Activity for Ashley

Has anyone done a small wedding and already had their later bigger reception? If so, what was the timeline, vibe, and guest count of the bigger reception like? Did you feel like you still wanted/needed the bigger reception after getting married?

I got engaged in June 2020 and getting mixed reactions to my plan to do a May 2021 wedding. I have been researching but postponing signing venue contracts for 4 months now because I'm nervous how things will be then. We would like to get married...