Ideas for an intimate wedding that’s less procession, more heartfelt celebration

We adore intimate weddings. They’re thoughtful, personalised and truly reflect a couples love story thanks to the shorter timelines, smaller guest lists and intentional details. Planning an intimate wedding calls for a little more restraint, prompting couples to refine a guest list to their nearest and dearest and prioritise a schedule that they’ll genuinely enjoy – formal cake cutting, long speeches and sit down three-course dinners aren’t for everyone (and that’s the beauty of intimate weddings!). 
In this blog we talk about planning an intimate wedding from the lens of two loved-up wedding photographers/videographers. We’ve found plenty of ways to embellish your love story with an intimate wedding – without getting lost in the fanfare of a 9 or 10 hour timeline.

Is there a difference between planning an intimate wedding and planning a private wedding?

We see ‘intimate wedding’ and ‘private wedding’ used interchangeably, but there can be slight differences. Planning a private wedding can mean an intimate wedding (up to 50 people) that takes place in a private (not public) space – such as cosy backyard gatherings and private estate weddings. 
However, planning a private wedding can also refer to having less than 10 guests attend at either a public (bayside or community park) or private space. Regardless of the intention, an intimate or private wedding will still have a structured timeline, photography/videography and thoughtful details – unlike an elopement.

It’s worth noting that intimate weddings aren’t any less of a wedding – they just tend to have a different focus.

Having captured memories at countless weddings over the years, we’ve learnt that an intimate wedding doesn’t mean a thin budget. Intimate weddings are simply a low-pressure alternative for couples who want maximum memory-making, in a shorter timeline, prioritising traditions meaningful to them.

For you the priority may be nostalgic film and photography, delicious food and detailed styling – for another couple it may be flowing drinks, an epic dance floor and start-to-finish coverage. 

Elopements are the best option if you’re looking to minimise cost.

• They have no set timeline and are typically less than 4 hours long
• The guest list is usually limited to the couple, celebrant and necessary witnesses 
• There’s no or minimal decorations
• And no formal dress or attire requirements.

Intimate weddings are the best option if you’re looking to minimise the pressure and procession of a 100+ guestlist, but need all of the heartfelt celebration. 

• They have a pared back timeline with many features typically seen at larger weddings – cake cutting, first dances, walking down an aisle, a sit down dinner, speeches and so forth. However, couples tend to prioritise timeline inclusions that they really love, as opposed to including it “because we should”
• The guest list has less than 50 people 
• Decorations, flowers and thoughtful touches are embellished into the day 
• And there’s unlimited freedom to set a theme, personalise the experience and lean into either traditional or non-traditional attire, customs and styling.

We’d love to hear all about your intimate wedding day plans and take care of documenting your special day.

Sentimental ideas for an intimate wedding

Venue ideas for an intimate wedding: Choose somewhere that holds meaning

Our biggest piece of advice is to choose a venue that has sentimental value. Melbourne has a number of beautiful venues for planning an intimate wedding. From the botanical energy of Glasshaus in Richmond and the warm and rustic tranquility of one of CERES many spaces – through to micro and intimate weddings at Balgownie Estate Yarra Valley. 
Wherever the venue is in Australia (or abroad), take inspiration from your own love story. We’ve shot beautiful intimate weddings at Arboretums, libraries and quaint city restaurants – all with different emotions, vibes and styling attached.

Timeline ideas for an intimate wedding: Combining the ceremony & reception into one location

A common thread with planning an intimate wedding is to combine the ceremony and reception venue into one. By minimising travel for guests, you can spend more time in the moment, mingling with your loved ones and genuinely enjoying the celebration. 

Renting out something like a beach house works perfectly – a casual ceremony on the shore, followed by a sunset toast and plenty of warm, golden-hued captures as the timeline organically slips into your reception. Depending on how many guests are attending, you can also organise accommodation under one roof – giving you more time to enjoy everyone’s company.

Food ideas for an intimate wedding: Abundant appetisers, grazing tables and small buffets

When planning an intimate wedding, there’s so many options to nourish your guests. An abundance of appetisers, long grazing tables, small buffets (that don’t call for an onsite chef) and food trucks all allow you to mingle freely with guests without going hungry. Of course, more formal, sit-down dinners are always an option – however it can limit your venue choices and will require a slightly stricter timeline.

Photography and videography ideas for an intimate wedding

We recommend selecting a collection that will cover your entire day (4-6 hours). If you’ve gone to the effort of prioritising a particular tradition or element in your timeline (whether that’s mini speeches, first glances or a heartfelt thank-you at the end of the night) – you’re going to want to relive the emotion and experience. Because of the shorter timelines, documentary-style captures will bring the most nostalgia and story to your wedding day retelling – as opposed to formal portraits or overly posed moments. 

Relive your emotion-filled intimate wedding with timeless, nostalgic photos and video footage. Write to us to check available dates, request our 2025 collections and see how we can tailor footage to capture every memory.