Planning a Small, Intimate Wedding at Apollo Fields
Planning a Small, Intimate Wedding at Apollo Fields
A thoughtful guide to making the most of a micro-wedding at our estate venue
There’s something quietly powerful about a small wedding. Fewer guests. Fewer moving parts. More intention. More room to actually feel the day as it unfolds.
At Apollo Fields, intimate weddings aren’t a scaled-down version of something bigger — they’re the point. Our space was designed to feel like a private estate gathering, not a traditional barn venue, even though we’re set on a working horse farm. Think refined, relaxed, and deeply personal.
After hosting weddings, engagement parties, baby showers, and private celebrations here — and photographing weddings for over a decade — we’ve seen what truly makes a small wedding feel elevated rather than minimal. Below are our best tips for planning an intimate wedding that feels effortless, warm, and beautifully intentional at Apollo Fields.
1. Let the Guest List Set the Tone
One of the biggest gifts of a small wedding is clarity. When your guest list is tight, the energy naturally shifts from production to presence.
At Apollo Fields, smaller guest counts allow you to:
Greet every guest personally
Create a natural, unhurried flow to the day
Design seating that feels conversational rather than formal
We often see couples lean into long tables, cocktail-style seating, or a ceremony layout that brings everyone in close — all of which work beautifully in our space and reinforce that “estate gathering” feeling.
2. Use the Space Like a Home, Not a Venue
The most memorable intimate weddings treat the venue like a shared home for the day.
Instead of assigning every moment to a strict location, allow the celebration to move organically:
A ceremony outdoors with the paddocks as your backdrop
Cocktails drifting between lawn, terrace, and interior spaces
Dinner unfolding slowly, with room for conversation and pauses
Apollo Fields was designed to support this kind of movement. The goal isn’t to “fill” the space — it’s to let it breathe.
3. Invest in the Guest Experience
When your guest count is smaller, every detail carries more weight — in the best way.
Rather than stretching your budget across dozens of tables, couples often choose to elevate:
Thoughtfully prepared, family-style meals
Beautiful tabletop design and layered textures
Comfortable seating, lighting, and flow
At intimate weddings, guests notice how they feel. Warm lighting. Good pacing. Enough room to linger. These things matter far more than spectacle.
4. Keep the Timeline Loose (On Purpose)
Smaller weddings don’t need rigid schedules. In fact, the most successful intimate celebrations at Apollo Fields allow space for flexibility.
We recommend:
Padding your timeline generously
Letting moments run long if they feel good
Allowing the day to respond to the energy in the room
This approach creates a sense of ease — one where nothing feels rushed and everything feels intentional.
5. Choose Vendors Who Understand Intimate Events
Not every vendor approaches a 25- or 40-person wedding the same way they would a 200-person one — and that matters.
Look for teams who:
Are comfortable working in close quarters
Value subtlety and pacing
Understand that intimacy requires restraint, not excess
Because we’re still actively photographing weddings ourselves, we’re happy to offer guidance when it comes to assembling a team that fits the scale and tone of your day.
6. Personal Touches Go Further Here
Small weddings give you permission to do things your way.
Some of our favorite moments at Apollo Fields have included:
Couples greeting guests together as they arrive
Handwritten notes at each place setting
Shared meals that feel more like dinner with friends than a formal reception
These details don’t need to be elaborate — they just need to be honest.
7. Remember Why You Chose Small
An intimate wedding isn’t about doing less. It’s about doing what matters most.
At Apollo Fields, the couples who walk away happiest are the ones who:
Prioritize connection over production
Trust the space and let it speak quietly
Allow the day to feel lived-in, not staged
That’s where the magic lives.
Planning Your Intimate Wedding at Apollo Fields
If you’re dreaming of a wedding that feels personal, grounded, and beautifully understated, our estate venue was designed with you in mind. We host a limited number of events each year to ensure every celebration receives the time, care, and attention it deserves.
We’d love to hear what you’re planning — and help you shape a day that feels unmistakably yours.
Inquire here: www.apollofields.com
Location: Flemington, New Jersey
