The Intimate Wedding Trend: A Real Story of Changing Plans

Weddings don’t always unfold the way we first imagine, and sometimes, that’s exactly where the magic happens! This past year, our very own president, Danielle, was set to help plan her friend’s sister’s wedding, which had originally been envisioned as a larger, more traditional celebration. But as the planning process unfolded, bride Cierra found herself craving something simpler, more intentional, and more aligned with what truly mattered to her and her partner. What followed was a thoughtful shift toward an intimate celebration that felt peaceful, personal, and deeply meaningful. We asked Cierra to share more about transitioning from a larger wedding to an intimate ceremony, and she reflects on that journey below.

JM!: What was your initial plan for your wedding? Please share the vision and guest count, etc.

Cierra: Our original plan was a wedding with around 85-100 guests, with a vision that was woodsy, dreamy, and elegant, while still incorporating many traditional wedding elements. We pictured a beautiful, classic celebration surrounded by family and friends. On paper, it looked exactly like what a wedding “should” be.

JM!: How did your planner help you along the way?

Cierra: Our planner was incredibly supportive throughout the entire process. As our plans began to shift, they helped us navigate changes with ease and reassurance. They reminded us that the day should reflect what mattered most to us, not just what we originally envisioned. Their flexibility and understanding made a potentially stressful transition feel manageable and even empowering.

JM!: At what point in the planning did you start to have a change of heart on the big wedding?

Cierra: As time went on, I realized I wasn’t feeling the excitement I expected. Instead, I felt more anxiety than joy. The planning process started to feel overwhelming rather than fun, and that was a big signal for us to pause and reevaluate what we truly wanted. We ended up reimagining our day less than 5 months before it was originally scheduled for. 

JM!: What was the biggest motivating factor to switch to a smaller, more intimate event?

Cierra: The financial aspect became a major consideration. We didn’t want to start our marriage feeling financially strained, and we began thinking about what that money could mean for our future together instead. That shift helped us reimagine our wedding day on a much smaller scale—one that still felt incredibly meaningful, but without many of the elements that no longer seemed important to us.

JM!: Tell us about the special day you had in the end!

Cierra: We ultimately celebrated with 28 of our closest family members and friends. Our ceremony took place at our local courthouse, officiated by my uncle, where we exchanged our vows in an intimate and deeply personal setting. Afterward, we all went to a restaurant for a private dinner together.

Even though the day was smaller, it still included the moments that mattered most to us—I wore my wedding dress, my dad walked me down the aisle, we shared our first dance, and we cut our cake together, which was lovingly handmade by a family friend. It was peaceful, beautiful, and perfectly us.

JM!: What advice would you give other couples in a similar situation?

Cierra: I feel that sometimes couples can get caught up in what they “should” do and worry about letting people down, or feel like they’re “too far in” to change course if they aren’t feeling that joy or excitement during planning—but that’s simply not true. It’s okay to step back and refocus on what was important to you in the first place. Your wedding should feel like a celebration of your love, not a source of stress. Trust your instincts and give yourselves permission to do what feels right.

A Planner’s Perspective

Danielle was right there as plans began to shift, and she had a front-row seat to the challenges and joys of helping a couple rethink their big day. Below, Danielle shares more insight into her thoughts on intimate celebrations:

“I had the opportunity to work with a couple, Cierra and Shawn who were planning their large wedding in Pennsylvania. We worked through all the details years in advance, such as budget, decor, the overall vision for their event, and event day logistics. As the wedding neared, the pressure built up on the small details of planning, the financial commitments, and the couple began to feel that. Realizing it was no longer a joyful experience to them, they made the decision to cut back on their big dream wedding, and instead plan a more intimate affair that felt less stressful and more at their pace in all aspects.