SMALL WEDDING! very small!

My friend had a wedding on the beach with only immediate family. They just went to a nice restaurant afterward for dinner.

My DH and I are planning a small convalidation ceremony in December. The reception is at our home, with cake and punch. The kids and my SIL will go out for dinner after the 3:00pm reception.

Do you have any specific questions?

We had a wedding for just a dozen guests. We took everyone to the private dining room of a nice restaurant for lunch afterward.

Thanks everyone! Michelle not really specific questions. Me and FH are just contemplating if this is something we want to do. At first we were going for a wedding with 150-200 people and I just don't think that would be a good idea when we look at our budget. We still have to pay bills after our big day. So I asked him would he be ok with a small with immediate family only and he said it was fine. Now I am just trying to see how we can do this without upsetting any family/friends.

@tiffany I was thinking about the same thing. We are planning a small wedding about the same amount of guest for one my fh side is small and two i'm not fond of big crowds i want it to be special with the most closest friends and family that we really want to be apart of our day. For everyone else i plan on just letting them know it really wasn't anything big it was something small for my fh and i. Now as for reception thats what i am having a problem with because I definitely don't mind a small ceremony=intimate but as far as reception im not sure how that would work with the normal receptions im use to which have about 150-200 guest right now im thinking about a nice dinner so that we can enjoy it and still be able to socialize with our guest. Maybe you can have a small ceremony with closest family and friends then a nice size reception with whomever you want to be there that way everyone can still get a chance to celebrate with you and your fh. Good luck on your planning and

If budget is a concern, I don't think the small ceremony/big reception combo is going to work. Isn't the reception (venue, food, bar, music, etc) the biggest wedding expense?

Cont. remember its about you and your fh coming together as one so dont worry about hurting peoples feelings because its about you all uniting and no one should take it personal about your decisions. And you also have to remember a wedding is only one day a few hours at that a marriage is a lifetime you still have to live after that day so many people waste so much of money or put themselves in so much of a bind behind a wedding they forget about whats its really about they try to please everyone make everyone happy and such a grand show but afterwards in debt(not saying you are) im just saying stay focus and do what makes you happy if you and your fh is ok with a small ceremony and small reception then DO IT if anyone feelings are hurt they are taking it too personal and forgetting thats its not about them its about y'all plus if they are not helping with cost they def. need to understand

@michele, that may be true as far as reception but she asked any ideas if she is concerned about wanting people there than thats why i said everyone can celebrate together or if anything it can be visa versa she can invite more to the ceremony and she can celebrate with closest friends and family at a small dinner and still have first dance and cutting the cake. I was just making a suggestion As far as me i'm having a small ceremony with a small dinner afterwards because i know i only want the most closest ones there everyone is different some people would like to share their day with plenty.

Yes the majority of the money is the reception. I am not trying to feed 200 ppl. I want something intimate. How did you ladies decide who made the guest list and who didn't. Fh has a lot of friends that he considers family

My list is immediate family - parents, siblings and their families, our 4 kids and close friends (5-6 couples).

But we have been civilly married for 10 years; ours is a convalidation ceremony.

FH and I started off planning a small wedding with like 20-30 people. But now that we are actually planning now and booking things we now have a guest list of over 100 and our budget has doubled.

I think a small wedding sounds wonderful. So intimate and special. That’s great : )

@ Tiffany - I'll let you know after next week, lol.

The guest list started at 50ish - we're now looking at 25-30, due to a few factors to include 1) destination wedding for most 2) finances for some and 3)the Army, the Army, THE ARMY lol. I'm proud to be a soldier, but the Army just has this way of having the worst possible timing ever and F*ing things up in one's personal life

However it is and has always been my personal belief that if you surround yourself with the right people, you don't need 75 plus at a party - which the reception ultimately is- to have a good time. Hell, just 5 of the group I role with will be more than enough for a party haha

Tina you are right! I only need about 5 friends to have fun! Thanks ladies you are making an intimate ceremony sound better and better! Now to convince Fh!

Our guest count changed a few times. Our original count of 65-75 went up to well over 115 ppl which was too much (not money just people). We finally decided to host just our parents, grandparents, children and siblings. Although the end result included a few extras I wouldn't have had it any other way. We were going to use a restaturant but decided right after we moved in August decided to utilize our new yard which was transformed for a very low cost. I rented chairs and a few tables(picked up ourselves) Cooked food (with the help of a friend) and utilized decor a friend had. Our wedding was amazing, intimate and what we wanted.

Completely agree with Tina that the best parties can often be small gatherings . . . but I know that I have MUCH more fun with my friends than with my family (too much drama).

Can you find a restaurant or hotel that offers a great brunch and maybe a private room? For example, where I'm from, a few restaurants and a hotel offer absolutely legendary brunches for around $65 pp including mimosas, champagne, and bloody marys. Or maybe just call up your favorite restaurant and ask what they can do for you. As long as you have your nearest and dearest and yummy food, it will be great!

You could do a home wedding/reception or even do a restaurant room for your reception if you don't care about the dancing. But that should be fun either. All that's needed for a wedding is you, him, officiant and close family. All that's needed for a marriage is the two of you.

You can also choose a venue where you can do both. some churches offer that option as well.

I totally love my small weddings. We do a LOT of weddings that are between 6-20 guests; it's easier than you think to make a guest list that size because it's usually only your very closest friends, immediate family, and your kids (if you have any). A great restaurant, a private room at a country club, even a gallery space can work; hotels very often have little meeting rooms or rooftop gardens. I just love the idea and I know you can make it work.

We just had a small wedding and loved how intimate it was. Right after we got engaged we started planning a big wedding with 150 plus guests and we decided a few months into it that it just wasn't us. DH is law enforcement so the "brothers" still needed to party. We are having everyone over for a tiki party in a few weeks. Everyone that asks what we want as a gift we tell them that nothing is necessary but if they insist they can contribute to the decor or bring their favorite drink. We are having the food catered. Can't wait because I know it will be fun and relaxed.

I'm planning a very small wedding (handfasting actually) with just my immediate family, my fiance doesn't want to invite any of his people at all, so it's just going to be the two of us, my son, my parents, my sister and her boys. We're doing it in my parents' backyard, ending it with a bbq, and bonfire.