By Bil Malbon

For some couples, tiny is just the right size for a wedding. “Small” could mean fewer than one hundred people or fewer than fifty people while “tiny” weddings range from just the couple to about twenty people.

Tiny weddings are ideal for couples who prefer the simplicity of a smaller gathering or just want to do something a bit more personal, intimate and unique for this special event.   This will definitely feel different than some of the larger events you’ve attended!

In one variation, some couples might have a “tiny ceremony” with just a few guests and then have a larger reception. For example, you might get married at City Hall with one witness present, and then celebrate with family and friends at a lovely venue afterward.

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Alexandra Michelle Photography

Tiny weddings can save a lot of money as well. They are a practical option for couples who are on a tight budget or who want to use the savings for the honeymoon or their first home.

This doesn’t mean it can’t be memorable, meaningful and fun! In fact, tiny weddings can free up couples to think big. With only a few people to accommodate, couples can get creative and explore options that would be more difficult or even impossible with a larger wedding.

Tiny weddings are perfect for couples who have their hearts set on a destination wedding. They also offer flexibility to couples who might choose to wed in a non-traditional location, such as a ship or even a cave.

If you love a little spontaneity, tiny weddings are for you! Larger weddings usually take months to plan, but tiny weddings can take only days or even less — perfect for couples who decide to elope or need to get married quickly before a military deployment or overseas assignment. Among the more spontaneous is the pop-up wedding (also called a flash wedding), where the couple plans an outing with their loved ones at a museum, park or other public place and surprises them with a ceremony!

Neilson-Hall Photography
Neilson-Hall Photography

These tiny weddings are also well suited for theme weddings. Having only a few guests means a couple can have a fantasy wedding without breaking the bank. Devotees of the Victorian era could have a small group of friends don tea gowns and waistcoats straight from the pages of Wuthering Heights.   Steampunk enthusiasts could have guests gear up in mechanized accessories inspired by Jules Verne.   And guests at a Star Trek-themed wedding could boldly go . . . well, you get the idea.

By offering couples an abundance of locations and personal options for their big day, tiny weddings show that good things do indeed come in tiny packages.

Bil Malbon is the founder of Tiny Chapel Weddings, which offers intimate, low-cost non-denominational weddings in a mobile chapel that can travel to the location of your choice in the Richmond area. For more information, please visit www.tinychapelweddings.com.