When it comes to weddings, everyone dreams of a beautiful day filled with love, laughter, and unforgettable memories. For Cate, my step-sister, this dream came true in the most intimate and personalized way possible. She managed to create a beautiful, cozy, and budget-friendly wedding in Rochester, NY, proving that you don’t need a massive budget to have the wedding of your dreams. Let’s look at how Cate ditched traditional wedding norms, threw in the towel on the average $30,000+ Rochester wedding, and created a beautiful small intimate wedding on a budget.
- Why choose a small intimate wedding
- Finding an affordable small wedding venue
- Budget-savvy small wedding details
- Small wedding music and entertainment
- Affordable food and drink choices
- Small wedding budget breakdown
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Choosing a Small Intimate Wedding
Like many couples who end up going a more non-traditional wedding route, Cate’s journey started with a bit of sticker shock.
Initially, she and her then fiancé had their hearts set on a big celebration set against the backdrop of a charming and rustic wedding barn venue. After they began getting the venue and vendors lined up, they saw how quickly their dream wedding was going to put them into a world of debt.
After some serious soul searching, they realized that the life they were hoping to start, the family they were hoping to build was the priority, not having the perfect venue.
“At the end of the day, we just wanted to be married.”
Cate
So, after adjusting their priorities and getting in touch with all of the vendors they had previously booked, they managed to shift gears and right size their wedding plans to one that was much more affordable – an intimate micro wedding.
📍PRO TIP: It’s important to define your wedding priorities FIRST. What’s truly important to you and your partner? Once you have those in mind, you’ll have a great framework for crafting the big plan for your wedding day.
Inexpensive Rochester Micro Wedding Venues
The Ceremony: For Cate and Conor’s winter wedding ceremony, they chose the Lamberton Conservatory at Highland Park.
This intimate Rochester wedding venue was ideal for their small ceremony and provided a stunning lush backdrop in the middle of winter that needed no additional decor and minimal set-up.
All they brought (other than themselves!) was a table, beer, wine, and hors d’oeuvres for an informal cocktail hour following their wedding ceremony.
Photographed by Rochester wedding photographer, Steph J Photography.
The Reception: Cate and Conor had already lined up Dinosaur Bar-B-Cue, a nationally acclaimed BBQ restaurant in Rochester, NY to be their wedding caterers. After making the decision to ditch the traditional wedding venue and informing them of their plans to switch gears, they learned that Dinosaur Bar-B-Cue has a private party room you can book for events under 50 people.
This fun and affordable indoor party space ended up providing the perfect quirky, unique and budget-friendly backdrop for their small wedding reception.
They were able to book the room for an evening reception and get in earlier that day for set-up. They made use of their private bar and in-house beer and wine offerings. And all it cost them was the food and beverage – no additional booking fee required!
📍PRO TIP: Think outside the box when it comes to finding the right wedding venue for your budget. Many times, venues aren’t listed on the big wedding directories, or may not be highly visible when doing a good search. You may need to explore search terms like “party rooms,” or “small wedding venues” to get results that fit your wedding scale and budget.
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Affordable Small Intimate Wedding Details
Cate’s wedding was the epitome of DIY magic. From the invitations to the centerpieces (even the playlist!) – nearly everything was handcrafted or thoughtfully curated.
Creative Canva Signs and Invitations
Cate made ALL of her printed wedding signage and stationery on Canva. Getting away with the free version, she found a font style she liked and designed everything on her own. Cate was able to make her signs, guest name cards, and invitations herself. And because she printed most of these at home, except her DIY invitations that she printed at Staples, Cate’s signs and stationery was super affordable.
Inexpensive DIY Wedding Decorations
Cate’s stunning yet inexpensive DIY wedding decorations were a mix of budget finds, thrifted treasures, and borrowed items.
- DIY Wedding Signs: Much of the frames for Cate’s wedding signage was thrifted. Cate was also able to use her sister’s Cricut to create lettering for her larger wedding signs.
- Budget-Friendly Centerpieces: Cate was able to thrift most of the bud vases, and also borrowed some leftover greenery from her friend’s wedding to create stunning yet simple wedding reception tablescapes.
- Affordable Wedding Decorations: Cate found a ton of great budget-friendly decorations on Facebook Marketplace, Savers, Dollar Tree, and the dollar section at Target. The result was an eclectic, yet cohesive aesthetic.
Super Savvy DIY Wedding Flowers
In addition to the budget-friendly decorations, Cate saved a ton with DIY wedding flowers. For about $100 worth of flowers from Trader Joe’s and Wegmans, Cate was able to create all of the following:
- Cate created her own stunning bridal bouquet and boutonniere for Conor.
