Small Wedding Ideas For A Small Intimate Wedding

By Anna Sher 

Why on earth would anyone want to throw a smaller wedding? In these days of over-the-top celebrity weddings and spending enough on a wedding to put you in debt for years to come, you don't hear much about small weddings. But they are making a comeback, particularly for those brides who prefer a more personal, intimate atmosphere. That's why I wanted to share some small wedding ideas with you in this article.
First, though, let me clarify a few things. A small wedding does not mean an informal wedding, or a simple wedding, or a cheap wedding (though obviously, because the guest list is dramatically reduced, there can be significant savings). It simply refers to the size of the guest list. Instead of inviting your best friend's great aunt from Pittsburgh, the guest list and wedding party are confined to a small circle of close relatives and friends. How small? Often as small as only ten to fifteen people.
Beyond sharing the most important day of your life with a small, intimate group of friends, a small wedding allows you the freedom to focus on those areas of the wedding that are most important to you and might otherwise have been out of your reach.
For instance, a smaller wedding makes a destination wedding far more practical than a large wedding. A destination wedding is exactly as it sounds ... the wedding is held out of town, at a setting that meets the interests of the bride and groom. Las Vegas is a destination wedding. A theme park, such as Disney World, is a destination wedding. There really are few limitations ... a mountain lodge, a beach house, a bed and breakfast, a ski trip, etc. When the wedding party and guest list are small, a destination wedding becomes much easier to achieve.
But what if you'd like to keep things simple?
The reception for a small wedding can be held in the intimate, comfortable setting of a family member's home. It can be held at the favorite restaurant of the bride and groom. It can be held out doors at a favorite park, or in the backyard of your best friend. With these more intimate weddings, your options are nearly unlimited.
You also have more leeway in your food choices. If this is an important area for the wedding of your dreams, then catering or dining out at a fine restaurant are far more likely to fit within your budget. But you may equally enjoy a potluck or a buffet or even an afternoon of hors d'ourves. A smaller wedding allows you the freedom to pursue the wedding you really want for yourself.
Small Wedding Ideas
Here are several unique small wedding ideas that can make your wedding day memorable for the rest of your life:
1. Since the whole idea behind an intimate wedding is to share the day with close family and friends, consider making your own wedding favors. For instance, a homemade goodie basket of cookies, breads, and candies. Or personalized CDs created with the music that you and your loved ones enjoy. The point here is to make your wedding favors as personal as possible.
2. How about having your guests sign and write a personal sentiment on a tablecloth? Then, at a later date, you can have the signatures and sentiments permanently embroidered into the tablecloth as a family keepsake.
3. Make your own wedding invitations, personalizing each one with a special sentiment. You can design them completely from scratch, choosing the paper you want, adding dried flowers or bows, or even adding your own background image if you're talented in this area (or know someone who's talented).
4. Instead of the usual reception activities, try activities that you know your guests enjoy. For instance, if your family and friends enjoy board games, run a tournament with the winner taking home a gift basket of games. Or try a scavenger hunt, or a softball game, or a trip to a local movie theater.
The idea behind a smaller wedding is to share your special day with only a few special people. Since the size of the wedding party and guests is easily manageable, small weddings ideas often allow you to pursue the wedding of your dreams when otherwise it wouldn't be possible. Whether it's a fancy, elegant wedding or a few close friends sharing a common interest, the choice is yours. Make your intimate wedding a wedding that you'll never forget.

If you're considering a small wedding and looking for low cost wedding ideas, I've discovered an excellent resource with several solutions. Discover great ideas for throwing the wedding of your dreams while saving money: Budget Wedding Ideas.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anna_Sher

