You don't want a 200 person wedding...
Maybe the thought of spending your entire wedding day running from one tradition to the next doesn't sound very romantic of you...
Maybe you'd rather exchange private vows, have dinner with the people you love most, and actually have time to enjoy your new spouse. ...
If that sounds like you, an intimate wedding might be exactly what you're looking for!
And the good news? North Carolina has some really good views for making smaller weddings feel incredible!
It doesn't have to be an elopement either! It can be as simple as 10 people..50 people.. or even 100 people. What matters is it's the ones you love and care about the most! Your immediate family. Your closet friends. Those are who you want there! Start there!
Then your budget! No matter the size of your wedding, a budget matters! For smaller weddings, you can typically can spend your money on what matters most. Your dress, a photographer to capture every moment, a videographer to relive the day over and over, and well...food! lol!
Lets talk location! This is where picking a place matters. Luckily, North Carolina has the best mountains, oceans, wineries, gardens, Historic, court houses, Airbnbs, and honestly.. even your own back yard (or a family members)!
Before choosing your venue, photographer, videographer, or any other vendor. Decide what you want your wedding day to actually feel like! Do you want it relaxed? Private? Fun? Family centered? Up to you! A common mistake is spending heavily on decorations because the wedding is small. With 20 people, great food, a beautiful location, and excellent photography will usually make a much bigger difference.
Build a timeline that leaves room to BREATHE> TAKE IT ALL IN!
You could do something like..
2:00 Get Ready
3:00 Private vows
3:30 Quick family photos
4:00 Dinner starts
5:00 This is where you can do as much or as little as you want. Mingle with your guest. Do a dance. TOTALLY up to you!
6:00 Couple photos at sunset
7:00 Dance!
Notice what is missing? Six hours of standing in front of a camera LOL!
The BIG moments always happen within the SMALL moments. Leaving time for..
- Dad seeing you
- Grandma with tears in her eyes
- Friends laughing and dancing
- You and your spouse are watching the sunset
- Kids running around (if that's what you want!)
- The cake totally torn apart from everyone eating it
- Family who drove hours to be there for you
One thing I love about smaller micro weddings is that you don't have to be good at posing!
If you're worried you are so awkward in photos, don't worry, that's the photographers job!
You don't have to have everything figured out before reaching out! Tell me what your'e dreaming of, and lets see how we can make it happen!
