40 Awesome Ideas To Plan That Simple Wedding You’ve Always Dreamed Of

simple wedding ideas
jennifer skulski wedding hashers guest author

Jennifer Skulski

Published: Dec 16, 2021

Last Updated: Sep 27, 2023

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For all those couples out there excited about their big day but wishing to keep things easy and minimalistic, a simple wedding can be exactly what you’ve dreamed of. Regardless of your theming or execution, your wedding day is one that’ll go down in history.

You don’t need all the bells and whistles or pomp and circumstance if you’re truly wishing to keep your ceremony and reception simple by focusing on the love.

Luckily, we’ve culminated 40 easy yet enchanting ideas that’ll create the perfect simple wedding. 

40 Ideas For The Perfect Simple Wedding

Wedding Planning Tips

1. Keep The Guest List Small

An easy way to simplify your wedding day is by narrowing down your guest list. Fewer guests typically mean less stress, planning, and drama. Keep your guest list to a minimum by embracing the idea of a small wedding.

Your simple wedding can be a beautiful gathering of close-knit friends and family for a truly intimate celebration.

small wedding guest list ideas

2. Hire A Wedding Planner

For an easy wedding planning experience, it’s best to hire a wedding planner. Wedding planners have the experience, knowledge, and connections in the wedding planning realm to make your simple wedding dreams come true.

wedding planner for dream wedding

3. Family-Only Wedding Party

Keep your wedding party simple by only asking your immediate family to fulfill these roles. This will create a more family-oriented atmosphere for your special celebration. 

a family-only wedding

4. Consider A Micro-Wedding

Micro-weddings are increasing in popularity and are the perfect alternative to a large ceremony. Instead of having a lengthy guest list, keep your wedding planning simple by only inviting your nearest and dearest. 

micro-wedding idea

5.  Stick To The Basics

You don’t have to make your planning and preparations complex and difficult. Instead, stick to the basics by understanding the necessities that you absolutely must have at your wedding. This includes a simple site for the ceremony, a simple reception venue, some seating arrangements, and some food. 

simple wedding ideas
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6. Keep It Short And Sweet

If you aren’t interested in having an elaborate and lengthy ceremony leading up to the “I do”s, then the best advice is to keep it short and sweet. Simplify the day by having a beautiful yet direct ceremony leading up to a joyous reception. 

small wedding ideas

7. Find A Venue To Host Both Your Ceremony & Reception

Embrace a simple wedding by having everything happen in one convenient location. Forget about coordinating transportation from the ceremony to the reception. Instead, find your ideal venue where both events can take place. 

southern wedding style

8. Write Handwritten Invitations Or Thank You Notes 

Give your minimalist wedding a personal touch by handwriting your wedding invitations or thank you notes. This can be a simple yet beautiful way to show your appreciation for your guests. 

handwritten wedding invitations

9. Get Creative With Seating Arrangements

For a small, simple wedding, you can make your reception as unique of an atmosphere as you’d like. Consider unconventionally shaped tables or even one long family-style table to get your whole guest list interacting with one another. 

romantic, simple wedding reception

10. DIY Wedding Favors

Instead of outsourcing your wedding favors, consider making DIY wedding favors to hand out to your guests for a more personal and wholesome measure. 

DIY easy wedding favor ideas

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Simple Wedding Cake Ideas

11. The Naked Cake

For a simple yet elegant design for your wedding cake, consider a naked cake. Naked cakes leave the outside of the cake bare as the exterior isn’t iced. This creates a stylish and rustic wedding look for your dessert.

minimalist rustic wedding cake

12. Stick To One Color

Sometimes the simplicity of designs and decor can be even more dazzling than the more elaborate alternatives. If this is your belief as well, try to stick to one color for the perfect simple wedding cake. 

the perfect simple wedding cake

13. Black And White Cake

For a classy look on your black-tie wedding, opt for a black-and-white combination. Get creative with this scheme by using icing, sugar flowers, bows, lace, or other embellishments to make your black and white cake stand out. 

easy black and white cake

14. Choose A Minimalist Design

A minimalist wedding cake can make for a dazzling display without being overly complicated. Strip down your wedding cake design ideas to the bare minimum and you’ll be surprised at the lovely designs you can create. 

minimalist wedding cake idea

15. Simple Cake With Fruit Decor

If you’re searching for a simple wedding cake hack that’s bound to spruce up any plain white cake, consider adding fruit. A fun variety of fruit not only makes for gorgeous decor and pops of color but pairing fruit with dessert is always a compelling combination.

simplistic cake with fruit decor

16. Add Greenery To Your Wedding Cake

If embellishing your cake with fruit isn’t your style, try adding greenery instead. Adding greenery to your wedding cake will give it a fantastic rustic or natural vibe while simultaneously looking stunning. 

simple greenery to your wedding cake

17. Pick A Unique Shape

Who said cakes have to be rectangular or circular? It’s your wedding cake shape so feel free to be as creative as you’d like with it. Make it hexagonal or heart-shaped if you so please. There are no rules. 

unique wedding cake shape

18. Wedding Cake With A Funny Cake Topper

Keep your wedding cake simple yet give your guests something to talk about with a funny wedding cake topper for all to enjoy. 

wedding cake for civil wedding

19. Make The Cake Personal With Initials

An easy wedding cake trick that can transform a normal cake into a personalized masterpiece is by including you and your partner’s initials on the cake. Spell out the initials in beautiful cursive for an elegant look. 

