Small Weddings Are Having a Moment
The stigma around small weddings is gone. What used to be seen as "just eloping" is now recognized as a deliberate, thoughtful choice. Couples are choosing small weddings because they want to actually enjoy their wedding day, spend real time with the people who matter most, and invest their budget in quality over quantity.
A small wedding, generally defined as 50 guests or fewer, isn't a lesser version of a big wedding. It's a fundamentally different experience, and for many couples, it's a better one.
Defining Your Small Wedding
"Small" means different things to different couples. Here are the common tiers:
- Elopement (2 to 10 guests): Just the couple, the officiant, and maybe parents or closest friends. Focus is entirely on the ceremony and each other.
- Micro wedding (10 to 30 guests): Immediate family and closest friends. Feels like an intimate dinner party with vows.
- Small wedding (30 to 50 guests): Extended family and a tight friend group. Has the structure of a traditional wedding but the warmth of a family gathering.
The Guest List: The Hardest Part
Cutting the guest list is emotionally difficult. Here are strategies that help:
- The dinner table test: Would you invite this person to a dinner party at your home? If not, they don't need to be at your wedding.
- No obligation invites: Don't invite someone because you "should." Invite people who will make the day better by being there.
- Parents get input, not control: Each set of parents can suggest a handful of names, but the final list is yours.
- Skip the plus-ones for casual dating: A small wedding means every seat matters. Give plus-ones to married, engaged, and long-term partners only.
- Communicate early: Let people know your wedding will be intimate. Most will understand. Some won't. That's okay.
Choosing a Venue for a Small Wedding
The best small-wedding venues are designed for the scale of your celebration. A 40-person wedding in a 300-capacity ballroom feels empty and awkward. Look for:
- Spaces that seat 30 to 60 comfortably: You want the room to feel full, not sparse.
- Restaurants with private dining rooms: Turnkey solution with great food and service built in.
- Cottages and small event spaces: Properties designed for intimate gatherings.
- B&Bs and inns: Many host small weddings and include overnight rooms.
- Outdoor spaces: A garden, a park, or a private property can be perfect for a small ceremony followed by dinner.
The Cottage at The Museum at Hoppenville in Pennsburg, PA was built for celebrations of up to 50 guests. It offers a dedicated, private space on a 24-acre property, so your small wedding feels intentional and special, not squeezed into a corner of a bigger venue.
Budgeting for a Small Wedding
A common misconception is that small weddings are cheap. They can be, but many couples use the savings from fewer guests to invest more per person:
- Higher-quality food: Multi-course plated dinner instead of a buffet. $100 per person x 30 guests = $3,000 total (vs. $75 x 150 = $11,250).
- Better venue: Premium spaces become affordable when you only need them for 40 people.
- Nicer touches: Real flowers, handwritten place cards, custom favors. The per-guest budget for details expands dramatically.
- Experiences: Some couples add a group activity: a wine tasting, a garden tour, or live music during dinner.
A typical small wedding budget in Pennsylvania:
- Venue: $2,000 to $6,000
- Catering: $3,000 to $8,000 (30 to 50 guests)
- Photography: $2,000 to $4,000
- Flowers: $500 to $1,500
- Music: $500 to $1,500
- Attire: $1,000 to $3,000
- Total: $9,000 to $24,000
Making a Small Wedding Feel Special
The advantage of a small guest count is that you can personalize everything:
- Individual toasts: With 30 guests, anyone who wants to speak can speak. No microphone-hogging or awkward cutoffs.
- Family-style dinner: Shared plates down a long table create an intimate, communal atmosphere.
- Handwritten notes: Write a personal note to each guest at their place setting.
- Extended ceremony: With fewer time pressures, you can include readings, personal vows, or a moment of silence for absent loved ones.
- No assigned tables: For 30 or fewer guests, a single long table or two round tables let everyone be part of one conversation.
Start Planning
If a small, meaningful celebration sounds right, the next step is finding the right space. The Cottage at The Museum at Hoppenville was designed for exactly this. Set on 24 acres with access to the same ceremony locations and catering partnership as our larger weddings, The Cottage gives you an intimate experience with the full support of an established wedding venue. Schedule a tour to see it in person.
