How to organize a micro ceremony that will have no wedding party and no kids?

The biggest problem I am seeing with this plan is the lack of catering. It sounds as though your guests will be at your event for many hours, well into the evening (I gather from the bonfire). Do you not plan to feed them and provide beverages?

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Of course there will be food and beverages; I'm not a monster! It is going to be styled more like a buffet/self serve. Our seating arrangement is going to be set up into three long buffet tables (10 ppl/table) with us at our own sweethearts table. Each table will be dismissed to gather their own food and drinks will be set up at a separate station. Glasses, plates and flatware will be set at the tables with pitchers of water at each table though and we are only having beer with my own personal stash of wine. Both of our families are beer-people so that makes life easy. We will serve dinner, have the area cleared once all are satisfied and then we will have chili and soup brought out for our late night food. I just didn't add all these details in the original post because I feel that it's rather well thought through. Although, if you see a hick-up in my ideology, please do tell!

I agree with Cece. What are your plans to feed your guests? I had a micro wedding (20 people) without a wedding party and the only kids present were our 2 nephews - 5 and 14. My husband and I asked our sisters to hold the rings for us and hand them to the officiant when it was time. I also did not have a DJ; instead, over the course of several months, I made several Spotify playlists - one for each segment of the wedding and reception (prelude, processional, recessional, cocktail hour playlist, reception grand entrance, first dance, dinner, cake cutting, dance music, etc.). Although we had a small guest list, we had a day of coordinator (I would HIGHLY recommend even with a small guest list) who handled the music on the wedding day. I saved the playlists on an old iPhone and, a few days before the wedding, I met with the DOC to give her the phone and go over the playlists. It worked out well.

View Quoted Comment This all sounds great! You just said that you will not be hiring catering, so it sounded as though you wouldn’t be providing any sort of food for your guests. I was imagining a bunch of angry, hungry people LOL
This sounds like a fun, laid-back evening!
As far as your rings… One of my friends recently got married and didn’t have a wedding party either. The bride and groom just wore each other’s rings down the aisle. When it came time to exchange rings, they just pulled the ring off their finger and placed it on their spouse’s finger. I thought that was really cute. Plus, I can just imagine the rings being “charged” with love while on your SO’s finger. And bonus, it would be nice and warm when you put it on LOL

If you’re not hiring catering, who will set up the food and serving stations?
Your officiant can hold onto the rings.
I think it’s a little odd to only have the special dances and no other dances, but I guess plenty of people do that.I think a DOC would be extremely simple for all the pieces you have going on here—food, games, playlist, etc.A bonfire sounds nice but know that no activities can force people to socialize. Either people will want to talk to strangers or not, and no particular activity can force it.

My dad kept the rings. When the officiant asked for the rings, he handed them over.


I'd have a younger guest hit play and stop for your ceremony. Don't want to leave technology up to Grandma.

I had a 9 guest wedding in the backyard. Everyone was so kind and courteous and patient, but I could have used a DOC. It's hectic being the host, the star, and the prompter. My mom served the cake, my sister passed out the glasses for the toasts. We ended up waiting an hour for our DoorDashed food because neither of us was able to slip away for 5 minutes to put in an order.
It sounds like you're self catering (which is never recommended) or using bulk takeout. You'll also need to think about who's going to set up the food and keep it at a safe temp.
Who is going to direct tables to the buffet station, and who is going to "clear the area" as you say? Who is going to set up and clean up?
Because of covid, a lot of catering companies have super low minimums now. I would seriously look into a full service catering company to handle all your logistical needs.
A 32 person dinner party is easy. A 32 person wedding still needs to run on a schedule and needs some coordination.
I love a backyard wedding, mine was amazing, but I wouldn't to it again without a professional DOC. For your size wedding, I'd use a full service caterer to set up, serve, flip the space, clean up. Some caterers offer coordination services

Hi!! So I just got done with my wedding and just know that it’s easy to lose track of time with out a coordinator. I didn’t realize just how hard it is to coordinate a large group of people, and it took quite a bit of effort, time, and stress to do so on my own. I would definitely assign family members duties throughout the night if you’re not hiring any professional vendors.

View Quoted Comment Thank you! I thought of that last night and we're thinking we'll assign our mom's to that!

View Quoted Comment Thank you for all of that! As for food, see the reply to Cece. I just didn't bother adding the details of that because I'm rather confident in my arrangements there. And we are thinking of assigning our mom's to be joint docs

Thank you all for your questions and concerns! I have already arranged many of them, however. My sister-in-law worked for a catering company throughout college and has all that underwraps. I'm sure if she can manage her own weddings buffet style dinner (250 guests) she can handle my 32.
I'm feeding them, I'm no monster. We have all of this arranged. I didn't add every last detail of the plans to the original post.
I understand games and bonfire won't "force" people to socialize. Im not expecting that, just encouraging it. There will still be an area for dancing there just won't be as much focus on it. Additionally, I just want to disturb the neighbors all night with loud music so I'm being courteous, as well. Neither myself or my fiance really enjoy dancing either. And it's our day. Our way. We are both rather abstract thinkers so any gusts expecting us not to doing something different clearly don't know us. Additionally, we are planning on having joint DOCs. Our moms. They will each have their own assigned tasks to ensure the day runs smoothly all without leaving the entire burden on one individual. Not to mention, our mom's aren't going to let our weddings go down the crapper. They have also voiced that they want to help. Finally, it's not that we don't WANT to spend the money for the additional things (professional catering, DJ, etc.) It's simply that we can't fit it into our budget. We are NOT willing to go into debt for one day, are drowning in student debt, and are trying to save for children soon after we marry. We have been together over 5 years and are ready. We are also very laid back people and are going into this expecting things not to run smooth as silk. We have two dogs that were both abadonded and abused and have BOTH been clinically diagnoses with psychosis. I think we can handle a few things not going our way. Again though, thank you to everybody who replied and everybody who reads this!! Your advice was all helpful!

Check out Jamie Wolfer on YouTube or her website. She has LOTS of tips on how to DIY a wedding while managing your expectations.

We are doing a small wedding in Nov. and are using a small table next to the officiant with custom ring boxes.

Congrats!

Congrats!

I am also having a small wedding without a wedding party and no children (only ours). With that being said, I will be appointing one of my family members that I trust to hold the rings and give them at the right time.

Maybe that would be a good idea for you as well.