Intimate weddings and small destination weddings are such romantic and special types of weddings. They bring the closest friends and family together for a very personal ceremony and reception, celebrating the love amongst the couple and their loved ones.

We not only specialize in intimate weddings, but we absolutely adore them. Orlando and Central Florida has endless locations for the perfect intimate wedding so each can be customized to fit exactly what a couple is looking for. They are private, yet uniquely intertwined with the love of their guests. They are simply magical!

Here are some of our most asked questions for Orlando intimate weddings:

We are interested in an intimate wedding, but we don’t necessarily want a package wedding that many other couples have chosen. Is there a way ours can be small, yet still be unique?

Michele: Absolutely! It’s true that there are many locations that offer set intimate wedding packages in which you are able to select from a variety of offerings. For many couples, this is easy and perfect. For others, personalizing their intimate wedding is more of what they desire.

First, we recommend either working directly with your perfect location for your intimate wedding that is open to customizing your intimate wedding and or finding a wedding planner (like us!) that specializes in intimate weddings and the customization of them. Some Orlando locations or planners may only work with packages for small groups.

Second, make sure you have a solid budget in mind. Many times going with a set package through a hotel or wedding planner saves you money because of the special pricing of the bundled package. This can work out perfectly for those on a smaller budget, but if you have flexibility, customization will be much easier to make happen as we may have to reach out to different vendors and look for specialty items.

Third, consider what you really want. Many intimate wedding packages will include a ceremony and cake and champagne reception. If you want more of a traditional wedding inclusive of a dinner and dancing reception with music, you may want to look for options that are designed for larger weddings but can be customized for smaller guest counts. Or, think about dinner at a nice restaurant afterwards where your favorite food and drinks can be served.

Mostly importantly, find a planner that can help you explore all of your options and creatively design your intimate wedding.

Is it crucial to visit our desired Orlando intimate wedding location before we book it?

Michele: Not necessarily. The wonderful thing about Orlando is that most of its wedding locations are spectacular. Intimate gardens, beautiful gazebos, rooftops with a view, even cozy chapels. Most of our couples do not visit their selected location before their wedding. Pictures typically do the venue justice and the venue should be able to show you pictures of other intimate weddings that have taken place RECENTLY.

Things to ask, however, if you are not going to visit first:

– Do you have a 360 degree view of the grounds/surroundings of the area?
– What is the noise level typically (is it close to a road, pool, play area)?
– How private is the area? Will there be a chance that other hotel guests will be walking around our wedding?

Working with a wedding planner will also give you the scoop on what the location is really like. They should hopefully have done weddings there before and can tell you the pros and cons about it.

If you are still up at night wondering, it doesn’t hurt to take a trip to see the location. Sometimes that’s the only way to ease your mind!

We really want a Saturday evening intimate wedding, but our selected venue doesn’t allow it. Why is that?

Michele: We know it can be frustrating when you picked the perfect Orlando wedding location, but your desired date isn’t available. So here might be why…

Venues typically leave prime days and times for larger weddings (i.e., Friday/Saturday evenings). Larger weddings allow them to book more room nights in the hotel and receive more revenue for the hotel and staff (allowing them to stay in business!). That’s why sometimes it’s difficult to book a small, intimate wedding during a prime larger wedding time and day.

Because of small guest counts, we like to encourage our intimate weddings to be creative on the day and time they select. There just seems to be something magical about a Tuesday afternoon wedding where the busy world around seems to stop while vows are taken and celebrated.

If you must select a weekend due to schedules, consider a mid-morning ceremony followed by a bunch reception or early afternoon vows with a romantic afternoon tea service afterwards. If it can ONLY be a Saturday night, waiting until 30 days prior to book your wedding could give you the option as sometimes hotels release unbooked dates and space close to your desired date.

One tip? If the hotel knows you have a wedding planner, they may be apt to be more flexible knowing the planner will take care of most of the details rather than their staff. Call us if we can try to help!

If you’re interested in planning an Orlando or Central Florida intimate or destination wedding, please contact me at michele@michelebutlerevents.com and we can discuss your dreams, ideal locations, dates and times, and unique ways to personalize your most important day!