For the love of small weddings
Thirty guests. One long table. Zero regrets.
Small wedding ideas, real budgets and kind etiquette for backyard, garden, courthouse and micro weddings, from a former banquet chef who planned her own wedding almost entirely DIY.
Whimsical garden ceremony
Your wedding, right here
Wildflower theme
Moss tablescape
Garden party brunch
Wildflower veil
Hi, I’m Evan. Former banquet chef, DIY bride, small-wedding writer in Finland.
Fresh from the garden
The latest ideas
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Greenhouse Wedding Ideas: Let the Glass and Plants Do the Work
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Budget Winter Wedding Decor: Where to Spend and What to Skip
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Romantic Summer Wedding Decor That Survives the Heat
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Intimate Summer Wedding Ideas, Planned Hour by Hour
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Budget Summer Wedding Decor: Spend on Shade, Light and Tables
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Simple Summer Wedding Decor: Pick Three Details and Repeat Them
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Rustic Summer Wedding Ideas for a Barn, Farm or Backyard Day
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New Year’s Eve Wedding Reception Ideas: Room, Bar and Midnight Plan
Meet Evan
A banquet chef’s eye for a guest list of thirty.
I spent fourteen years in professional kitchens, from fine dining to running banquets, so I’ve watched hundreds of celebrations from behind the pass. In 2024 I planned our own wedding almost entirely DIY.
Meadow & Aisle is everything I learned along the way: how to keep a small wedding warm, beautiful and on budget, without a planner or a ballroom.
Small wedding planning
Plan it without the overwhelm
Budget weddings
Beautiful on a real-life budget
Wedding decor
Styled for a table of thirty
Questions
What couples ask most
What counts as a small wedding?
Most couples use “small wedding” for 50 guests or fewer and “micro wedding” for around 20 or fewer. There is no official rule, so pick the number that feels right for your people. Read the micro wedding guide →
How much does a small wedding cost?
It depends on where you live, how many guests you invite and what you choose to spend on. The budget guides walk through real examples under $5,000, under $10,000 and under $20,000.
Should we have a micro wedding or elope?
An elopement is usually just the two of you (and maybe a witness). A micro wedding keeps a handful of your closest people. Compare both side by side →
How do we tell people it is a small wedding?
Keep it warm, short and the same for everyone, and decide your answer before anyone asks. Copy the guest list wording →
Do we need a wedding planner for a small wedding?
Not always. Many small weddings run beautifully with a good checklist and a day-of coordinator. Here is how to decide →
New here?
Not sure where to begin?
Tell me where you are in the planning and I’ll point you to the guides worth reading first.