BellaOnline Forums Relationships Weddings Intimate wedding ideas?

Hello all. My finace and I have been engaged for almost a year. We are waiting until we can move back to Colorado this April to start planning a wedding. We have also been together almost 9 years, so it has sort of gotten to the point where we want to just get married and move on, you know? And I was never the type to dream about what I wanted my wedding to be like.

We don't have a lot of money, so this will be a small wedding. Probably no more than 30 people. I know I don't want the usual reception with the favors and the DJ and and dancing and all of that. I was thinking we could maybe find a nice restaurant to have a private party with a nice dinner. But what I am wondering is, what else can we do at a reception like that? I worry that without a DJ and dancing that things will just get boring. But I have no idea what to do?

Any ideas you all have to help this clueless bride are appreciated.

I'm not real sure what the weather is like in Colorado in April, so this idea may not work.

But what if instead of having it in a restaurant (which is fairly normal) - you did a romantic picnix type theme.

You can go to craft stores (especially now, post-Christmas) and pick up baskets, and fill them with picnic type goodies.

Instead of a full dinner. Do your ceremony at around 2 in the afternoon. That way it is past lunch, but not yet time for dinner - so people are not expecting a full meal.

Fill each basket with sparkling cider, plastic stemmed glasses (they make some very attractive ones these days), cheeses, crackers, salad, chocolates - a disposable camera, and some flowers.

Still have your wedding cake - but maybe do one of those cupcake wedding cakes, so people can add a cupcake to their picnic basket.

Picnics are romantic and it would be something very different. Just choose a scenic spot, which there are no end of in Colorado!

Congratulations!

Congrats.

Wedding party in a restaurant will be a fine idea. And to make it simple you can just cut the cake and arrange some games between the bride and the bridegroom and your well wishers....

Thank you both.

Michelle, I do like the picnic idea. And I was thinking of one of those cupcake cakes instead of a regular one. We always do our family reunions as a picnic at a park, so I know my family might enjoy that. We would surely need a backup place tho.

Vdavid, thanks and thanks for the link. I will check it out!

Restaurants normally have function rooms so that would be super easy.

If you met in CO, why not use the location where you had your first date or a favorite spot?

Try a coffee house, they usually have sound systems with innocuous but pleasing music anyhow. Find one that serves pastries and the like and axe the cake if you wanted.

Try Botanical Gardens or conservatories with indoor facilities.

Backyard it!

Or if all else fails you can do what I did. Courthouse!

To add to Michelle's park idea, most state parks have covered shelters in their picnic area. Reserving one of those is a great "Plan B" for inclement weather, and would also provide for a shady spot for older guests if it(and I pray it does)will be sunny and warm for your wedding day.

You can save some money and get the family involved by allowing them to prepare a dish to bring, just like your family reunions.

My sister had the cupcakes, instead of wedding cake. My husband and Father made the stand and I made about 200 cupcakes and did several different flowers for each with royal icing. We painted the stand white and covered the tiers with fresh banana leaves, which can be used around food. The stand was in the shape of a wedding cake with 3 round tiers, but it was very colorful and matched her outdoor theme.

Since the wedding will be small, there may be someone in your family or friends that has a scenic back yard you can borrow for the wedding site. A few years back we did a wedding for a friend's daughter in a barn. We cleaned it out (it was mainly used for parties), hung white strand lights and set up small "cafe" type tables. We used heart shaped straw wreaths and bridal tulle. The juxtaposition of the rustic barn with the delicate decorations was really striking.

You probably know there are millions of pictures on line for outdoor themed weddings. That's generally where I start planning. Get a notebook, and some colored printer ink and start looking. Find what you like, print it out, then figure out a way to do it affordably. Start asking friends and family about possible sites now. You might luck up and find one for little or no cost.

As for a DJ, I pre-recorded all the music and my sister's boyfriend manned the sound system. We borrowed his stereo that had a microphone.

A wedding gift is something the giver rarily gets to see you use. If someone gives you something you use at the wedding, it's 10 times more special for the giver, even if they can't attend. We received a pillow from a family friend. It matched the bridesmaid dresses, so we used it for the rings. The giver was tickled pink she was included in the wedding. A friend of mine received a beautiful handmade recipe box with book stand lid. We used it for the guest book and they were delighted.

Good luck on your planning and if you get stumped on something, let us know! With everyone on this forum, I know someone will come up with a solution.

Hello Yota, You can arrange your reception party in any restaurant which have DJ facility available in it...They will not charge much for that....because any party is not enjoyable if it has no dance and music, and after all it's your reception party... Regards, Nelson

Congrats!

My husband and I decided to get married when we were living in colorado too- we wound up waiting a few more years, but I always felt like if we had been true to ourselves we would have gotten married in the colorado summer in the alpine meadows of estes park. It is the kind of place that just feels sacred. I hope one day to renew our vows there.

If you're planning an indoor reception with music you could ask your DJ to do an anniversary dance. I did this in place of the bouquet toss and people loved it. It gets everyone involved and honors your married guests, it also unburdens any of your single friends who might be dreading being called out in front of the crowd- especially with a small wedding being called out for a bouquet toss can be humiliating.

A cupcake cake is a fine idea! I secretly wanted to do a mountain of donut holes for my reception- like a croque en bouche, but cheaper and tastier!

Whatever you do I hope your day is full of joy-

hello, IF you don't have enough money and you want to marry than this is not a big problem that dj is not in the wedding reception. and you will call your friends and relatives that is not going to over thirty but remember call every body who cares for you although it got up then 30. thanks