How To Easily Downsize Weddings

How do significantly-sized weddings become small, intimate events? If you need to dramatically scale down your nuptials and reception, take a look at the questions to ask right now.

Who Do You Want at Your Wedding?

For some couples, the wants, needs, and shoulds of their wedding guest list are different groups of people. If you need to drastically reduce the number of attendees, the first step is to decide who you need and want to invite. As you trim your list, ask:

• Is this person a close family member? If your parents, grandparents, siblings, and other close relatives are important figures in your life, you need to invite them to your wedding.
• Is this person a long-term loved one? Your new BFF you met six months ago at pilates class may fill a key role in your current social life. But they shouldn't necessarily take precedence over your cherished childhood friends.
• Is this person someone who will stay in your life? Some friends are transient. They come and go without warning. If you can't see this person staying in your life for much longer, don't invite them to your intimate wedding event.

While you may feel pressure to invite your boss, co-workers, or your family's friends, now is not the time to displace a true loved one for someone who is only an acquaintance. Even though it's polite to invite some acquaintances, your boss or cubicle mate will understand your downsizing issues.

Do You Need to Change the Venue?

Without hundreds of family and friends on your guest list, it's not likely you'll need a full ballroom or another over-sized venue. Where should you hold your downsized event? Intimate event venue ideas for smaller weddings include:

• Your yard. Do you have a backyard large enough to hold the dozen or so guests you want to invite? Not only does your yard provide an intimate area to stage both the ceremony and the reception, but it will lower your event spending.
• A local eatery. A restaurant with a private party space is the ideal size for your small event.
• A park. If you want an outdoor wedding, but don't have your own yard, this is an easy (and often inexpensive option).
• The beach. Look for a service that sets up beach weddings to help with decorations and arrangements.

Along with these easy event ideas, consider other outdoor options. Botanical gardens, a local zoo, or the grounds of a museum or other cultural center are all alternatives to explore.