Jennifer & James

San Francisco, CA

Wedding Date: October 8, 2011

Number of Guests: 75

Wedding Cost: $40,000

Wedding Ceremony Location: Sir Francis Drake Hotel

Wedding Reception Location: Sir Francis Drake Hotel

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

We wanted to be able to enjoy our wedding day with our closest friends and relatives, not spend the day greeting a massive number of people. In addition, many of our friends and family live on the east coast and are not able to travel across the country.

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

For us, the challenge was that we were getting married in San Francisco, but had only moved here a few months prior. We didn’t have any idea where we wanted to get married, so we spent a lot of time checking out different wedding venues in the Bay Area.

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?

Not really.

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

Not really. Since most of our guests were from out of town, only our closest friends and family were going to be able to make the trip.

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

We wrote vows for the wedding, and although we didn’t share them in advance, they turned out to be very similar.

What were the highlights of the reception?

The first dance and last dance were exceptionally special. We had some fun speeches, as well, which I think happen when you have an intimate wedding. Speakers aren’t as intimidated when they aren’t faced with a huge crowd.

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

Being able to have fun and spend a significant amount of time with friends and family.

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

Make everyone aware early on of the maximum number of people you want at the wedding. This helps to set expectations and reduces the number of last minute “additions” that “helpers” try to make.

Vendors:

Photographer:  Vero Suh Photography

Florist: Huckleberry Karen Designs

Stationery: Union Street Papery

Caterer/Cake: Scala’s Bistro

Entertainment: Bay City Music

Gown Design: Allure Bridal

Bridal Shoes: Benjamin Adams

Bridal Jewelry: ABS

Bridesmaids Dresses: Love by Enzoani

Wedding Rings: David Clay Jewelers

Gift Registry: Macy’s

Honeymoon Destination: London, Paris, Alsace

Eliza, 27 & Toby, 31

South Bristol, Maine

Wedding Date: September 4, 2011

Number of Guests: 10

Wedding Cost: $9,500

Wedding Ceremony Location: Clifford House, South Bristol, Maine

Wedding Reception Location: Clifford House, South Bristol, Maine

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

I imagined myself sitting down to write a guest list. When I thought of all of the people I would like to invite, I realized that many of them were people I hadn’t seen in a long time and I knew it would be impossible to catch up with all of those people in the same night. I would want to talk to everyone and there just wouldn’t be enough time for that. I felt like I’d end the night feeling cheated and missing people. The aforementioned ‘people who I hadn’t seen in a long time’ happened to include all of the groom’s immediate family members, as well as my brother. I felt that this group would have a great dynamic, so it just made sense to me.

Also, I knew that I could do a lot with our budget for such a small wedding, and not just in “superficial” ways. We were able to provide accommodations for all of our guests, which was important to me since my most desired location was in an area where you would have to drive pretty far to get to a hotel.

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?

No, we were lucky that we were able to stick to immediate family – moms, dads, siblings & their families.

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

I tried to be forthright about it from the get-go. As soon as we made the decision to have a small wedding, I spread the word amongst my extended family and friends. We also had a less formal party after we got back from our honeymoon and invited family and close friends.

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

Toby actually came up with the idea of saying a few words about our families coming together and then inviting others to speak, instead of doing a reading. After he spoke about our families, he turned to me and told me he loved me in the most beautiful way. I was not expecting it at all, and luckily I hadn’t had time to actually prepare anything to say, because I wouldn’t have been able to get the words out! Then my Dad read a beautiful poem he wrote, and our brothers and his father told some sweet anecdotes. The format turned out to be such a great idea for a group of our size.

What were the highlights of the reception?

Gosh, it is just a blur to me! Amazing food, great conversation, great music (the groom created a playlist of our favorite songs), opening gifts, champagne, laughing … at one point we got silly and danced … it was probably the funniest little party I’ve ever been to.

