Many couples do not want to arrange a celebration with dozens of guests, preferring to play a small wedding for those closest to them. Already starting preparation, young people understand that some traditional activities are not suitable for an event of this format, but they do not know how to replace them. We will tell you in detail how to organize a chamber wedding, which will not turn into boring gatherings in a restaurant, but will be the best holiday in your life.
Who needs a chamber wedding
First, let’s define the number of guests. A chamber wedding is an event attended by up to 12 guests. The ideas and recommendations mentioned in the article are calculated for this amount. Such a wedding is often arranged if the young people do not have very many friends or if they want to invite only the closest people.
Pros and cons of small weddings
The main advantage of a small wedding is the atmosphere of comfort and intimacy, which cannot be achieved at any large event. Some sites write about budget savings, but we would argue with that. If you pay a lot of attention to the menu and decor, you will save little. And if you also decide to take your guests to another country, then the costs will be impressive.
The disadvantage of such a wedding is the difficulty in creating a festive atmosphere. In a narrow circle of loved ones, it’s hard to feel the solemnity of the moment and not slip into an ordinary family dinner.
What to consider when organizing
It is important to understand the specifics of a holiday of this format – an emphasis on an intimate atmosphere. Once you accept this and don’t try to adapt the traditional trappings of big weddings to it, decisions will come naturally.
Wedding invitations. Be sure to prepare invitations and hand them to each guest in advance. Believe me, relatives will keep them for years. If you have a budget, order your calligraphy on quality design paper.
Images of the young. It doesn’t matter how many guests at the celebration – one hundred, ten, or just the two of you. The bride and groom must always look perfect! Let the guests come smartly, observing the dress code, if you indicated this in the invitations.
Playground. When choosing a restaurant for a chamber wedding, correlate the number of guests with the size of the hall, in a too spacious they will feel uncomfortable.
Resist the temptation to simply book a table in the common space with other guests, this will destroy the atmosphere of intimacy and the importance of the holiday. Just imagine – you are starting a family, and at the next table your friends are loudly discussing boyfriends. So-so perspective, so be sure to book a small room that will be closed.
You can also host a wedding abroad or choose an outdoor venue for guests to stay overnight. Some couples organize a chamber wedding at home or in the country, but this is a mistake – no matter how hard you try, it will not work to create a solemn atmosphere in the usual place.
Menu. This is where there is room for ideas! There are not many guests, which means that you can feed them more interesting and tasty. You can even order separate dishes for each, and we suggest making the cake assembled from different pieces according to the tastes of your loved ones.
Exit ceremony. Is it necessary to make a beautiful ceremony if there are few invitees? Yes! Invite a receptionist with experience and a trained voice, and let the guests stand behind your backs. If you want people to sit, choose a semicircle or checkerboard seating arrangement.
An alternative option is to order the solemn registration of marriage at the registry office. In recent years, wedding palaces have received not the best reviews from wedding sites, but in vain. Nothing helps to understand the importance of the moment better than Mendelssohn’s March, and we have a lot of beautiful registry offices .
Decor. Here you will find significant differences from large weddings, because the decoration of a chamber wedding is designed to create a sincere atmosphere. If the site is small, it is worth making the atmosphere in it even more intimate. If, on the contrary, there is too much space, it is important to create small isolated areas inside it, in which all or almost all guests can be. For example, set up a lounge with several sofas or a dining table area visually fenced off by a screen or greenery. An open and unoccupied space will make guests feel uncomfortable.
Do not put several tables and do not sit with the groom at a separate one. There are not many guests, so have everyone at one large table to foster a sense of togetherness. Comfortable fabrics, wood and soft warm light will help to create comfort. For the evening, choose candles, and if the holiday is on the street, then glass lanterns.
In the decor of intimate weddings, it is important to pay attention to detail, each of which will say something about your couple and the guests present. For example, instead of seating cards, you can hand-write a letter for each guest, and serve tea with cake in a dish from the elegant service of your beloved grandmother. This is the case when you cannot think about all the invitees in general, but it is important to analyze what will be pleasant for each of them.
How to entertain guests. Do you need a presenter at a chamber wedding? We believe that a stranger at such an event will only destroy the atmosphere of intimacy, so we advise you to refuse him. But this does not mean that you just have to sit at the table and talk. You and the groom can become the hosts, or, even more interesting, offer each guest to lead your holiday for 20-30 minutes in advance. Everyone will come up with their own activities, which will make up something very unusual.
Let’s share some entertainment ideas:
- A video or slideshow about your couple.
- DJ, but better live music. Invite a musician or small group to sing for you live, adjusting the repertoire to what is happening at the holiday. Just look that there are not many musicians, you yourself will feel uncomfortable if there are about the same number of guests.
- The dance of the young is obligatory and, given the format of the wedding, you can invite everyone to dance at once, and not start alone.
- Indoors, it’s worth doing a quiz about your family or getting confused by creating a special board game about you with the designers.
- In nature, everyone will like a short quest or quiet games (petanque, jenga, etc.)
- Be sure to brightly end the holiday by putting a spectacular point. It may be a fireworks display or a fire show, or maybe your family will just show you around with sparklers in their hands.
Gifts for guests. Only at a chamber wedding you have the opportunity to give everyone something special. Think about what gift and which guest will be especially dear? For example, moms can be presented with albums with your childhood and school photos, and a brother with tattoos will surely appreciate a certificate in a tattoo parlor for a beloved master.
Photo and video. Just like after a big wedding, you will need photos and videos, so feel free to call both professionals. Just make sure they can shoot well in the light you want and can capture the atmosphere you want to create.
We hope that these tips answered your questions about how to celebrate a chamber wedding, and you understand that this is a very special format of the celebration that can be easily made unforgettable!
