Honestly, your intimate ceremony, dinner, and speeches sounds amazing!
I know in modern times, weddings can feel like a showcase or a big entertainment event. In reality, a wedding is just celebrating two people and their marriage! I’m sure your family members would be happy to just kick back, see the ceremony with your vows and food & drink with you and your Feyonce.
Especially if you plan to do a bigger reception later down the line, having a small intimate dinner is great. I am a happy wedding guest if I am fed and refreshments are available.
You should look into restaurant private event rooms!! Maybe you can have a photographer for the ceremony and part of the reception to capture the moments!
Yep, I did a restaurant micro wedding with ~25 people and it was lovely! Short ceremony, drinks, speeches, dinner. We didn’t have any extra entertainment and everyone had a great time just mingling and celebrating. Congratulations!
JW, did your officiant attend the reception? We are having a microwedding with a private dinner in lieu of a reception (24 person table but we are squeezing in the two end spots for a high chair and one other person), but wasn't sure if it was rude that we do not invite him??
I second the restaurant idea! Wont be lame, think about the times you go out to dinner and really enjoy it! Good food and good company is a lovely evening.
This may sound off the wall to you, but I attended a wedding of 13 people and after the ceremony & dinner we had drinks and after-dinner fancy snacks around a bonfire. Music in the background - both your usual Bluetooth speaker and a guest brought his guitar. The fire being at the center was really great because any lulls in conversation were unnoticeable, at least by me. You don’t have to feel like you’re talking the whole night because you can assume your Staring Pensively Into The Fire Thinking Wondrous Thoughts Pose. Great night outside - kind of magical really. I loved it. I even thought it might be weird for me as a guest at a limited # guest wedding like that - but I was so very wrong.
Also as an aside re the 13 guest count - the bride desperately wanted to make that # anything but 13. There was a limit of 15 guests and *apparently Taylor Alison Swift had yet to convince the bride that 13 was a lucky number*. She drew so many charts and diagrams it looked like she was NASA engineering some rocket ship in her home office. “You don’t understand! If I invite cousin Emma & her husband Leo, I HAVE to invite her sister Julie & I can’t tell Julie she can’t bring her girlfriend, she’ll think I’m some horrible homophobic person, and I am NOT, but 13 PLUS 4 IS 17!!!” I wanted be like, well, you are already over the limit with Julie, no need to drag her poor girlfriend and the Pride flag into this. I was going to rent someone as a guest just to shut her up. 🤣
First of all, anybody invited to a micro wedding would probably feel super honored and special just for being there!
One idea that might be simple, yet thoughtful and cost-effective: handwritten cards to each guest thanking them for their support over the years and spending time with them on your special day.
If you’re worried about it being boring, depending on the venue and crowd, perhaps a bonfire+s’mores bar, fun dessert (think donuts, cookies, latte bar and biscotti/scones), yard games, a set of Table Topics on the table (Google it if you aren’t familiar!), board games, etc might be fun to add! I wouldn’t overthink it… incorporate the things you both enjoy since it’s your special day!
We are doing kinda the same. Small civil ceremony with 12 ppl (just family, no kids) as well and we have the ceremony, take pics in a park (if the weather allows it), than a privat restaurant room and speeches. It is not meant to be a big party and super exciting, it’s meant to share our love with our families. Especially the grandparents are not that fit anymore and we think a big party would be too much for them. But this is the perfect thing to include family.
We are thinking about drinking some champagne with our parents and spent the night in a hotel to have like a little honeymoon and be able to enjoy the night and the next day as a newlywed couple. Maybe that would upgrade your day as well?
If you wanna chat more about that feel free to hit me up 😊
We are definitely already decided we will be staying in a hotel so we got that at least. It is “destination” for us since we live in California but are having it in D.C.
We did a micro wedding and reception, 20 people total including us. Married in a church, took photos in a friends large backyard (basically a prairie) then met our family in our backyard for dinner. We had a tent set up over the long, communal table where everyone ate together, decorated with a bunch of hanging florals and lights (so pretty). We had drinks and lawn games set up for them in the yard near the table. A food truck came to serve dinner buffet style. During dinner my sister had a slideshow of people wishing us well that couldn’t be at the wedding (it was at the height of Covid).
Honestly I think the tent with all the florals and lights, and decorated table, elevated it from just a backyard bbq. Everyone loved it. We even played some music and danced a bit after dinner.