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

Aside from what I’ve already mentioned, I liked that we were able to put so much thought and detail into the design. I fought hard on eBay for some of that vintage tableware! It was great fun. And now I have the option of re-selling it and getting my money back, or keeping it. I’m keeping it;)

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

Do something special for close friends/family you decide not to invite. Even a small gesture like bringing them back a wedding favor can mean a lot.

Vendors:

Venue: Clifford House, South Bristol, Maine

Photography: A Love Supreme Photography/Erin Wallace

Catering: Sea Coast Catering/Lurie Sprague-Palino

Cupcakes: Sweet Delights/Gipsy Diskin

Flowers: Boothbay Region Greenhouse/Denise Demeter

Officiant: Maria Northcott, Notary Public

Abby & Josh

Franklin, TN

Wedding Date: October 1, 2011

Number of Guests: 35

Wedding Cost: $23,000

Wedding Ceremony Location: The Brownstones Courtyard in Franklin, TN

Wedding Reception Location: Gallery 202

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

We originally were planning a big wedding, but once our guest list reached 350+ and the stress set in, we decided to reassess our decision. We had already asked our attendants, so we came to the conclusion we should only invite our attendants (with dates), immediate family and grandparents. It was a hard decision, but the intimate wedding was less stressful, less money and the people that will be in our lives forever were there.

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

Not being able to invite some of our close friends that we do see often was hard. There were probably 15 people that I wish we could have had there out of our friends. Obviously, I wish we could have had our extended families there, but we both have huge families. The other challenge was scaling down everything to accommodate 37 people (with us). When buying alcohol and doing rentals, we kept looking at each other going – it’s only 37 people.

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?

It was really hard to pare it down, but once we decided to go with attendants, immediate family and grandparents, we just couldn’t stray from that.

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

YES! Oh my gosh, people would make comments about how they were upset they weren’t invited. Also, even when I told people that it was going to be 35 people, they would assume they were still included. My mom kept asking to invite this person or that person, but we just said no. If we opened it up to one person, it would be a mess. It was honestly really hard on us, but we just kept saying that we were private people and that a big wedding was just too stressful and too expensive. We figure if people don’t understand our decision then they aren’t that supportive of us to begin with.

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

The ceremony only had 24 chairs, so the best part about it was we knew every single person sitting there. We didn’t feel like there were strangers watching our extremely private moment. Also, the flowers were amazing! I decided to get rose petals down the sides of the aisle which made it so pretty! We couldn’t have afforded little details like that with a big wedding.

What were the highlights of the reception?

My dad’s toast, which everyone could hear and see. My grandfather’s blessing of the food, where everyone stood around the food table. Also, the fact that I could talk to everyone there and that I could soak in the beautiful decor, flowers, food, cake, etc. Many brides tell me they were rushing around so much with a big wedding, they didn’t even get to enjoy anything.

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

The best thing about having an intimate wedding was the decreased level of stress (financial and planning stress) and the quality time we got to spend with the people throughout the wedding process. Also, that we really got to go all-out on all the details we wanted instead of settling because of cost.

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

I would highly recommend an intimate wedding. You will have to be strong throughout the process and try to ignore the not so supportive comments. Also, having a short engagement helps.

Vendors:

Wedding: The Brownstone Courtyard

Reception: Gallery 202

Flowers: Garden Delights

Food: Red Pony

Cake: Dulce Desserts

Dress: Lea Ann Belter

Rentals: Southern Events

Photography: Evin Photography

Kylah, 26 & Clint, 36

Delta, BC

Wedding Date: July 8th, 2011

Number of Guests: 60

Wedding Cost: $10,000

Wedding Ceremony Location: Outdoors at Cammidge House, Boundary Bay Regional Park lawn

Wedding Reception Location: Tents on Cammidge House lawn (one larger for tables, one smaller for the dance floor)

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

Partly due to cost, partly because we wanted it … well … intimate!

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

Finding an appropriate location was the most challenging (especially remotely, as we had to book the wedding venue and the majority of the vendors from Prince George via phone and e-mail.)

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?

Yes! There were several drafts.

