After 15 years together, Stéphanie, a children’s book editor, and Francis, an actor, had no idea their intimate ceremony at Auberge Saint-Gabriel in Old Montreal would be so emotional. With only 45 guests in attendance at their Alice in Wonderland themed afternoon wedding, the couple was able to enjoy every single one of their family members and friends who shared in their special day.

“I made almost everything, including the paper flowers with an old Alice in Wonderland book, paper chains, fruits crown, boutonniere, programs, bookmarks for the guests, etc. Our eight-year old son was our White Rabbit, saying at the beginning : “Oh, dear! Oh dear! We shall be too late. Let’s sit down! The wedding will begin!” ”

Stéphanie recommends a long engagement, for many reasons, but in particular because it gives you the chance to enjoy the experience of being engaged. Not to mention, it gives you plenty of time for ‘do it yourself’ projects.

A huge thank you to Marie-Michèle Hayeur Photography for sharing your images of Stéphanie and Francis’ unique and beautiful wedding day.

Stéphanie, 37 & Francis, 36

Location: Montréal, Québec, Canada

Wedding Date: May 30, 2015

Number of Guests: 45

Wedding Cost: $7,300 (all included : rings, dress, suit, venue, food, cake, photography, etc.)

Wedding Ceremony & Reception Location: Auberge Saint-Gabriel, Vieux Montréal 

What are some of the challenges that you faced it was really planning an intimate wedding?

Even though it was a small wedding, there were a lot of things to plan and we didn’t hire a wedding planner; we made everything by ourselves just the way we like. We thought having an intimate wedding was best because we were on a budget, but in hindsight, we wouldn’t change a thing even if we had a larger budget. We are not party animals and not very traditional either, so a dinner and a dance wasn’t something we were interested in. An intimate Alice in Wonderland themed wedding suited us best, it reflected our elegant, vintage, childish, literary selves! After all, I’m a children’s book publisher and my husband is an actor.

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?

A little bit. We did not want to hurt anybody, but it was our wish to keep it small and simple so it was natural to make the choice of inviting only our closest family and friends.

Did you have any ‘issues’ with the small guest list from friends and family? If so, how did you address them?

We were simply honest and explained that it was an intimate wedding, in a small venue. As soon as the decision for a small wedding was made, we made it very known to our extended family and friends, in the hopes of warning people and not hurting their feelings. 

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

Our vows… and our entrances. After fifteen years together, I never thought it would be so moving.

Waiting outside and hearing the music for the entrance of my future husband (Downton Abbey, played by a friend who is a pianist) made me cry. I cried all the way down the aisle, while my friend played the Anne of Green Gables theme song. Even my husband wiped away tears! (When we were children, my friend and I watched the Anne of Green Gables video so often it has worn out!)

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding? 

With just a small group it is so personal and moving for everyone. Also, because the guests were all close to us, everybody accepted the invitation and answered in a few days. 

Even if there were just 45 guests, it didn’t feel like I had enough time to talk to everybody. I just can’t imagine what it would have been with more people.

What advice do you have for couples who are considering an intimate wedding?

Take your time and have a long engagement! It allows for lots of time to look and compare, to choose what we really want and to DIY a lot of things. Anne Shirley, of Green Gables, said: “Looking forward to things is half the pleasure of them” and it is so true!

Vendors:

Flowers: DIY Paper Flowers 

Photography: Marie-Michèle Hayeur Photography 

Wedding Cake: Sophie Sucrée

Officiant: Claude Poulin (Father of the Groom)

Dress: Tadashi Shoji

Shoes of the Bride : B.A.I.T. (1861)

Suit : 5ieme Avenue 

Bowtie: Gentleman Dignity (Etsy)

Trying to find the perfect gift for your bridemaids? There are lots of different choices out there, but one gift that is sure to please is a robe! Robes are uber trendy in the gift giving realm right now, and with so many gorgeous choices, we can see why! We’ve found 11 gorgeous bridesmaids’ robes we think your ladies will love.

Satin kimonos from Enrobe by the Fusion Movement are light and feminine. We own several of these robes, and we love them! We’re sure your bridesmaids will love them too!

These custom, full-length, faux silk, kimono robes from SingingSlowly are trendy and chic. They will look great in pictures!

A special personal touch can give a gift more meaning and heart. We suggest these monogrammed robes with lace from SandyWatersStore.

These ultra elegant, floral robes from silkandmore are a stylish and fun design that can also look sophisticated and chic, depending on your style.

If you want something super luxurious and pretty, these custom, angel sleeve robes from SingingSlowly are perfect. Everyone will look beautiful in these floral, knee length robes that come with a satin sash to tie it all together.

If you are looking for something with a more simple design that can go from the wedding day to every day, try these floral bridesmaids’ robes from Piyama.

Now, if you’re a bride who isn’t really into the flower thing and wants a more traditional look then these silk bridesmaids’ robes from MaySilk are the perfect choice. The simple design is a timeless look that can go from modern to retro wedding themes!

