So, you said “YES” and are ready to start planning for the wedding of your dreams. But there’s much to ‘DO’ before the “I DO” happens. It’s fun to dream about the big day but when it comes to making the magic come to life, it takes a lot of time and planning. Are you feeling overwhelmed already? Maybe paring back can help you achieve some of those “must haves”. Consider this, fewer guests means you can reallocate money to other items. Micro wedding venues can allow you to afford quality items. Your money will go further and it will be easier to get the magical wedding you’ve always wanted.

Location, location, location! Planning a micro wedding (50 people or less) allows for more options. Micro wedding venues are smaller spaces which means you can choose unusual places to exchange your vows. The problem that most people run into when choosing a venue is that often it’s booked years in advance. But if you are planning a micro wedding there’s often a side room, garden or outdoor space available. Still, you should book your venue as soon as possible.

Choosing Micro Wedding Venues

Some people have in mind the exact place they want to get married and so they are limited to the dates available at that place. Some have a date in mind and so have to find a venue with that date open. Some have a theme in mind and so want a venue that speaks to that theme. All of these things will limit your options.

If you’re not sure of your theme then you’ll have to do some research before choosing your venue. Start with a vision board. Collect images that appeal to you. Pinterest is great for this. Then, when looking at the collection, look for items that are similar and make note of them. It may be a dominant colour or the repetition of a certain flower, or that all the images are outside, or rustic. And maybe you are lucky enough to find that one image that encompasses exactly the look you are wanting to achieve. This is an important step in determining your wedding location even though it doesn’t seem to be. But it is. It will help you decide if a beach is the perfect location, or a barn, or a forest. And once you’ve done that you can start looking for your venue.

Here are a Couple of Great Micro Wedding Venue Ideas and their Themes.

Rustic Forest
Imagine walking barefoot through soft, green grass to the edge of a waterfall, carrying a brightly coloured bunch of wildflowers. The wreath of flowers in your hair holds back your loose tresses as you walk under white paper doves hung overhead. During the ceremony a small bird sings a song and during your vows a butterfly floats by. After the ceremony you all go back to your cabins to change into more casual clothes and then reconvene at the lake to eat a gourmet dinner on wooden tables while stings of fairy lights hang above in the trees. Later you gather around a camp fire or play games on the lawn.

Mad Hatter Wedding in a Garden
Tea parties don’t have to be stuffy and boring, they can be outrageous and lots of fun. Imagine you’re wearing a dress with a full skirt covered in layers of tulle. Does it seem normal? Expected? It’s not and you know it for under all that tulle is a brightly coloured, striped petticoat. Hinting at your rebellious nature, as you begin to walk down the aisle, people can see the hint of stripes at the hem of your dress and the bright pink tips of your shoes! The bridle music starts to play and all heads turn to look at you which makes you smile for your guests have gladly taken to heart your theme and have worn the most outlandish hats! After the vows, you settle in to a lavish tea party. Sitting at mis-matched tables and chairs your guests enjoy the most decadent cakes while above them are flying books, tea pots, bird cages and empty picture frames. After a game of croquet, the perfect wind up to the perfect day is a food truck, glow-in-the-dark cocktails and dancing under the stars.

When Choosing a Micro Wedding Venue You Must go see it if you can.

Looking at a venue online is helpful but you must go to the actual site and see if it matches your expectations. Why not plan a little weekend getaway with your honey and stay there for a couple of days? You can explore the area and this will help to convince you you’ve made the right choice. Pro tip: go in the same season you are planning to get married. This enables you to see if it’s winding, cold, hot or if there are loud noises or bugs. All of these things could impact your big day so always go see the venue.

The Best Micro Wedding Venues are Often the Simplest.

One of my favourite weddings was the modern cabins in the woods wedding. I loved the smell of pine trees, the sound of cawing crows and the rustle of a cool summer breeze. Watching my friends get married amongst these smells and sounds created a memory that’s easily triggered causing my mind to wander back to that beautiful day when the most important thing for the couple was being surrounded by the people they loved. Pine trees always take my mind back to those gorgeous cabins and that perfect, simple wedding.

When searching for micro wedding ceremony venues, because you have fewer guests, you can have the ceremony at the same place as the reception. Having everything in one location makes things so much simpler. From set up to tear down and the transportation of decorations, food and people. If you can also stay there the weekend of the wedding, that’s even better. So when considering a micro wedding venue, consider choosing one place for both the ceremony and the reception, one that meets all your needs.

