Planning a small wedding can be so much more intimate than having a large one. You will have more time with your family and friends and most likely a lot less stress. You’ll have more time and energy to concentrate on the little things; the things that really matter.

If you’re planning a small wedding for just a few close friends and family, you have more options on some of the details than you do with a large affair. For example, you have a lot more leeway where food is concerned. Depending on your budget, you can have hors d’ourves, set up a buffet, or have it catered with waiters all decked out. If your guest list is truly small, you may even opt for a nice restaurant.

By not going overboard and planning a small wedding, you can spend money where it really does count. No one will remember what they had to eat or drink, but photos and videos last forever. You want to look your best in your wedding gown and you want that captured on film. Every other expense is negotiable.

You have an opportunity to involve your guests more when you’re planning a small wedding. One couple had each of the guests sign and write a small sentiment on a tablecloth. Over the years the wife embroidered those sentiments onto the tablecloth and today it is a cherished piece that will pass on to their daughter.

Small intimate weddings somehow seem more personal than the large social affairs some choose to have. There’s no right or wrong answer here but when you are planning a small wedding, you have more choices as to where to hold the wedding. You may choose to have it in your home or in the home of a relative or friend. You may also consider a garden wedding. You could rent a gazebo and have the wedding guests stand all around you as you exchange your vows.

Whether you’re planning a small wedding or a large wedding, neither one is synonymous with a small or a large budget. You can certainly have a large wedding on a small budget and you can have a small wedding on a large budget. If you are planning a small wedding though, you have a better chance to get the groom involved in the planning process. When men see a lot of hands stirring the pot, they run out of the kitchen! Planning a small wedding would give you both a chance to exchange ideas before you exchange vows.