The Complete Guide to Planning an Intimate Wedding in New Jersey
If you've found yourself searching for terms like micro wedding, intimate wedding, or small wedding venue in New Jersey, you're not alone.
Over the last several years, more couples have discovered that bigger doesn't always mean better.
They're choosing celebrations centered around meaningful conversations, incredible food, beautiful settings, and spending genuine time with the people they love most.
After photographing more than 350 weddings and creating Apollo Fields, we've learned something simple:
The most memorable weddings aren't measured by the size of the guest list.
They're measured by how they make people feel.
Here's everything we think couples should know when planning an intimate wedding in New Jersey.
What Is an Intimate Wedding?
An intimate wedding typically includes anywhere from 20 to 75 guests, although every couple defines it differently.
The common thread isn't a specific number.
It's intention.
Every guest has a meaningful relationship with the couple.
The day feels personal rather than performative.
You aren't inviting people because you feel obligated.
You're inviting the people you truly want beside you.
What Is a Micro Wedding?
A micro wedding is generally a wedding with 50 guests or fewer.
Unlike an elopement, a micro wedding still includes many of the traditions couples love:
A ceremony
Cocktail hour
A beautiful dinner
Toasts
Dancing (if you want it)
Gorgeous floral design
Professional photography
Think of it as everything you love about a traditional wedding—with a guest list that allows you to actually enjoy it.
What Is an Elopement?
Today's elopements have evolved.
For some couples, it's just the two of them.
For others, it's a ceremony with parents, siblings, and a handful of close friends.
Elopements prioritize experience over expectation and allow couples to create a day that's entirely their own.
There is no "right" size for a wedding.
Only the size that feels right for you.
Why Couples Are Choosing Smaller Weddings
We hear the same reasons over and over again.
Couples want to:
Spend time with every guest.
Invest in exceptional food instead of feeding hundreds.
Choose quality over quantity.
Feel relaxed instead of rushed.
Create a celebration that reflects who they are.
Those priorities naturally lend themselves to intimate weddings.
Choose a Venue Designed for Smaller Celebrations
One mistake we see couples make is booking a venue built for 250 guests and trying to make it work for 40.
The room feels empty.
Guests spread out.
The atmosphere changes.
Instead, look for a venue intentionally designed around smaller gatherings.
When the scale feels right, everything else falls into place.
Think About Privacy
Privacy is one of the most overlooked parts of wedding planning.
Ask yourself:
Will another wedding be happening the same day?
Will you share parking?
Will strangers walk through your cocktail hour?
Will another DJ be competing with yours?
Exclusive-use venues create a completely different experience.
Your wedding becomes exactly what it should be—the only celebration that matters that day.
Build the Day Around Hospitality
Before photography became our full-time career, both Terrence and I worked in hospitality.
It shaped everything we believe about hosting.
A memorable wedding isn't about squeezing as many events into the day as possible.
It's about making people feel cared for.
Think about:
welcoming drinks
comfortable seating
thoughtful pacing
incredible food
beautiful lighting
opportunities for conversation
Those details stay with guests long after the wedding ends.
Let Dinner Become the Event
One of our favorite trends is couples designing their wedding around the meal.
Instead of treating dinner as a stop between formalities, they make it the heart of the celebration.
Long tables.
Candlelight.
Seasonal menus.
Shared bottles of wine.
Courses that encourage people to linger.
Some of the best weddings we've photographed have felt more like unforgettable dinner parties than traditional receptions.
Don't Be Afraid to Personalize Everything
Smaller weddings make customization easier.
Create signature cocktails.
Write personal vows.
Serve your family's favorite recipes.
Skip traditions that don't feel like you.
Invent new ones.
The best weddings rarely follow someone else's formula.
Your Guests Will Notice the Difference
One of the biggest misconceptions about intimate weddings is that guests expect something "less."
We've found the opposite.
Guests often leave saying:
"This was one of the best weddings we've ever been to."
Not because it was extravagant.
Because it felt genuine.
Because they had meaningful conversations.
Because they weren't standing in buffet lines.
Because they actually spent time with the couple.
Questions to Ask Before Booking an Intimate Wedding Venue
When touring venues, ask:
Is the property private?
Do we have exclusive use?
What's the rain plan?
Can we bring our own alcohol?
Do you allow outside caterers?
Is there ample parking?
Is the venue LGBTQ+-inclusive?
What is included with the rental?
How does the space feel with our guest count?
These questions tell you far more than a brochure ever will.
Why We Built Apollo Fields
Apollo Fields wasn't created to host the biggest weddings.
It was created to host the most meaningful ones.
Every decision we've made—from limiting our guest count to creating private gardens, welcoming outside caterers, helping couples design thoughtful bar menus, and hosting only one celebration at a time—comes back to one idea:
Great hospitality creates unforgettable memories.
We believe weddings should feel like gathering at the home of your favorite hosts.
Relaxed.
Beautiful.
Intentional.
Filled with incredible food, genuine conversation, and the people who matter most.
Planning an Intimate Wedding in New Jersey?
Whether you're dreaming of an elegant micro wedding, a private estate wedding, an elopement, or an intimate garden wedding in New Jersey, we'd love to welcome you to Apollo Fields.
If your vision is less about putting on a production and more about creating an unforgettable experience for the people you love most, you're exactly why we built this place.
Because the best weddings aren't remembered for how many people attended.
They're remembered for how deeply they were felt.
