Intimate Wedding Venues
Celebrating Love
in a Personal Way
Smaller weddings with no compromise on luxury and detail.
Celebrate your marriage with your nearest and dearest. Intimate weddings are relaxed and enjoyable events, which can be every bit as elegant as a larger event.
Our country house venues have perfect spaces for small weddings, from refined Georgian drawing rooms to pretty Victorian bandstands, along with cosier reception rooms for dining and celebrations.
What is an
Intimate Wedding?
An intimate wedding is a wonderful way to say “I do”, surrounded by the people you love the most.
Who Should Consider an Intimate Wedding?
An intimate wedding can work for any couple. If you want to relax, enjoy your day, and celebrate your marriage with the people who mean the most to you, an intimate wedding is perfect.
A small wedding can also feel more informal, with a different atmosphere to an extravagant event. If you have family travelling a long way to be at your special day, you’ll have more time to focus on them, with the meal and drinks reception giving you a lovely chance to catch up.
Don’t feel that an intimate wedding is the budget option: it can be every bit as luxurious as a traditional wedding, with fine dining and impeccable service hosted in an elegant country house setting.
How Does an Intimate Wedding Differ from a Traditional Wedding?
The main difference is the size of the guest list, typically around 30-60 people as opposed to 100+. This naturally affects the feel of the wedding, which can be less party and more family celebration.
What Are the Benefits of Choosing an Intimate Wedding?
Here are just some of the benefits our Intimate Wedding couples have told us about:
- Can be more budget-friendly
- Or because you’re saving on numbers, you can go more luxurious
- More personal and if you want, less formal
- More time to enjoy your guests’ company
- Everyone there is truly special to you
- Less pressure with planning
- Great choice of wedding venues
- Easier and calmer if you have children, and they can be more involved
How to Plan an Intimate Wedding?
With pared-back logistics, an intimate wedding can be easier to plan. However, small weddings share many of the same elements as larger ones, so you’ll still need to get planning…
What Are the Key Factors to Consider When Planning?
As with a wedding of any size, you’ll need to set a date and a budget, start to make a guest list and choose a venue that matches these requirements.
Then you’ll need to choose the type of ceremony you want, the type of reception and/or party, and what sort of catering you like. Additional considerations include decor, entertainment and accommodation.
How Do You Create a Guest List for an Intimate Wedding?
A smaller guest list focuses the mind. Who do you really want to celebrate with? You may have to make some difficult decisions
However, there are solutions to this, such as a separate party on a different occasion. You might need to steel yourself for some family pressure…
Choosing the Perfect Intimate Wedding Venue
The best way to choose the right small wedding venue is to draw up a shortlist and then visit the venues in person.
We always recommend that couples come to meet us and tour the venue before they decide. It’s the individual rooms or areas that are important, not the whole space, and most large venues have charming smaller rooms that are perfect for select gatherings.
Personalising the Wedding Ceremony
It’s easy to personalise a smaller wedding – you can even write the invitations by hand!
If you love creating things like gifts for guests and special touches like personalised place settings, this is the route for you. Our Country House Weddings venues each have a menu of extra Finishing Touches, many of which (like Pimms carts and garden games) work wonderfully well with smaller numbers.
Decorations and Ambience
You can easily make a small space your own, using details like lighting (our candle packages are popular).
Gentle background music, such as a harpist or acoustic guitar player, can work better in a smaller setting. If it’s a winter wedding, open fires in parlours and halls add to the cosy and intimate atmosphere.
Catering for a Small Wedding
A luxury wedding venue should offer the same catering options regardless of size.
You might be able to upgrade the food and drink with fewer people to cater for, and choose to add options such as a prosecco bar. It’s lovely to share a sit-down meal with your favourite people, creating the feel of an intimate family dinner.
Capturing the Day
When you’re thinking about how to capture the day, contact photographers and videographers who specialise in intimate weddings.
They’ll have an approach better suited to smaller, less formal events than a traditional wedding photographer. You might also want to consider a social media content creator for immediate and shareable films and photos.
Entertainment and Activities
There are so many different entertainment options for intimate weddings.
For music, a soloist or a duo feels like the right scale, although there is nothing stopping you from having a big band or DJ if that’s what you fancy! Magicians, caricaturists and photo booths are all small-wedding favourites or set up a tournament using garden games.
