Planning a Small Wedding – From The Dress To The Cake

GUEST BLOG from Tony Kantzavelos

Now, more than ever, small weddings have become the trendiest. COVID-19 has redefined the way that we perceive social gatherings, so just celebrating the occasion safely with your loved ones is the new thing.

However, planning a small wedding can also be a challenging feat if you don’t know how to juggle every aspect of the ceremony on a smaller scale. Below, we’ll share some tips that will help you plan the best ceremony possible:

1. The thing about cakes

 

You have so much more room to experiment with your wedding cake when you’re going for a smaller ceremony. However, there are still a few things to consider when choosing the perfect cake. They include finding a design that complements your overall wedding theme, respecting your budget, and finding a flavor that could be universally enjoyed by all the attendees.

 As far as the design is concerned, you can opt for seasonal themes. For example planning a perfect winter wedding cake is a popular trend these days. As for the budget, you can keep it minimal by going for a simpler design. Finding the perfect flavor can be tricky as there are so many different options to choose from. You can make the process easier by rejecting the flavors you dislike and further vetting out your list based on personal preference.

 

2. Go vintage with your dress

 

 An average wedding dress can cost you several thousand dollars (even more if you’re opting for something designer!). But since small weddings are all about being intimate, budget friendly, and memorable, you can cut down your wedding dress cost by going for something vintage.

Aside from monetary benefits, opting for a vintage wedding dress can also ensure finding unique, one-of-a-kind designs along with affordability. If you’re worried about the sizing, then don’t worry – you can get wedding gown alterations at an incredibly reasonable price these days, especially if you hire the largest alterations company in Canada like Love Your Dress. 

This also applies for the groom suits. You can easily find unique designs and if what you like doesn’t fit properly, then you can go for wedding suit alternations at an affordable price.

 

3. Finding the perfect venue

One of the biggest challenges that you face when planning a small wedding is finding a good venue. If you pick something that is bigger than your guest list, then your ceremony will feel very sparse. Alternately, if you pick something too small, then it’ll feel like you skimped.

The best way to tackle this problem is by finalizing your guest list and visiting potential venues to see if they’d complement your wedding size. If you’re opting for a marquee, then try to figure out your seating and dance floor layout within the promised space. Often, small marquees feel cramped and fuller than you thought they’d be once everything is put in place. It’s better to opt for an outdoor venue, as it’s easier to manage the space and it doesn’t get too crowded when everyone mingles.

Pro tip: if you feel guilty about cutting down the guest list, go for a venue that has a strict capacity limit to take the pressure off.

 

4. Make it more intimate

Small weddings are personal occasions to begin with, and you can make them even more intimate by focusing on the small details. Since you’re working on a smaller scale with a compact venue and a limited guest list, adding some personal touches won’t be that much of a hassle.

You can go for personalized china for the food serving or write small place-setting notes for each guest to tell them how important they are. Other than that, investing in better party favors like handmade cookies can also go a long way in making the whole affair seem more intimate than ever.

5. Break some traditions!

The best thing about small weddings is that you don’t need to follow any straight-laced traditions. If you don’t want a huge herd of bridesmaids or groomsmen, then it’s totally okay to have just one or two of each. If you want to add a splash of color to your white wedding dress, then it’s totally okay to wear your favorite strappy red heels on your big day! Hate roses? Why not decorate your venue with bright dahlias or gorgeous chrysanthemums? Not a fan of traditional wedding music? Get your favorite niche instrument vendor! After all, this day is all about you!

So this is how you can plan your small wedding and make it stand out from traditional ceremonies! We hope this list helps you make the best of your big day!

Tony Kantzavelos is the owner of LoveYourDress and Love Your Tailor Toronto. Specializing in dress cleaning, clothing alterations and tailoring since 1986. Tony loves sharing tips and trade secrets for customizing and taking care of almost any kind of dress, and especially helping women look their best no matter the occasion.