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Couples decide to have small weddings for a variety of reasons that may include: a heartfelt desire for small and intimate, a need to marry quickly, or perhaps because of financial reasons. But, outside the exceptions of driving to the courthouse or going to Las Vegas, small wedding ceremonies will still require planning.

I have been to two small wedding ceremonies recently. One was a beautiful garden wedding in the backyard of my friend Carolyn's home. Their vows were taken under a hand-crafted pergola, draped with flowers on every side with approximately 20 in attendance. And most recently, I had the honor of being an MOH for my friend Cheryl in a beach ceremony in which there was only 7 of us. Mother Nature lavished us with a warm morning sun; it was an extraordinary celebration, seemingly effortless to pull off.

Naturally, you might be tempted to think that small weddings would be the simplest way to get married~ certainly with so few in attendance. But, in the above cases, there was much planning and organization that went into these small and intimate ceremonies. The 'to do' list was just as long, only the numbers were smaller. For instance, Cheryl and Lon still had to coordinate the date, location, attire, attendants, minister, photographer, flowers, unity sand ceremony, cake, miscellaneous supplies, transportation and much more!

Of course, everything depends on the preferences of the bride and groom regarding the extent tradition will play in the ceremony~ as well as any extras. You can certainly have the wedding of your dreams no matter how many are in attendance.

Allowing your small wedding the same planning considerations as for a large wedding will empower and encourage you. The following are some lessons that Cheryl and Lon learned while preparing for their small wedding ceremony.

5 tips to assist you in planning your small and intimate wedding:

1. Announce carefully: some will understand your desire for a small wedding while others may have hurt feelings. State your intentions up-front and confidently; at the same time, be sensitive to those who aren't invited.

2. Start early: even though you might have a small guest list and opt out of certain traditions, deciding what you want and why takes time. Allow as much time as is practical for you.

3. Get help: enlist the help of those involved to help you carry out the details. They will be honored to be included and you will need their help!

4. Communicate clearly: tactfully and clearly assign tasks to those involved so that no one is wondering what you are expecting.

5. Relax and focus: don't get so wrapped up in all the details and work and forget that love, celebration, happiness and the blessings are what it's all about.

Enjoy your perfect, small and intimate wedding!

No matter what kind of wedding you are planning, feel free to stop by www.MagnetStreetWeddings.com for ideas, inspiration and to see the latest creations. We are adding brand-new designs to our Save the Date magnets, Wedding Invitations, Wedding Favors and Thank You note cards product gallery all the time ~ ranging from traditional to contemporary.

We encourage you to take advantage of a 15% Brides Club member discount on Save the Dates and Wedding Invitations when you place your order online.

Enter WBC15 in promotional code 1 on the billing page.

Kindest Regards,
Heidi Markgraf

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