Even though weddings generally occur as grand events, small weddings are also pretty common. They are lately trending as having fewer guests lets you have more time to interact with them individually. Couples are also starting to lean towards small weddings as they’re usually eco-friendlier and more cost-effective. If you’re planning to throw a petite celebration, you’ve come to the right place as we’ll be looking at some excellent small wedding ideas and tips to get you started.

What Size is Considered a Small Wedding?

A small wedding usually consists of 50 people or less. However, Jen Johnson, CEO of EPIC Presentations, says the fewer people you invite, the more intimate the event will be. You can have a super personal event by inviting 20 to 40 of your dearest friends and relatives or go even further with only 10 people as your VIP-only guests. Even though intimate celebrations occur locally, they are also hosted at popular destinations like the Maldives or Bali.

4 Things to Consider when Planning Your Guest List for a Small Wedding

A small wedding planning might seem straightforward at first, but it can be challenging to pull off. Here are our tips to make your small wedding planning process easier.

Choose Your Guests Wisely

This point seems obvious, but it might be challenging in real life. Note that there are certain people that you don’t need to invite. Then, reference the guidelines around social gatherings so you understand what’s allowed. You might want to invite 50 people, but the space you’re celebrating may only be enough for 20 to 30 people. We understand that it’s hard to tell someone they won’t be invited to your wedding, and it’s best to be honest. But you can always look for other ways to include them on your special day.

Pick a Place with a Strict Guest Capacity

If you’re feeling guilty for limiting the number of guests, consider choosing a venue with a strict capacity that takes out this pressure from you. This also offers you more time to play with the guest list.

Skip the Party

Even though a wedding party seems essential for any wedding celebration and is considered a tradition, you don’t have to have one – especially if you’re planning a small guest list. Let yourself forgo the wedding party and only invite your closest relatives and the people that’ve always been there for you. You can focus on creating a list of the most important people in your life instead of a wedding party.

Invite Others Virtually

You can take advantage of technology, especially if the pandemic is yet to lift off in your region. If you want to include more people, have your ceremony on Zoom. This may also help guests who don’t want to travel as you may be celebrating a destination wedding.

Inviting them virtually is an excellent solution if you’re trying to get the headcount down. They still get to witness your moment when exchanging vows, while you can keep your guest list small.

4 Ideas for a Small Wedding

After you’re confident with your small guest list, let’s move on to the fun part; adding personal touches to make the most memorable intimate wedding.

Personalized Wedding Stationery

As you’ll be sending out 50 or fewer invitations, you can use this opportunity to make a super-personalized stationery suite—order custom illustrations to save the dates that reflect you and your partner. For the invitations, pick the color, design and wordings that are also truly you.

Involve Every One of Your Guests in Your Event

Most weddings only involve a handful of guests, including the couple’s parents, siblings and best friends. However, a smaller wedding lets you involve more guests in the ceremony. Depending on the event’s size, they can read a line of a special reading, have them stand and encircle you when exchanging vows, seat them at one big table at the reception or get all of them to attend the rehearsal dinner.

Add Your Love Story to the Menu

Fewer guests mean more food options. This allows you to craft your menu based on your love story. You can include food inspired by your first date in a restaurant, special family recipes or your wedding’s location. You can also present a menu that’s full of your favorite dishes. If food means a lot for both of you, book a food truck or two that offers a different menu for your guests. If you want the comfort food, serve some good pizza or pasta that you know your guests will enjoy. This lets your guests enjoy good food while also connecting to your love story.

Focus on the Details

Accents like table place cards, thank you notes and favors can make a big difference in your guest’s experience. Wedding experts recommend thinking about ways to incorporate the tiny and personal touches into your wedding. For example, you can include your family’s heirloom or silver for decorations on the reception table or distribute hand-written notes to all your guests. Place them at every table setting, letting them know that you’re happy they are here to celebrate this special day with you. 

The options for wedding favors also expand due to the smaller guest list. Instead of the generic $1 wedding favors, you can splurge on something special. Consider things like some special shot glasses or a jar of your family’s special cookies.