Are Smaller Weddings the way Forward?
In today’s world, brides may feel as though they have to choose between having the wedding of their dreams and having a wedding now. We are seeing more couples trim down their guest list in the hopes that they will be able to get married this year!
It can also feel irresponsible or selfish to ask extended family, especially elderly relatives and friends, to make the trip to a wedding in times of such uncertainty and with possible threat to their health.
No bride wants to feel responsible for putting her loved ones in a difficult situation! The solution is to trim down the guest list and make your wedding an intimate and truly special affair.
Here are our top tips for your wedding of 25 to 50 guests!
Select your capsule guest list
You may have friends and family all over the world, and still feel connected to those you remember from school or college, but when you are limited to a small guest list, cuts will need to be made!
As a general rule, if you haven’t spoken with the person or spend real quality time with them in the year prior to Covid, then perhaps you are not really that close?
With only a handful of guests, make sure these are people you text and chat with regularly (and through choice, not a sense of commitment!) so that everyone will fit right in to your wedding party.
Know where to save and where to splurge
With a small wedding, you can really go to town with the handmade touches. Even your invitations can be hand crafted with love. With fewer guests, you can really say thank you with a gift basket rather than a favor. With a less expensive wedding, you might have more in the budget to spend on your photographer. Photos and video are so important at any wedding, and it is wise to invest more in something that will last forever.
Look out for great deals
Yes, with a small group, you could get married at home or in a restaurant with a view, but you might also be able to find great deals this year. Many venues that cater to large weddings are offering special areas of their property for small weddings, so you could still get a million dollar view for a fraction of the regular price.
Create vignettes in the fresh outdoors
We love the idea of bringing the indoors out with little sitting areas on a lawn next to corn-hole games. With a small party, you can provide lounge chairs and floor rugs in the style of glamping or an upgraded picnic.
Dine in style
No longer limited to cookie-cutter tables and chairs, intimate weddings lend themselves to family-style dining around one long table, or a horseshoe shaped design with the couple at the short end. With a smaller group, you can really go to town with mismatch place settings, and armchairs of different colors and textures pushed to an old farmhouse table for dining. See the photo of a gorgeous head table on the patio at Kennolyn’s Hilltop Hacienda (flowers by Glam Garden, photography by Feather & North)
Kennolyn has two beautiful wedding venues in the Santa Cruz Mountains of California and is currently offering a special on small weddings held between April and August 2021. Contact us using the button below!