When you start planning your wedding, one of the first decisions you will have to make is the size of the wedding you would like, which involves how many guests you are going to invite. Are you going to go for an intimate wedding and have a small wedding, or are you going to invite a lot of guests and have a large wedding? Neither is wrong, but they both have their pros and cons and will affect the venue for your wedding day.
Small weddings are intimate, more often than not are cheaper and are less stressful to organise. A larger venue can give you a greater atmosphere, allow you to celebrate with everyone you know, and you’ll get some impressive photos.
We have put together a simple breakdown on the pros and cons of a small wedding vs a large wedding, to help point you in the right direction. Keep on reading to discover more.
Large Weddings:
Pros:
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Celebrate With Everyone You Love
The main benefit of a large wedding is that you can invite everyone you know. You can invite your work colleagues, your distant friends, as well as those who are close to you.
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High-Energy Atmosphere
The more people who are at your wedding, the more energy that will be given off. When getting married, you will feel that energy, creating an exciting atmosphere.
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Impressive Photos and Moments
When you have a lot of people together, you can really have fun with photography. You can get group shots, shots of the interiors, as well as intimate shots of you and the people closest to you.
Cons:
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Higher Cost
More guests mean more food, more chairs, bigger venues, and more invitations. This can all add up and become a higher cost than a small wedding.
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Less Personal Time With Guests
When you have a lot of people are your wedding, you won’t have meaningful conversations with everyone. It can feel like a blur of quick greetings.
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Logistical Complexity
Large weddings require more coordination: seating charts, timelines, transport, and accommodations all become more complicated.
Small Weddings:
Pros:
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More Intimate Atmosphere
Small wedding venues are great at creating an intimate atmosphere where you feel close to everyone who comes.
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More Budget Flexibility
It goes without saying, when you have fewer guests, it will cost you a lot less money. Small weddings are perfect for smaller budgets. You can then spend your money on travelling afterwards.
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Less Stress, More Meaning
The last thing you want is to feel stressed when getting married. By having a smaller wedding, you can reduce the stress of it all.
Cons:
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Tougher Guest Decisions
You might have to make difficult cuts, which can strain relationships or cause awkward conversations. The last thing you want to do is upset people due to your wedding.
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Less Traditional “Wow” Factor
If you’ve dreamed of a packed dance floor or a dramatic aisle walk with hundreds watching, a small wedding may not deliver that same grand impact.
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Fewer Gifts and Contributions
While gifts shouldn’t be a primary motivator, it’s true that a smaller guest list may mean fewer financial contributions to your honeymoon or registry items.
Are you going to do a small wedding or a larger wedding? Are there any pros or cons you would like to add to our guide? Let us know in the comment box below.