that they believed should be invited (either for personal or business reasons). They were very supportive of us and our desire to have a small ceremony.

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

Jason’s close family friend played the harp on the rocky point while guests arrived and following the ceremony. Sandra’s close family friend conducted the ceremony. We didn’t want to hire a marriage commissioner to attend our ceremony, as we wanted to keep it as intimate as possible. Instead, we met the commissioner over a pancake breakfast the morning of our wedding, and she did the ‘legal’ portion for us with our witnesses. This left us able to dictate what was said at our ceremony, and who it was said by. Instead of our wedding words being directed by a stranger, the words were chosen by us, had meaning to us, and were said by someone we love and respect.

What were the highlights of the reception?

We loved having four long tables of 13 or 14, making the catered buffet dinner more ‘family style’. We didn’t have a head table, simply a long table of friends. We had great appetizers and cider cocktails while people chatted on the deck overlooking the orchard and ocean. This was followed by a casual dinner with lots of laughs. The speeches were heartfelt, funny, and had even the toughest people in the room reaching for tissues (Jason’s best man barely had three words out before he was blubbering). There was spectacular wine and dancing continued into the evening on both the deck and the above mezzanine.

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

That we were able to visit with all of our guests, and look around at any moment and see our closest friends and family, who are a big part of our lives. Even with a small group of guests, the day goes so quickly and you have so little opportunity to share moments with loved ones. Having a larger wedding would only dilute the experience. Instead it was true to us, and perfect.

What advice do you have for couples who are considering an intimate wedding?

Planning a wedding is really hard and we certainly had our challenging moments, but the one piece of advice we try to give people is always be true to who you are. It’s your day and while others might have an idea of what they think would be nice, or might have elements that they think you should incorporate, just remember that you have to follow your heart. After all, others will remember that it was a great day and that they had fun, but you’re the one who will remember all the minute details of the day.

Vendors:

Photographer: Eunice Montego and Julie Williams, Funky Town Photography (All photos shown were taken by Eunice Montego.)

Food: Truffles Catering

Wine and Beer: Kitsilano Wine Cellar, Driftwood Brewery

Cake: Pure Vanilla Bakery

Flowers: Kenmar Flower Farm

Wedding Dress: Blush

Groom’s Suit: Outlooks For Men.

Mary and Dan had a destination wedding at Azul Sensatori a Karisma Resort with 30 guests. Toronto’s Life Images shot these great photos.

Candice, 28 & Michael, 32

(Check out Candice’s blog)

St. Petersburg, FL

Wedding Date: 11/7/09

Number of Guests: 58

Wedding Cost: Approx $10,000

Wedding Ceremony Location: Private home in Seminole, FL

Wedding Reception Location: Private home in Seminole, FL

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

I have always wanted an intimate wedding. To me a wedding is a very private and intimate affair.  It is a celebration of the commitment you are making to one another and I wanted to only have people there who knew us well and who had witnessed our relationship progress to that moment.  I also wanted to be able to spend time with every one who attended and have fun. I didn’t want to spend three hours just trying to make my way around the room to say hello to everyone!

What are some of the challenges that you faced planning an intimate wedding?

There weren’t many challenges.  We had our wedding at a private home so there weren’t any minimums we had to meet to reserve a ball room at a hall or anything like that.  In fact, because we did it at a private home it was important to keep the guest list down!

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?

Not at all.  I think we both always knew we wanted something small and intimate so for us it was very easy to say. The bigger challenge was with our families.

Did you have any issues with the small guest list from friends and family?  If so, how did you address them?

Yes!  This was extremely difficult, stressful, and awkward at times!  Family members wanted us to invite people because they had been invited to their children’s weddings or because they thought it was the right thing to do but it was really important to us that we only have people there who really knew us well. If we would have not put our foot down, the guest list would have quickly spun out of control.  As I said before, to me a wedding is a very private and intimate affair.  In my opinion, it’s not a reason to invite every person you or your family ever knew!  We were firm with our families about our wants and because we paid for most of the wedding ourselves, it was easy to tell our families: “I’m sorry but we just can’t invite this person or that person”. In the end, everyone understood where we were coming from and respected that these were our wishes.

