Something about intimate weddings seriously sets my soul on fire, I don’t know why. It could be because there is so much intention behind every little decision or the fact that I get to feel more personal with my couples. Whatever have you, if you haven’t guessed yet… I love them. Maura and Andrew wanted to avoid the hustle + bustle of a large wedding and instead decided to do an Intimate Chicago Loft Wedding. If you are in the middle of planning an intimate wedding and aren’t sure which direction to take, here is your intimate wedding inspiration!

Intimate Chicago Loft Wedding

Maura and Andrew have been together for 13 years. Rather than wanting to be the center of attention, these two wanted something much more intimate and relaxed. After much consideration and decision-making, Maura and Andrew decided on having an intimate wedding. Maura’s sister/BFF was planning to move to Germany so in order to celebrate as well as spend time with friends + family before this big change, they felt that an intimate wedding was the perfect option.

Charcoal Factory Loft

One of my favorite intimate wedding venues in Chicago is the Charcoal Factory Loft. This also happened to be where Maura and Andrew decided to have their intimate wedding! This incredible venue was converted from an old charcoal factory and still holds some of its original character and charm. The designer of this loft was committed to maintaining the original aesthetic of the factory. They wanted to preserve the brick and concrete walls, original windows, floors, and ceilings and did so oh so beautifully. To learn more details about this amazing Chicago venue, click here!

For Maura and Andrew’s intimate wedding we kept things very short and sweet. They essentially had an intimate cocktail party with around 60 wedding guests. Remember how I said they wanted things to be relaxed? Well, I mean it when I said relaxeddddd. There wasn’t an aisle to walk down and no formal vows were exchanged. It really was a moment for them to clink glasses and say I do. While this style of wedding may not be for everyone, it was absolutely PERFECT for Maura and Andrew. Since their wedding wasn’t until the evening time, it gave us a very moody vibe which I loved. We took some portraits around the space and really utilized the dimly lit ambiance to our advantage. I have to note that we had some of the most AMAZING food I have ever tasted. Andrew is actually the Executive Chef at Lula Cafe here in Chicago. They had catered their intimate wedding and let me tell you… the food was phenomenal. Highly recommend checking out some of their delectable eats if/when you get the chance. Even though this day was short and to the point, it really is one that I will cherish.

What Is An Intimate Wedding? Should You Have One?

First things first… there can be a lot of different definitions of what an intimate wedding is. Each photographer may classify an intimate wedding as something different but here at Iron + Honey, this is what I say is an intimate wedding. A wedding is considered an “intimate wedding” if they have less than 75 guests. Now like I said, this may be different for each and every photographer but it follows the same concept. No large guest count!

Here is the burning question that I bet a lot of you planning your wedding are dying to know the answer to. Should you have an intimate wedding? Yes or no, that is the real question. Of course, this entirely depends on your preferences and what you feel is the most important for you and your partner on your wedding day.

If you’ve been debating it, here are a few benefits to having an intimate wedding:

1.) Save Some Money – First off we all can admit that having a large wedding is NOT cheap. The smaller the guest count/the smaller the wedding the less expensive it can be! A lot of what can go towards a wedding budget is towards things like feeding your guests, wedding favors, furnishing/rentals, etc. If you’re looking for something a little less expensive than a large and in charge wedding, an intimate wedding may be just the trick!

2.) More Intimacy – And I’m not just talking with your partner! Oftentimes after speaking with brides they say that their wedding day flew by. Sometimes they can’t even remember if they greeted everyone at the wedding because there was just so much going on at once. An intimate wedding gives you and your partner the opportunity to meet & greet every wedding guest and feel more of a fancy hangout/celebration than a large wedding. Not only that, but it gives you and your partner a bit more time to soak up the moment and really enjoy every aspect of your special day.

3.) Wide Variety of Venues to Choose – Aside from the Charcoal Factory Loft, there are a TON of wedding venues to choose from for an intimate wedding. Oftentimes if you’re wedding venue hunting you can find that a ton of wedding venues will have a guest limit. If you’re planning on having a big wedding, the larger the guest count the narrower your options may get! With an intimate wedding, you are able to get a bit more creative with your venue and vendor options.

While I could rave all day about why intimate weddings are some of my favorites, I think that Maura & Andrew’s day speaks for itself. If you or anyone you know has been wanting to have an intimate wedding and are ready for a wedding photographer to capture those special moments, then I’m your gal! Click here to contact me!

If you’re loving photos from this Intimate Chicago Loft Wedding, then you’re going to love this Intimate Chicago Elopement! 

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