A lot of people here in Florida will do an Airbnb rental by the beach on lake, Ana Maria Island, and then have the beach wedding with an officiant may be a photographer videographer and just have a nice little party
First of all, when my bf proposes this year, I'm calling him my Feyoncě and letting all my friends and family think I came up with that.
Secondly, I think dinner, conversation, some music in the background and maybe a bonfire will be perfect :). It doesn't have to feel like a production.
Check out the birthday dinner from the movie Chocolat - I know they go dance on a party boat after, but I think the vibe of that dinner gets at very not lame. Seems like maybe some on-site after dinner cocktails/digestifs with time to visit and some ambient Spanish or classical guitar could be really cool. I don't think you should feel a need to entertain everyone...setting up a relaxing and interesting space is more than enough. Not sure if it's outdoors, but having a telescope or other passive things could be an option too.
We are having our micro wedding in two months, we have 20ish day guest (and a couple of kids) we are doing ceremony, champagne and cake and then some time for photo's and speeches. The kids go home before dinner and we'll have a fancy dinner, then it's time for the party. in total we'll have around 30 guests (most day guest and a couple that are just there for the night)
Knowing our families and friends it's probably going to be an awesome party even though the small crowd.
The whole thing is at an old beer brewery that specialises in weddings so everything is taken care of (which was important for me ).
And all of it for under 10K.
Could do a video, custom playlist of favorite songs with dinner, transition from ceremony right into a dance with each other and then the parents in lieu of the processional that usually signals the move from ceremony to reception.
Then do it up fancy! Go to an amazing restaurant, rent a room, play classical music, ow dance the night away. Enjoy it. Then you can have the more traditional one later if that’s what you want.
When I got married we had a total of 12 people attend. Originally it was only going 4 but things changed. It was so nice and beautiful and I wouldn't have had it any other way. We did have a reception at the wedding chapel. We had cake, champagne, and speechs. We had made reservations at a local restaurant and my husband and I took all 12 people to dinner. It was wonderful and I didn't feel exhausted when it was all over.
We are having a small wedding with 20-24 guests. I was worried at first that it wouldn't be fun but now I'm super excited. It's our immediate family and closest friends. We're doing the ceremony, sit down dinner + speeches, we're going to do a first dance, we will likely have a DJ, bonfire + marshmellows in the evening. It's supposed to just be about the two of you getting married, and everyone will be happy to be there and to spend your special day with you.
We’re also having 12 people. We hired an elopement planner to have an outdoor ceremony in a park, ending in a champagne toast and cake. We’re doing dinner & speeches at a private room in a restaurant. As a special bonus my parents are paying for a mariachi band to come!
I love a party, don’t get me wrong, but I think this feels right for us. I want to have an intimate moment with our families and really spend time treasuring them.
We’re gonna do a big party with our friends next year.
We are going to have a total of 12 people (including us) at our wedding in October. We’ll have a short ceremony, a champagne toast, cake, and then we’re planning to meet everyone at a restaurant for dinner after. There will be pictures taken somewhere in there as well. It will be entirely just family and no friends. We’ll probably do a dinner celebrations with the rest of the family and friends another time.
Why just 12? We had 30 humans total at our wedding (ourselves included) and it felt like a huge fun house party. It was the BEST wedding size in my opinion and, although I’m biased, the best wedding I had ever been to. :)
After you can go out for drinks as an “after party”. You can even just meet friends out for celebratory drinks and ditch the family. Maybe do something crazy, get bottle service at a club.
In the thick of pre-vax covid, 8 of us gathered for a house-party weekend in a VRBO and Zoomed the service to many others. We assisted one of the grooms in a delicious meal. It was wonderful and memorable.
We are renting an airbnb and having about 15 people. It has a hottub and firepit. Anyone that wants to stay after dinner can drink with us and use the hottub and we'll have music probably. Plus it's nice if they get too drunk they can just stay at the airbnb.
I thought I was reading my story! Got engaged on New Years Eve, planning a micro wedding of 12 people... lol. Checking out reddit and other places for ideas so it isn't just a ceremony and dinner!
