Planning A Small Wedding: Tips For An Intimate Ceremony

Planning a small wedding ceremony can be a wonderful idea for an intimate and memorable celebration. Small weddings allow you to involve more of your guests, whether they're blessing rings or setting their intentions for the couple. You can also include personalised touches, such as a photo slideshow of you and your partner's journey together, or interactive games for your guests to get to know each other. However, it's important to remember to stay true to yourself and not be afraid to add or leave out wedding traditions as you see fit.

Involving your guests in the ceremony

Small wedding ceremonies are a great opportunity to involve your guests. Since it's an intimate celebration, you'll be able to celebrate with your nearest and dearest without the 'obligations' of having to invite extended family or coworkers or friends you've lost touch with. This means you can make the day extra special for your guests and have them get involved in the ceremony.

One idea is to have everyone read a line of a special reading at the ceremony or have them stand and encircle you as you exchange your vows. You could also ask your officiant to have the guests be involved in the ceremony, whether they're blessing rings or setting their intentions for the couple. Having guests somehow invested in the marriage is really unique and can be great at a small wedding.

If you have room in your wedding budget, you could allow your guests to have a plus-one, but keep in mind that your headcount can grow quickly. Before sending out invitations, talk with your partner about your stance on plus-ones. Typically, plus-ones are reserved for significant partners (meaning the couple is engaged or married).

You could also add some personalised touches to involve your guests, such as creating a photo slideshow of you and your partner's journey together, including fun, sweet, and even silly moments that everyone will enjoy. Another idea is to have some interactive games or trivia about you and your partner. This can be a fun way for both families to bond and get to know each other better.

Keeping the guest list small

One way to keep the guest list small is to only invite your parents, siblings and closest friends. If you want to keep the numbers down even further, you could opt for a family-only ceremony. Before sending out invitations, it's a good idea to discuss with your partner whether you will allow plus-ones. If you do decide to allow plus-ones, it's best to reserve them for significant others only (meaning the couple is engaged or married).

If you're worried about your small wedding feeling 'lame', there are ways to make the day feel special and engaging. For example, you could ask your officiant to involve your guests in the ceremony, whether that's by having them read a line of a special reading, encircling you as you exchange your vows, or blessing your rings. You could also include personalised touches, such as a photo slideshow of you and your partner's journey together, or interactive games to help both families bond.

Adding personalised touches

Small weddings can be incredibly intimate and memorable, and they give you the opportunity to add lots of personalised touches.

One way to make your small wedding ceremony unique is to involve your guests in the ceremony. For example, you could ask your officiant to have your guests bless your rings or set their intentions for you as a couple. Alternatively, you could have your guests stand in a circle around you as you exchange your vows, or you could have each guest read a line of a special reading.

You could also create a photo slideshow of you and your partner's journey together, including fun, sweet, and silly moments. This is a great way to get your guests involved and create a memorable experience for everyone.

If you want to add a fun element to your wedding, consider including some light get-to-know-you games or trivia about you and your partner. This can be a great way to break the ice and get everyone laughing, and it's especially useful if your families don't know each other well.

Finally, remember that this is your wedding, so do something a little different that you couldn't do with a larger guest list. Stay true to yourself and your partner, and don't be afraid to add or leave out wedding traditions as you see fit.

Planning interactive games

Get-to-know-you games: These can be a great way to break the ice and encourage guests to mingle, especially if they don't know each other well. Consider games like two truths and a lie, or a scavenger hunt where guests have to find items that represent different aspects of the couple's relationship.

Trivia about the couple: Creating a trivia game about the couple is a fun way to involve guests in celebrating their love story. Include questions about how they met, their first date, their favourite things to do together, and any inside jokes or funny stories. This can be played as a group or in teams, with prizes for the winners.

Interactive activities: In addition to games, consider interactive activities that guests can participate in throughout the ceremony and reception. For example, you could have a photo booth with props and a guest book where guests can leave messages and well wishes. Or, set up a station where guests can write date night ideas or marriage advice for the couple.

Personalised games: Make the games unique to the couple by incorporating their hobbies and interests. For example, if they love music, create a playlist game where guests have to guess the song and artist, with points awarded for the fastest correct answer. Or, if they're foodies, have a tasting game where guests have to guess the ingredients or flavours in different dishes.

The key to planning interactive games for a small wedding ceremony is to keep them light, fun, and engaging. By involving guests in the celebration, you'll create a memorable and intimate atmosphere that everyone will enjoy.

Staying true to yourself

Small wedding ceremonies are becoming increasingly popular and can be incredibly intimate and memorable. If you're having a small wedding ceremony, you can involve more of your guests. Depending on the size of your event, you can have everyone read a line of a special reading at the ceremony or have them stand and encircle you as you exchange your vows. You could also ask your officiant to have the guests be involved in the ceremony, whether they're blessing rings or setting their intentions for the couple.

The most important thing to remember when planning a small wedding ceremony is to stay true to yourself and your partner. Don't do anything to please anyone else. It's your wedding, so have the day you want as a couple. Do something a little different that you couldn't do with 100 guests. For example, you could include personalised touches, such as a photo slideshow of you and your partner's journey together, or interactive games to help both families bond.

Before sending out invitations, talk with your partner about your stance on plus-ones. Typically, plus-ones are reserved for significant partners (meaning the couple is engaged or married). Establishing this guideline is a surefire way to keep your guest list small. If you have room in your wedding budget, you can allow your guests to have a plus-one, but keep in mind that your headcount can grow quickly.

Small wedding ceremonies can be a great way to celebrate with your nearest and dearest without the 'obligations' of having to invite extended family or coworkers or friends you've lost touch with. So, when planning your small wedding ceremony, remember to stay true to yourself and your partner, and create a day that reflects who you are as a couple.

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