Sometimes I’m the kind of person who is all, “go big or go home” and other times I like to stick to the “less is more” card.
When it comes to weddings, I like to subscribe to the less is more school of thought.
Hear me out! Times are changing and a lot of newly engaged couples are realizing they don’t want to spend a ton of money on an extravagant wedding. Or they want to keep things intimate, without other people’s input, without sticking to traditions or strict timelines… and that’s okay! To each its own. The beauty about your wedding day is that you can do whatever you want. Really.
As a wedding photographer, these intimate celebrations of love are not lost on me. It’s always such an honor to be part of your wedding day regardless of what that looks like so if you’re here looking for some inspiration on what to do or how to plan your small wedding, here are some ideas for ya!
Get married at an airbnb, vrbo, or other rental property.
If you don’t have a beautiful backyard or if you just want something with a gorgeous view, look into rental properties. Always make sure they allow for parties or a high number of people parked outside the property, though!
Take it to the beach.
You don’t have to worry too much about decorations if you have a beach option nearby and want to do something small during sunrise or sunset hours. Always triple check you do not need a permit, though! Some South Florida beaches are actually private property and you need special permission to do things like get married or even have professional photography going on.
Splurge on post-ceremony bride and groom portraits. Splurge on floral arrangements. Splurge on your favorite activities!
This has been one of my favorite things to photograph! You can have a courthouse wedding or small exchange of vows in the presence of an officiant and then go out to do your favorite things with a photographer present to get some rad portraits of you and your boo.
Some ideas I’ve had the pleasure of photographing:
Ice skating rink bride and groom portrait session
Street photo session in Vegas! – Fremont Street Experience, to be exact. Where the couple had their first date
With a super-rad vintage car + some bold colored florals
In their favorite and closest park.
A stunning garden. (Vizcaya Museum & Gardens)
Plan a backyard wedding.
Such an affordable and solid option for those who are into DIY projects. Also, a really great idea if you don’t want to be tied down to a timeline or to a venue’s policies OR if you spent the money on a house instead of a huge wedding and now you want to enjoy that personal space by having your closest friends/family join you for a small celebration. I mean, the possibilities are endless!
Do a family-only reception.
So you decided to do the courthouse thing or the ceremony at sunrise on a weekday but now you want to include your favorite people… why not have a special reception with just them? Wedding receptions do not need to get crazy fancy or expensive. You can splurge on a private chef or catering from your favorite restaurant and some simple decor.
To wrap things up, I want to mention two things.
1 – How many people = small wedding? In my experience photographing small weddings, micro-weddings, and elopements, small wedding means 40 people or less. So really just your immediate family members and closest (and I mean CLOSEST) friends.
2- Weddings are not cheap, my friends! On average, a traditional wedding can cost at least $40k.
If you don’t want to break the bank or want to spend your money in a more meaningful way, then a small wedding may be the option for you. You may be looking at spending between $5k-10k.
P.S. if you’re totally ready to book me as your small wedding photographer, you can reach out to me on the contact
form you’ll see here: http://www.clickinmarphoto.com/weddings
and I’ll work with you every step of the way. Happy wedding-ing!
