According to recent research, the average cost of a wedding day in the United States was around $28,000 – $34,000 including the engagement ring – in 2021. That’s a $9,000 increase from 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when people were extremely cautious financially.
With the state of the economy and wedding industry today, couples are once again looking for cheaper alternatives when planning a wedding and we can expect the average cost of a wedding in 2022 will be much lower than what we saw in 2021. Saving money is once again a top priority for couples.
Of course, that’s why many soon-to-be brides and grooms are considering a smaller wedding budget this season. It comes with a wide range of benefits that not only make it a no-brainer financially, but allows for a much more intimate environment and more quality time with your closest friends, family, and loved ones.
What is Considered a Small Wedding?
A majority of couples will have differing opinions on what they consider a small wedding, but the general consensus says the average wedding guest count for a small wedding is 50 people – that’s compared to a medium wedding (50-150 people) and a big wedding (more than 150 people).
The right size for your wedding will largely depend on your own personal wants, needs, and desires. Some people might prefer a wedding with 100, 200, even 300 people. Other people might prefer one with 50, 30, even 10 people. There’s absolutely no right or wrong answer.
As you make your way through the wedding planning process, the size of your wedding will play a major role in every decision you make – the venue, the food, the music, the decorations, etc. – and you’ll need to find vendors that have the necessary experience with fewer guests.
What are the Benefits of a Small Wedding?
Like anything in life, there are a wide range of pros and cons to having an intimate wedding. For some people, the pros will outweigh the cons – making a small wedding a smart decision. For others, the cons might outweigh the pros – making a small wedding the wrong decision.
For example, there are likely going to be a number of friends, family members, and other loved ones that don’t receive an invitation to your small wedding – after all, you can’t invite everyone. With that said, let’s take a look at some of the most prominent benefits of a small wedding.
1. Save Money & Reallocate Funds
Perhaps the biggest, most attractive benefit of having a smaller wedding is the amount of money couples save by going this route. With fewer wedding guests, everything from the venue to the food, decorations, and drinks will cost less than if you went with a medium or large wedding.
Saving money puts couples in a very good position when planning their wedding. They’re essentially left with two options – set the money aside for the honeymoon or reallocate those funds into the wedding – buy better food, get yourself that dream venue, or even a dream DJ.
2. Wider Range of Wedding Venue Options
Speaking of that dream wedding venue, having a smaller wedding opens the doors to a wide range of venue options. Again, having fewer wedding guests means you can choose a much more intimate venue, opposed to getting married in a big church, auditorium, or large field.
For example, you can do an adventure-style wedding that takes place in the mountains, you can get married in a greenhouse or botanical garden, you can choose to wed at a historical site or museum, or you can even go with a wedding on a rooftop – the possibilities are truly endless.
3. More Intimate Wedding
Piggybacking off the wide range of venue options, having a small wedding allows for a much more intimate ceremony, environment, and atmosphere. It’s a much more close-knit group of people that are gathering to celebrate the biggest day of your life, which makes it much more meaningful.
Not only that, but intimate weddings make it much easier to involve your guests in the wedding ceremony and/or reception. It won’t take as much effort and planning to get them engaged in the festivities and they’ll feel more comfortable taking part in the festivities with a much smaller guest list.
4. Lower Levels of Stress and Anxiety
One of the biggest challenges to planning a wedding and eventually getting married is the amount of stress and anxiety involved in the process. While it’s part of what makes the moment so special, it can become overwhelming at times and can even take away from the moment.
With that said, a smaller wedding helps reduce the amount of stress and anxiety experienced during the process. This allows you to better live in the moment and enjoy the process for what it is. After all, you’re getting married and this is a time to celebrate – not stress yourself out.
5. Much Easier to Personalize
The final benefit of a small wedding is how much easier it is to personalize and customize to your liking. With a larger wedding, customizing your wedding can be a bit of a drag and you’ll have to make certain sacrifices that you might not want to make – but not with a small wedding.
Not only are they easier to personalize, but they’re easier to adjust and make changes on the fly. They also make it easier to have a wedding in an out-of-state location, especially since guests need to make travel arrangements. You can do whatever you want with a small wedding.
We Have the Wedding Package for You!
Are you interested in having a small wedding to celebrate the beginning of the rest of your life? Are you looking for a wedding venue with packages that support your desire for a small wedding? If so, then you’ve come to the right place because we have the package for you!
Our micro wedding package is tailored for 20 guests and comes with access to indoor and outdoor wedding venues, wedding ceremony, wedding DJ, dream photographer, wedding cake, and a champagne toast. There are also upgrades available for food, drinks, decorations, and more.
Not only that, but we have packages designed for larger weddings, if needed. To learn more about our wedding venue – which is located in Colorado – or to schedule a tour, contact us today. We can’t wait to show you what we have in store and are excited to host your wedding!