For brides who didn't grow up fantasizing about a big white wedding, the growing trend of small-scale elopements is pretty appealing. "I'd never seen myself walking down the aisle in a white dress and long veil, and I definitely didn't have visions of flowers or table settings," says bride Kara. "But I did want to get married and have a big party." She and groom Sam agreed to keep their day small, hoping to capture the feeling of a casual dinner party that turns into a dance party by the end of the night. Kara bought her dress off the rack and had a friend arrange her bouquet - she didn't lay eyes on it until it was placed in her hands to walk down the aisle. 35 close friends and family members watched the intimate ceremony, and a larger group joined the fun for dinner and dancing later in the evening. A night full of Instax cameras, an original song composed by the bride's family, snacks, drinking and dancing transformed into hungover brunches the next morning. Says the bride, "it felt like us, and even the staff at The Bird said it was the most fun wedding they'd ever been to!"
