What an Intimate Wedding Looks Like from a Planner's Perspective
Welcome back to week three of our Intimate Wedding Series! This week I am so excited to get to share with all of you what small weddings look like from a planner’s perspective (hint: it means so much attention to detail). I’ve said it a million times before and I will say it again, small weddings are some of my favorites to plan for a million and one reasons, but being able to make my brides’ dreams come true from every tiny detail is at the top of that list. A planner’s job at a small wedding can be broken down into phases: the planning phase and the day-of event management phase.
The Planning Phase
Many of my brides come to me with their dream venue already in mind. However, I also have a bunch of brides with no clue where they want to get married. One of the great things about small weddings is it is a lot easier to find a venue because you are not limited on space with fewer guests. Since the number of guests you have is one of the biggest expenses for a wedding, fewer guests mean you can allocate that money to a nicer venue or more expensive vendors! For this reason, many of my intimate wedding brides have a larger selection of wedding vendors that they can afford. That tends to be a double-edged sword because more options can be a great thing but it can also overwhelm my brides. That is where I step in to weigh the pros and cons of vendors to help my brides make the best choices for their big day.
Another great thing about small weddings is you typically have more money to devote to the details of your wedding. In my opinion, the details are the most memorable and one of the most important parts of a wedding. They are the things that really make the guests feel extra loved and are the perfect way to add special touches unique to the couple. With fewer guests comes the ability to make specialized touches for your guests like pre-written thankyou notes at their place setting and allowing your guests to have a bigger role in the ceremony.
The event management Phase
Smaller weddings make for smooooooth wedding days. With fewer people to shuffle around, the day-of logistics are typically a bit more simple and straightforward. This means a more stress-free day for the vendors, the guests, and most importantly the bride and groom. With the couple only having their very best friends and family in attendance, the vibe of the entire day tends to be a lot more low key and personable. I love getting to see my couples happily dancing the night away and celebrating their love instead of entertaining and catching up with their guests all day.
A big part of my job as a wedding coordinator is to organize the vendors and make sure everyone is doing their job on the day of a wedding. While smaller-scale weddings still have the same amount of vendors, easier coordination of guests and the wedding party means I really get to focus on making sure vendors have things in exactly the right place.
Photography by Shauna Veasey Photography