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

Somewhat, yes. At first we weren’t sure if we should say no children to accommodate the limit of guests placed by the parks district (there was an option to have the ceremony on the beach if you had under 75 guests). Once we got most of the RSVPs and it was looking like we wouldn’t have too many people, we told most people it was fine to bring their children, but forgot to mention it to some. It was kind of awkward, but I’m pretty sure everyone forgave us. We ended up having the ceremony on the lawn anyway.

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

Our wedding commissioner, Marilyn Knipp, passed a handmade glass heart through the rows of guests for them to hold and bless with good wishes for us. It sits on our table now.

What were the highlights of the reception?

I would say the highlights were the speeches and dancing under our dance floor tent illuminated with little white lights in the open air. Also, running across the lawn and leaping into the air while my sister snapped some interesting action shots of me in my dress.

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

It was far less nerve wracking having only people who we were really close to. I’m not big on being the center of attention, so that helped a lot. Also, being able to spend more time with each guest was nice.

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

Do what you want to do! Don’t let anyone tell you what is “supposed” to happen if it’s really something you’re not into. Like everyone says, it is your day.

Vendors:

Wedding Photographer: Lucinda Photography (bride’s sister)

Cake: Anna Elizabeth Cakes

Tent/Dance Floor/Dishes/Linens: My Party Rentals

Makeup: Jessica at MAC in The Bay (Richmond)

Hair: Spencer Jensen – Coup Salon

Flowers: Kits Market

Wedding Sandals: Feesk on Etsy

Timberline, OR

Wedding Date: April 22, 2011

Number of Guests: 22

Wedding Cost: $14,000

Wedding Ceremony Location: Silcox Hut, Timberline OR

Wedding Reception Location: Silcox Hut, Timberline OR

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

We considered eloping, but thought it was important to share the day with our close friends and family, especially since we are both only children. Neither one of us is originally from Oregon, but we fell in love with it and were excited to get married there. We wanted to have a small, intimate wedding so we could spend time with and enjoy the company of the people that came. We love our family and friends and wanted our wedding to feel more like a party with a ceremony to kick it off than a formal event.

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

The specifics of planning weren’t that difficult. I was able to do pretty much everything on my own and had a great time doing it. I bought almost all the décor on Etsy, including vintage finds like thermoses that we used for vases and cake stands that we used to hold our many desserts. I also bought a bunch of different cards on Etsy that all had some sort of reference, however obscure, to our relationship. I cut these and hung them on two banners to span either side of the space.

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?

Not especially, with most people traveling and the space we chose only being able to hold a maximum of about 40 people.

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

We didn’t invite my grandparents, both knowing that they wouldn’t be able to make it. In retrospect, we probably could have extended them an invite to them to make them feel more included.

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

On the day of the wedding I woke up and the sky was cloudless and blue – an incredibly good sign for April in Oregon. The whole day was a highlight, but it was the combination of traditional and non-traditional that I remember most. We rode up to our wedding venue in snowcats, where we started decorating and getting ready. Having my dad walk me down the aisle to the man I was about to marry gave me butterflies – and the memory still does. My uncle got ordained on the internet and officiated our ceremony. There wasn’t a better person in our lives to have done it. It was the perfect blend of serious, funny and heartfelt.

What were the highlights of the reception?

I had an amazing time at our reception. We had a cocktail hour when the tables were turned from the aisle formation into a dining set up. The food that Timberline catered was phenomenal and there were plenty of drinks to go around. We did toasts, told stories and laughed. There was an amazing feel of love and comfort the entire time. Grant made the playlist for the ceremony and reception and we only decided to do one dance together, which was the polka. We’re both from the Midwest and met in Wisconsin and have less than stellar dancing skills. The polka suited our personality and allowed everyone to join in until collapsing in laughter.

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

Our day felt so special. I’ve never felt so loved, not only by my now husband, but by our families and closest friends. I was able to talk to everyone that came and everyone got along famously. I look back on that day and have nothing but positive memories. Having a small venue allowed me to focus on why I was there and why we decided to get married in the first place.

