Planning to elope to Paris or perhaps have a simple or small private wedding ceremony? Maybe you want to know about confidential marriages and how to get a license. We got the answers, plus some private wedding ceremony ideas that you can use for your wedding.
It’s true, not all brides and couples want to make their wedding public, especially if they have a tight budget to work with or if they want to make it as solemn as possible and they only prefer to have a very limited number of guests… or they just simply want it to be a private affair.
Indeed, if you are thinking about how to have a simple wedding, there are advantages of having small private wedding ceremonies and it can be done especially if you have planned for it from the very start. Although small intimate weddings like these have limited number of guests, you can still make the celebration unique yet impressive. Some couples choose a private wedding and reception while others go for a private wedding public reception, allowing guests to celebrate the wedding with a party.
What are Private Wedding Ceremonies and Confidential Marriages?
A private wedding ceremony is just that, private. A simple example would be to have a private wedding with no guests or public attention. Another definition of a private wedding ceremony is one that is completely confidential and there are no public records of the marriage and even a witness is not required. Some states, like California, offer confidential marriage licenses. Private wedding officiants with special notary status can perform the ceremony without the need for any witnesses – it is truly a private wedding ceremony for two.
Confidential Private Wedding Checklist
Find a minister with a wedding officiant license and special notary status.
Provide up-to-date government-issued photo I.D. Such as driver’s license, a state I.D. passport, green card.
Pay the license fee – Usually around $85 to $100.
Arrange wedding location – Usually within the legal area where the license was issued.
Sometimes it might be time consuming or difficult to plan a private confidential marriage because of where you live or your working hours, if that’s the case then private wedding planning organizations can help you arrange your wedding for a small fee. Some companies even offer ideas for a small wedding and private wedding packages that include everything you need.
Private or Small Wedding Ceremony Ideas
There are a lot of places that offer private wedding venues, you just have to ask and plan in advance. Here are some ideas for small weddings or a simple private wedding ceremony.
Destination Weddings – Probably one of the most popular options when it comes to having a private wedding is to have a destination wedding at your favorite tropical beach or maybe a private wedding abroad at a European castle or next to the Eiffel Tower. With a destination wedding, it can be as private as only the two of you, or just immediate family and close friends – whatever size guest list you want for your wedding.
Beach Wedding – If you want a beach wedding but you want it private and intimate, then you can still make your dream wedding come true. In fact, beach weddings are best attended by just a limited number of guests, considering that you still have to arrange the ceremony location. If you want to keep it truly private and only have the two of you present then you can always perform your private wedding vows on a gazebo by the beach.
Surprise Weddings – For unique ceremony ideas, you can also make it a sort of surprise. You invite a few people over to a specific location for a supposed birthday party and you come in with your wedding attire and tell everyone you are getting married on that very day. This may not be that feasible for some but if you think your families are okay with such a unique idea, then go for it. This would be a great occasion to capture on video and put on YouTube or share on Facebook.
Art galleries and Botanical Gardens – Especially if you want only the two of you exchanging vows, you can choose an art gallery or botanical gardens as your venue. Don’t forget to bring along a photographer to document your intimate and private wedding.
Backyard Garden – If you want a smaller crowd or just want to invite immediate family, perhaps your backyard garden will do for the location. It would make an ideal private wedding party.
Cruise Ship Wedding – One of the better unique wedding ceremony ideas for small or private weddings is to exchange simple marriage vows on a cruise ship. Like destination weddings, it can be your private wedding and honeymoon.
There are a number of ways to get married privately and have a simple marriage ceremony. One quick and simple wedding idea is to go to the local courthouse and say your vows there. You can then have a choice of having a small reception with the family or together with friends. Simple, practical and of course, it can help your budget as well.
Courthouse wedding? For men and women, we can help you with advice on what to wear to a courthouse wedding.
Of course, a grand wedding is not a guarantee of a happy marriage, don’t worry about having a tight budget and having only a small wedding.
Private wedding or public wedding? Which did you go for? Comment, tweet and let us know….