…More Unique Micro Wedding Venue Ideas.

The study of an old manor house, high up in the mountains looking down over a lake, hot springs resort, a glass greenhouse, a little chapel on a private estate, in a teepee, on a yacht, in a park, at a tourist attraction, in a lake (yes, actually in the lake). Let’s face it, with fewer people in attendance, you can get married almost anywhere so let your imagination run wild.

Here’s a List of things to Consider when Choosing Micro Wedding Venues:

• What is your budget?
• If you want a specific date, what venues are available?
• If you want a specific venue, what number of guests can they accommodate?
• How accessible is your preferred location?
• Have you read any testimonials?
• Does the venue suit your theme?
• Does the venue have accommodations for you and your guests?
• Can the venue accommodate both your ceremony and reception?
• What amenities do they have?
• Is there catering available?
• Can my caterer use the kitchen/BBQ?
• Can I bring my own alcohol?
• What kinds of chairs, tables and linens do they have?
• Do they offer set up and clean up services?
• Is there a place to store the wedding cake and flowers?
• Are there microphones/sound systems/speakers?
• What happens if it rains?
• Is public transportation near by?
• Can guests park over night?

To sum it up, remember to plan in advance, visit the venue, and be creative. Once you’ve chosen your theme and your venue is selected, there’s still a ton to do but now you can focus on fun tasks like cake tasting, choosing chocolates and buying the perfect dress. With your date locked down you’ll feel like things are finally starting to happen. These are wonderful times. Enjoy the process of planning for your perfect wedding day. Congratulations.

 25 Ideas to make your Micro Wedding Special

1. Fun Selfies – Polaroids are a wonderful and relatively inexpensive way for people to take photos at your wedding. Go retro.
2. Hand Written Invitations or Wedding Announcements – With fewer guests on your list, it’s much easier to send handwritten invitations with beautiful hand lettering, rather than printing hundreds. Or, you might even skip the formal invitations and opt to call each of your guests instead.
3. A Restaurant as a Venue – Fewer people on the guest list means the world is your oyster when it comes to choosing a nontraditional venue, and a restaurant may be the perfect fit.
4. Backyard Wedding – Consider using the backyard of your family house for a cozy venue.
5. AirBNB Wedding Venue – Choosing an Airbnb venue may be the perfect fit for your needs.
6. Find a Small Space in a Large Venue – Traditional venues are full of unexpected spaces that are perfect for smaller celebrations.
7. Be Thoughtful with Activities – As you’re determining the details and activities, decide what is important to you and your partner and skip the things that don’t matter.
8. Invest in Your Photographer – A fantastic photographer is a great investment, no matter how many guests will be in attendance, but a smaller guest list may mean more opportunities to capture sentimental moments.
9. Add Memorable Details – A smaller wedding means that you can go all in on the details.
10. Splurge on Dinner – If you’re not feeding a huge crowd, you have more room for a detailed menu. Whether you’re wishing for a seven-course meal with expert wine pairings, an elaborate buffet, or a fun food truck on-site, the options are infinite with a smaller wedding.
11. Personalize Place Cards – Place cards offer so much opportunity for customization, and with a smaller guest list there are fewer to make or buy. Opt for a personalized touch with calligraphed place cards for each guest. Make them even more special by writing on something that ties into the theme of your wedding.
12. Go Bold with Florals – You may find that you have more room in your floral budget than you thought. Why not go big with statement arrangements?
13. Use Hand Written Menus –  If you’re hoping to add a special handwritten touch to your tablescape for dinner, doing menus on your own is a beautiful idea.
14. Add Sweet Touches – Who says you can’t add hand-painted touches just because? Little embellishments like personalized macarons will make every guest feel so special.
15. Plan for a Small Cake – With fewer guests, you’ll need less cake. But that doesn’t mean you can’t have the dessert of your dreams. Chat with your baker about sticking with the tiered approach if that’s what you love.
16. Get Married at Home – Plan an intimate backyard wedding on a warm fall or summer night. Use our backyard wedding ideas to transform your yard into a dream wedding venue! You could even have a food truck pull up to the backyard for a unique catering experience, set up lawn games for an interactive event, or gather around a fire pit later in the evening.
17. Be Creative – If you’re planning a small, unique wedding, a brunch wedding might be the perfect choice for you! Rather than host a nighttime wedding with dinner served, get married in the morning and host brunch instead. Everyone loves brunch food, and this creative wedding idea will set your big day apart from other weddings! Small weddings offer more options in terms of food service style, so you can create a brunch wedding that is uniquely yours.
18. Choose a Unique Venue – A smaller wedding means that you have more options venue-wise. Smaller groups can fit into more diverse venues, so get creative! You don’t have to exchange vows at a traditional venue, so consider any space that you enjoy and that can fit your guest list!
19. Dine at One Large Table – Wherever you host your small wedding, a shorter guest list makes it possible to hold a family-style dinner! Whether you all share one large meal or you get individual dishes, consider bringing out a long table where everyone can sit together. If you love the family angle, consider using family recipes and comfort food as one of your food options.
20. Go Low Key – Lavish weddings can get expensive, from gourmet catering to elaborate floral displays and ornate wedding venues. If an extravagant wedding sounds too stuffy for your tastes, opt for a casual small wedding! Serve up comfort foods or finger foods like pizza, sandwiches, or even barbecue favourites like burgers, hot dogs, and ribs.
21. Cut the Wedding Party – One of the most popular small wedding ideas is to go without a wedding party. If your guest list is small enough, then all of your guests are VIPs. Bridesmaids and groomsmen can add expenses to a wedding, so going without an official bridal party and grooms party can also help you cut down your wedding budget.
22. Splurge on Special Details – A small wedding helps you save money in various ways, so you may have some extra spending money. Allocate your budget where it matters most, and don’t be afraid to splurge on something you love for your wedding day.
23. Make it a Whole Weekend – With a smaller guest list, you can include everyone in events like the rehearsal dinner or even an after wedding day brunch. Whether you have a destination wedding or keep it local, consider inviting your guests to a full weekend’s worth of events.
24. Have an Outdoor Reception – A part of your small wedding plans is the reception. Take it outdoors and you’ll be sure to get the most stunning backdrop.
25. Have a Dancefloor Flip-Flop Station – If you opt for a dancefloor, create a flip-flop station for guests in case they want to kick off their formal shoes. Better yet, have the flip-flops personalized as a take-home gift for your guests.