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

I absolutely would have an intimate wedding. The wedding should first and foremost be about the people getting married and having a smaller wedding lets you stay focused on that and on each other. An intimate wedding also allows you to share that day with the people that you love most.

Vendors:

Photographer: Jessica Watson (Jessica was amazing, beyond amazing. When I look back at our wedding photos they evoke the same emotions that I had on that day. The happiness and love are captured perfectly. When having a small wedding it’s also so important that your photographer not only a great photographer but a great guest. We were lucky to have Jessica shoot our wedding and are looking forward to working with her again for any major life events (she does great maternity and newborn shoots … not in the market for that just yet but some day)!

Wedding Venue and Catering: Timberline Lodge (Such a great location and the food was so good. People are still talking about our wedding food, I swear.)

Flowers: Punch Portland (Our flowers were beautiful and perfectly conveyed the overall design theme of the wedding. They incorporated yarn poofs that I made and used the thermoses for vases which also made them easier to transport up to the Silcox Hut)

Cake: JaCivas Chocolates (They did exactly what I wanted for my cake and it was beautiful and delicious, a win-win.)

Dress: Priscilla of Boston

Groom attire: JCrew

Tara & Wayne

Healdsburg, California

Wedding Date: August 19, 2011

Number of Guests: 26

Wedding Cost: $10,000

Wedding Ceremony Location: Madrona Manor, Healdsburg, California

Wedding Reception Location: Madrona Manor, Healdsburg, California

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

We did not want the typical social wedding event. We wanted a chance to share our special day with the people who are active in our lives and have influenced both of us. We also wanted a chance to enjoy our reception/dinner as we enjoyed the company of each and every guest. Having a small, intimate wedding and reception allowed us to see each person during the ceremony. At the reception it allowed us to eat together and were able to talk intimately with each guest at one large King’s table. Our respective parents had not yet met and we thought this would be a great setting to do so. An intimate wedding with few attendants allowed us to not have a rehearsal or rehearsal dinner. Instead, those who had come in a day early all met those who were local for a lovely intimate dinner at a local restaurant. Again, it added to the special occasion, building lasting memories.

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

Wayne, the groom. He was resistant to have a wedding for 50 people, which was our original count. It was a challenge to figure out the best number, based upon how many friends and family we wanted to invite.

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?

Not really. Once we knew the number of people we wanted to invite, it was relatively easy to make the list. We really examined each person who was invited and why they were invited.

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

No issues whatsoever. Everyone we wanted there was there. The chemistry was tremendously wonderful. On observation one would have thought that everyone already knew each other. Old friendships were renewed and new friendships were formed. Not only were we creating a new life and journey, but so were our guests.

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

Groom: Tara seemingly “floating” down the grassy hill as she was escorted by her father. Bride: Seeing Wayne, so handsome in his tux, with a smile. Both: The live music was spectacular and added to the event. We had three university students who performed various songs with such angelic voices. The wedding was about color and diversity. We come from different, yet similarly interesting backgrounds. Our wedding was a true reflection of this. The colors of the grounds and the wedding flowers were spectacular, along with simple elegance, fun and our choice of music that meant the most to the two of us.

What were the highlights of the reception?

The ability to have everyone at one table was very effective and conducive to the atmosphere we wanted to create. It was as if we were seated at a family dinner. The food was spectacular! We were all able to actually eat at one time and we were served a plated, meal instead of a buffet. Everyone enjoyed the fresh farm-to-table cuisine. We were also able to sit outside on the porch of the manor. Absolutely stunning! It felt as if the entire inn was ours.

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

It was less stressful. Everything flowed well. We enjoyed ourselves immensely and our guests were able to meet and visit in a comfortable atmosphere. We provided a wonderful meal and setting instead of having not-so-great food at separate tables, where you are unable to eat because you are saying hello to people you rarely see. We know we planned a special occasion as our guests and family are still talking about how great the wedding was. It was simple, comfortable, beautiful, and intimate.

