How to create the perfect Micro Wedding
In all of my years in the industry, the hundreds upon hundreds of weddings I have been part of, big and small, I never thought that we would see a situation where restrictions were in place for the amazing couples I get to work with.
Whether you have been planning out your wedding since you were 15 years old, sitting on your bedroom floor with cut-outs from magazines of your dream day, or whether you only started to think about what you wanted when you found “the one”, no one could have planned for Covid, and I am pretty sure that you didn’t exactly plan to have to make a decision about whether to have an intimate ceremony or whether you wait until things can be a little more normal again.
It is a hard decision to make and I have seen the upset that has taken over what should be the best day of your life. I truly feel heartbroken for all of the couples who are now facing the prospect of moving their wedding date for a 3rd or 4th time. We have been very lucky to be able to do what we love for some couples who chose to go ahead with their plans, despite their guest numbers restricted to 30. Even those who saw the allowable number drop to 15 weren’t phased by the prospect and they still had a magical day and a fabulous time, just under a slightly different version of the original plan.
If you do decide to go ahead, you can still have a truly magical day. A really intimate one, filled with the most precious people in your life. I think we are all feeling more and more grateful for that right now.
Today I wanted to share with you some ideas of things that can make your intimate wedding as special as it can be. Remembered for the right reasons, and not for the reasons of Covid. Remember for your love, your joy, your happiness. The smiles, the giggles, the atmosphere that can be created and made so special when you are surrounded by the people you love the most in the world.
We still want to help you have an amazing day, regardless of the size of the party. Book an online consultation here >>> http://icedandspliced.com/contact
So, let’s get planning that magical, intimate day and give you some ideas of how you can make it extra special.
An intimate wedding of 15 at The Nottinghamshire
The Aisle
How you dress your aisle will depend greatly on the location of your ceremony. Registry Offices don’t allow much in the way of decoration, but as you’re only in the space for 20 minutes, it’s not going to be missed that much. You could still talk to them and see what is possible for you and if there aren’t many options, know that the amazing dress, flowers and details that you have adorned you and your hubby to be with will be the stars of the show!
If your ceremony is in Church, line your aisle with flowers! Pew Ends look fabulous in photos and add colour, texture and scent to Church spaces which can often be dark. Flowers add a softness to the scene, and make it feel more cosy and intimate.
A Civil ceremony at your Reception Venue offers lots of options for your aisle.
Again flowers add a splash of colour and focal point to your walk down the aisle. Lanterns or candles in clear glass cylinder vases, with petals scattered around and between them, can add length to your aisle, especially when you consider that 15 chairs, when spread evenly either side of your aisle, doesn’t cover that much ground… even when social distancing rules are taken into consideration. Adding details will add warmth and depth to the space, making it feel like it is full of love.
The Wedding Breakfast
You may need to rethink your entire table plan, as guests should be seated by household or social bubble at the moment. This isn’t as major an issue as you may first think, as it actually helps you to fill your Reception space more.
Having 15 people seated at 3 tables, or even 4 if necessary, helps to fill a large room while keeping people apart and safe. There are still a lot of people who find mixing with others quite intimidating, so giving them extra space will ease any anxiety they may have. Dressing the space will add depth to it and make it feel fuller so don’t worry about it feeling empty – we love a bit of white space to play with! Allows for those creative styling juices to really get going!
At this time, the concept of a “Sweetheart” table has come into its own.
Usually used to satisfy any family issues a traditional top table can bring up, having a Sweetheart table for the Happy Couple adheres to social distancing and means that they are 100% the focal point of their smaller celebration. I love this as a new way of working the space, it feels more special somehow and I hope it is a thing that stays on trend for a while.
Table Decorations
Being a little more lavish with your flowers and decorations helps to fill the room even more and adds soft touches that really adds to the story of your day.
Runners to bring colour and texture, candles in various holder styles for added romantic lighting and plenty of pretty floral touches not only fill empty spaces, but also help your suppliers out too. For instance, there will be minimum numbers that your florist will need to buy to fulfill your order. With limited outlets for them to use any excess stock, it makes sense for you to use every part of what your florist will need to order. The fullness of a floral display makes those empty spaces feel part of the day rather than a requirement.
Hints of detail for a small wedding celebration at Shottle Hall
Wedding Cake
Cutting your wedding cake is your first joint act as a married couple, so even if you do decide to have a small ceremony and celebration meal, having a mini version of the cake you had planned adds some tradition to the day’s events and still enables you to get that beautiful shot for your wedding album.
So a wedding for 15 people isn’t going to feel very traditional, but that’s where you can have some fun with things and it’s where you can really add those details to make the day far more intimate and memorable.
There are a couple of options with your cake. You could go with the original design you had planned for and then, after the wedding, deliver a piece of cake to those who couldn’t make the day (safely of course!). A wedding cake doorstop drop would be lots of fun!
You could always have a smaller version of the originally designed cake, and keep the big boy until you have a wedding party when the time feels right.
Alternately, you could go with something totally different and get creative with the cake options that you have for the number of guests you’ll share the cake with.
Of course, when it comes to cake and styling I am here for you to talk to so please do get in touch and we can have a chat about some ideas for you
Working with your cake designer to bring parts of the ‘main’ cake on to your Wedding cake, even though it’s smaller but no less amazing, alludes to what you have in store for your ‘after party’
Top Table drape with lots of candles & florals at Shottle Hall
A Mirco wedding doesn’t have to mean basic
It’s been such a difficult time for many and even though your day may not be exactly as you had planned, you can still have an amazing day. Speaking as part of the wedding industry, we have been hit so hard by the past 6 months, abandoned by government and told to “Get a better job”. There is no better job for us. Our job is to give you an amazing wedding day and we will be doing that for many years. We love love love what we do and we are an important industry in the economy and we know that our amazing couples understand that and have our back.
You can still have a day to remember and we can still work with you to make it as amazing as possible. Until the big party can happen (I have a feeling there will be a few of those!)
Push the boat out with the extra things that you can now add in, which will feature so heavily in the photographs you’ll have to mark the occasion.
Photos are a lasting memory of many events, especially weddings.
Don’t look back on your wedding day and regret not having those details just because your plans were reduced to a smaller scale. This is just the excuse you need to be extravagant and make the most of how things have to be right now.
Even if you decide to have a larger party or Blessing in a year or so, the day you actually say ‘I Do’ should have just as special a vibe.
Push the boat out, let your suppliers help you have an amazing time.
I know I miss not being able to practice my craft, just as much as many of my Wedding Industry friends.
We all love weddings. They are part of our souls
Help us to help you.
We’re all in this together and we want to make the most of whatever your wedding day has to be and the choices you need to make.
If getting married as soon as possible is your ultimate priority, then let’s get you married with as much elegance and finesse as we can magic up.
If you need help during these difficult times, then please reach out. I’m here to help as much as I can
Stay safe, love Jo x
Moon Arch & 3 tier wedding cake for a wedding of 30 at Swancar Farm