Have you started dreaming up your perfect wedding?? You know exactly what I mean. The wedding of your DREAMS with all eyes on you, an extravagant dress, the perfect cake, the most beautiful flowers, AND a LIMITLESS budget…

Well, let’s face it. Not everyone is comfortable with that last item on the list above. As a matter of fact, many of us have a VERY LIMITED budget available.

I’m here to tell you that you do NOT need a large sum of money to have a beautiful, perfect wedding. Lately, having an intimate, cost-efficient, smaller wedding is becoming a popular thing.

Here are a few reasons to have an “intimate” wedding:

1. You will SAVE so much MONEY.  You and your soon-to-be husband will be very thankful for the money you do not spend on an overly lavish wedding. Remember that you will be a newlywed couple, and there will be many financial responsibilities shared between you both. The thousands of dollars you may save could very well pay the down payment of a new car, or even a new house! (if you already own a house, imagine those horrid taxes being paid off with the money that you didn’t spend on your wedding.)
2. You will be LESS STRESSED and MORE COMFORTABLE. Although you will still be in the spotlight, you will feel a lot less like a bug under a microscope with a smaller wedding and fewer guests. Plus, it is much easier to tend to 10-20 guests than it is to tend to 100-150 guests, for example.
3. You will AVOID having friends who feel “left out”.  Most people would think an intimate wedding means leaving a lot of wanted guests out of the picture, but it can really be the opposite! If you tighten your guest list, primarily to close family and maybe the absolute CLOSEST of friends, you will avoid the issues of including TOO MANY people and accidentally leaving out other acquaintances. Your friends will understand why they were not included in your guest list once they understand that the guests were so limited (plus, they will still see all of the photos and videos!). If you have 150 guests and forget to invite your 15 coworkers that thought they deserved the invitation, things can quickly get awkward!
4. You will have PLENTY of venue options!  I never realized how many amazing places could be options for an intimate wedding until last year, when I got married in San Antonio, TX.  Being from Houston, TX, I just knew that I would have to have a wedding nearby so that all my guests could make it. After downsizing drastically, I realized that I could really have my wedding anywhere I wanted! Our immediate family had no problem traveling out of town, and it made things way more exciting.  If a similar plan could accommodate you and your guest list, think outside of the box for possible venues. Plus, you may be able to enjoy a sort of “honeymoon” wherever you decide on being wed!
5. You will have more control over your big night. For some, it is very, very important to follow traditions and a strict schedule for a wedding ceremony, which is completely understandable. With a small wedding, however, it is easy to customize your schedule of events. If you would like to change the pace of things and maybe celebrate less formally, you could do that! If you don’t have a fancy caterer, but your family is willing to bring dishes for a dinner, you could do that! If you want to hold your reception at your favorite restaurant, you could do that. See where I’m going with this?
6. Your wedding will NOT feel like it is for show.  It’s not that I feel like all big weddings are for “show” (I think big weddings are amazing, and I praise those that are able to pull them off and go about the happily ever after!).  Nevertheless, a smaller wedding becomes less about the guests and more about you and your future spouse. Getting married is more than a wedding. It is a dedication to devote yourself to another human being for your entire lives. Instead of worrying yourself about whether everyone will like the setup, or your dress, or the food, you are able to celebrate your wedding for what it is, a beautiful new beginning.
7. Your wedding will feel PERFECT. Okay, I know perfect is pretty impossible, BUT given the six reasons listed above, the odds of things going well is like… a gazillion to one! You will be more able to afford and find the perfect dress (which by the way, does NOT have to be your usual wedding gown. I’ve seen beautiful wedding dresses for intimate weddings that really display the bride’s personality through color OR style!).  You will be able to find a beautiful venue nearly anywhere that you’d like. You will be able to enjoy your night with the best of company. With everything downsized, you will really be able to perfect the features of your wedding, with much more affordability.

With one night only, it is important to plan your wedding to your exact wants and needs. Yes, it will be stressful! Yes, you will be confused! Yes, if you read this article, you will understand that I truly support and promote the idea of a smaller wedding.  For those of you that decide to have an intimate wedding, I would love to provide advice for planning your wedding. Feel free to reach out to me via comments or my contact page.

Stay tuned for new articles that will provide more tips for planning and beyond… !!!