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

It will be the best decision you ever make. Keep it simple, elegant, and true to who you are. All of our guests knew Wayne and I planned every detail ourselves as it truly represented who we are as a couple. An example of this is our decision to forgo the traditional wedding favors and opting to have a larger wedding cake. This enabled us to give each guest a second slice of wedding cake in a box with polka dot ribbon and compostable fork, to take away. We heard many guests had the second slice for breakfast the next day as the cake was so delicious and moist. Wayne and I also had the cake for breakfast. We could not help ourselves. Wayne and I think of our wedding day often with such great memories. I even find myself smiling off and on throughout each day thinking about our wedding day and how it was perfect in so many ways. My parents even received thank-you cards for hosting such a wonderful, intimate wedding. A last piece of advice is to have cards printed to announce “the newly wedded couple” so those who were not invited have an explanation. Our announcement is our holiday card with a photo of us toasting at our wedding, and toasting them to a “Happy Holidays.” It will indicate that we still care about them, but chose to do a very small and intimate wedding. We believe our friends will embrace our new life together. In fact, some of our friends have hosted after-wedding celebration gatherings for us, wishing us all the best and showering us with gifts. An intimate wedding was the best choice we could have made. It was a wonderful, magical event! One we all will treasure for many years to come.

Vendors:

Venue: Madrona Manor, Healdsburg, CA

Cake: Michele’s Corner Bakery, Santa Rosa, CA

Flowers: Dragonfly Nursery, Healdsburg, CA

Photography: Vivian Sachs Photography, San Francisco, CA

Hair and Makeup Consultation: Code Salon, San Francisco, CA

Programs and Place Cards: Wedding Paper Divas

Wedding Website: weddingwire.com

Invitations: Botanicalpaperworks.com

Tea Lights for Table: Bright Times from Artecnica

Bridal Attire: BHLDN and Nina Custom Shoes

Mens Attire: Mens Wearhouse, Hermes, Joseph A. Bank, and Nordstrom

Wedding Favors: Red and White Polka Dot Fans from BHLDN for the ceremony, Individual Korbel Champagne Bottles from Korbel.com (in room amenity prior to guest arrivals) and Red boxes and Polka Dot Red and White Ribbon for the cake boxes from Papermart.com, replete with compostable fork from Whole Foods.

Katie, 29 & Justin, 32

La Jolla, CA

Wedding Date: Sept 17, 2011

Number of Guests: 40

Wedding Ceremony Location: Our family home

Wedding Reception Location: Another family home down the street from the ceremony location

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

There were several reasons. First off, our style is pretty understated. We didn’t want to make this a massive and showy affair! Second, Justin is from Australia and because that’s a big distance to travel for his guests, probably not as many would be able to make it as we would’ve liked. I didn’t want to have 100 people attending from my side and only a handful from his; it needed to be a bit more balanced.

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

Keeping it “to scale” was a bit challenging. Sometimes vendors try to push you into making it big and bigger. We were lucky that our wedding coordinator shared our eye for quality while maintaining our desire to keep it understated. I would’ve felt ridiculous having a 10-person band in a reception tent with 40 guests. Talk about overkill.

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?

My family is giant and quite close so it was definitely hard not inviting everyone in my extended family. Also it was hard not to invite some of my mom’s friends who have been a part of my life since I was a baby (practically family!), but everyone understood our plan to keep the wedding really small.

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

We definitely had some people that were disappointed not be there, but again, everyone was very accepting and respectful of our decision to keep it really small.

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

Justin’s face when I came down the aisle. He couldn’t stop smiling! My brother gave a reading and Justin’s sister read a poem she’d written for the ceremony. Our officiant did an amazing job of incorporating our story and the uniqueness of our relationship. We both had tears.

What were the highlights of the reception?

The toasts! All were fantastic and from the heart!! Seeing both of our families rocking out on the dance floor (my five year old nephew has mad skills). I particularly loved seeing my mother-in-law, who has significant knee problems, on the dance floor. The food was amazing. Our cake was delicious. And the photo booth was SO much fun. We didn’t want to spend the money on a photo booth company since our party was so small, so we asked the photographer to set up a little area at the reception and his assistant did the shooting there. We had the traditional props: mustaches and hats, but also some amazing ones that were inside jokes (grills and pictures of Gary Busey …  yes, you read that right) and it was a total crack up seeing our guests utilize them!