Small Wedding Ideas To Stand Out

One of the greatest things about a small wedding is that there are no rules. You can set up everything to your heart’s content and add surprises tucked into every nook. Intimate things like personalized blankets for keepsakes and handy if you are having an evening outdoor wedding.

• Have Some Modernity – Take casual to the next level by incorporating geodes, tassels, and neon signs for some modernity.
• Doughnuts Cake – Be creative with your cake and go small but present it on a tiered cake stand with a cascade of doughnuts, macarons, and flowers. SO fun, so pretty!
• Arrange Chairs in a Refreshing Way – Ditch tradition and refreshingly arrange chairs so that everyone can have a bird’s eye view. Take advantage of the small number of attendees by giving everyone the best seat in the house! All the chairs could be in a circle with you in the middle so everyone has a great view.
• Give your Guests a “Reception-in-a-bag” – You can have as many as 50 guests at your wedding ceremony as of June 2020, but receptions are still a maximum of 10 guests. So when you have to say goodbye to some of your party after you say “I do”, you can send them home with a creative adult gift bag. Think of items like a bottle of wedding wine, two portions of wedding cake, and a small flower arrangement.
• Use Custom Artwork for Invitations – Hiring an artist to create custom artwork for your invitations takes it to a new level of personalization. You could have them recreate an illustration of your venue or perhaps an engagement photo of the couple. Consider setting the intimate wedding feel from the start by sending a handwritten invite on beautiful stationary to your guests. You can add a touch of formality with a custom wax seal, too.
• Create Ultra-Deluxe Place Cards – Think of extravagant place settings that are beyond paper. Oyster shell trimmed with gold? Carved wood slice? Custom mirror with calligraphy? The sky is the limit.
• Use Soft Lighting to Create Intimacy – With a small guest list, the bright lights of a big hall can illuminate the space and kill the mood. Use an assortment of lighting to create intimate spaces for your guests to relax and dine. Think lamps, fairy lights, Edison lights, lanterns, glowing orbs, tea lights, chandeliers, and tapered candles.
• Use Lush Table Garlands – Your dinner guests with be safely spaced out at the table leaving extra room. Don’t leave it looking empty – it’s the perfect opportunity for lush table garlands. Having the garlands trail beyond the table also adds some extravagance to your rustic garden dinner.
• Use Vintage China and Silver – Upgrading your china and silverware is a simple way to add more elegance to your table. Some families have china or silverware that has been in the family for generations, adding a sentimental touch too.
• Experiment with Creative Table Layouts – Five sweetheart tables for your 10 guests? One large round table that seats everyone? A large, elegant banquet table weaving through a garden setting? The space is yours to create a unique layout for your guests. Just make sure they can always access food, drink, and conversation. Extra-large tables can add a feeling of grandeur, especially with fewer people all dining together at magnificent table settings. Round or U-shaped tables are classic wedding planner choices for creating an intimate “across the table” feel.
• Be Creative with your Flower Arrangements – Make a flower arrangement for each table setting. Typically you’d make a centrepiece for every table, but since there may only be one or two you could make a small floral arrangement for each guest. It could be used to hold the place card or menu, a boutonnière or corsage for your guests to wear, or as a thank you gift. Dine under an overheard floral arrangement.Moss, trailing greens, lush florals, and soft fairy lights can hang overhead as you and your guests make conversation and enjoy dinner. Not only is it trendy, but it also helps to fill the space. Just remember whatever type of centrepiece you choose, it can’t block guests from seeing one another.