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/928120

A Wedding to Remember - Unique Wedding Ideas They'll Never Forget

By Cherie Johnson 

There are very few once in a lifetime events quite like your wedding day. From the flowers and dress to the flavor of the cake, the option to plan and personalize your wedding with your own unique wedding ideas is truly in your court. And we've all been to dozens of weddings that follow the standard format - the rehearsal and subsequent dinner, the wedding ceremony where the bridesmaids, groomsmen, and couple walked formally down the aisle, and, finally, the reception, where dancing and dinner is bound to follow.
And yes, points are given to the couples that take the time to personalize their wedding with fun favors, unusual refreshments, decorations, and other unique wedding ideas. But have you ever thought about shaking up your own wedding, perhaps even changing the very structure of it? With a little ingenuity (and planning), you can personalize your wedding in a way that's fun for everyone!
My Favorite Memorable Ideas for Unique Weddings
Consider the rehearsal dinner. Whereas most couples elect to run through the standard 'meet and greet,' practice their walk down the aisle to get rid of those pre-ceremony jitters, and then sit down to a light repast, some brides and grooms choose to infuse this gathering with their very own unique wedding ideas. One example I've heard of is eliminating the sit down dinner entirely, which is usually more formal in nature anyway. The brides then invite the rehearsal dinner guests over for a picnic (in warmer months) or a potluck supper (great any time). This option not only takes away a lot of wedding stress, but also encourages the guests to interact more.
The wedding ceremony itself is, of course, meant to be solemn and respectful, but that doesn't mean before or after the priest or minister marries the couple you can't infuse the ceremony with your own unique wedding ideas. One of the more unusual examples I've heard about is the entire wedding party dancing up and down the aisle to the delight of the guests who get in on the act. Without so much as a hint as to what is going on, an upbeat tempo begins playing and guests start clapping. The bridesmaids and groomsmen get footloose up and down the aisle, making way for the groom's and bride's grand entrances. After all, a lively entrance is certainly one way to personalize your wedding and make sure guests never forget your nuptials!
Another way to personalize your wedding is seating guests at round tables at the wedding venue itself (serving as both the ceremony and reception area). Though it appears to be the reception, the guests actually watch as the bride and groom are married while seated at tables, and then after a quick swap out, the area becomes a beautiful reception. The perks? The bride and groom save lots of money because there's no need to secure two venues, and your guests don't have to travel.
And, of course, if you choose to have a wedding theme, you can incorporate all sorts of unique wedding ideas. Take the idea of a renaissance-themed wedding. Both the bride and groom, for instance, will be wearing flowing fabrics and unique headpieces, while the entertainment could feasibly be even more entertaining. Couples have hired 'court jesters,' 'jugglers,' and 'dancers' to lighten the mood, carry on the renaissance theme, and personalize their wedding in a unique way. However, whatever your wedding theme may be, just remember to explore all the unique wedding ideas and possibilities available to you. If it's historical in nature, do your research! If it's hobby-themed, ask your friends to share their ideas. Not only will collaboration on unique wedding ideas help you to envision a better wedding, you'll also have the support of your friends.
At your reception, just about anything goes. It's your day, so plan and personalize your wedding reception how you want. Some brides feel as though they have to please their guests. Bottom line - if you plan and personalize your wedding activities and events, your guests will want to stay all night long. Consider, for example, the buffet or sit down style dinner served at most weddings. A few brides have elected to have wait staff circulate with heavy hors d'oeuvres and beverages or have had multiple refreshment tables set up around the room. Usually, one of the most popular attractions at these refreshment tables is the giant chocolate fountain, with fruit and pretzels for dipping.
Another one of the more unique wedding ideas I've heard about is a groom's cake made entirely of meat. Ideally, the groom's cake is meant for him and his right-hand men, so, in many ways, it's appropriate. And you might just have a lot of extra 'cake' left over to enjoy later!
Memories that Last a Lifetime
These examples of unique wedding ideas are just a few of the more memorable highlights I've seen at weddings over the years. Regardless of how you choose to personalize your wedding, it will always be a special day - a celebration of love and romance with your closest friends and family members. And if you ultimately decide to play it on the traditional side, don't worry - you have those beautiful memories to last a lifetime.