- She even had extra blooms for mini bouquets for the moms and boutonnieres for the dads.
- She even had extra stems to fill all of her thrifted bud vases for her centerpieces!
Budget-Friendly Music and Entertainment
Next, let’s talk about Cate and Conor’s music choices. This was another area where Cate’s creativity shined. Hiring a DJ would have added at least $1,000 to their wedding budget. Instead, she curated her own playlists, asking friends and family for song suggestions through her online RSVPs.
Using Spotify Premium (hello, no ads!), she created separate playlists for each part of the celebration and downloaded all the playlists in advance, ensuring everything ran smoothly without needing Wi-Fi. All it cost them? $12 for Spotify Premium.
📍PRO TIP: To make sure the music was perfectly coordinated throughout the celebration, Cate designated a friend to manage the playlists, complete with detailed instructions for timing and fading out of each of the traditional dances. This approach not only saved money but also allowed Cate to have complete control over the music, ensuring it was exactly what she and her guests wanted.
Small Intimate Wedding Food & Drink Choices
When it came to food and drink, Cate kept things simple but super tasty. She opted for wine and beer only that was provided through the venue. Guests could purchase their own cocktails if they wanted something stronger. She also brought in her own selection of finger foods and drinks for the cocktail hour at Lamberton, ensuring everyone was well-fed and happy.
For dessert, Cate skipped the traditional wedding cake in favor of a smaller cake through Scratch Bakery. Instead of ordering a custom wedding cake, she simply picked from the bakery’s seasonal menu. This choice not only saved a TON, it was enjoyed by all – in fact, there wasn’t ANYTHING left.
📍PRO TIP: Don’t order a “Wedding cake.” That’ll already be more expensive. Instead, simply order the size you need off of the bakery’s normal menu with the decorations you’d like on top (or naked so you can add your own decorations). This’ll save you on a ton!
A Memorable Micro Wedding Celebration
The wedding day itself was relaxed. Cate and Conor did a “first look” before the ceremony, capturing some beautiful moments ahead of time. With only 35 guests—close family and friends only—it was an intimate gathering filled with everything they wanted – laughter, dancing, great food, and lots of love.
Cate and Conor’s wedding was a testament to the fact that you don’t need a huge budget to have an amazing celebration. By focusing on what mattered most—family, friends, and personal touches—she created a day that was uniquely theirs. It was intimate, inexpensive, and incredibly special, just like the couple themselves.
Rochester Micro Wedding Budget Breakdown
Next, let’s talk budget. Cate and Conor’s deliberate choices and creativity made for a stunning yet highly affordable intimate wedding celebration in Rochester. Cate graciously offered to share the details of her micro wedding budget breakdown to help other couples who are looking to plan an affordable wedding see firsthand how it CAN be done.
Here’s how Cate and Conor spent their micro wedding budget:
| Item | Expense |
|---|---|
| Venue Rentals | $200 – Ceremony Site ($100/hr) $0 – Reception Venue (food and beverage only) |
| Food & Beverage | $1,800 – Includes cocktail hour and reception |
| Flowers | $100 |
| Decorations | $300 – Includes decor and signage |
| Stationery | $50 |
| Cake | $75 |
| Attire | $630 – Includes both bride and groom’s |
| Photography | $1,500 – This was their big splurge! |
| Hair & Makeup | $0 – Cate did her own! |
| Music | $12 – Cost of Spotify Premium |
| Rings | $950 – Includes both bride and groom’s |
| Transportation | $0 – They drove themselves! |
| Favors | $0 – Decided to forgo! |
| GRAND TOTAL | $5,617 |
Cate and Conor’s big splurges were their photography and the food and beverage. These were the two most important items they prioritized when planning their wedding budget.
Remember, every wedding budget looks different because it’s super personal. Building the right wedding budget should be based on your unique priorities and what’s important to you as a couple. Find more on this topic by visiting: “Wedding Budgeting the Right Way.”
More Small Intimate Wedding Inspiration
If you’re planning a wedding and feeling overwhelmed by the costs, take a page out of Cate’s book. With a bit of creativity and prioritizing what matters, you can have the wedding of your dreams without breaking the bank. Cate’s intimate winter wedding in Rochester, NY, is proof that sometimes, less really is more.
Before you go go, here’s some additional DIY and micro wedding planning resources you might like:
Whether you’re planning your own wedding or just love a good DIY success story, Cate’s wedding journey is inspiring. Here’s to love, creativity, and making memories that last a lifetime!
Happy planning, and be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss the latest DIY wedding planning tips and freebies.