• Add a Chandelier to your Ceremony or Reception – Nothing says elegance like a chandelier. Some venues will even offer this as an upgrade, but it makes an excellent focal point and can be adorned with delicate greens and florals for a summer night’s dream feel.
• Bring the Outdoors Inside with Greenery – Another idea for filling out the room! Large plants and trees not only help to take up space, but they also create a magical atmosphere.
• Try a Multi-Room Venue – Estates and private homes with multiple rooms are an ideal choice for smaller weddings because the rooms are not as large and easily filled. Also, your guests can move from one room to the other as the wedding progresses. Ceremony in the garden, cocktails in the library, dinner in the dining room, and dancing under the stars on the patio.
• Replace the DJ with a Band – Instead of crowd-pleasers and group dance numbers, have a pianist, instrumental trio, or a small band serenade your wedding and set the mood from ceremony to dinner to dancing.
• Plan Conversation Starters and Games for After Dinner – After dinner, retire to your lounge area and keep the conversation and drinks flowing with some silly wedding games. Make them more interactive, for example if you want to play the shoe game, have guests write down their guesses as they go and the person who gets the most right wins!
• Get Creative with Special Dances – You may not have enough guests to do a “single ladies” dance or others, but you can still have special dances! For example, have each song associated with a memory that all (or most) of your guests will remember: Mom and Dad’s wedding song, Bride and friends’ favourite song in college.
• Ditch the Photo Booth for more Photography – With a limited number of guests, an excellent photographer will have ample opportunity to take photos of you with all of your guests. Many of our smaller weddings take time to tour the grounds together and make use of a wide variety of backdrops.
• Personal Thank-You Gift – The small number of guests you have at your wedding will be your closest family and friends that you know so well. You can pick a personal thank-you gift that you know they will love.

Family Reunion Ideas for your Stay at Nature’s Getaway

There are so many fun family reunions ideas! It’s not just a time to get together with loved ones you haven’t seen for years, it’s time to create great memories you’ll talk about for a life time. Nature’s Getaway is the perfect spot for a family reunion. We have a variety of cabins nestled in a spectacular wilderness and a wonderful cook house where incredible feasts can be created, families can eat together and play games. Gather at the cook house. Unwind, relaxing and laugh. This is the ideal spot to host your small group of close friends and family.

If your family has spread out over Canada (or around the world), it’s easy to come together at Nature’s Getaway as we are just a short distance from Calgary’s international airport (YYC). Plan for a leisurely, scenic drive as you’ll be frequently stopping to take photos on the way. Once you arrive in this quiet paradise, you can start to recharge away from the bustle of every day life.

Looking for great family reunions ideas?

An Awards Ceremony is a blast!

Plan ahead and dig into your family history to discover interesting stories and then make fun awards to give to that family member. The real fun is when you give the award to the recipient as they get to give a thank you speech which includes an explanation of why they are getting the award. Did you know your aunt won a beauty contest? Did you know you cousin is a bull rider? So many unusual and funny stories will be told. It really is a fantastic way to get to know each other better and have some laughs.

