Go All Out with a Small Wedding

At its core, a wedding celebration is about personal style, preferences, dreams, family, friends and of course, budgets. With the wedding industry booming more than ever, it seems that small weddings have been wiped out in favor of guest lists that are well into the hundreds. Generally, a small wedding is thought of as fewer than 50 people, though some may consider any guest amount under 100 to be small.

A couple may decide to have a small wedding for several reasons. Despite what some people may think, budgetary restrictions are not the only motivation for selecting to have a small wedding. Although in 2008 the trend has been "bigger is better," smaller weddings can offer intimacy that gets lost at a gala event. Fewer people can mean more personal celebration. There is more time for the Bride and Groom to spend with their guests, the group can really get to know each other better and everyone contributes in his or her own way. Intimate celebrations, it would seem, have certain advantages.

Let's begin by offering that smaller is not synonymous with simpler. When the wedding is smaller, every detail is noticed, so careful attention to detail is essential. Wow your guests from their very first impression of the celebration to come and don't underestimate the power of a fabulous invitation! This perhaps is one of the best parts of having a smaller wedding: with fewer people invited you can really go all out.

The grand ballroom of a hotel or a local convention center is not a good choice for a small reception. Preferably, take advantage of more creative options. Consider having the reception at a bed and breakfast, museum, country club, historic home, botanical garden, or a local winery. Many smaller reception venues may allow you to even have the ceremony at the same location.

Perhaps guests can all stay at the same site for a weekend celebration, a luxurious Inn or bed & breakfast where they can be welcomed with fresh flowers and loaded gift baskets. You can also surpass the expectations of your rehearsal dinner and create a more elaborate experience. Have your guests picked up and then deliver them to a five star restaurant, showering them with a delectable dinner, fine wine and perfect ambiance. Keeping things small and simple means that the extra details, like providing limousines, shuttle services, wine pairings and a six course dinner is suddenly more accessible. Think "bigger is better"—only on a smaller scale.