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

We chose to have a very intimate and meaningful ceremony.  I hate when I go to a wedding and the ceremony lasts 10 minutes!  To me that was the most important part of the whole day and I wanted it to be special.  My husband’s father became notarized so he could marry us which was amazing. We wanted someone who knew us as a couple and he did an awesome job.  Because we chose someone who knew us, we were able to really customize the ceremony.  We chose three readings: one from the Velveteen Rabbit which I absolutely love (it still makes me tear up every time I read it); another about friendship and love; and another that my husband’s father read about the path to marriage.  My husband and I also wrote our own vows which I highly recommend.  They were short; neither of us got into a huge profession of our love for each other but they were very special and very “us.”

My husband’s sister played the piano and we chose very non-traditional music. Everyone walked up the aisle to Apologize by One Republic because the piano music in that song is beautiful.  I walked up the aisle to Canon by Pachabel and then after we were married, we walked down the aisle to Faithfully by Journey.  Our dog, Peewee, was our ring bearer.  I sewed him a little pillow to hold the rings and one of our friends walked him up the aisle with the rings attached to him.

What were the highlights of the reception?

Ah, where do I begin….it was magical!  The entire event was outdoors, the tables were placed next to the pool and we sat under stringing lights.

My husband and I chose to see each other before the wedding to have photos taken and it was the best decision we made!  It gave us more time to spend with our guests after the ceremony.  We actually got to enjoy our cocktail hour!  It didn’t ruin the moment of walking down the aisle to him at all and it was even more special that we were able to see each other in private and the photographer got to capture that special moment of my mom bringing him to me and the look on both our faces when we saw each other for the first time….truly amazing!

During the cocktail hour we had lawn games, which everyone loved.

We had special beers, because my husband and our friends are huge craft beer drinkers.  I am from Alaska, my husband is from Germany and we lived together in New York City so we had beers from each of those places for everyone to enjoy.

Our best man gave an incredible speech. At one point in our relationship we all lived together so he was able to give a great speech based on all the fun times we had together as roommates!

We had an awesome DJ who played every song we asked him too (he was given a playlist and he stuck to it and seemed to play every song at the exact perfect moment!)  At the end of the night, as our final song, we played “Dancing in the Moonlight” by King Harvest which was perfect for an outdoor, evening wedding and everyone got on the dance floor. It was awesome!

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

That we were able to spend quality time with everyone who attended and that we were able to make it personal, especially with our table cards and wedding favors. If we would have had 150 guests, there would have been no way we could have done these things that meant so much to us and to our guests.

What advice do you have for couples who are considering an intimate wedding?

Make your wedding what you want it to be. Make it personal. Make it special.  I look back at our wedding and can still remember so many of the special little moments we had with each other and with our guests because we weren’t frantically running around trying to tend to 200 people.  It’s your wedding, it’s your day, and you only get one shot at it. If it’s truly what you want, then put your foot down and let your family know upfront that this is something that is very important to you.  You have that right. It is your wedding after all!

Vendors:

Photography: Kyle Hale Photography

Catering:  Margaret Ann’s Catering

Rentals: Rent All City & Mosaic Rentals

This is our first British real wedding here at IW. Lucy and Rob had a 1930’s Glamour theme, with an English country twist. Their color scheme was black and white.

Lucy, 29 & Robert, 32

Leicester, England

Wedding Date: August 22, 2009

Number of Guests: 69

Wedding Cost: £16,000 (including Honeymoon 15 nights in Thailand)

Wedding Ceremony Location: Halstead House Farm, Tilton on the Hill, Leicestershire

Wedding Reception Location: Halstead House Farm, Tilton on the Hill, Leicestershire

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

We considered having a wedding abroad, but we would have excluded a lot of our friends and family who could not afford to travel, and myself & Rob thought that one of the most important things about a wedding is sharing it with our closest friends and family. We loved the venue that we chose, as the ceremony room was quite small and very intimate.

We looked at a lot of wedding venues. Most of them were big hotels, and they just were not right somehow. They were too restrictive and felt a bit like a wedding conveyor belt. With more than one wedding on at the same time this meant that there would have been other people’s guests around at the same time. One of the best things about Halstead House Farm, was that we had exclusive use of the venue, which meant the only people we saw were our friends and family.

The photographer was really important to us, as we are both interested in photography. I spent ages browsing through different photographers websites, just seeing the same picture’s over and over again. We went to visit a few photographers and came away quite uninspired and deflated, then we saw Crash Taylor’s website, and were both impressed by his style of wedding photography as it was different to all the other photographer’s we’d seen.  He got us to do things we would never thought of, and the results are amazing. I think photographs are one of the most important things for a wedding, as they are what you have left after the wedding and honeymoon are over, and every time you look at them you relive the day.

