Deciding to plan an intimate wedding or a big wedding can be a big deal. You want to celebrate with your loved ones, but you don’t want to hurt any feelings. Eloping is as intimate as it gets, but if you want to have a few family and friends, maybe an intimate wedding is right for you!

When deciding to have an intimate wedding day there are a few factors to consider:

How you and your partner are going to feel throughout the day.

Will you miss having a big reception and ceremony? Are you okay with having a handful of people to celebrate and nothing more? What does your dream wedding look like? If having every person you know and love surround you on your big day is ideal, then maybe a big wedding is for you! But if the thought of having a ton of people watching you all day sounds terrifying.. an intimate wedding might be the perfect fit. You still get to celebrate with those you love most without the social anxiety that comes along with big weddings.

The cost you want to spend on your wedding day.

Intimate weddings are more cost-effective. If you’re looking to have a smaller wedding to save on money, this is definitely the right choice! You have fewer people to feed, less venue space needed, and the cost of decor goes down significantly. You can splurge on the necessities and have an absolutely beautiful wedding.

The must-have people on your invite list.

This is where it can get tricky… but it can also be the best part! Intimate weddings can really be whatever you want them to be. If you want to do a simple vow exchange and then have an intimate dinner with your immediate family, you can do that! Or do a small ceremony with extended family and a few friends and party it up afterward.

This really comes down to who is the most important, and how big you’re wanting the day to be.

Keep in mind that your day is about YOU. It can be easy to factor in other people’s feelings and needs when planning a wedding but this should not be the case! You and your partner get to decide what you want and how you want the day to go.

I might be a little biased but I absolutely LOVE intimate weddings. The emotions can run higher when there are fewer nerves and the love and thoughtfulness can really shine through. Vow exchanges, intimate ceremonies, first-look moments, and a simple dinner is my kind of wedding.

Want to start planning your intimate wedding and need a photographer? I’m here to help! Let’s chat 🙂

Looking for intimate wedding inspiration? Check out my Pinterest!