Coral can give a vintage floral print a modern punch and these coral, floral print robes from Figandvine are the perfect example of how fun this look can be!

For the vintage bride these lace trimmed bridesmaids’ robes from Singinglowly combine both elegance and glamour.

With all the running around you and your wedding party will do on your wedding day, it is a good idea to be able to throw on something that has movement, but that will also look great in photos.   These floral kimono bridesmaids’ robes from SunsetToSunrise do just that – and will keep you comfortable and warm too.

Silk is a luxurious material that makes these floral, kimono bridesmaids’ robes from IvyandMatilda a stand out choice that will have your bridesmaids’ feeling extra special.

*This post includes Etsy Affiliate links

If you’ve just begun your wedding dress search and you’re worried that there isn’t a dress to fit your specific tastes and personality, don’t fret! We’re certain that there is a dress for everyone out there – and Etsy is a great place to start. We’ve rounded up 10 of our favorites just to give you a taste of what Etsy has to offer.

A rustic wedding would not be complete without a little bit of lace. This long sleeve, lace wedding gown from Milamirabridal has that perfect amount of lace and a whole lot of boho charm!

If you are looking for a dress for a backyard or beach wedding, we recommend this sleeveless wedding gown covered in head-to-toe lace from MarisolAparicio.

The tea-length wedding dress is always a unique choice that gives a nod to the 50’s. This lace dress from ELDesignStudio is so romantic!

For the boho bride who wants to look like a goddess, we suggest this rustic, sleeveless gown from Mimetik.

This Grey, lace gown from theivorysilk gives the traditional wedding dress an added bit of ‘wow factor’ with its elegant grey coloring.

A winter bride in a simple, gauzy dress like this sheer back gown from Milamirabridal, is the picture of romance and elegance.

This silk gown from hollystalder is simple and classy.

Do you consider yourself a high fashion bride? If you are looking for something that looks completely different and over the top haute couture, we suggest this feather wedding dress from theivorysilk.

The strapless dress is so versatile. It can be worn to an over the top, sophisticated wedding or a simple backyard affair with only your closest friends and family. This strapless, sliver lace dress from hollystalder would look beautiful no matter what your theme.

Why not opt for a dress that converts from a wedding gown into a party dress like this three piece gown from Milamirabridal? You can look elegant and romantic walking down the aisle and then party it up in a chic little knee-length number at the reception!

*This post includes Etsy Affiliate links

Lauren and John were almost convinced that eloping would be the only way they’d be able to have the intimate wedding they so badly wanted. Their beloved friends and family were very opinionated about the guest list, and no matter how they swung it, they knew they wouldn’t be able to please everybody. So they forged ahead with the wedding THEY wanted, knowing that ultimately their wedding day was about the two of them making a lifelong commitment to one another.

Thanks to Laura K. Moore Photography for sharing these beautiful images with us!

Lauren, 29  & John , 28

Location: Bisbee, Arizona

Wedding Date: August 15, 2014

Number of Guests: 31

Wedding Cost:  $4,500

Wedding Ceremony Location: Café Roka, Bisbee, AZ

Wedding Reception Location: Café Roka, Bisbee, AZ

Why did you have an intimate wedding?

We had been to a few large weddings together while we were dating and they were so exhausting to us just as guests. We considered eloping for a long time, but never really settled on the idea. We just didn’t want to have a huge wedding where we couldn’t have any meaningful moments and conversations with our guests. If John had it his way we would have set off to Maui and gotten married on the beach (we actually booked a trip to Maui when we were thinking about eloping, but we ended up using it for our honeymoon!). After a few months of back and forth we decided to have an intimate wedding with just our closest family and friends. I couldn’t imagine eloping and not having my dad walk me down the aisle. Or not having our best friends there standing beside us. We are very close to our families and we wanted them to share this day with us.

What are some the challenges that you faced planning an intimate wedding?

The biggest challenge was definitely the guest list. Who to invite, and who not to invite was really tricky. There were some moments when I thought about throwing the towel in and eloping again!! Does every bride feel that way at some point?

Was it difficult to pare down the guest list?

Yes and no. We didn’t want to have more than 20-30 people there and we almost succeeded in that. A few of the guests were kids, so they didn’t really count as adult guests, so we were at 31 adult guests. When going over people to invite we started asking ourselves, “If this person wasn’t there would we regret it?”  That made it a lot easier to make the final cuts. We knew who we were closest to who we wanted to share our special day with.

Did you have any ‘issues’ with the small guest list from friends and family? If so, how did you address them?

Yes we did. We actually had quite a few issues with this. We had complaints from friends and a few complaints from our parents about people we didn’t invite. It was a pretty big headache at first, but we stood our ground and they were understanding. We kept reiterating that we wanted a small wedding. If we kept adding more people to the guest list, we weren’t going to have the intimate day we initially wanted. After a while people sort of backed off about it, but it was hard. If you’re a person that gives in easily, this will be a challenge. This was our wedding and we were paying for it. So we had a lot more say than couple’s that are relying on their parents for their wedding budget.

