After the pandemic, the intimate wedding trend is predicted to become increasingly popular. Warmth and togetherness will replace the pressures of a grand ceremony with hundreds of guests and lavish banquets overflowing with food. And a wedding will return to its original meaning: to celebrate the formation of a new family.

Whenever we hear the word "wedding," we usually picture a grand ceremony in a large hall with many guests; the bride and groom walking hand in hand down the aisle amidst applause and dazzling LED lights... Recently, however, a different wedding trend has emerged – and only became more popular with many couples after the pandemic. This is the intimate wedding, a small, charming, and warm ceremony, just like its name suggests.

A typical intimate wedding is characterized by its small scale, limited guest list, and a relaxed, simple approach to organization. The aim of this ceremony is to mark a memorable event in the couple's journey in a comfortable and joyful atmosphere, surrounded by their closest loved ones.

In an intimate wedding ceremony, the rituals are simplified and creatively designed to create a truly intimate atmosphere, reflecting the personalities of the bride and groom and evoking the most emotions for all attendees.

Although considered a Western-style wedding, many couples still incorporate traditional elements to make the ceremony more intimate, even for older family members. Phuong Anh, the bride of an Intimate Wedding, said: "I still held the engagement and wedding ceremonies in a traditional style to celebrate with relatives and family, and also as an opportunity for my parents to share their joy with friends. Afterwards, our private wedding ceremony took place with a limited number of guests. Although it required more effort, the two of us were happy, our families were happy, and our friends were happy, so I think it was all worth it."

Close to Intimate Wedding, there's another unique wedding style: Elopment – ​​also a small wedding ceremony with only the bride and groom or a few close relatives.

The word "elopement" means "to run away." It doesn't mean a secret marriage, but rather implies "escaping" the pressures and expectations of a "ceremony," to focus entirely on the purely meaningful experience that marks the moment two people officially share their lives. You won't even find a feast at an elopement, just a few celebratory glasses of champagne.

Undeniably, in Vietnam, traditional wedding ceremonies are a beautiful cultural aspect of the nation, but they are also time-consuming and stressful for families. Conversely, the appeal of a small wedding probably stems primarily from its relaxed and free nature, where the bride and groom can design a ceremony in their own style without being overly concerned with traditional rules.

With these characteristics, the bride and groom can choose to hold their wedding in a sunny garden, on a white-sand beach, or at locations connected to their own story; or they can set off fireworks, play games, dance, or turn the evening into a romantic musical night... Intimate Wedding allows the bride and groom to have all these experiences, so they can be themselves alongside their partner and loved ones, in a space that is deeply private and completely comfortable. Perhaps that is why this wedding trend is becoming increasingly popular among young couples.

Anh Duc Anh, a photographer at Hipster Wedding, shared: “Compared to the past, young people are now more free to organize their weddings. Providers in Vietnam have also started to explore and build more of this type of wedding. I believe that intimate weddings will develop more strongly in Vietnam and will become a popular type of wedding, not just a passing trend.”

On the other hand, since the Covid-19 pandemic, organizing traditional weddings with hundreds of guests has become more limited. Therefore, the Intimate Wedding trend has become an increasingly suitable option for modern couples.

If you ever thought that organizing an intimate wedding wouldn't cost much money or effort, that's not entirely true. The complexity and cost of a wedding will depend on the venue you choose, the services you hire, the decorations, and the type of reception you desire. Therefore, the first step is to clearly define your wedding wishes. This includes the color scheme, the type of flowers used, the number of guests, the decoration style, the number of dishes, etc. The more detailed you are about your desired wedding, the easier and faster the preparation and execution will be.

"The important thing is to know what you really want, and then add or subtract depending on your budget," bride Phuong Anh shared.

Using a wedding planner service also saves you a lot of time because you only need to state your requirements, and a professional team will handle all the preparations. However, if you want to do everything yourself from start to finish, the help of friends and family will probably be essential.

Some popular wedding venues include gardens, pools, beaches within resort grounds, yachts, or locations associated with special memories for the bride and groom. If choosing an outdoor venue, consider potential issues such as weather, sound, and lighting conditions to have contingency plans.

Capturing those emotional moments is also one of the important elements of an intimate wedding. You should invest time in finding high-quality and experienced photography and videography services.

“Intimate weddings are characterized by a small number of guests, usually close to the couple, so there are often more emotions and situations unfolding. Therefore, everything needs to be meticulously prepared and more personalized than in typical weddings. The photographer needs to thoroughly understand the personalities and stories of the bride and groom, their families, and their close friends to best capture those moments in the photos,” said Duc Anh.

Finally, and most importantly: don't let the pursuit of perfection become a burden, because the wedding is only the first step in a lifelong journey of marriage. Experience and cherish every moment of this momentous occasion with love and hope.