Intimate Wedding, Elopement, or Minimonie?
If you're getting married, I have really great news for you. By now everyone has seen a million articles on the benefits of a whole cadre of smaller wedding styles, and it's generally accepted that they're a smart choice. These smaller nuptials came into sharp focus as the only option available to most couples in the last few years. Thankfully, this trend is here to stay! Smaller weddings mean less stress and a more intimate connection with the most important people in both of your lives. The very people that you'd want front and center at your celebration, and now they can be!
So what do all of these new terms mean, and which wedding style is right for you? I will start with the smallest style first:
The Minimonie
This is sort of the "wedding light" version and sometimes it's not an actual wedding at all, but more of an honoring of what was to be, or a pre-celebration. Let me explain. Originally these events started to gain popularity for couples who had a date set for their wedding but then weren't able to have the big event that they'd planned. So on the date that was supposed to be their wedding day, they'd buy sweet personalized vow books and order a tiny wedding cake and have a heartfelt little ceremony to mark the date and to keep their spirits up while they looked forward to their larger, fully planned wedding to come.
This type of event can be a legally binding ceremony (some people never tell anyone that they really got married before the big wedding, as they don't want some family members to feel they missed out on the "real" wedding! Couples who want to start a family right away might want the legality for insurance reasons.) Other engaged couples choose to have a non-legally binding commitment ceremony, and it's fine to have an officiant conduct this ceremony for you. As long as there's love, they'll be happy to officiate any type of union. Some twosomes want to have a commitment ceremony, but for personal reasons, they can't legally marry their partner at the time of their minimonie. I always say there's no wrong time to honor the union of your hearts.
The Elopement
This is a style of wedding that's very near and dear to my heart, and honestly, it's not a cookie cutter-one size fits all type of event. I've planned elopements for couples that ranged from one to six hours, and some of these events stretched out over two days and multiple cities! This is one of the most flexible and customizable wedding styles because it's built for two. Best of all, you can spoil yourselves rotten, because you don't have to plan for anyone but you and your spouse. There was a time when this was considered a scandalous or selfish way to get married, but with the cost of housing and college loans today, your family will be proud of you for putting your hard-earned dollars towards your future instead of a one-day event.
An elopement is a real wedding, and I don't want you to forget that. You can book your hair and makeup and bridal bouquet just like at bigger events. You'll still hire a wedding photographer or videographer and of course, a wedding officiant. The fun part is customizing your day. You can arrive at your ceremony location in a rented vintage Rolls Royce, or hike to the edge of a cliff in your favorite national park. Maybe you'll check into a swanky hotel and get married on a rooftop overlooking a city? Or, like many couples we've worked with, you'll start your elopement journey at San Francisco City Hall. If you like architecture and National Historic landmarks, this could be your wedding venue! What happens after that, is up to you, and the sky's the limit.
The Intimate Wedding
This is a great style if you want simplicity and intimacy, but need to have some family and friends with you. Some planners will say that fifty or fewer guests count as an intimate wedding, but I think about thirty people is the sweet spot. Honestly, there isn't a wrong answer, but I'd encourage you to listen to your gut when it comes to the guest list and invite only those (and their partners) you truly have a special bond with and your immediate family.
This type of wedding can be a simple pop-up wedding on a coastal cliff, beautiful beach, the Mayor's Balcony, or the 4th Floor at San Francisco City Hall, and you can go a little more formal with an arch and designated seating so that there's a real aisle to walk down. Again, I can't stress enough how personalized this type of event can be, and this is why having somebody to help you plan is the key to having a successful event and not losing your mind over the little details. But it's those details, that allow you to put your personal touch on your wedding day and set your event apart.
Intimate weddings often have the ceremony in one location, and the reception afterward at a different spot. Mixing and matching can also save you a lot of money, versus booking a traditional venue for six hours, like a golf course. I hope this blog has helped clarify the difference in the different small wedding categories and helped you to hone in on which one is right for your union. If you're planning on getting married in San Francisco, please reach out to us to see if we can be of service to you. Happy Planning!
