How to plan an intimate wedding in 2021

Marble Private’s wedding planners started working with the new format of ‘intimate’ weddings back in 2020 to help our clients celebrate in between UK lockdowns. But with this new roadmap in place, more and more weddings will be able to take place from April – albeit in a restricted format. Here, our wedding experts shed some light on how you can reshape your day into something small, but still beautiful.

These are a few of my favourite things

Sit down with your partner and make a list of everything you both love – whether it be animals, fireworks, the sea – almost anything can be translated into your wedding day! Some of our brides have walked down the aisle with their dogs before (adorned with flower collars of course), and some have had their partner’s initials sewn into their dress. These personal touches will make the day even more memorable and will really show off what makes you both so special. 

The whole world in your hands

Where did you get engaged? Where was your first holiday, or your favourite getaway? Destination weddings are difficult to plan right now, so instead take guests on a mini journey around the world by personalising the food and the table themes to reflect different countries that mean something to you. Guinness with oyster shucking, jamon carving or building a DIY gravlax station are just some of the interactive food elements you could introduce along the way. Guests could even try to guess the country or city on their table to add an interactive activity to your day.

Sixth sense

Weddings should be about engaging all your senses, not just sight. And with smaller, more intimate venues, you have the opportunity to adorn the place with sweet-smelling flowers to wash over guests as soon as they walk in. Have you got a rustic, country theme? Pick an earthy lavender and fresh rosemary to bring nature inside. Want something summery and luxurious? Go for sweet peas and gardenias. These elements will add a special touch to your day, no matter what the restrictions are. 

Which is your favour-ite?

Not all of our guests typically give out wedding favours, and with traditional weddings pre-Covid reaching numbers of 200 or more guests, they are almost out of the question. However, with a 30 person limit on weddings, you could incorporate personalised wedding favours into the table place settings.

Avoid single folded pieces of paper to show guests where they’re sitting and instead give them a little something to take home with them to remember your special day. Some of our clients have used tambourines with names engraved on them, slate table mats with the guest’s initials, personalised sunglasses, mini photo albums, and even personalised bottles of limoncello or olive oil. Consider the small details like these and you’re bound to give guests a lasting memoir of your beautiful day. 

Light of my life

Lighting is one of the most important transitional elements at an event, and it can help control the atmosphere and mood for your wedding. With smaller venues or outdoor celebrations, lighting will be even more important, showing guests whether it’s time to eat, time for a dance, or time to head to the bar! Consider creating lighting details throughout the venue, for example uplighters, fairy lights, candles, and even outdoor lighting to take guests on a journey through the space. 

Most planners in our industry are taking a cautious, but very excited, approach to 2021. There are predictions that 39% of weddings this year will be in a barn, 29% in a stately home, 20% in a marquee and 8% in a tipi – suggesting that most weddings will be likely to take place outdoors. Whether it’s a 200-strong event, or a handful of very special guests, we can’t wait to get back to doing what we love at Marble Private – which is planning a beautiful and memorable day, no matter what the restrictions!

Photo by Marble Private, Words by Hattie Creese