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One of the largest questions facing anyone planning a wedding is whether to have a large and elaborate event or a small and intimate ceremony. Both options can create unforgettable memories and the experience of a lifetime. Both options also have complications and drawbacks that need to be overcome. It is important to weight the differences before making a decision or starting to plan. Several points should be considered when choosing between a big wedding and a little wedding.
Guest Lists
The size of the guest list can be a benefit or a problem depending on the circumstances. Small weddings with limited guest lists can leave the people who were not invited feeling hurt or left out. Small lists are easier to manage. Large weddings can include both sides of the family, extended relatives and many friends. The larger guest list removes the risk of alienating friends and family.
Available Venues
An advantage of small weddings is that there will be many different venues available at all times of the year. The drawback is that the venues might not feel impressive to guests. Large weddings can be very memorable when held in expansive venues with distinctive interiors and architecture. The issue with large venues is that they are sometimes hard to book especially during the busiest wedding and tourist seasons.
Time with Guests
Guests often enjoy smaller weddings because it allows more time for each person. The bride and groom can spend quality time with every guest attending the wedding. Additionally, the wedding is more tightly focused on the couple getting married. Large weddings can become impersonal. The focus can be lost or spread across many people. Personal issues between guests can make the wedding uncomfortable. Large weddings with a hundred or more guests will also make it difficult for the bride and groom to spend any meaningful amount of time with most of the people attending.
Planning
The reality is that most small weddings are easier to plan than large weddings. There is less coordination between vendors, guests and other participants. Some small weddings can be handled completely by just the bride, groom and a few friends with no outside help. Large weddings require good logistical planning. They must normally include several professionals to handle a variety of tasks for the many guests that are attending. The complex planning needed for a large wedding can increase the chances of something going wrong.
Cost
Small weddings will cost less than large weddings. Everything from decorations and invitations to catering and dining halls will cost less because there are fewer guests. It is possible to focus more on the quality of catering or invitations when planning a small wedding because of the limited scale. Large weddings can be incredibly expensive. This can limit the quality of the different items that are ordered for every person attending the event.
Guest and Family Expectations
An issue with small weddings is that they do not always meet guest and family expectations of what the event should be like. Little weddings in small venues can leave people with a negative or disappointed feeling. This can lead to uncomfortable comparisons with the larger weddings of friends and family. The advantage of large weddings is that they almost always meet or exceed the expectations of family and guests.
Atmosphere
The atmosphere is different depending on the size of a wedding. A small wedding might not feel like a vibrant celebration. This can lead people at the wedding to be quiet and reserved. It could even make some parts of the reception overly quiet or bland. Large weddings will bring together many people with varied personalities who might have never met before. The atmosphere at a large wedding can become very festive and exciting. Large weddings can create strong and unique memories for everyone involved.
Gracie Gardner is an interior designer and former wedding planner who loves writing about weddings, home design and furnishings, and Arizona resorts.
We are having a large (large for us, at least!) wedding with over 200 people invited. We expect around 90% to show up as well since these are almost ALL family, and everyone has pretty much already said yes.
Sometimes I do wish we were having a smaller wedding. It could be more intimate and I’d be able to do more with my wedding budget!