What were the highlights of the ceremony?

Well a big highlight throughout the entire day was that we had an “unplugged” wedding. We had a little chalk board sign up that asked guests to keep their phones and cameras off. We hired Laura K. Moore of LKM Photography to capture the whole day, and we wanted to truly enjoy seeing our guests and enjoy our time with them, without seeing a bunch of cameras instead of their faces! It was great and I felt like our guests were really present with us, in every moment instead of being distracted by phones and cameras. And can I just give a shout out to my photographer Laura?! She is AMAZING! She caught moments that I don’t think anyone else even noticed. She is a true artist. Hands down the best wedding photographer out there! She blended herself right in and it didn’t feel like we were at a photo shoot. She made sure we kept the intimate vibe flowing throughout the entire day.

Also I would say another highlight of the ceremony was that my older brother, Ian Richards, performed the ceremony for us. He’s an ordained minister who now lives in Australia as a missionary with his family. This was the last time our entire family was together before he moved away. It was a very sweet time. My brother has been my best friend since we were very little. We’re only 18 months apart, so we did everything together all throughout childhood. We were even roommates all through college. Having him perform the ceremony was just really emotional for me; as well as having my dad walk me down the aisle and giving me away. My dad and brother’s approval on who I would marry means a lot to me. They have always been very protective of me and to see how much they respected and loved John was just amazing.

What were the highlights of the reception?

The reception was very intimate. It felt more like a large dinner party. We only had six tables, so everyone was able to talk and mingle with each other. That is exactly what we wanted. Also, we wanted to be able to feed our guests a really nice meal. If we had a really big wedding, we wouldn’t have been able to afford a wonderful dinner for everyone. John and I had one of our very first dates at Café Roka, in Bisbee, AZ. We frequented it over the time we dated. We spent New Year’s Eve there, countless date nights and on our first anniversary, John proposed to me after dinner there. It made the decision to get married there very easy. The chef and owner, Rod, as well as the manager, Fred, took exceptional care of us. They ensured our guests felt welcome and didn’t have any needs that weren’t met. The entire reception we just kept hearing our guests exclaim that the food was so delicious. And I have never been to a wedding where so many guests wanted to have a to-go box because they didn’t want to waste even a little bit of the amazing food! I also loved that our photographer, Laura, was able to capture the little intimate moments that we shared with our guests throughout the reception.

What was the best thing about having an intimate wedding?

There are so many great things about having an intimate wedding! Honestly, there is still a lot of planning, but the reward was so worth it. I can actually say that I remember so many great little details about my wedding day. Little conversations I got to have with my dad, my grandma, my best friends. Smiles I shared across the room with my loved ones. Funny faces that I got to make with my step daughter and nephews. I never felt overwhelmed throughout the day, because there were only a handful of people there and these were the people that John and I love the most in the world. I have been to many weddings and I’ve heard countless brides say that they don’t remember anything about their big day. It just went by really fast and then it was over. We didn’t want to have that happen to us on our day. There was no pressure, there was just a lot of love. I could feel that in every moment. At the end of the reception John made a speech thanking everyone for coming. He let them know how we talked and talked about who we wanted to share our day with and the result was everyone that was in the room with us. They are who we share our lives with and we love them all so much. After the wedding ended, John (who had still wanted to elope up until the wedding day) told me that he loved our wedding. It was everything we could have imagined it to be.

What advice do you have for couples who are considering an intimate wedding?

Do not compromise on your guest list. I made a couple of concessions early on in the planning phase and later decided that no, I wasn’t budging. This is your big day. If you imagine a small, intimate wedding, that means that certain people won’t get to come. It is so worth it to know you are surrounded by the people that you love, and that love you, the most. This wedding is for you, the bride and groom! Not for 100+ people that want to be invited. Do it the way you want to do it and it will be incredibly memorable.

Vendors:

Photographer: Laura K. Moore Photography

Venue: Café Roka (Bisbee, AZ)

Pre-Wedding Getting Ready: Letson Loft (Bisbee, AZ)

Makeup: Wendy Fiallo, Wendy Rae Makeup Design

Hair: Erica DeFevers (Sierra Vista, AZ)

Dress: Norman’s Bridal (Springfield, MO)

Flowers and Décor: DIY

With the groom’s family residing in Scotland, and the bride’s family in America, Marlo and Allan knew immediately after they were engaged that an intimate wedding suited them.  With 10 of their nearest and dearest, the couple tied the knot on a rainy June afternoon in front of a beautiful old farmhouse in Dexter, Michigan, and celebrated the night away in a rustic barn on the property.

Thank you to Lola Grace, of Lola Grace Photography for sharing these images with us.