Cherie Johnson is the founder and owner of Creative Wedding Favors, the premier site for personalized, unique anniversary, baby and bridal shower, graduation, quinceañera, and wedding favors [http://www.creativeweddingfavors.com/]. Cherie's advice and party favors have helped countless friends, couples, and families make their big events a success. Cherie's wedding ideas have also benefited readers of many websites including Women Of, Wedding Lenox, and The Wedding Guide. Before she established her company in 2006, Cherie worked as a professional wedding photographer, capturing the most special moments of the bride and groom's nupitals. For more information on Creative Wedding Favors or to find a variety of colorful, customizable gifts and favors, please visit [http://www.creativeweddingfavors.com/].

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cherie_Johnson

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Small Wedding Ideas For A Small Intimate Wedding

By Anna Sher 

Why on earth would anyone want to throw a smaller wedding? In these days of over-the-top celebrity weddings and spending enough on a wedding to put you in debt for years to come, you don't hear much about small weddings. But they are making a comeback, particularly for those brides who prefer a more personal, intimate atmosphere. That's why I wanted to share some small wedding ideas with you in this article.
First, though, let me clarify a few things. A small wedding does not mean an informal wedding, or a simple wedding, or a cheap wedding (though obviously, because the guest list is dramatically reduced, there can be significant savings). It simply refers to the size of the guest list. Instead of inviting your best friend's great aunt from Pittsburgh, the guest list and wedding party are confined to a small circle of close relatives and friends. How small? Often as small as only ten to fifteen people.
Beyond sharing the most important day of your life with a small, intimate group of friends, a small wedding allows you the freedom to focus on those areas of the wedding that are most important to you and might otherwise have been out of your reach.
For instance, a smaller wedding makes a destination wedding far more practical than a large wedding. A destination wedding is exactly as it sounds ... the wedding is held out of town, at a setting that meets the interests of the bride and groom. Las Vegas is a destination wedding. A theme park, such as Disney World, is a destination wedding. There really are few limitations ... a mountain lodge, a beach house, a bed and breakfast, a ski trip, etc. When the wedding party and guest list are small, a destination wedding becomes much easier to achieve.
But what if you'd like to keep things simple?
The reception for a small wedding can be held in the intimate, comfortable setting of a family member's home. It can be held at the favorite restaurant of the bride and groom. It can be held out doors at a favorite park, or in the backyard of your best friend. With these more intimate weddings, your options are nearly unlimited.
You also have more leeway in your food choices. If this is an important area for the wedding of your dreams, then catering or dining out at a fine restaurant are far more likely to fit within your budget. But you may equally enjoy a potluck or a buffet or even an afternoon of hors d'ourves. A smaller wedding allows you the freedom to pursue the wedding you really want for yourself.
Small Wedding Ideas
Here are several unique small wedding ideas that can make your wedding day memorable for the rest of your life:
1. Since the whole idea behind an intimate wedding is to share the day with close family and friends, consider making your own wedding favors. For instance, a homemade goodie basket of cookies, breads, and candies. Or personalized CDs created with the music that you and your loved ones enjoy. The point here is to make your wedding favors as personal as possible.
2. How about having your guests sign and write a personal sentiment on a tablecloth? Then, at a later date, you can have the signatures and sentiments permanently embroidered into the tablecloth as a family keepsake.
3. Make your own wedding invitations, personalizing each one with a special sentiment. You can design them completely from scratch, choosing the paper you want, adding dried flowers or bows, or even adding your own background image if you're talented in this area (or know someone who's talented).
4. Instead of the usual reception activities, try activities that you know your guests enjoy. For instance, if your family and friends enjoy board games, run a tournament with the winner taking home a gift basket of games. Or try a scavenger hunt, or a softball game, or a trip to a local movie theater.
The idea behind a smaller wedding is to share your special day with only a few special people. Since the size of the wedding party and guests is easily manageable, small weddings ideas often allow you to pursue the wedding of your dreams when otherwise it wouldn't be possible. Whether it's a fancy, elegant wedding or a few close friends sharing a common interest, the choice is yours. Make your intimate wedding a wedding that you'll never forget.

If you're considering a small wedding and looking for low cost wedding ideas, I've discovered an excellent resource with several solutions. Discover great ideas for throwing the wedding of your dreams while saving money: Budget Wedding Ideas.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Anna_Sher