An Intimate ‘I Do’

When it comes to the perfect wedding, many brides are discovering that less is more. Whether you’re planning to elope or want to limit the guest list to your most cherished family and friends, a microwedding is an increasingly popular option.

A micro-celebration can maintain your favourite, time-honoured traditions on a smaller scale, while the limited guest list leaves you free to focus on what matters most: your love for each other. As for those near and far, livestreaming options ensure that loved ones at home can still be part of your special day. Say your vows overlooking iconic Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles with 10 friends, or pop a bottle of bubbly on the beach with 40 guests: With Four Seasons wedding experts on hand to manage all the details, every moment will be just as you’ve always imagined.

Few destinations are as glamorous as Rodeo Drive in Los Angeles, with its world-class shops and boutiques. Your wedding at Beverly Wilshire, A Four Seasons Hotel is just as stylish. “When you’re thinking about the biggest day of your love story, no matter the size of your party, your wedding venue should be just as legendary,” says Four Seasons wedding specialist Mark Anderson. “Our Rodeo Terrace offers exclusive views of Rodeo Drive, and this venue is simply magical – toast your love with the sparkling lights of the city twinkling in the distance.”

The Hotel’s Love Story wedding package is perfect for a party of 10 – including the bride and groom – and includes an intimate ceremony followed by a reception with a three- or four-course dinner with wine pairings and cocktails, a Champagne toast and a custom mini wedding cake. The Hotel can also arrange to livestream your ceremony, so your virtual guest list is limitless.

As you plan your special day, it’s important to remember that small doesn’t have to mean simple. “Intimate ceremonies can be as lavish or as laid-back as you like,” says Ellie Low, wedding specialist at Four Seasons Resort Langkawi. The island hideaway’s Perfect Paradise and Royal Seclusion wedding packages can accommodate as few as 10 guests and as many as 80, and both packages are completely customizable, whether you want to dance down a sandy “aisle” barefoot to tropical tunes or say “I do” in a more traditional, formal ceremony.

Low and her team coordinate every aspect of the day – flower arrangements, hair and makeup for the bride, the cake, and photography. Dreamy backdrops include the Moroccan-inspired Rhu Bar and the lotus blossom–shaded Teratai Pavilion – select your own private oasis and let the party begin. The celebration continues for you and your love the next day as you enjoy a romantic Champagne breakfast for two and a couple’s massage.

Big galas can be beautiful, but they can also be overwhelming, according to the wedding experts at Four Seasons Hotel Austin. At celebrations with long guest lists, brides may find themselves too busy making the rounds to really enjoy the day. A smaller ceremony and reception facilitate a more relaxing and meaningful reception, carefully tailored to the couple. “No matter the size of a wedding, we take great pride in making it feel intimate and personalized to the couple and their guests,” says Director of Catering Kelly Smutny. “Our beautiful setting overlooking Lady Bird Lake, combined with the warm, gracious service of our staff, ensure every wedding is memorable in its own way.”

The Hotel’s Micro-Wedding package includes everything you need for a small, private ceremony and reception for you and a handful of your closest friends and family, while the Elite Elopement package whittles the gathering size down to two: you and your spouse-to-be. And while these celebrations might be small, they’re big on personal touches tailored to you and your guests. At one recent micro-wedding, Smutny says, the bride and groom ordered each guest’s favourite dessert and had it served to them with the wedding cake. At another, the smaller guest size made it possible for the Four Seasons team to craft a complex, Instagram-worthy signature cocktail – producing special moments that can be hard to pull off with larger crowds.

Tables draped in floor-length ivory linens, teak chairs topped with ivory cushions, stars sparkling overhead: The Splash Terrace at Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore is a beautiful setting for the romantic wedding of your dreams. You and up to 50 guests can enjoy views of the harbour during a four-course dinner – the intimate gathering’s size makes it possible to include customizations like menu pairings featuring the bride and groom’s favourite wines, says Melinda Redling, the Hotel’s director of catering and conference services.

You’ll want to pair the perfect wedding with the perfect proposal – and the Hotel can help with that too. As part of the Perfect Proposal package, your dedicated proposal specialist will help create a magical evening for you and your beloved. Step out onto a candlelit terrace overlooking the Inner Harbor, pop the question as the sun sets, and then celebrate your future happiness with a rooftop Champagne toast.

A small guest list doesn’t limit your reach: At Four Seasons Resort Orlando at Walt Disney World® Resort, experts are on hand to set up a livestream with a customized viewing link, so you can invite as many virtual attendees as you’d like. “Many couples are making their celebrations very private,” says Sascha Voss, the Resort’s catering sales manager and intimate wedding specialist. “The new Bespoke Wedding package includes some wonderful perks for the couple to enjoy at the Resort, and the option of adding special, fun components that enable invited attendees to take part virtually.”

Even at a distance, your friends and family can experience your special day. “Wish You Were Here” boxes are customized by you and your partner and sent to your virtually attending guests, offering samples of your destination to please the senses: virtual reality glasses for a fully immersive ceremony; a locally crafted candle with a custom citrus scent, signature to the Resort; sumptuous cookies made by a Resort pastry chef. These magical touches, with decorative confetti to toss and custom coasters with your names and wedding dates, make all your guests feel like part of the festivities.

Weddings are about two people coming together as a family, and family is front and centre at Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto during your wedding. The family package included in the Hotel’s Cherished Connections package offers all the special touches to make your day unique without taking attention away from what really matters.

Gather for the ceremony with your closest loved ones in the Hotel’s 800-year-old Shakusui-en pond garden, surrounded by fragrant cherry blossoms. Custom fresh floral centrepieces carefully selected to match your wedding colours; musicians, including a choir, harp and violin; technical support to stream the ceremony; and seamless Four Seasons service turn your celebration into the magical day you’ve dreamed about.