Planning the Perfect Small Wedding

A lot goes into planning a wedding from start to finish. From picking out catering, a venue, choosing a DJ, and more, there are a plethora of different elements to account for.

One of the biggest decisions you will have to make in the grand scheme of planning is the size of wedding you are going to have. If you don’t want to invite 300 of your closest family and friends, opting for a smaller, more intimate wedding may be the perfect option for you.

If you are going for a smaller wedding, here are some great tips and tricks to follow.

Selecting Your Guest List

Whether you plan a large wedding or a small, private ceremony, finalizing the guest list is arguably the most important and most stressful element of planning your big day.

When you are planning a small wedding, though, this factor becomes even more of a pain and can create a lot of tension between friends and family.

Managing the expectations of your friends and family is key to making the small wedding work as you want to be sure not to offend anyone or burn bridges. Be sure to communicate with people early and often as you finalize your guest list. When informing family or friends they won’t be receiving an invite, be sure to be very apologetic and sensitive to their feelings.

Providing them with small details about how small your venue is or how you are having to work with a tight budget is a good way to let them know how difficult it will be to have a lot of people and why you have to leave some people off.

In the end, know that you can’t please everyone and you should only invite the people you really want to celebrate. It’s your day, so be sure to think of yourself in the long run.

Choosing a Venue

Selecting where to get married is one of the most important parts of wedding planning, and it is even more crucial when planning a small ceremony.

While you could still opt for a traditional wedding in a church, there are a few more exciting options available to you when having a small gathering:

  • Destination wedding
  • Park gazebo
  • Backyard wedding

These options and more are all at your disposal so be sure to get creative and think outside the box when you are settling on a place to host your big day.

Wedding altar in backyard

Enjoy Yourself and Relax

In the end, a small wedding can allow you to let your hair down and really enjoy the day without being as stressed.

Instead of having only the wedding party speak when it comes to your toasts, consider opening the floor up to your family and close friends. This is a great way to share more special, intimate moments with one another.

A small ceremony and reception also means you can party on without embarrassing yourself in front of anyone, so make sure you enjoy yourself and dance it all out.

Have you planned a small wedding before? What are your essentials to a successful day? Be sure to let us know in the comments!