How to Plan an Airbnb Wedding and Intimate Reception

Planning a wedding doesn’t always have to mean ballrooms, hundreds of guests, or big-expensive venues. For so many couples, their wedding day looks more like cozying up with their closest people in a space that feels like home. That’s exactly what one of my brides did when she hosted her wedding at an Airbnb snuggled up in the north georgia mountains with fewer than 15 guests, heartfelt moments, and the kind of closeness that can be difficult to capture with traditional weddings.

If you’re thinking about renting an Airbnb for your wedding, here’s what you should know—mixed with real insight from this unforgettable day.

1. Choosing the Right Airbnb

Not every Airbnb works well for a wedding. Please be sure to look into their rules and if need be, let the airbnb host know what is going on. Some airbnb wedding day details you should consider are:

• Space and layout: This couple chose a regular-sized home with a good backyard, perfect for a small ceremony. Consider the size of your guests and what all is provided at the airbnb for getting ready spaces and guest areas.
• Parking: Make sure there’s enough room for your guests, any vendors, and or catering, plus yourselves.
• Lighting: Natural light makes a huge difference for photos. Their backyard was ideal for portraits, and the indoor living spaces were easy to work with for candids. Make sure your photographer and or videographer is equipped to handle multi-light situations.

2. Ceremony Setup in a Backyard

Airbnb weddings often mean thinking creatively with the space. This couple used a circular floral arch for their ceremony spot while their family formed a semi circle around them. It was beautiful, simple, heartfelt, and intimate.

• Keep it short and sweet: without chairs or a large guest list, the ceremony will flow naturally and feel relaxed. No one wants their guests’ to be standing for too long and with a small guest list, a short ceremony will be enojyed and appreciated.
• Include meaningful details: This couple placed roses and even an ultrasound picture on the ceremony table to symbolize their family milestones. The roses were used during a moment in the ceremony to respect their moms.

3. Getting Ready at the House

One of the biggest perks, I personally feel, is that for Airbnb weddings, most likely everyone can get ready on-site.

• The bride can use a bedroom with an en-suite bathroom, like the main bedroom. This gives her plenty of space for hair and makeup.
• The groom can use another room to get ready with help from their side of the family.

This allowed for the day to move stress-free with no rushing or running between locations, no complicated timelines, no missing moments because of traveling halfway across a venue. Everything gets to stay in the room until the time comes to pack everything up to go.

4. Food, Drinks, and Cake

A small guest count means you can splurge on quality instead of quantity. For your reception, you’ll need to consider drinks, food, and desserts. It doesn’t have to be a cake! This couple:

• Catered from their favorite Italian restaurant and had a charcuterie board for guests during their portraits time after the ceremony.
• Opted for a small bundt cake for just the two of them with smaller desserts for their guests instead of a tiered cake.
• Personalized details like champagne glasses decorated for the couple, banners on the chairs and non alcoholic drinks.

The result was a family meal; a reception that felt personal, was equally delicious and truly unique to them.

5. Reception in the Living Room

Instead of a dance floor, their reception happened in the living room, where cozy couches and chairs, tv on a sports channel, foosball in the corner, this airbnb made the wedding feel more intimate and in the moment over dancing with groups of people with loud music. This small change in the vibe made their reception feel intimate and intentional.

Airbnb receptions can be just as memorable if not more than traditional weddings because they feel authentic to who you are as a couple and are truly customizable. As a photographer, I love when a small intimate wedding comes together.

If you’re dreaming of a small intimate wedding, on the cheaper side for wedding venues, slightly more wedding planning flexibility, and a wedding that feels deeply personal, this might be the wedding for you. With the right space, thoughtful details and with people who matter the most, your wedding can feel magical, intimate, and like you.

Are you looking for a wedding photographer who specialized in backyard weddings? I’d love to connect with you and talk about your dream wedding day! We can chat here!