Small Wedding Party Ideas: A Step-by-Step Guide to Planning Your Perfect Day
Your special day is all about you and your partner, and you get to decide how you want to celebrate! That means a small wedding party can be the best option if you want an intimate, unique event. With a more intimate wedding, you can DIY more or stretch your budget further. A smaller ceremony can also take a lot of the stress out of the day, ensuring that you feel your best and are surrounded by your closest family and friends.
As a New Jersey wedding photographer, I’ve captured couples’ most special moments, from weddings in huge venues to small elopements. I can help you each step of the way to determine if a small wedding party is right for you and how you can make sure it’s exactly what you want. It’s definitely my favorite as a photographer!
With photography packages designed specifically for intimate weddings, I’d be honored to capture your small wedding party. Before I dive in, let’s chat here to talk more about your plans!
How to Choose Who to Invite in Your Small Wedding Party
If you’re having a smaller wedding, that doesn’t mean you have to cut out the things you’re most excited about! If you follow these steps, you can make sure you have the wedding of your dreams.
Determine Your Priorities
First, sit with your partner and determine what your priorities are. That might include a catered dinner, a full ceremony, a small wedding party, and photography and videography. Before you even think about budget, make sure you have a vision of what your wedding will look like.
Consider Logistics
Next comes budget and logistics. There are always ways to make your priorities happen in a small wedding, but it just might take a little creativity and research. Consider the venue and what you can DIY to save money.
Set Your Boundaries
There are a ton of traditions that you can include in your wedding, but that doesn’t mean you have to. To stick with a small wedding party, make sure you have clear boundaries about what you don’t want to include, or where you have to limit your guest size and budget.
How to Tell People About Your Small Wedding Party
Even though your wedding is all about you, the people around you are always eager to be involved. Most often, people are coming from a place of love and support, and just want to be with you on your special day. But, it can get stressful figuring out how to tell people that you’ve chosen a small wedding party.
My advice is to communicate as early and directly as you can. As soon as you know you’re having a small wedding party, start finding time with your loved ones who aren’t on the guest list so you can tell them in person or over the phone.
Don’t forget that you’re allowed to make the best decisions for yourself, so you don’t have to over-explain! Let your loved ones know that it was the best decision for you and your partner. I have more tips for telling your family and friends that you’re eloping here.
Ideas for Making Your Small Wedding Party Special
A small wedding party can actually be even more personalized than a big wedding! With these ideas, you can make sure your day is as special as possible.
Take advantage of personalized details - Especially if you’re not having your wedding at a big venue, you’ll have much more flexibility to DIY your decor and bring in the vendors that are the most special to you.
Capture the moment - With a smaller wedding, your photographer and videographer will be able to capture even more! Book intimate wedding photography to capture every moment.
Plan a fun celebration - Consider including things like lawn games, private gifts, and a morning brunch to make the celebration even more fun.
Capturing the Moments: What Small Wedding Party Photos Look Like
Your small wedding party photos will focus on the intimate details throughout your special day. If you work with me, I’ll capture all of the candid moments that sometimes get missed with a bigger and busier wedding.
You can count on a story of your wedding through all of the photos you’ll receive, allowing you to relive every moment for years to come.
Bonus Small Wedding Party Ideas to Consider
Looking for a little bit more inspiration? Consider these fun ideas for your small wedding:
Communal dining: One of the best parts of a small wedding is that everyone can sit together! Consider using a long table for communal dining.
Personal venue: To save money and find the perfect-sized space for your small wedding, consider a personal venue like a loved one’s backyard, home, or garden.
DIY gifts: Have some fun craft time for yourself and make custom gifts for your guests, like candles, ornaments, or painted bud vases. It’s easier when you don’t need to make a hundred of them!
Unique entertainment: With a smaller wedding, you don’t have to choose between a DJ or a band. You can also choose other performers like violinists, harpists, or acoustic guitar. Or, use our own personalized playlist.
Food and snacks: With fewer guests, your budget might be able to cover dinner and snacks! Send your guests home with DIY snack bundles or fun homemade treats.
If these ideas are sparking your wedding planning, contact me today to start putting it all together! With my intimate wedding package, you can make sure all of the special details are captured throughout your day. I love small wedding parties and would be honored to document your celebration.