Well, it’s no secret that 2020 was quite a year. The pandemic caught the entire world off guard and naturally unseated the best laid plans. Fear not, because the ‘Intimate Wedding’ is still an option.
As Government sanctioned safety guidelines made large gatherings unavailable, couples scrambled to comply. Event dates booked months or years in advance were re-scheduled or scrapped completely. Couples best laid plans were laid to rest, and thousands of vendors and venues watched their entire year disappear in a matter of weeks.
As the months carried on, smaller scale events became the ‘go to’ option for pandemic management. The ‘Intimate Wedding’ took off. These events focused on an extremely reduced guest list of friends of family, social distancing (guests seated farther apart), no dancing, and masks worn throughout the wedding. Many couples tell us they prefer this style of wedding, and were actually relieved that the pandemic protocols forced the smaller gathering.
What makes an Intimate Wedding?
The Intimate wedding is very much a reality in 2021, and many couples are pursuing this route. The plan typically is:
50 people on-site or less
Open air venues preferred
Spaced seating
Limited dancing
Masks required
Intimate Wedding Benefits
There are some very real benefits to smaller events. After their larger wedding, many couples reflect that they had no time to engage with many of their guests and the whole event felt like a whirlwind! Running from table to table, trying to say hello to everyone, trying to say goodnight to everyone as they head home, it can limit a couple’s ability to enjoy such a special day. With the Intimate wedding, you’re throwing a party for your nearest and dearest, and you can spend (most) of the whole day hanging out with them!
Cost savings is the obvious benefit! Fewer guests, smaller venues, less mouths to feed = reduced event cost. This can allow couples to allocate their budget to perfect the details they care about the most. This could include a better stocked bar, perhaps a premium desert or snack, or (lil’ biased here) the addition of beautiful live music.
Intimate wedding couples could allocate a portion of their wedding budget to a live duo or trio for ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner, etc. This is going to make the event all the more unforgettable.
Cancellations
Thinking of an Intimate wedding? What if the whole thing gets Covid-Cancelled?!?”
– A fair question. This is where a relationship with your vendors is key. You must work with people who you trust! In a major city like Toronto or Buffalo or Montreal, there are dozens of vendors to choose from. So who can you trust?
Phone Call and Zoom Chats
Trustworthy vendors want to talk on the phone! Musicians are social! Zoom calls are great too. Until coffee shops re-open, these digital tools are a fantastic way to get to know your wedding team.
Employer or employee?
Who are we talking to here? Is this individual an owner? A manager? Are they on the ground floor? Will they be ‘at your wedding?’ This question alone can provide a wealth of insight as to whom you’re speaking with.
Trust but verify
After 2020, most vendors will happily produce contracts that includes some Covid-related language. Most vendors are going to endorse a rescheduling option, that allows couples to move their date as needed. Does reschedule come at a cost? Are there terms? What’s happened with prior couples? Your vendors will have answers, and those answers should hopefully seem fair.
Fair should mean both you and the vendor are accepting compromise because both you and the vendor are benefiting.
For eg- A full deposit refund, no questions asked…that’s a pretty heavy toll on the vendor who worked with you to plan and prep for your wedding, hired staff, and held the day (excluding other potential customers)
You have to pay full price, with no reschedule option and no refund….well, that’s not very fair either.
…A far more reasonable compromise term would be a rescheduled date, or a willingness to accept reduced services.