What are some the challenges that you faced planning an intimate wedding?

Not being able to invite everyone, but we also had to keep the cost down, so we did quite a lot of organizing ourselves. So we just looked through magazines and found things that we liked, we did all the decorating ourselves, all the girls stayed over at the venue in a cottage the night before, so we put all the chair covers on and tied ribbon around them, which took a while as there were 70 to do. We also printed our own invitations, place cards, table numbers & table plan. We bought our flowers from a wholesale flower company, so we got them at cost price, we also bought our cake from M&S (a high street store), and decorated it ourselves with ribbon.

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?

Yes, I think this was the most challenging thing’s of the whole wedding. Choosing a venue with a small ceremony room, gave us a target number of guests (70). In a way, this helped us to choose the people who were most important to us, and we were able to have a lot of our friends present, as myself and rob don’t have huge families. Seventy sounds like a lot of people, but we have lots of friends and once we started to put a guest list together it was apparent that some people would not be invited to the ceremony.

Did you have any ‘issues’ with the small guest list from friends and family?

I think our parents would have liked to have invited more people, but it was important to us to have our own friends there.

If so, how did you address them?

People were quite understanding about the fact we had limited numbers. There were some people who were offended, but you can’t please everyone. I think once you realize that, the easier it gets.

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

I loved the whole ceremony. It was such an intense moment shared between me and Rob. The registrar was fantastic, and made us both feel at ease whilst giving a really heartfelt service. I was quite nervous before the ceremony, but as soon as I walked down the aisle and saw Rob’s face, all my fears left me. I read a poem, which I was really nervous about before the ceremony started, but when I got into the ceremony room I was really looking forward to reading it, and was really calm and really enjoyed it. One of our closest friends also read a poem, which he read amazingly well, and put his heart and soul into it, which made most people shed a tear.

What were the highlights of the reception?

After the ceremony, myself & Rob went for a drive in our hired 1930’s wedding car. We drove around the country roads, surrounding the venue. It was a beautiful day (which is rare in England). This was really nice as it gave us some time together on our own to reflect on the ceremony. We had an acoustic folk band playing outside to entertain our guests, who were hired by our head bridesmaid as a wedding gift; this was a nice surprise, as they were really good and really worked with the country setting. We sat down for the wedding breakfast and had the speeches which were brilliant. We were both touched by everyone’s kind words. The evening band was also brilliant; they played 1960’s style Ska music and they got everyone on their feet dancing all night. When it got dark we invited all our guest’s to come onto the lawn outside and let off 70 Chinese paper lanterns. The effect was stunning, and after the wedding everyone still comments on the lanterns and how lovely they looked.

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

The best thing about having an intimate wedding is that you have enough time to spend with each other and your guests. It’s over so quickly so you need to make sure you spend some time with each other during the day. It’s easy to end up speaking to everyone else and realize at the end of the day that you’ve hardly spoken to your new husband/wife.

What advice do you have for couples who are considering an intimate wedding?

Don’t worry about trying to please other people because you can’t please everyone. The most important people are you and your partner. Ultimately it’s about showing each other how much you love each other, so nothing else should really matter. Also, don’t worry if things don’t quite go according to plan. Nobody will notice. Lastly, enjoy it! It’s your day and your memories.

Vendors:

Venue & Caterers – Halstead House Farm, Tilton on the Hill, Leicester

Dress - Jenny Packham– Liz Corker Bride, Leicester

Band Day – The Good, the Bad & the Ugly

Band Evening – Kingsize

Florist – The Flower Company

Car – Amanda’s Cars

Men’s Suits & Bridesmaid Dresses – Debenhams

Photographer – Crash Taylor Wedding Photography

Jewellery –www.crystalbridalaccessories.co.uk

Decorations - www.confetti.co.uk

Erika and Dave got married at Volo Restaurant & Wine Bar surrounded by 24 guests. Their fall wedding had a ‘warm and loving vibe’, according to Continuum Photography, who shot the photos.

 Continuum Photography also had good things to say about Volo.

“The cozy venue had a great outdoor space complete with private cabanas. Their guests lounged and drank from a vast selection of wines and munched on delicious food including some impressive plates of artisan cheeses and cured meats while they witnessed their vow exchange.”

