Opting for a romantic small wedding instead of a major celebration allows you to stretch your budget further, connect with your guests on a deeper level, and really fine-tune every detail. Micro weddings are also significantly easier to plan!
Although there’s less work on your plate, you’re still planning a wedding. It’s a major task at any size! Choosing the right venue is the key to making sure your elegant small wedding still has a big impact.
We’ve hosted many beautiful weddings at our Montana ranch resort. As Montana’s premier wedding destination, you can count on us for guidance as you navigate the road ahead. Here are ten of our favorite small wedding venue ideas!
1. Somewhere Special
The best wedding venue will resonate deeply with you and your partner. That’s the most important thing. Remember: this is your wedding!!
Before you start sending emails and making calls, picture your dream wedding. Is there a setting that you always imagined when you were young? A tropical beach or a lush forest, perhaps?
Or, maybe you and your sweetheart met somewhere that has become meaningful to both of you. If your idea of a perfect venue is the local dive bar you frequent together, by all means, make the reservation!
Another approach is to consider your mutual passions and hobbies. For example, if you’re both bookworms, a library would be a lovely setting. The best small wedding venue ideas will fit seamlessly into your shared story.
2. Home (Yours or Someone Else’s)
If you’re hoping to have a romantic small wedding on a tight budget, you may find that working with a homeowner is more affordable than going through a business.Â
Beyond the financial side, a home wedding is super easy to personalize, especially if it’s your own home (or you have regular access before the big day). You can really get familiar with the space and plan accordingly.
Maybe you have a friend who has a beautiful property they’re willing to let you borrow for the occasion. You could also check rental apps like Airbnb.
3. Restored Barn
Out of all our small wedding venue ideas, this one is (unsurprisingly) our absolute favorite! After all, our on-site wedding venue is a fully restored and repurposed barn from the early 1900s!
Of course, you’re planning an elegant small wedding, so an ordinary barn simply won’t cut it. The appeal of a barn wedding isn’t just the barn itself. It’s the rural beauty that surrounds the barn that really makes the event unforgettable.
For example, our indoor-outdoor wedding venue is located at an authentic, Western-style ranch. It’s nestled among majestic mountains and rolling hills. It’s a stone’s throw away from a tranquil river. There’s a vineyard, orchard, restaurant, bridal suite, luxury log cabins, and glamping tents, among countless other amenities.
As you explore small wedding venue ideas, you may also want to think about the honeymoon. If you book your wedding at Alberton Orchards, you can simply stay and enjoy countless outdoor activities! We’ll even provide you with a discounted honeymoon suite.
4. Brewery or Winery
A brewery or winery can be a wonderful place to hold a romantic small wedding. Not only will the adults have access to plenty of libations on tap, but you can often create a unique atmosphere that’s casual and laid-back, yet also luxurious.
5. Music Venue
Another wedding venue that leans on the casual side, a concert venue or dance club is one of the best small wedding venue ideas for couples and guests who love to party. You could even try to book your favorite DJ, band, or musician.
6. Art Gallery
An art gallery can be a very stylish place to have an elegant small wedding. They tend to be relatively small, creating an intimate experience that lets everyone mingle and get to know each other.
7. Destination Wedding
Use your wedding as an excuse to take a vacation with a tight-knit group of loved ones! With a small guest list, it’s much easier to coordinate plans with your guests, making traveling a more realistic possibility.
To come up with small wedding venue ideas, think about places you’ve both always wanted to visit. At the same time, you may want to choose a location that’s accessible by car or public transportation so more people can attend. Save that trip to Europe for the honeymoon!
8. National Park
Did you know that you can get a permit to get married in a national park? Many major attractions are happy to let couples reserve sections for weddings and other events. For example, Yosemite National Park and the Grand Canyon are popular locations.
9. Ski Lodge
A ski lodge is one of the most appealing small wedding venue ideas for a winter wedding, but they can be a lot of fun during the off-seasons, too. Majestic mountains make your romantic small wedding seem, well, bigger!
10. Western Ranch
An authentic, Western-style ranch is such a unique wedding venue that’s perfect for adventurous couples, as well as anyone who simply appreciates the charm and heritage of the storied Old West.
Of course, we’re naturally partial to this idea, but don’t take our word for it. Many of our guests have held their weddings at our estate—check their reviews to get an idea of the kind of first-class, all-inclusive experience we provide.
Book the Intimate Micro Wedding of Your Dreams
Now that you have some small wedding venue ideas to work with, it’s time to start putting out feelers and narrowing down your picks.Â
We encourage you to get in touch so we can discuss your plans. We’ll be happy to answer your wedding questions and customize an all-inclusive celebration that checks every box on your list.
Blending the rustic, rural allure of the Old West with agrotourism comparable to Tuscany, Italy, Alberton Orchards is the perfect nature wedding venue for an elegant small wedding. We’ll pull out all the stops to make every moment magical.
Send us an email for more information, or go ahead and book your dream wedding today. We’ll collaborate closely with you to bring your small wedding venue ideas to life. Plan the most romantic small wedding at our authentic, Western-style ranch!