We had our small wedding reception at home, so we did not have to deal with venue owners snubbing us for having a small wedding. But judging by what I’ve read from other brides, it’s not an uncommon occurence. Take Naoimi for instance.

Naoimi is a reporter over at TimesUnion.com, and she’s planning a wedding of 50-75 guests. Naomi is searching for a venue for her wedding and decided to check out an area country club. When she arrived for the tour she was cordially welcomed – that is, until she informed the tour guide that she was having a small wedding. She writes:

Fifty to 75 people, I told him. Not good. Their ballroom seats 300, he said; the space would dwarf our party. I believed him, but I was still curious. We didn’t get to see it, though. Instead, he showed us a section of the dining room that was partitioned off and empty. The dining room could be used for smaller events, he said, but it wasn’t a good space for wedding receptions.

“Fifty to 75 … ehhh,” he said several times, shrugging. The tour was clearly over. After he walked away, toward the club’s inner sanctum (no handshake this time), I realized my coat was still in his office. Luckily, the door was open, so I retrieved it and left as quickly as possible.

Judging by the flood of comments that Naoimi received, this topic clearly struck a nerve with her audience.

But there is hope for Naomi. Plenty of it. There are small wedding friendly venues out there. Beautiful venues that welcome intimate guest lists. I don’t mean to toot my own horn here (okay, maybe I do.. just a little), but that’s the beauty of the Intimate Weddings Venue Finder. The venues listed are ideal for small weddings. And there’s always the possiblity of an at-home wedding – whether it’s your own home, or a rented private residence.

Have any of you had similar difficulties finding a venue because of your small guest list? Have you been snubbed? I would love to hear your comments.

Paper pom poms are all the rage lately. No wonder. They’re pretty, inexpensive and easy to make. (That’s what people are saying, anyway. I haven’t attempted to make them myself.)

Planet Mithi made Martha Stewart paper pompoms for her wedding. And here’s what she had to say about making the paper pom poms:

“It turned out to be extremely easy to do and so I set about sourcing enough tissue paper in colours that I wanted to make at least 50 of them! 1 is easy; 50 is a bit more demanding … It took me a whole day and a half of solid work to fold and tie them up.”

Here’s how they looked:

 

Wouldn’t these be a fun DIY project for a backyard wedding? There is a pom pom vines tutorial over at OnceWed.com.

There are also paper pom pom napkins.

You can learn to make these pom pom napkins over at YumSugar.

I go to yard sales. I go to rummage sales and flea markets. I go to second hand stores. I see dishes. Beautiful antique dishes – going for a song. But I don’t buy them because I don’t own a China cabinet and my cupboards are already busting at the seams. But someone could do wonderful things with these lovely old dishes. Like rent them out for vintage weddings.

Maybe I don’t get out enough, but until a couple of days ago I had never heard of such a thing as a vintage crockery rental business. Judging by the number of vintage crockery rental businesses online, it looks like it’s a hot little trend in the U.K. Are there similar businesses here in North America? If so, I’d love to hear about them. If not, what are you waiting for ladies? What a fun and creative business idea!

U.K’s My Vintage Party, for instance, hires out vintage crockery, linens and accessories for vintage weddings and afternoon tea parties. Each piece is priced individually. London’s The Crockery Cupboard and The English Tea Party also offer a similar service.

But My Vintage Party offers something unique to go along with the crockery rental; a vintage caravan!

Florida has some pretty stunning beaches that are perfect for saying ‘I do’. Like the one at Deer Lake State Park in Santa Rose Beach, Florida. Gorgeous. Dani and Richard had an intimate wedding there a few weeks ago. Amanda Suanne shot the lovely photos of the couple’s beach wedding.

I have a thing for wheat. So when I saw this DIY fall bouquet I was instantly smitten. I love the softness of the pastel roses paired with wheat. I’ve never seen them combined before.

For the full instructions on how to make this pretty DIY fall bouquet, visit Jenny Steffens.