Here are some of the highlights from Erika and Dave’s wedding:

Dave wrote his own vows and made copies for all the guests to read. 

Erinn, 28 &  Charles, 27

Whistler, British Columbia, Canada

Wedding Date: December 13, 2008

Number of Guests: 30

Wedding Cost: $25,000

Wedding Ceremony Location: Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre

Wedding Reception Location:  Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre (Catering for reception was hosted by the Four Season Resort Whistler.)

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

Charles took me to Whistler for the first time in December 2007, however I had no idea that he was planning on proposing!  His proposal created so many special memories in our lives that we knew our wedding should be in Whistler the following year.  With any destination wedding you can generally expect to have a smaller group in attendance. It was more important for Charles and I to have a wedding that reflected us as a couple and allowed us to share our most treasured moments with our closest family and friends.  We wanted an intimate wedding that would allow us to really utilize our budget in a unique way and create an unforgettable experience for our guests.

What are some the challenges that you faced planning an intimate wedding?

The biggest challenge for our wedding planning was the distance.  At times it was a challenge to convey my vision for the ceremony and reception to the vendors in Whistler while I was in Texas. Fortunately I was able to simplify things by having the Four Seasons Resort Whistler handle the catering, cake and decor.  When it comes to the size of a wedding, large or small, I am a firm believer that the less vendors involved the better!  When it came down to the details, I made sure to find a picture that represented my vision for every aspect of the wedding (i.e., table linens and centerpieces, flowers, etc.).  Pictures coupled with efficient and timely communications with the vendors in Whistler made life so much easier and there was little room for error.  I was really happy with the outcome especially considering the fact that I planned the entire wedding from Texas!

The second major challenge we faced with having an intimate wedding was trying to create a beautiful wedding for 30 people on a budget.  We chose to have an intimate wedding so that we could spend more money on the experience and really appeal to the senses of our guests (i.e. panoramic view of the mountains from our ceremony/reception, lavish food, a full bar, etc).  I quickly realized that most vendors are used to handling larger weddings and their pricing reflects this. Having a wedding up in the mountains where wedding-specific vendors are scarce did not help either.  These vendors make few concessions for smaller weddings especially when they have to travel the long distance in snowy weather.  In an effort to avoid paying higher prices, I chose from a selection of complimentary linens and decor offered by the Four Seasons and also found great deals on-line.  By being resourceful where I could, I was able to utilize a florist for the items I absolutely had to have.

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?
No it was not difficult.  Since we chose to have a destination wedding, sources say to expect 50% or less to attend.  We understood that the majority of those invited would probably not be able to attend.

Did you have any ‘issues’ with the small guest list from friends and family? If so, how did you address them?

There were no problems.  We both have relatively small, laid back families, and everyone understood that Charles and I wanted an intimate wedding. We made it clear that we were grateful to those who could attend, and understanding to those who could not.  Numbers were not an issue for us.  We knew that the people who meant the most to us and really cared about us would be there, and that was all that mattered.

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

It was really important to Charles and I that family be incorporated into the ceremony where possible.  We asked Charles’ father, David, to officiate the ceremony in light of his seminary background.  David’s background not only made him the obvious choice for an officiant, but made the wedding all the more special.

Another highlight of the wedding was being able to say our vows while overlooking the snow falling on snow-capped mountains and trees. Everything outside was a vision in white.

What were the highlights of the reception?

The Four Seasons Resort Whistler did a fantastic job catering our reception and creating an intimate setting for our guests.  The room was enveloped in soft candle light that reflected beautifully in the crystal accents and stemware.  Guests could not stop talking about how wonderful the food selection was both in quality and taste for months after the wedding.  The hotel service was impeccable and everything flowed perfectly.  No guest was left to want for anything and that was our primary goal.

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

Charles and I were able to spend ample amounts of time with each guest.  It was important that no guest was ignored and that the wedding felt like a wonderful, warm evening out with friends.  We designed our wedding around our guests, and we wanted it to be just as memorable for them as it was for us.

What advice do you have for couples who are considering an intimate wedding?

I think an intimate wedding should be a true reflection of the couple.  Just because there are wedding standards and traditions in existence does not mean that you have to follow each and every one.  Make your wedding a definition of your personalities where you are comfortable and happy.