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

Because our guest list was so small, everyone really got to know each other. It was amazing to see two different cultures and families hit it off so well. And it felt so personal. Everyone who attended knew Justin and I really well and have always been supportive of our journey together. It felt appropriate that they were celebrating our marriage with us.

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

I would say (and this probably applies to any wedding) don’t let all the planning get to you. It’s not worth getting into arguments with your partner over how many courses to serve at dinner, nor is it worth shedding tears over what kind of napkins you should choose. Focus on the fact that you are marrying the most amazing person in the world and the party that you get to throw for all your family and loved ones is just icing on the (already) amazing cake.

Vendors:

Flowers: Botanica

Wedding Coordination: Mary Noble Classic Weddings

Photography: Ventana

Catering: Waters Fine Catering

Rentals: Classic Party Rentals

Leanne, 30 & Ramey, 27

Hector, AR

Wedding Date: September 2, 2011

Number of Guests: 40

Wedding Ceremony Location: W & J Ranch, Hector, AR

Wedding Reception Location: W & J Ranch, Hector, AR

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

Since this was both of our second weddings, we wanted our wedding to be unique, special, and intimate with only our closest family and friends there. The location was special because it was on my family’s farm, and my dad built the arch that we were married on. We wanted it to be casual and intimate. We wrote our own vows and tried to make the ceremony itself as personal as we could so that it didn’t feel like any other wedding, especially the ones we had in the past.

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

It was hard to keep it small and intimate.  We wanted it to feel special & feel like a “wedding”, and we wanted it to be small & unique to us, but it was hard to do all of that & keep the cost down and the wedding itself still small.

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?

YES!  At first we were going to send invitations to family & close friends only, but the closer it got the harder it was because people were finding out about the date & assumed they were invited. We wanted everyone there, but I was very insecure because it was my 2nd wedding, so I felt more comfortable just having those people that were closest to us there. We decided at the last minute not to send invitations, and whoever heard about it & wanted to come could come and we would just go along with whatever worked out.

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

We didn’t have any issues that we knew about. I hoped that anyone that really wanted to be there knew that we would love for them to be there, but I think most everyone understood that it was mainly just our families that would be there.

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

I have 3 highlights: 1. My brother married us, and he made the ceremony very personal and special. We laughed and cried throughout the ceremony.  2. One of the main highlights for me was hearing Ramey read his vows. It was the first time I had heard them, and I was blown away. It was one of the sweetest, best moments of my life.  3. Having Melissa there to capture that day for us in pictures was amazing. Having those memories taken by such an amazing photographer & close friend was definitely a highlight & a dream come true for me!

What were the highlights of the reception?

We had a very small reception. The highlight to me was just having it be like a big, casual family gathering. It was perfect. No worries, just visiting with our families.

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

The best part was that I didn’t worry about anything. If my girls didn’t stand up there with us the whole time, if I laughed or cried too much, if anything wasn’t exactly perfect – it didn’t matter! It was just our family & closest friends, so they loved those things about our wedding. I just loved it being so personal and casual.

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

It will all work out! I worried about hurting people’s feelings, or not doing everything just right in the beginning, but you have to remember that this is an intimate wedding that is all about you. Not what you should do, not what it should look like, but what you want & what is special & important to you!

Vendors:

Photography: Melissa McCrotty Photography

Dress: David’s Bridal

Flowers: Nick Schembra from Ann & Mike’s

Cake: Diane Stanek

Cara, 23 & Ken, 30

Lac du Bonnet, Manitoba

Wedding Date: October 10, 2010

Number of Guests: 25

Wedding Cost: $5,000

Wedding Ceremony Location: the deck/dock of parents cabin

Wedding Reception Location: parents cabin

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

Ken and I are the kind of people that don’t really care for huge extravagant parties. We’re homebodies and would much rather spend the night together at home watching a movie than go to a fancy lounge or party. We’ve known each other for 9 years now and when we decided to get married it wasn’t because we wanted to have a big gathering with all our friends and family. We wanted to do it, to finally make it official. Ken could’ve just as easily gone to city hall and signed some papers. I, of course, wanted a little more than that. So, we decided to only invite our immediate family and keep it very personal – just the people that knew the growth of our relationship and where we came from.