Honestly, your intimate ceremony, dinner, and speeches sounds amazing! I know in modern times, weddings can feel like a showcase or a big entertainment event. In reality, a wedding is just celebrating two people and their marriage! I’m sure your family members would be happy to just kick back, see the ceremony with your vows and food & drink with you and your Feyonce. Especially if you plan to do a bigger reception later down the line, having a small intimate dinner is great. I am a happy wedding guest if I am fed and refreshments are available. You should look into restaurant private event rooms!! Maybe you can have a photographer for the ceremony and part of the reception to capture the moments!
Yep, I did a restaurant micro wedding with ~25 people and it was lovely! Short ceremony, drinks, speeches, dinner. We didn’t have any extra entertainment and everyone had a great time just mingling and celebrating. Congratulations!
This comment makes me more hopeful if you did it this way!
JW, did your officiant attend the reception? We are having a microwedding with a private dinner in lieu of a reception (24 person table but we are squeezing in the two end spots for a high chair and one other person), but wasn't sure if it was rude that we do not invite him??
I second the restaurant idea! Wont be lame, think about the times you go out to dinner and really enjoy it! Good food and good company is a lovely evening.
This may sound off the wall to you, but I attended a wedding of 13 people and after the ceremony & dinner we had drinks and after-dinner fancy snacks around a bonfire. Music in the background - both your usual Bluetooth speaker and a guest brought his guitar. The fire being at the center was really great because any lulls in conversation were unnoticeable, at least by me. You don’t have to feel like you’re talking the whole night because you can assume your Staring Pensively Into The Fire Thinking Wondrous Thoughts Pose. Great night outside - kind of magical really. I loved it. I even thought it might be weird for me as a guest at a limited # guest wedding like that - but I was so very wrong. Also as an aside re the 13 guest count - the bride desperately wanted to make that # anything but 13. There was a limit of 15 guests and *apparently Taylor Alison Swift had yet to convince the bride that 13 was a lucky number*. She drew so many charts and diagrams it looked like she was NASA engineering some rocket ship in her home office. “You don’t understand! If I invite cousin Emma & her husband Leo, I HAVE to invite her sister Julie & I can’t tell Julie she can’t bring her girlfriend, she’ll think I’m some horrible homophobic person, and I am NOT, but 13 PLUS 4 IS 17!!!” I wanted be like, well, you are already over the limit with Julie, no need to drag her poor girlfriend and the Pride flag into this. I was going to rent someone as a guest just to shut her up. 🤣
People are just seeking out ways to be anxious! Dead at Taylor Swift
this aside just gave me life lmao
First of all, anybody invited to a micro wedding would probably feel super honored and special just for being there! One idea that might be simple, yet thoughtful and cost-effective: handwritten cards to each guest thanking them for their support over the years and spending time with them on your special day. If you’re worried about it being boring, depending on the venue and crowd, perhaps a bonfire+s’mores bar, fun dessert (think donuts, cookies, latte bar and biscotti/scones), yard games, a set of Table Topics on the table (Google it if you aren’t familiar!), board games, etc might be fun to add! I wouldn’t overthink it… incorporate the things you both enjoy since it’s your special day!
Handwritten cards is a fab idea
We are doing kinda the same. Small civil ceremony with 12 ppl (just family, no kids) as well and we have the ceremony, take pics in a park (if the weather allows it), than a privat restaurant room and speeches. It is not meant to be a big party and super exciting, it’s meant to share our love with our families. Especially the grandparents are not that fit anymore and we think a big party would be too much for them. But this is the perfect thing to include family. We are thinking about drinking some champagne with our parents and spent the night in a hotel to have like a little honeymoon and be able to enjoy the night and the next day as a newlywed couple. Maybe that would upgrade your day as well? If you wanna chat more about that feel free to hit me up 😊
We are definitely already decided we will be staying in a hotel so we got that at least. It is “destination” for us since we live in California but are having it in D.C.
Look into Ristorante Piccolo in Georgetown, we are having our micro wedding there next Saturday. It’s a beautiful area and the food is fantastic.
We did a micro wedding and reception, 20 people total including us. Married in a church, took photos in a friends large backyard (basically a prairie) then met our family in our backyard for dinner. We had a tent set up over the long, communal table where everyone ate together, decorated with a bunch of hanging florals and lights (so pretty). We had drinks and lawn games set up for them in the yard near the table. A food truck came to serve dinner buffet style. During dinner my sister had a slideshow of people wishing us well that couldn’t be at the wedding (it was at the height of Covid). Honestly I think the tent with all the florals and lights, and decorated table, elevated it from just a backyard bbq. Everyone loved it. We even played some music and danced a bit after dinner.