Vendors:

Photographer: Lynn Michelle Photography

Ceremony and Reception Location: Squamish Lil’wat Cultural Centre

Catering, Cake, and Decor: Four Seasons Resort Whistler

Floral and Decor: Eleni Floral Design & Decor and FiftyFlowers.com

 Kate, 29 & Christian, 33

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Wedding Date: September 18, 2009

Number of Guests: 25

Wedding Cost: $8,000

Wedding Ceremony Location: St. James United Chruch

Wedding Reception Location: KOKO (at the Opus Hotel)

 Why did you have an intimate wedding?

I’ve been dubbed the anti-bride. I didn’t grow up thinking of my wedding day, I had no idea what kind of bride I would or should be, and I knew nothing about weddings. After being engaged for about 4 months I looked at Christian, my fiancé, and said, “OMG, does this mean I have to buy one of those bridal magazine thingy’s?” (It turns out that I did look at two bridal magazines, but I never ended up buying one. It just didn’t feel right for us.) We always knew we would have a small wedding (we’ve very low key people), and we knew we were going to concentrate on the three areas that meant the most to us: the photography, the food, the dress/suit. The rest would be DIY. I felt very overwhelmed at first, but slowly the details started coming together, and in the end we were very grateful for a few significant details that we think helped make the day truly “us”.

What are some the challenges that you faced planning an intimate wedding?

Our challenges were the same as other people’s: stressing over the details, finding the right ways to make our guests feel comfortable, writing our vows, making sure everything felt like us. We were fortunate that our challenges weren’t specific to a small wedding.

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?

It wasn’t for us, but it was for some of our family members!

Did you have any ‘issues’ with the small guest list from friends and family? If so, how did you address them?

We did at first, but we explained ourselves. We explained that we didn’t think it was necessary to have 200 people around us in order to say “I do”. We weren’t interested in a wedding/party, we just wanted to be married to each other. It was about us, and our love for each other. And we only wanted those closest to us, people we talk to every day, to share that with us. We’re not sitting in judgement of people who want a guest list that’s 200+, but we just knew what felt right to us.

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

When our guests arrived at the church, they were given two things: a program and a smooth, flat stone. I designed very simple ceremony programs, that included a nod to a very special part of our day: the other love of our life, our dog Zidane, walked me down the aisle. During the ceremony, the Minister asked everyone to hold the stone they were given when they arrived and make a wish for us as a couple. Then one by one, each family member came to the front of the church and placed their stone into a communal vase. It was so touching to have each family member join us for a split second at the front of the church. Now we have the stones at home with us, and as we landscape our backyard we will incorporate them, which means our family and friends hopes and wishes for us will be there forever.
 

Like many people, we’ve had immediate family members pass away in recent years. We knew that it was very important that we find a way to include and honour those cherished people. After the ceremony, we stood at the front of the church, and released balloons with messages to our loved ones into the afternoon sky. Christian and I held each other as we watched the balloons be carried off by the wind and we thought about Christian’s Mom and Aunt as well as my Grandfather. Looking back it’s one of the most magical and emotional parts of our day.

 What were the highlights of the reception?

As a gift to our guests, I created a 40 page Blurb book that included details of our love story, lyrics from our wedding song, funny stories, parts of our wedding vows, details about the ceremony and the wedding dinner menu. It was a fun way for everyone to remember the details of the day, and what each personal touch meant to us. My hope is that years from now, guests will come across those books and remember what a special day it was and how grateful we were that they were there to celebrate with us.

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

Having a small wedding really allowed us to have a special moment with each guest, and all night Christian and I felt like we were living in a small bubble of love.

What advice do you have for couples who are considering an intimate wedding?

My advice to couples getting married is: do whatever feels right to you. It doesn’t matter if you have one witness or 500 people attend your wedding, all that matters is that you are happy with how you are expressing your love for each other on that day. Our wedding day was one of the most beautiful days of my life. And not just because of the details I mentioned above. It was beautiful because I married the absolute love of my life and those closest to us were there to witness it. On the exterior I may have been the anti-bride, fumbling to get the details right, but in my heart I was the luckiest bride in the world. I married a man that loves me for me (and after 8 years of dating, he knows me!), supports me in whatever I do, and makes me laugh every day.

 Vendors:

I did my own hair, my best friend did my make-up.

Photographers: Davina + Daniel

Wedding dress: J.Crew (I ordered it online)

Wedding shoes: Nine West

Grooms attire: Club Monaco, Converse sneakers

Reception: KOKO at the Opus Hotel

Music: DJ at KOKO