Thanks to the pandemic, lots of couples are deciding to downsize their wedding. If you are thinking about taking a minimalist approach when it comes to saying ‘I do,’ then you might consider booking only a hotel room, instead of a banquet hall, for your ceremony. In today’s discussion of how to plan a hotel room wedding ceremony, I share photos from Jackie and Wilson’s nuptials at the Public Hotel. Their tiny ceremony had everything you could ask for in a big wedding, but at a fraction of the cost.
Why Book a Hotel Room for your Wedding Ceremony?
First, let’s start with an introduction to Jackie and Wilson. These two crazy kids met through a mutual friend in Atlanta. After a couple of years together, the proposal took place at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
Jackie and Wilson wanted to be surrounded by family as they celebrated this relationship milestone. The goal was to have an intimate ceremony, so the impersonal nature of City Hall was not an option. Furthermore, saying ‘I do’ in the private room of a restaurant didn’t seem right either. Instead, they decided to book a hotel room that could easily accommodate their guest count of 15.
How To Plan A Hotel Room Wedding Ceremony
Step one is pretty simple: find the perfect hotel room. The key to a successful one-room wedding ceremony is to select a spacious room with a knockout view. Case in point, check out Niya and Gladimir’s wedding at the William Vale Hotel, and Jill and Ed’s wedding at the Waldorf Astoria.
As with Jackie and Wilson at the Public Hotel, the ‘wow’ factor is clearly present in all of these hotel rooms. Note that in each case, the couple booked a suite. A suite grants you enough room for a separate ceremony area along with plenty of space for guests to sit comfortably. Furthermore, if you want to be even more selective about the location of your room, you might opt for a corner suite. For both Niya and Jackie, the corner of the room served as the perfect niche for their respective ceremonies.
Room Service, Then the Reception
The second step in planning a hotel room wedding ceremony is to make sure the champagne is readily at hand. In Jackie and Wilson’s case, the couple set up an extensive bar on the far side of the room to make sure the champagne was flowing. Room service provided snacks and food before the ceremony. When it came time to celebrate afterwards, however, Jackie and Wilson wisely chose to give their guests more space and dining choices by taking them to a nearby restaurant.
Wedding Portraits In and Out of the Hotel
Finally, think beyond your hotel room for your wedding portraits. In Jackie and Wilson’s case, we stayed inside for most of their photos – both the photos of them as a couple and of the family together. It made sense to stay put because of the cold, December weather and time was limited due to their restaurant reservation. All of Jackie and Wilson’s portraits were taken prior to their ceremony.
While Jackie and Wilson stayed inside for most of their photos, you shouldn’t be afraid to venture outside of your hotel room. One caveat to bear in mind is that for most hotels – including the Public Hotel – photos cannot be taken in any public space within the venue. This is so that other hotel guests are not inconvenienced. But with a fabulous neon escalator and a disco ball Christmas tree in the garden outside, I of course decided to ask forgiveness, not permission to take just a few quick photos.
KISS: Keep It Simple, Stupid
Jackie and Wilson wanted a simple wedding, but they still wanted their day to feel special. Flowers were kept to a minimum, with only a few lovely, little bouquets placed around the room. Choosing an officiant was easy, as Wilson’s mother (a judge) did the honors. Lastly, Jackie chose a modern and effortlessly chic dress that perfectly says ‘bride,’ but still reflects the minimalist theme of the day.
No wedding favors. No seating chart to plan. What could be better than just showing up to say ‘I do’ and enjoying your day? Don’t be afraid of choosing a hotel room suite for your wedding ceremony. For the price of one night in a fantastic hotel you can have memories to last a lifetime and enough money left over for an even more memorable honeymoon.
Enjoy all the images from Jackie and Wilson‘s Public Hotel wedding, and I will have more photo adventures for you next week!
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Looking for more tips on how to plan a hotel room wedding ceremony? Drop me a line, and let’s chat about your photography needs.
If you would like to see more images from my wedding photojournalism portfolio, then please visit my website – KellyWilliamsPhotographer.com