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

I think my biggest challenge was getting help. Having such a small wedding included having a small wedding party. Our wedding party consisted of our 3-year-old nephew as our ring bearer, our justice of the peace (Ken’s best friend who we got ordained) and Ken and I. Normally that wouldn’t be a “challenge” right? No need to worry about bridesmaid dresses, rehearsals, etc? Well… yes, that was a bonus, but our wedding was a DIY wedding in every sense of the word. Ken and I made everything. And I will admit, I lost my mind a little bit. We were engaged in June and married in October and in that time I was not only in school, but I was also making everything for the wedding. I sewed and stamped around 50 favor bags. Custom dyed around 100 mason jars. Turned 50 into lanterns, and 50 into vases. Made corsages and bow ties for the pets and boutonnieres for all the men. Custom designed our wedding bands. Had our friend ordained. Wrote the entire ceremony. Made 50 or so custom wrappers for chocolates. Each chocolate had a different engagement photo on it, and when you opened it up there was the password to our online photo gallery. Painted wedding directional signs that my brothers made to get guests from Winnipeg to the cabin with ease. Not to mention, all the other little things every bride does. And to top it all off … Ken and I folded 1,000 paper cranes, painted them gold, strung them together and hung them from the ceiling of the cabin. All of this would’ve been a whole heck of a lot easier with a wedding party to pass duties to.

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?

Because we knew it would be just immediate family it was pretty easy. About a month before the wedding, we sent a casual email to our close friends and extended family basically saying: “Hey, we’re having this wedding thing on October 10th. If you’re not doing anything, you’re welcome to swing by.” That way, the invitation was there, but there was very little pressure for them to actually come. I actually really enjoyed doing it that way because when people came that I wasn’t expecting, I was really excited to see them. It was a nice surprise.

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

Honestly, everyone was really understanding of our request. The small struggles we did have were just with my parents being the life of the party at the lake. Their cabin is kinda like party central. I basically compromised with them and asked that the wedding remain just close family for the ceremony, and anything after that was open to whomever.

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

Ah! That’s a tough one to answer. Ken doesn’t tend to take many things seriously and his vows were no exception. When it was his turn to read his vows, he searched his pockets, looking embarrassed like he forgot them. Finally, he pulled out a ripped up piece of wrapping paper and started to read off a shopping list. Stopped and said “Oh, oops. Wrong paper.” He searched again and pulled out the newspaper crossword puzzle, which his actual vows were written on. The other part that seemed like it came straight out of a movie was when our JP started to say the ol’ “if you have anything to say about this marriage…” my dog who was sitting in the front let out a bunch of barks. The only time he barked the entire ceremony and it was perfectly timed. And finally, the ending to the ceremony was very “us.” Ken and I were best friends for 6 years before being a couple so we have a lot of “buddy-buddy” tendencies still. Opposed to sealing our vows with a kiss like most, we had our JP read out “Ken, you may now high-five your bride!” It felt a lot more victorious than kissing (which we did after high fiving anyway).

What were the highlights of the reception?

Our reception was really casual. After the ceremony, most of our guests actually changed into sweats!! We played some Beatles rock band, took some more fun photos, had a delicious meal with local grown fruits and veggies. But I think the best part was after the toast to the bride and groom. Ken and I are huge dorks, and like I said, would rather play board games than go out drinking, so we made a crossword puzzle with clues about us. I tied them each up with a pencil attached and we said anybody that would like to try it could, and the first person to finish would get a custom painting from me. (I’m a fine arts student). We expected everyone to kind of groan and laugh, and just tease us about being such dorks, but we ended up having a full on competition break out. It was so fun to watch. There were some questions only one guest would know the answer too, so all our guests suddenly started to interact and ask each other questions to get clues. People that you wouldn’t think to have a fun chat at a small wedding would start laughing together. It was really entertaining and so nice to have a reminder that the people there were meant to be there.

