Tips for Planning the Tiny Wedding of Your Dreams

Written by Curator Lisa Kathan Photography

Since 2021 I’ve been working with Kari from Wedding Day Chicago to help couples plan, execute, and photograph tiny weddings and elopements in Chicago. We LOVE tiny weddings, and assisting couples in finding locations and vendors for their wedding day. 

The fact is, even though you’re planning a tiny wedding, it’s not going to just “come together” magically. There are still decisions to be made and things to do, so you need to be prepared that a tiny wedding still takes some time and effort to plan.

Here are a few suggestions from working with dozens of couples trying to plan their tiny wedding:

Be. Flexible.

Flexibility is your number one asset when it comes to planning a tiny wedding. The location options are fewer, and some vendors will only work with larger weddings during peak season.

Getting married on a weekday (Monday through Thursday), or in the non-peak season (November through April) will get you the most options when planning your tiny wedding, for your location and other vendors. 

Frequently couples approach us having already decided on a firm Saturday date during the busiest time of the year. We’re up-front with those couples: unless they have a location already booked, we can’t help them.

A note about flexibility: some couples are not that flexible — they know exactly what they want, and that’s OK! However, if you’re not super flex about your plans, consider expanding your budget to meet minimums that might be reserved for larger groups. 

Don’t wait till the last minute

Sometimes couples reach out to us with merely days or a couple weeks before they plan to be married, and they’re hoping we can secure a location and all the vendors they need. This definitely can work if you’re eloping and are OK with a public location, but if you want to find something indoors, most locations will already be booked. 

The great thing about tiny weddings is that you don’t need years to plan them. However, we do recommend 3-8 months.

Be open minded about locations

This goes along with flexibility. It’s great to have an idea of what type of location you want: do you prefer moody or bright? A modern loft, or an outdoor space with a rain option?

However, if you’re looking for a bright modern room with a large chandelier in the West Loop to host your 10 guests on a Saturday, with a very small location budget (yes, an actual request!)…it’s not likely to happen. Plan to have some openness about the vibe and location of the space especially if you have a tight budget. 

Be realistic about how many people will attend

When you begin planning your tiny wedding, be sure to know the number of people who will be there. Unlike a larger wedding space — which often has some flexibility to invite a few other guests — a tiny space will have much less room for adding others. 

The last thing you want to do is find the perfect space for your planned 10 guests, and when your list expands to 20, that previous space doesn’t work. So be realistic about how many you’ll invite and stick to it. (Also, having a location with a capacity limit will also help keep your family and friends from coercing you into inviting others!)

Get help from someone who knows tiny weddings

If you’ve spent any time trying to plan your tiny wedding, you know it can be tricky! It might be worth the investment to find someone who specializes in tiny weddings to help. 

We created SIMPLY WED just for that — we’ve spent a few years gathering a curated list of vendors and locations in Chicago that are perfect for tiny weddings (and the package includes a ceremony officiant and photography!). We can help you with a customized plan so you can have the tiny wedding of your dreams!

Photography by Lisa Kathan