Benefits of a Small Wedding
There are so many things that go into planning a wedding that it can be quite overwhelming. Should we have a large wedding or should we have a small wedding? Does our dream venue even allow enough people? Should our wedding be outdoors (I always say YES to this!)? Should we get married in a place that is convenient for everyone, or a destination that is more fun? Maybe we should just laugh in the face of tradition and elope instead! These are all great questions, and there are so many more. Hopefully this article will help you answer a few of them, especially those that involve small weddings (after all, that’s why you clicked this post!).
Personally, besides adventurous elopements, I really love the smaller intimate weddings. We all know about larger weddings, but let’s talk about the benefits of something a little smaller, a more intimate wedding day.
Guest Count
One of the big things to consider is guest count. When it comes to guests, things can add up pretty quickly. Deciding from the beginning to have a small wedding is a great way to save some money and guarantees that you only invite people you truly want to be there. It allows you to interact more with each of your guests on a more intimate level, allowing you to spend some quality time with everyone and not feeling pulled in so many directions. A 200 person wedding is an awesome party but realistically you just can’t get meaningful interactions with everyone, since there are just too many people. In my experience, 60 or less is a good number to shoot for, if you are aiming for a smaller wedding.
Venue Options
Larger weddings will typically have some limitations with where you can get married. You will need to find a venue that will fit the number of people you want to invite and the costs can start going up from there. One of the awesome benefits about a small wedding is that it opens up some options for some really neat venues or non venues that you might not have thought about.
I often recommend to couples thinking about smaller events that they take a look at AirBnBs. Many allow private events (always check!), which means you can celebrate and retire at the same location without having to commute or deal with a hotel. This combos especially well with hiring local food trucks to cater. Another fine option that some venues offer is the ability to rent out a smaller part of a larger space, which allows for significant cost savings as well.
Let’s not forget the great outdoors! State or National Parks often allow small events with inexpensive permitting, and some even allow catering. Being outside and enjoying a nice picnic, a delicious bbq caterer, or even a taco station with the people you love might be just the type of small experience you are looking for. Along a similar note, campground weekend weddings (these can be larger as well) can be a great way to spend time with all of your friends and family over multiple days! Have your ceremony on one day and a reception the next. Or you can have multiple small receptions if your friends and family live all over the place.
Another benefit of a small wedding, and something that might be very important to you, is avoiding the sheer amount of waste that weddings create. Food waste, one time use decor, packaging, and etc. Having a smaller intimate wedding means less people, which means less waste, which is better for the planet and future generations!
If the thought of planning a small wedding is still too overwhelming, or perhaps not intimate enough, I strongly urge you to read about the option of eloping. You should have the wedding that you want to have, not what your family or friends decide you should have. If that means inviting everyone, great! If you feel the need to narrow down the list of guests, that’s perfectly fine too. This is the day you start your marriage and you should have your wedding, your way.
