2020 is definitely a challenging year for weddings and for life in general. With the current pandemic the world faces, getting hitched is more difficult. However, this does not mean you cannot say “I do” to your second half. A new oppotunity is available to you; a smaller wedding with a limited number of guests (and some restrictions…). I completely understand that it is not what you had in mind when you started to plan your wedding. But, to give you some comfort with this, I’ve decided to outline 5 positive aspects of smaller weddings.
1- More intimate wedding
With less guests you give yourself a more intimate moment. The time spent with your guests considerably varies if there are 20 or 200 people attending your event. You will have the time to sit and talk longer with them at a smaller wedding than at a bigger one. Indeed, with 200 guests it is difficult to talk to everybody and you will spend most of your day going all over the venue to speak with them. As a result, you might enjoy less your night and you might barely see the actual event.
Reducing the guest list is not an easy task, especially when it is out of your control due to the restrictions. However, it does not mean your big day will be less beautiful. You will get the chance to get a more intimate event with your closest family and friends with whom you will create meaningful memories. There are other alternatives to have the rest of your original guest list to attend the ceremony such as video calls through Zoom or private Facebook group. From a distance, they will be with you and will witness your commitment to your partner!
2- Small wedding = small budget
It’s not a secret to anyone, a wedding is expensive. Between the venue, the caterer, the stationary, the insurance, the outfit etc, it is easy to have a significant bill at the end. With a small wedding, the costs is shorter and you can spend your money differently. For example, instead of a 3-course meal you planned to have for your original 200 guests, you can opt for a 5-course meal. Alternatively, you can afford a higher range of alcohol or display more flowers. You get the opportunity to spoil both your guests and yourselves with food and beverage you could not afford for more than 20 guests. Finally, you can also save the “extra” money for later if you decide to have a bigger reception when it becomes possible again.
3- Less stress when planning your event
Planning a wedding is a stressful moment in your couple’s life as you want to have THE perfect day; managing the guest list, finding the venue and all the suppliers, deciding on the menu and the cake, staying in budget and so much more. Without adding that 2020 has been challenging in terms of stress regarding weddings.
The level of stress varies with the size of your event both for you and your suppliers; the bigger the more things you will have to look after and think about, the smaller the less you will have on your plate. Indeed, a 200-guests wedding is way more stressful than a 20-guests wedding.
A small wedding reduces stress for:
- The seating plan chart – easier to have all guests at one table or to place them on less amount of tables. Less headaches too.
- Staying on budget – as stated above, your budget will be smaller and you will have less to worry about not to go over it. This will of course depend on the decisions you make even for a small event.
- Spending time with all your guests – less worry about talking to and spending time with everyone attending the event.
- Making decisions – these are always hard to take when a lot of people are involved as you want to please everyone. It will be a little easier with less guests.
- Any DIY you would like to make – maybe you feel that crafting personalise gifts for 200 guests might be stressful with the wedding deadlines? Well, it becomes less stressful with 20 guests. It also gives you more “testing” time before reaching your version of perfection knowing that you will have to reproduce it 20 times instead of 200.
4- Saying “I do” no matter what
Whether or not your original plans were to get a small wedding in 2020, being able to commit to your loved one is something to be grateful for. Despite the challenges this year bring to us all, you followed your love and went ahead with your event. You managed to overcome one of the challenges of this special year. Best part is that you did it together, holding each other hands! Again, I completely understand that circumstances are different and it was not what you might have imagined in the first place. But you still get the chance to marry the person you cherish the most on earth. In these difficult times, it is important to appreciate every moment that provides us with happiness, which I’m sure you felt when you said “I do”!
5- It will be the best day of your life!
You have imagined and planned this day for months and even if it might be different than your original plan, it will remain the best day of your life! Big or small wedding, getting married is an amazing commitment to your partner. And no pandemic will get that away from you! Each wedding is unique to each couple, getting hitched during a pandemic will make is more unique. Think about all the stories you will be able to tell your children and grandchildren. These will be even more unique than a “regular” wedding. The circumstances will make it hard to plan but in the end will make the day even better than you imagined!
Bonus – Party more than once!
Depending on the current restrictions in place for your county, it might or not be possible to have your wedding reception. This is really heartbreaking if you did not get one, BUT think about the fact that you will get the chance to celebrate more than once your big day! Yup, your read well. Why only get one reception when you can have more? Once everything is back to “normal”, you will be able to plan a big party with all your friends and family. Is it not great?! Who asked for an excuse to party more than once? Here is one!
I truly hope that you are the lucky couples who got married in 2020 despite the situation. I also hope that with or without a pandemic, this article helped you to see some advantages of small weddings. If you require any help planning your wedding, big or small, I would be more than happy to help! You can find more details here and do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any question.
Stay safe and take good care!
With love, Savannah xx