Another variation on this is a Family Trivia game.

Come up with a bunch of questions like: “Who won a car racing in 1977?” or “Who has visited 52 countries including Russia and Iceland?” You can have an award for the person or for the table which gets the most correct answers. The award you give can be a silly award like an old sneaker painted gold, or an old, broken household item like an coffee maker. And the next time you have a family reunion they can award someone else that same award and pass it on. It can be passed on for years to come.

Looking for more family reunion game ideas? Do you want to go exploring? How about a Scavenger Hunt through the forest? Or a Bingo Hike through the woods? We are situated in a spectacular wilderness which is such a pleasure to wander through. Kids will love to search for squirrels, deer foot prints, mushrooms and wild flowers. They can collect photos of their experiences in nature throughout the their stay.

Here are some great event ideas.

Plan a Family Talent Show night.

It’s a hoot! Have you ever seen your great aunt do a hula dance? Did you know that grandpa is a stand-up comedian? Don’t forget to take pictures or record a video of these hidden talents. This event will provide hours of laughter. A variation on this idea is Joke Night or Karaoke Night. Step into the spotlight!

Another wonderful idea is Family Story Time.

Kids and adults alike will enjoy the retelling of stories which might be forgotten if not retold. And it’s so much better to hear it directly from the person who actually experienced the event.

One story will remind someone of another which will lead to hours of interesting stories while you roast marshmallows a round a camp fire. And it might even spark a family member to write a memoir to preserve your family history.

Create new memories with a Photo Booth.

It can be a simple set up. Or you could find a Polaroid camera, some film and let people take “selfies”. Be sure to bring markers so they can write message on the photos. After you can create a digital photo album to email to everyone. At the same time why not make a family directory so everyone can keep in touch after the reunion.

Rediscover old memories with a “Who am I?” contest.

Prior to arriving at the family reunion ask people to send you their baby photos. At the family reunion you can create a wall of photos and number them. Then people can try and put a name to the pictures. Another version of this idea is to gather around a campfire and read off facts about a family member and see how quickly someone can guess who it is.

Other family activities to consider are Movie Night, Board Game Night, Dress-Up Dance Party, and Family Olympics.

Some are easier to plan then others but all of them are loads of fun. And don’t forget to leave some down time so you can soak in a hot tub, look at the stars and relax. Sometimes those unplanned hours are the best opportunities to reconnect with each other.

If your family likes to get outside and do something, there’s lots to do around Nordegg. There’s lakes full of fish, rock faces to be scaled, white water rivers to raft, trails to hike, mountains to bike, and the famous Abraham Lake with it’s frozen methane bubbles in the winter. Plan for day trips to the Icefield Parkway or the check out the Brazeau Collieries Mine National Heritage Site. Stretch your legs and take a tour … or walk, or hike, or bike. Regardless of the season, there skiing and snowshoeing too. It’s time to get back to nature and recharge.

Looking for fun food ideas for your family reunion?

How about a bake off or a cake decorating contest? You can decorate cup cakes and then after you’ve judged them and awarded a winner, you get to eat them. Yum! Or make ice cream the old way with a hand cranked ice cream maker. Everyone can take part in the process. Or get the men involved in a BBQ rib contest. Don’t forget about grandma’s famous potato salad! Why not have a pot luck dinner where everyone makes a favourite dish and exchanges recipes. Then you can create a family recipe book.

Here’s some family reunion cake ideas because you don’t want to forget about birthdays or anniversaries. If someone has a birthday during your reunion make sure to have a funny cake for them. It can be decorated around a memory, hilarious story or maybe you decorate the cake to look like them. Let your creativity run wild and create some edible fun!

Are you a family of book worms? How about planning a book exchange?

You could make a it a surprise book exchange and wrap the books ahead of time so no one knows what they are getting. Or if you are a creative family, plan a crafting afternoon. The final results can be shown at dinner that evening. Or work together to create a family tree using photos. Remember to include photos of those who are unable to join you at the reunion.

Those are just a few fun ideas for you to consider when planning your family reunion. And don’t forget that we are here to help you with your plans. We really hope to see you and your extended family soon. Whether you want to relax and rejuvenate, get back to nature, play games of just have some fun. Nature’s Getaway awaits you with starry night skies, camp fires, and quiet natural surroundings. Get back in touch with each other and with nature. Reunite at Nature’s Getaway.