How To Plan Your Intimate Wedding - First Steps
You clicked on this blog post, most likely because you just got engaged and you both know you don't like the traditional, big wedding vibe - but you value your close friends and family and you want them to be a part of your wedding day.
You are considering an intimate or micro wedding but you don’t know where to start.
First off CONGRATS on your engagement - this is such an exciting moment! And, well, you've come to the right place because I am going to tell you all about the…
First steps to planning your intimate wedding day
I will walk you through exactly what to do to get the beginning stages of your intimate wedding planning done in a hopefully, stress-free way! Heres a rundown!
Soak it in - you are engaged!!
Creating your wedding mood board
Creating a strong foundation based on your intentions
Choosing your venue/location
Booking your photographer
Book your remaining vendors - using your moodboard/vision as a guide to booking your remaining vendors
HINT - I give you a free wedding moodboard template below so you can make your own!
HI! I am Lindsey Joy
A wedding photographer who specializes in intimate weddings! I myself had an intimate wedding when my husband and I got married in 2020 and I'd love to help you make your dream day possible!
YOUR MAN Got down on his knee, and asked you that four-word question every girl dreams of hearing, which the response was of course, YES! He placed that precious rock on your cute left finger - you've celebrated & face timed with all your friends and family! But now what? Are we supposed to be born with the knowledge of how to plan a wedding? Well, at least that's how I felt! So as a professional photographer who sees lots of weddings - let me help! Here’s how you get started in your planning process!
Soak it in - you are engaged!!
Soak it in - the beginning stages of wedding planning can be overwhelming. Take a few days or even a week to soak it in! Enjoy some extra time with your FIANCE and start talking & dreaming together about what a wedding day that truly reflects who you are, looks like!
Create a wedding mood-board
A moodboard is just a small simple document that encapsulates what you want your wedding day to look and feel like. This may change as you get further into the process so just dream together and have fun with it!
How the heck to I make a moodboard? Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered! I created a free canva template just for you! Link and example are below!
Create a strong foundation based on your intentions
Intentionality is key! In the dreaming stages of your wedding planning make sure to talk about how you are going to be intentional on your wedding day. What are your priorities? Focus on what you want to feel on your wedding day, as well as how you want to incorporate what is most important to you as a couple! A strong foundation on WHAT IS important will help you determine where to focus your efforts. After this - it’s a great idea to talk about your wedding day budget.
Choose your venue/location
Find a location/venue - there are so many more location options open to you other than venues when you choose to have an intimate wedding. And that list can be a little daunting - but as your intimate wedding photographer, I can help you navigate this!
Check out my blog on 7 Non-Traditional Wedding Venues here!
After this it’s time to choose your wedding date!
Book your photographer
This step, and choosing your venue can be switched depending on what you envision your day like! As your intimate wedding photographer, I can help you through the very bringing stages of the process, like finding a venue. I have lots of resources like a list of venues, vendors, and a strong community of local wedding professionals. I've built up these resources over the years as a wedding photographer to help these beginning stages go smoothly for you both! If you need help finding the perfect location to host your dream intimate wedding - can help!
Book remaining vendors
Last but certainly not least is to book the rest of your vendors! After you have your venue, date, and photographer secured you are ready to start shopping for the rest of your dream vendors! Remember to use your moodboard as a guide and choose vendors that understand and align with your vision for your intimate wedding day!
Here are a few of my current favorite local vendors!
Florist - Made By Meredyth https://www.madebymeredyth.com/weddings
Makeup - Earth Tones Artistry https://www.earthtonesartistry.com
Planning/coordination - Oasis Coordination https://www.oasiscoordination.com/
Dress - Something Borrowed Boutique https://www.somethingborrowedbridalboutique.com/
Live wedding painting - Bayleigh Quinn Art https://www.bayleighquinnart.com
Decor rentals - https://sapphireroadweddings.com/rentals_page/
I hope you found this guide helpful and maybe even took a little stress off your shoulders! I remember that feeling of excitement, overwhelm, and stress all too well! As a wedding photographer, I see countless weddings and by now, they come very naturally to me. As your wedding photographer I not only take beautiful photos that reflect you two, and your day in a genuine way - but I also offer my help as your planning guide and assistant through the whole process!
WOULD YOU SAY WE VIBE?
I specialize in intimate weddings and elopements and would LOVE to join you along in your adventure as your photographer! Click the link below and slide into my inbox so we can get to know eachother better!
