Now, more than ever, the idea of having a small, intimate microwedding might be appealing to you. If you’re currently planning one or thinking about switching your large wedding to a microwedding, here are 5 tips to help make sure you get the most out of this experience!

Invest in a Quality Bouquet/Boutonnière

A beautiful, professionally-crafted bouquet/boutonnière gives an instant boost of elegance to your day. It also elevates and accentuates your unique style. It may seem wasteful, at first glance, to spend money on something that is “just going to die soon”, as many people argue. But florals are an example of ephemeral beauty. Ephemeral means “lasting for a very short time”. So ephemeral beauty is this notion of beauty that is present for just a moment. And that “here today, gone tomorrow” quality is precisely what makes them valuable. Some of the best, sweetest moments in life are fleeting. But we treasure them the most. So embrace the ephemeral beauty of florals for your day – you won’t regret it!

Get Your Hair and Makeup Professionally Done

This ties in a bit with the next one…Since you’ll likely be the star of photos throughout your event, invest in a professional hair/makeup artist to give you a beautiful, camera-ready, wind-ready look. This isn’t the day to DIY! Allow yourself to get pampered a bit and go into your day feeling radiant and confident!

Invest in a Good Photographer

Just because you’re choosing to have a low-key day and spend less overall on your wedding, doesn’t mean you should sacrifice having good quality memories of your celebration. Invest in a reputable photographer whose work and style you love. It is worth every penny to make sure the unique beauty of your day is properly captured.

Write Your Own Vows

I think that such a small, intimate setting lends itself perfectly to hand-written, personalized vows. The people there are the ones that know you the best and will be most understanding of and moved by your personal additions to the ceremony. I just think that the day is already so unique and memorable, that a traditional recitation of vows feels out of place and stale. If you want to take this tip to the next level, you can even purchase sweet little vow books so that you can save your vows forever on something more aesthetically pleasing than a scrap of notebook paper 🙂

Plan a GOOD Meal

Take a lesson from the European playbook and make a good-quality, relaxed meal the center of your day. Whether it’s an al fresco meal catered in your parents’ backyard, a dinner at your favorite restaurant, or a rooftop brunch, treat yourselves and your guests to a delicious slow-paced dining experience. I’d also highly recommend creating one long table where you can all be together. A lot of times, in large weddings, the meal is just something we have to get through quickly to get on to the “fun part”. What I love about tiny weddings is that you have the freedom to turn that mindset around. You can, instead, place the emphasis on the mealtime and the meaningful conversations that inevitably come out of it.

Film photos in this post were scanned by The FIND Lab.

If you liked this post, be sure to check out my 5 Reasons to Have a Small Intimate Wedding. You may also enjoy a roundup of these Awesome Small Wedding and Elopement Venues in Chicago.