Addressing Logistical Considerations
The logistics are easier!
If your guests have to travel a long way, you might want to look at a twilight wedding so they have plenty of time to reach you. Alternatively, it’s much easier to arrange accommodation for fewer people.
Making Your Wedding Day Special
Your wedding day is naturally special.
Make it even more perfect by choosing a venue that you love and inviting your favourite people. Work with your wedding manager to create menus, celebrations and entertainment that you’ll all enjoy.
How To Choose The Intimate Wedding Venue That Reflects You?
When you visit your shortlist of wedding venues, you’ll know instinctively which one is right for you. You’ll then have the absolute joy of personalising the experience to reflect you as individuals and as a couple.
What Should Be Included in an Intimate Wedding Ceremony?
You’ll need to tick the legal boxes, both verbally and by signing the register, and you’ll need to choose witnesses. Around these requirements, you can adapt the ceremony. Speak to your wedding planner or celebrant for inspiration and guidance.
How Can You Personalise
Your Ceremony?
Choose a celebrant who feels right, and make sure that you’re happy with the words you’ll speak during the ceremony. You could even write your own vows or incorporate music. From dogs delivering the ring to bilingual ceremonies, there are lots of ways to make the marriage ceremony your own.
What Unique Rituals Can
You Incorporate?
You can add a reading or song that means something to you both, and choose who performs them. Involve your children (or even your pets). One of the many benefits of an intimate wedding is that it frees you up to be more creative with your detailed planning.
How to Make Your
Intimate Wedding Special?
It can be easier to add your own personal touches to a smaller wedding.
What can you do to make your intimate wedding feel extra special?
How to Capture Memories
of Your Intimate Wedding?
Even small weddings tend to pass in a whirlwind for most couples,
so it’s always important to capture those memories.
What Are the Costs Associated
with an Intimate Wedding?
An intimate wedding at a luxury venue is still not a budget option. There may be some financial
decisions and planning ahead before you can say “I do” to the wedding venue.
How Can You Create a Budget
for Your Intimate Wedding?
Research typical costs per head so you have a budget in mind before you choose your venue or decide how many people to invite. Set a limit, and work out who will be paying for what.
What Are Some Ways to Save Money
While Still Making It Special?
Combining an intimate wedding with an evening ceremony can keep costs down, as you’re going straight from the ceremony to the celebrations.
At Country House Weddings, our Intimate Wedding Package includes everything you need for a wonderful wedding day. Sticking to your all-inclusive wedding package and not adding too many extras will help you save money.
How Do Costs Compare Between Intimate & Traditional Weddings?
An intimate wedding will always be cheaper because factors like food and drink are calculated per guest. You can keep the savings, or use them to upgrade elements such as the dining and drinks.
What Trends Are Emerging
in Intimate Weddings?
Intimate weddings have always been popular – but what are the latest trends?
Frequently
Asked Questions
If you’re thinking about having an intimate wedding,
here are a few things to consider.
What are intimate weddings?
An intimate wedding has fewer guests than a traditional wedding ceremony, typically between 30 and 60. A “micro wedding” is smaller still, with around 15 to 20 guests.
Why are intimate weddings becoming more popular?
One of the lovely things about an intimate wedding is that everyone has more time to focus on each other. If you want a warm and friendly celebration with plenty of conversation and more meaningful time together, choose an intimate wedding. And yes, an intimate wedding also costs less, without necessarily compromising on quality and luxury.
How can I budget for an intimate wedding?
A smaller guest list will naturally cost less than a traditional big wedding. An all-inclusive wedding package can also be cost-effective, such as our Intimate Wedding Package.
Are intimate weddings cheaper than traditional weddings?
Given that a traditional wedding involves 100+ guests, an intimate wedding is going to be cheaper, yes. However, you might decide to spend the savings on making sure that your guests have the most luxurious experience.
What are some popular themes for intimate weddings?
Outdoor ceremonies are perfect for small weddings, so you could choose a natural theme, or be inspired by our country house venues for a Regency or Tudor-style wedding. At a smaller scale, anything is possible.
How is technology enhancing intimate weddings?
You might have a smaller guest list “in real life” but invite others to take part remotely. Speak to your venue about hybrid weddings.
Where can I find resources for planning an intimate wedding?
Speak to your Personal Wedding Manager for insights and advice, and be inspired by our case studies.
Other
Wedding Types
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