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

It may sound really small, but not having to be introduced to someone at the wedding. Like most people, Ken and I don’t really act ourselves around people we don’t know. This wasn’t the case at our wedding. Everyone there we knew, and knew well. There was no pressure in regards to making sure I said hi to every guest by the end of the night, because it was impossible not to!

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

Don’t let other people’s feelings take over what you want. I’ve talked to so many brides that say something like “but so-and-so will be so hurt” and “but my mom wants to invite her second cousin from Finland”. They’ll get over it. Have a good photographer who will take tons of photos that allow the viewers to feel like they’re there and share them with the guests that would “be so hurt”. They’ll see how special it was and forget all about their grievances. Compromise if it’s a huge issue. Later when things calm down from wedding craziness, have a dinner somewhere with the people you wanted to invite but couldn’t. Or do what we did … casually invite anyone that wants to come a month before. If it’s on a long weekend like ours was, chances are they’ll already have plans and your wedding will still remain small.

Vendors:

Photography: Sugar and Soul Photography

Hair: James Ouellette of Hair FX

Makeup: Meagan Perron

J.P.: friend was ordained for the day

DJ: iPod

Cookies: Cut it Out Sugar Cookies by Joanne

Food: Debbie Small

Dress: Chantal’s Bridal

Suit: Club Monaco

Brides Shoes: OxfordHeaven

Grooms Shoes: Converse Allstars

Headpiece: BeSomethingNew

Earrings: ShlomitOfir

Garter: Let’s Dance Garters

Rings: Bryan Johnson Creations

Flowers: Costco, and then my mother arranged them the morning of the wedding.

Linens: Party stuff

Invitations: Midkid

Decor: Midkid

Watervleit, MI

Wedding Date: September 11, 2011

Number of Guests: 60 guests

Wedding Cost: $8,500

Wedding Ceremony Location: Wedding ceremony was at Mill Creek in their garden under a wooden trellis

Wedding Reception Location: Reception was held at Mill Creek in their rustic barn

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

We chose an intimate wedding because we wanted our closest friends and family to be there on our special day. It was a family getaway with a wedding in between. We wanted a relaxed, carefree vibe where everyone enjoyed each other and themselves.

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

Our wedding was a destination wedding – a 2 1/2 hour drive west – so choosing our vendors and making arrangements were all done via phone and email. We had put a lot of faith in the vendors we chose and were pleasantly satisfied with their services.

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?

It was difficult to choose which family and friends we were going to invite, so we stuck to immediate family and very close friends.

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

Our parents were concerned that if we invited one set of “aunts or uncles” we would need to also invite the others, so we just stuck to the immediate
family to make it fair.

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

We had gorgeous weather!  The highlight of our ceremony is when Todd was so excited to say “I will” that he blurted it out before he was asked to take this woman to be his wife! Everyone laughed and there were big smiles all around.

What were the highlights of the reception?

The reception was like a fun family reunion, lots of laughing and dancing all night! The kids were able to run around and play like they were in their own backyard. Some of them even had a turn on the microphone singing their favorite songs! The environment was extremely relaxed. We were able to enjoy ourselves with no “wedding agenda pressures”.

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

The best thing about an intimate wedding is sharing our love and special day with the ones that are nearest and dearest to our hearts.

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

For us an intimate wedding was an easy decision. We were on a budget, wanted no stress of planning a large event and we wanted to celebrate the day for what it was. We didn’t want to get caught up by losing focus on the purpose and meaning of the day.

Vendors:

Photographer:  Amy Straka Photography

Floral Designer:  Bloomies Flower Studio

Reception Venue:  Millcreek Barns

Cake Designer:  Dee’s Specialty Cakes