Congratulations! You’re engaged! Please, please bask in the glow of all the love people are sending you right now. Take time to enjoy your engagement because wedding planning is about to begin and you’re going to want to anchor into WHY you’re doing the dang thing! There’s so much to celebrate and find gratitude for: You’ve found love, a life partner for whom you will declare your love and commitment to, and you now have the privilege to host a beautiful celebration and you get to curate the experience however your love filled hearts desire.

But here’s the thing about wedding planning- it can be overwhelming and daunting. There are just so many choices to make. From who to invite to stationary, flowers, what to wear- the list can seem never ending. And no matter the size of your budget it will feel like money is flying out the window. Wedding planners can absolutely help you manage all these things but an intimate wedding has so many benefits that make the experience of planning and the actual wedding day so so special.

So let’s dig in:

An intimate wedding can refer to an elopement with a couple witnesses up to a guest list of 30-40 of your closest friends and family. With a smaller guest list comes less stress around finances, logistics, and social anxiety.

I don’t think anybody’s wedding budget is actually infinite. So when you’re wedding planning- a more intimate can help you save money and it allows you to put money on quality over quantity. A smaller guest count might mean some hard decisions when making your guest list, but trust me your pocket book will thank you AND you get to flex your budget on bold choices you’ve been dreaming to make. It lends more leverage to invest in the photographer of your dreams and maybe be a little more spendy on your florals or the dress you’ve been ooggling on Instagram. It can even mean a destination wedding is possible and within your budget. Who wouldn’t want to treat their favorite people to a dreamy experience in a unique place.

Logistically speaking- with a smaller guest list there’s just less things to do not only on the day of your wedding but throughout the whole planning process: less table runners to order, less invitations to address, less rsvps to watch for, and less corralling on the day of your wedding. All of this adds up to less stress and more focus on whats important: The people you’re sharing this time with.

That brings us to the social aspect of a wedding day. There are literally only so many minutes in the day this means: the more people you invite the less time you will get with each person on your wedding day. It’s just facts. Everyone will tell you that your wedding day will go by in a blip. Having a more intimate affair will help slow things down and leave you with more face to face time with your guests (and your partner.) Larger parties can feel like you barely get to shake everyone’s hand and even like you’re physically being pulled in different directions. If you struggle with social anxiety- it can feel like a lot of pressure to be up on a display in front of 200 people to declare something that can feel so personal and vulnerable. A wedding is a pretty monumental ritual- a life commitment rooted in love and its emboldened by the love and support of your favorite people. Don’t you want to look them in the eye and actually have a moment with them? An intimate affair can really make space for this to happen allowing for real presence and connection.

Below you’re going to find the gorgeousness of April and Eric’s gorgeous intimate wedding day at the Santa Barbara Courthouse. It was emotional personal, fun and the details were exquisite. April dawned a gorgeous Vera Wang gown which hinted at classic Hollywood style. They opted not to have their dinner photographed (because who wants photos of people eating) and instead used more of their time with me on portraits. So check out these treasures that they’ll get to look back on year after year and relive the very special day they declared their love.