Ask The Experts: Personal and Creative Touches for Your Small Wedding

Standing in front of 150 guests at a wedding can feel daunting, which is why many couples opt for a more intimate celebration, usually ranging from 20 to 60 guests. Once couples have found a space that suits their number of guests – a small enough space to get an atmosphere going but not too small that the guests feel claustrophobic – decorating the small space can be the focus. A small space can still be decorated in a way that makes a big impact. It’s the perfect opportunity to make the most of what you have and to realize that what you have, might be small but it surely is mighty.

There are plenty of ways to incorporate big styles into small spaces, this site knows all about it so simply take some of the below creative decoration ideas into account.

Photo by Luxart Wedding Studio – full wedding here

Table Decorations

You can go big by adding special decorative pieces to the table setting. Wedding tables usually come with a relatively simple setup and the catering team often has the plates and dishes lined up in the kitchen ready for service, so you can’t put out pretty plates but you can have underplates. This is a great opportunity to add a personal and decorative touch to the table setting by adding colour or texture to the underplate. Adding decorative table runners also elongates the shape of the table and makes for a more celebratory feel. Including name tags that are more than the basic black and white ones but perhaps have little feathers or hay on them to add some excitement would be a great idea. Adding these pieces will make the dining area seem larger than life, which is exactly the goal of a small venue.

PHOTO BY ADRI MENDEZ PHOTOGRAPHY –  FULL WEDDING HERE

Florals

Flowers can truly make all the difference. Whether these are vases set up in the entrance foyer, small bunches attached to the sides of chairs or large bouquets placed in the middle of the guest’s dinner tables – flowers always bring in big style. With flowers you are also able to amplify the colour theme for the wedding, if it’s pinks and yellows, then go for roses and if it’s greens and browns, eucalyptus always works well. Sometimes choosing large flowers on purpose with long stems is a great way to make a statement, like a sunflower for example. Don’t forget, that you can make your own bouquets too!

photo by Lighthouse Photography – full wedding here 

Hanging Lanterns and Material Chandeliers

One of the best ways to add beautiful drama to your wedding is to impress with large hanging lanterns and material chandeliers.
The idea behind hanging lanterns is that you can create soft light and a sense of effortless chic, whilst elongating the height of a room by bringing the eye skywards. Upping the ante would be going for a material chandelier which still has the cascading tiers, typical to a crystal chandelier, but is much lighter and draped in materials instead of heavy metals and crystals. This makes them easy to hang up and take down again, which is always helpful in a small space and can simply be hung up with a small hook. Both of these options create opulence and height to an otherwise small venue space. They are eye-catching and come in a variety of colours, meaning that you can choose the right colour to suit the theme of your wedding.

Photo by Ryan Eda Photography – full wedding here 

Fairy Lights

An old favourite but still a winning ingredient. Fairy lights are a stunning and magical addition to any location. Adding sparkle and colour, these lights can transform even the smallest of spaces into a magical oasis. They bring a certain romantic element that is hard to find anywhere else and can be wrapped around almost any object. Many are battery-operated meaning you don’t need to find a socket to plug them in but can be placed anywhere. Seeing as the ceiling lights are covered with the lanterns, choose walls or railings to hang fairy lights, making for a well-lit venue.

photo by Franceco Caroli.– full wedding here

So there you go, lots of fabulous ideas here, all proving that no matter how small your wedding is you don’t need to shrimp on the decoration. You can still go BIG on the decoration, even if you aren’t going big on the guest count!

THis is a collaborative post