Advice For Planning a Small Wedding
Small weddings are brilliant!
Yes, you read correctly, I love small, intimate weddings just as much as large, rambunctious weddings. In fact, I recently wrote a blog detailing my favorite weddings of all time and included in that list was a wedding that took place on Mt. Hood where the guest list was only 15 people!
In the aftermath of Covid and during the last couple of years, the wedding industry as a whole has seen a shift toward smaller and smaller weddings. While I love to shoot a large wedding where the energy is alive and everything seems so grand, I have a newfound love and appreciation for small weddings where things are calmer and more intimate.
However, a smaller wedding does not mean less work! There’s still so much to be done when planning a wedding regardless of the size. So, I thought I’d give some advice on planning a small wedding!
Use a Friend or Families Property
Are you looking for an inexpensive venue? Do you want to put your wedding budget into different areas? Well, there's absolutely nothing wrong with having a “backyard” wedding! Ask a friend or family member who has some property if they’d be okay with you using it to hold your wedding! More often than not you’ll find that the answer is a resounding yes! Plus, most of the time they’ll even help with the setup and teardown!
Destination Wedding
Perhaps you're the kind of couple who prefers a location like no other! Maybe the venue is what you care about most! If this sounds like you then I would heartily recommend a destination wedding! Whether you leave the states or stay here there are hundreds of great destination wedding spots to choose from! This is a once in a lifetime event for most couples, so the ability to take your closest friends and family with you somewhere truly incredible is a gift to you and them that no one will forget anytime soon!
Make a Weekend Out of It
Another venue idea is to rent an Airbnb and make a weekend out of it! Invite your friends and family to the property, have them stay the night and have the wedding the following day! If you rent for a whole weekend (Friday-Sunday) then you could even have an extra day post wedding to chill after what I’m sure will be an awesome reception and party! Most Airbnb’s are receptive to the idea of hosting a wedding on their property, just be upfront with them before you rent in order to alleviate any surprises on either party’s behalf.
Don’t Skimp on the Vendors
A lot of couples that choose to have a small wedding might be on a tight budget, but regardless of the amount of money you have to spend you should always get the vendors that mean the most to you! If you really want a nice photographer or videographer then splurge. Those memories will last much longer than the dent in your wallet. Perhaps the food means a lot to you, eat something that you know you and your guests will enjoy! If money is not an issue but you're tempted to spend less because you're having a small wedding I’d encourage you to think about it like this. More than likely, this will be a once in a lifetime event, so do what makes you happy. Spend the money if you know that it will bring you and your guests’ extra enjoyment!
Have a Sit-Down Dinner
Most couples can’t afford to have a proper sit-down dinner. Maybe they don’t have the space, time or the money! The average cost to feed 100 guests a traditional sit-down dinner bounces between $8,000-$10,000! However, if you have a smaller guest list, you may have the space, time and money to do so! The pricing varies by restaurant and venue, but it generally costs between $100-$200 per person to have a sit-down dinner so the smaller the guest list, the better your chances!
Gifts and Favors
With a small wedding you have a unique opportunity to thank the people who attended! Consider making gift bags or party favors for your guests to take home with them, a token of the day's events and a lasting memory of your union! If money’s not of concern then perhaps a small gift, picked out for each individual based on your knowledge of what they like! Regardless of what you do, the idea is to make your guests feel extra special and appreciated!
Get Personal with Your Invites
A phenomenal part of having a smaller wedding and smaller guest list is that you have the ability to get personal! Generally, with a larger wedding the invites are ordered in bulk and sent out without much afterthought however, if you feel confident, you could hand craft each individual invite! It’s a nice personal touch and your guests will feel honored that you took the time!
Hire Live Music
Nothing gets people more excited at a wedding than having a lively reception! One of the greatest ways to achieve this is by having live music! Whether it's a solo performer or a whole band there is one thing you can be sure of, people are gonna want to dance!
There are so many other great things to consider when planning a small wedding; I could write a whole series of blogs about it! However, this is all I can fit into this blog. I do hope you found it helpful! It doesn’t matter the size of the wedding, big or small you and your guests are bound to have the time of your lives! Just remember to stay in the moment, enjoy the ride, and celebrate like there's no tomorrow!
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