simple wedding cake idea

20. Rainbow Inside Cake

If you enjoy the blend of simple and surprising, this idea is the one for you. Surprise your guests with a fun rainbow cake iced fully in white to disguise the burst of color within. 

easy rainbow wedding cake

Wedding Attire For A Simple Wedding

21. A-line Dress

This wedding dress style may be simple but it sure is classic. A-line wedding dresses are particularly known for being flattering to a variety of different body types making them the perfect fit for a simple wedding. 

a-line gown

22. Simple Cut 

For the minimalist bride looking for her wedding day attire, try finding a simple cut dress that’ll be both classy and stylish as you tie the knot.

wedding dress for minimalist bride

23. Long-Sleeve Wedding Gowns

Perfect for a fall or winter ceremony, long-sleeve gowns create an elegant addition to your overall wedding day look. Choose a sleeve length and style that matches your aesthetic and embrace this trendy look.

long-sleeve wedding gown

24. Minimalist Princess Wedding Dress

Seeking a minimalist wedding doesn’t mean you have to compromise on style. A minimalist princess wedding dress is perfect for the bride interested in a fairytale wedding of her own.

minimalist wedding dress princess cut
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25. Simple Dress With Elaborate Veil

Another dazzling idea for your dream wedding is to keep the wedding dress simple while allowing for the veil to take center stage. 

dress with simple veil

26. Add A Touch Of Lace

To keep your wedding attire simple yet glamorous, consider the ways that a subtle lace design can enhance your look. Lace is delicate, dainty, and elegant. It’s the perfect addition to a dazzling style.

wedding lace design

27. Low And Open Back Wedding Dress

If you’re looking for a simple way to make a statement through your wedding dress, choose a gown that has a low and open back. Radiate with confidence throughout the night with this stunning yet simple look.

open back wedding dress

28. Silk Wedding Dress

A silk wedding gown is a popular choice for a reason. Silk dresses bring along a classic yet elegant aesthetic, perfect for the wedding of your dreams.

silk wedding dress

29. Mix And Match Bridesmaid Dresses

It’s time to switch up tradition. There’s no rule that says your bridal party has to all wear the same exact dress of the same exact color. For a unique style, allow your bridesmaids to choose their own style dress or different colors from a scheme for a fun mix-and-match vibe.

mix-and-match bridesmaid dresses

30. Casual Guest Dress Code

If you wish to plan an easy wedding, opt for a casual dress code to keep your guests comfortable throughout the celebration.

casual wedding dress code

Simple Wedding Venue Ideas

31. Consider A Backyard Wedding

For an intimate celebration, skip the elaborate venue altogether and consider having a backyard wedding. Backyard weddings can be a great way to keep the night low-key yet special as you spend your time with your close friends and family.

backyard venue

32. Rent An Airbnb

Find a quaint location to host your big day by renting an Airbnb. Experience a wide-open barn, a cute cabin by the lake, or a countryside cottage to host your wedding.

airbnb rental to host minimalist wedding

33. Small, Destination Wedding

If you’re interested in a destination wedding but still wish to keep your celebration as simple as possible, then have a small, destination wedding. Tie the knot in your dream location while keeping your guest list small and manageable to make your destination dreams a reality.

small destination wedding photo

34. All-Inclusive Venue

For a simple wedding planning experience, search for an all-inclusive venue. All-inclusive venues include nearly everything you’ll need for your big day to go off without a hitch. This often includes the catering, decorations, flowers, tables, chairs, and other elements in one convenient package.

all-inclusive wedding venue

35. National Parks

Another spectacular venue idea to keep your planning process simple would be to use the beautiful backdrop of a National Park as your venue of choice.

national park for wedding venue
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36. City Hall Wedding Venue

As a wedding alternative to a traditional affair, try a city hall wedding venue. This can be a short and sweet way to get your marriage official then celebrate with those closest to you.

city hall wedding venue

37. Public Beach

For a fun outdoorsy venue, the public beach is the way to go. Enjoy the day under the sun with the glorious sights and sounds of the beach as your perfect wedding day backdrop.

public beach for venue

38. Library Wedding Venue

For a classy and unique venue, consider hosting your nuptial celebration in a library. This can be a great venue for a sophisticated literary couple.

library wedding venue

39. Museum Wedding Venue

Are you and your partner a fan of art, culture, and science? If so, a museum could be the ideal venue for your picturesque big day.

museum wedding venue

40. Restaurant/Cafe Wedding

Another wedding venue would be to host your celebration at a local restaurant or cafe. A quaint cafe can provide a fun atmosphere for your celebration.

cafe wedding for the minimalist bride

Simple Wedding: Frequently Asked Questions

What’s Considered A Simple Wedding?

A simple wedding is one that embraces minimalist aspects and focuses on a smaller celebration. The concentration of a simple wedding is on the wedding itself rather than planning an elaborate or over-the-top event.

How Do You Have A Simple Wedding Ceremony?

A simple wedding ceremony can be easily executed by inviting a smaller guest list, choosing an easily accessible venue, and embracing a minimalist aesthetic when it comes to decor and attire.

How Much Will A Simple Wedding Cost?

The average cost of a wedding in 2019 was $38,700. The average cost of a simple, smaller wedding of 50 guests or less is around $9,000; however, these figures will drastically differ depending upon your location, the number of guests, and your other wedding planning desires and details.

Simplicity Is Key!

As you begin to plan out your wedding ceremony, we hope that these minimalistic ideas will serve as inspiration. Planning your big day doesn’t have to be over the top or overwhelming.

Stick with the simple details with your close family by your side and your beautiful marriage ceremony can be the celebration of your dreams.

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