When people think of small weddings, they don’t often think of New York City. But for couples keeping it cozy, there are tons of small New York wedding ideas to work from. There are plenty of reasons to have a smaller wedding. Whatever your reason is, we’ve got the tips as two of the best New York wedding photographers.

Plan a Weekday Wedding for Your Small New York Wedding

If you’re looking for small wedding ideas in New York, start with a weekday wedding. There are several benefits to having a weekday wedding. First of all, some venues provide small wedding packages in New York for weekday celebrations that may be more affordable. Plus, hosting your special day on a weekday may help your guest list narrow down a bit more.

Narrow Down Your Guest List

If you want to have a small wedding, you need to narrow down your guest list. It can be difficult to figure out who to remove from your guest list. But to have a smaller celebration, you must be decisive and figure out how to pare things down. Keep your guest list limited to those who are closest to you.

Those Who Care About You Will Understand

Those who you may not invite to your wedding should be understanding if you’re having a small celebration. When you have an intimate celebration, it can be difficult to make cuts on the guest list. If they truly care about you, your friends should understand if they might not make the cut for your intimate celebration.

Find a Quiet Location for Wedding Photography

The best part about having a small New York wedding is that you get to have amazing photos documenting those memories. Find a quiet location for your intimate wedding photos in New York. We’ve got tons of ideas for amazing New York photo locations – but they all depend on the timing. Consult with your photographers ahead of time to figure out the best spots for your wedding photos.

Keep Your Wedding Party Small

If you’re having a wedding party, keep it small for your intimate celebration. Often, small weddings will have just one main presence like a maid of honor or best man on each side. Keeping the wedding party small gives you more privacy during the quieter parts of your big day.

Consider Giving Important Non-Bridal Party Roles

There are ways to include those you love in your special day without wedding party roles. Consider close friends for your emcee, ushers, or other roles that help out in the wedding day. This will remind those you’re closest to that they are important in your lives.

Try a Brunch Wedding

Give some thought to a brunch wedding. If you’re looking to have a small wedding in New York, restaurant venues are a great option. You can have an intimate celebration followed by brunch. Create a cozy environment with every New Yorker’s favorite pastimes – mimosas and dressing up!

Tie the Knot in the Morning, Party in the Evening

As two top New York wedding photographers who also had a brunch wedding of their own, let us just say – it was the best. We got to tie the knot in the morning, then we went home to take a nap. In the evening, we had a celebration with our close friends in a cozy bar setting while feeling a lot comfier out of our wedding outfits!

Think About an Off-Season Wedding

Think about an off-season wedding for your small wedding. This will also depend on whether you want an indoor or outdoor wedding. There are tons of event spaces that are perfect for indoor New York City weddings if you’re thinking about a wedding in cooler weather. Check to see if the small New York wedding venues you’re looking into have a different rental fee depending on the season.

Choose an Intimate Wedding Venue

Figuring out the best venue for a small wedding in New York can be tough – there are so many wonderful options. Some intimate wedding venues in New York City can host a seated dinner, while others provide a cocktail hour with floating dinner. Having a cocktail reception can be a lot of fun; it keeps your guests active and mingling.

Restaurant Wedding Venues

Restaurant wedding venues are a great option because your food and beverage supplier is in-house. You can also look at renting out a private room in a restaurant as opposed to shutting down the entire thing. Whether you’re seeking Italian fare, new American, or something different, there are so many fantastic options in New York.

Keep Reading: One of our favorite restaurants for a small wedding in New York

Raw Space Wedding Venues

Raw space wedding venues are a fun option for couples who are into DIY. Find small New York City wedding venues with views of the Hudson River, Empire State Building and more when you look into raw space event venues. 

Intimate Wedding Venues

Whether you’re looking for a small rooftop wedding in New York, or an intimate indoor ceremony, you have tons of options. Another option is to look upstate. There are plenty of small wedding venues near New York to look into in Hudson, New Jersey, Long Island and beyond.

Consider a New York Elopement

If you decide that even an intimate wedding might not be for you, consider having an elopement instead. Having a small New York wedding dinner after a private elopement is a great alternative to having a wedding. For couples who want to marry now and party later, consider an elopement with just an officiant and a New York elopement photographer.

Why Should I Consider a Small New York Wedding?

If you’re thinking about planning a wedding in the Big Apple, consider a small wedding as an option. Intimate celebrations can be so special for couples. Moreover, logistically, they can make a lot of sense.

Struggles with COVID-19 and Weddings

Many couples are looking into alternative options for their weddings because of COVID-19. The coronavirus has caused engaged couples to consider having a small wedding in New York City as opposed to a larger one for social distancing purposes. If COVID-19 has affected your wedding, let us know – we’d love to help out and try to be affordable as your wedding photographers in New York.

Keeping it Intimate

Some couples choose to have a major blowout bash when it comes to their wedding – and that is awesome! That type of party isn’t for everyone, however. Other couples prefer to keep things intimate when it comes to their wedding, and only share their special day with the closest friends and family. Having a cozy wedding can make things feel even more intimate on your big day.

Having an Affordable Celebration

Many couples want to have a small New York wedding to have an affordable celebration. NY is notoriously not the most cost-efficient place to get married. When you look into small wedding packages, New York City celebrations become more affordable. It can feel nearly impossible to find affordable wedding photography in New York, for example, but many vendors (like us!) love to make it work for intimate celebrations.

Read On: How do I find affordable New York wedding photographers?