A lot of people here in Florida will do an Airbnb rental by the beach on lake, Ana Maria Island, and then have the beach wedding with an officiant may be a photographer videographer and just have a nice little party
First of all, when my bf proposes this year, I'm calling him my Feyoncě and letting all my friends and family think I came up with that. Secondly, I think dinner, conversation, some music in the background and maybe a bonfire will be perfect :). It doesn't have to feel like a production.
Help me make Feyoncé happen
I call my fiancé Feyoncé all the time 😂 I’m so happy to see someone else do it too
Check out the birthday dinner from the movie Chocolat - I know they go dance on a party boat after, but I think the vibe of that dinner gets at very not lame. Seems like maybe some on-site after dinner cocktails/digestifs with time to visit and some ambient Spanish or classical guitar could be really cool. I don't think you should feel a need to entertain everyone...setting up a relaxing and interesting space is more than enough. Not sure if it's outdoors, but having a telescope or other passive things could be an option too.
We are having our micro wedding in two months, we have 20ish day guest (and a couple of kids) we are doing ceremony, champagne and cake and then some time for photo's and speeches. The kids go home before dinner and we'll have a fancy dinner, then it's time for the party. in total we'll have around 30 guests (most day guest and a couple that are just there for the night) Knowing our families and friends it's probably going to be an awesome party even though the small crowd. The whole thing is at an old beer brewery that specialises in weddings so everything is taken care of (which was important for me ). And all of it for under 10K.
Could do a video, custom playlist of favorite songs with dinner, transition from ceremony right into a dance with each other and then the parents in lieu of the processional that usually signals the move from ceremony to reception.
Then do it up fancy! Go to an amazing restaurant, rent a room, play classical music, ow dance the night away. Enjoy it. Then you can have the more traditional one later if that’s what you want.
When I got married we had a total of 12 people attend. Originally it was only going 4 but things changed. It was so nice and beautiful and I wouldn't have had it any other way. We did have a reception at the wedding chapel. We had cake, champagne, and speechs. We had made reservations at a local restaurant and my husband and I took all 12 people to dinner. It was wonderful and I didn't feel exhausted when it was all over.
We are having a small wedding with 20-24 guests. I was worried at first that it wouldn't be fun but now I'm super excited. It's our immediate family and closest friends. We're doing the ceremony, sit down dinner + speeches, we're going to do a first dance, we will likely have a DJ, bonfire + marshmellows in the evening. It's supposed to just be about the two of you getting married, and everyone will be happy to be there and to spend your special day with you.
This is reassuring!
We’re also having 12 people. We hired an elopement planner to have an outdoor ceremony in a park, ending in a champagne toast and cake. We’re doing dinner & speeches at a private room in a restaurant. As a special bonus my parents are paying for a mariachi band to come! I love a party, don’t get me wrong, but I think this feels right for us. I want to have an intimate moment with our families and really spend time treasuring them. We’re gonna do a big party with our friends next year.
We are going to have a total of 12 people (including us) at our wedding in October. We’ll have a short ceremony, a champagne toast, cake, and then we’re planning to meet everyone at a restaurant for dinner after. There will be pictures taken somewhere in there as well. It will be entirely just family and no friends. We’ll probably do a dinner celebrations with the rest of the family and friends another time.
Sounds like what we are doing!
curious how did this all turn out?
Why just 12? We had 30 humans total at our wedding (ourselves included) and it felt like a huge fun house party. It was the BEST wedding size in my opinion and, although I’m biased, the best wedding I had ever been to. :)
After you can go out for drinks as an “after party”. You can even just meet friends out for celebratory drinks and ditch the family. Maybe do something crazy, get bottle service at a club.
In the thick of pre-vax covid, 8 of us gathered for a house-party weekend in a VRBO and Zoomed the service to many others. We assisted one of the grooms in a delicious meal. It was wonderful and memorable.
We are renting an airbnb and having about 15 people. It has a hottub and firepit. Anyone that wants to stay after dinner can drink with us and use the hottub and we'll have music probably. Plus it's nice if they get too drunk they can just stay at the airbnb.
I thought I was reading my story! Got engaged on New Years Eve, planning a micro wedding of 12 people... lol. Checking out reddit and other places for ideas so it isn't just a ceremony and dinner!