im planning a small wedding, any tips?

Question

Im planning a small wedding and wanted to know if you guys have any tips for this. I found a blog at http://www.weddingplanningbasics.blogspot.com thats good but it seems new so I just added it to favorites. I want to know more about planning a small wedding because me and my mate are really confused in the cost. If anyone could give me any tips I would be grateful, thanks

Answer 1

Plan it as if you are planning any size wedding, but in smaller version. It also depends on how much money that you want to spend, where are you going to have the ceremony and reception, how much work do you want to put into it, and whether or not it is a formal wedding. If you don't want to do much work into it then you can have it at a hotel. Some hotels have a minimum number of guests to use one of their banquet rooms. Usually the minimum is 30. The good thing about having it at a hotel is that you can have the out of town guests stay at the same hotel, which you can negotiate the room rate if you have at least 10 guestrooms per-day. They provide the tables, linens and napkins (they have a limited colors that you can choose from), silverware, and sometimes centerpieces. They set-up and clean the room for you. They prepare and serve the food for you and your guests. There are things that you still need to do yourself. Like sending the save the date and invitation cards out, getting the wedding dress and tux, arranging the rehearsal, etc. Go to the hotels where you want to have the wedding at. Some of them can even have the ceremony and reception, but you need to bring your own minister. Ask for wedding packages and compare them one to another. It is a bit more expensive to have it at a wedding but it is worth it. The cost ranges from $50.00 per person to $100.00, depending on what food and beverages that you choose. Some hotels even give a complimentary suite for bride and groom.

Answer 2

You already know how to plan a party, and you KNOW you already know how to plan a party, so relax! It's not as big and scary as "The Wedding Industry" would have you believe. (They want you to feel insecure and unsure so you'll buy more stuff.) First tip is tell everyone "It's going to be really small, just our immediate families" -- it's better to be sending invitation to people who hadn't expected one than to NOT be sending invitations to people who believed they'd be invited. Second, go borrow Miss Manners and Emily Post from the library. That way when a member of the wedding industry assures that some particular item is "usual", "customary", or "traditions" you can counter with a confident "No, I don't think so." Third, control your guest list. Don't allow anyone into bully you into "and guest" or "and family" wordings. Would you rather ask your crazy cousin "Is there someone I should invite for you?" or just tell him "Bring a date" ...??? Where free champagne is involved, you have every right to limit your hospitality to people that you actually know by name. Congrats and best wishes.

Answer 3

Don't let anybody push you into debt. You can have a small wedding according to your budget. My husband and I had it. One bride's maid, dressed in a simple/conservative style($ 500) on both bride and maid outfit. Reception (BBQ style in our friend's home(back yard to host 50-70 people). Make use of all friends and family. This is the best time they can show support in a meaningful way. If you take out the cost of rings, the rest should not be more than $1500. We set a new paradigm for our friends and family even though we could afford a lavish wedding. Simplicity is next to Godliness so keep it simple and you won't regret.

Answer 4

Planning a wedding myself, I can tell you first hand that it's a real handful. Each day the list of "things-to-do" grows. I hate to burst your bubble, but there is no such thing as a "small wedding". It takes nearly as much planning and preparation for a wedding with 50 guests as it does for a wedding with 500 guests. The cost, of course, is different, but you still have to consider the same things. I'm starting to understand why people hire wedding planners. There is plenty of free wedding-planning info on the web. Do a little surfing, compile your list of things-to-do and good luck!

Answer 5

Rent a volunteer fire dept hall for the reception(mine was $20) and fit a lot of people. Get your cake from a grocery store. Borrow your dress. Let the bridesmaids have their dresses made for comfort and so they can wear them again. Do your own hair, same for bridesmaids. Have friends and/or family make the food. Skip the dance.

My wedding was $400 total in 2002.

Answer 6

Don't worry too much about decorations. I can't think of any wedding I've been to that people are talking about the decorations.

Favors, make them edible, that way it will be used. Having a favor that isn't edible is just going to collect dust in someone's storage bin.

Make your own invitations. Fiance and I spent $50 on 50 invitations, ribbon, and stamps.

Answer 7

Keep it as simple as possible. We are making all the flowers and dresses ourselves. We rented our venue at the park and are keeping things small out there. Using balloons and bettas in fish bowls. Keep your guest list small will help also as there would not be as much food. My mom is a wedding planner so i kinda learned off of her.

Answer 8

Visit the link below for budgeting worksheets. On page 5 it offers an estimated breakdown of cost by percentage that can be applied to any size ceremony or budget.

Answer 9

My wedding, I think is really simple. There were no flower girls, bride's maids or ring bearers anymore. I'm a catholic so we only have the principal and secondary sponsors (veil, candle, cord). We invited 100 guests. It was a simple yet a solemn one.

Answer 10

Congratulations. Small is so so much better. Just pretend its a big party. Everything will be fine and simply do it your own way without all the stuffy protocol.