Friends, it’s finally winter here in the Midwest (the snow is whirling outside my window right now!), so let’s daydream about weddings today, shall we? I can count on one hand the number of weddings I’ve been to; I’m sure there are a couple I’m forgetting, but the number of weddings I can remember attending is under five. My oldest cousin got married when I was 16, and since she and her fiance (my cousin-in-law?) both have a large family, it was one of those big affairs, complete with a reception in a sprawling dining room.
A few years later, I attended another cousin’s wedding. This one, a quaint affair set against the backdrop of summer in upstate New York, was decidedly smaller, made up close friends and family. And when one of my oldest and dearest friends got married, she and her husband decided to forgo a traditional wedding altogether. Instead, they opted for a short ceremony at the courthouse with a few family members, and then invited friends and family to a backyard reception on a warm July day.
And my parents’ wedding? Well, from the stories I’ve heard and the photos I’ve seen, their wedding was even smaller still — it was held at the church my mom attended growing up, and they invited less than 100 people to both the wedding and reception.
So, friends, I’d love to know: Which one do you prefer? Did you have a huge wedding, inviting everyone from your mom to the school nurse from elementary school, or did you keep it small, only inviting very close friends and family? Do you like going to large weddings or more intimate ones? xoxo
P.S. Funny wedding comic!
[Photos via We Heart It]
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Paislea Elyse says
i am planning my wedding for this april 27, 2012 and i am having a very intimate ceremony. we are inviting about 40 people. it's only going to be immediate family and a few friends. it just makes more sense to us. i am super excited!
allister bee blog
Rachael says
We had a tiny tiny wedding, we had 5 guests and that was just how we wanted it. I really could not do with the hassle or the show of having a huge wedding. And because it was less stressful I think we enjoyed it a lot more. We wanted our wedding to be about the love we shared not about having to spend a load of money to show off.
Shannon says
We had a pretty good-sized wedding, with about 200 people in attendence. There are still a few people who I would have liked to invite, but because of budget, couldn't. I loved having a large wedding, but I also appreciate the idea of having only close friends and family.
Roanna says
We had a very small wedding. Just my husband and I, our two witnesses and 2 friends who had kindly been my witnesses for a previous bureaucratic document I had to prepare… I wouldn't change a thing. A historic palazzo with frescos by Tiepolo and just those photos that friends take with their regular digital cameras!
nicole says
We had a small ceremony, 30 guests, close family and friends only, then, later that night, we invited a larger group of friends and family to meet us at our favorite brewery/pizza joint to celebrate. Best of both worlds. xo.
Rebecca says
My family would murder me if I had a small wedding. Way too many cousins and second cousins and family friends!
Bring Pretty Back says
We had a big wedding of over 600 people. That was 23 years ago… today if I had to do it all over again… it would be a VERY small intimate affair.
it is snowing here in Mi. today! So pretty!
Have a pretty day!
Kristin
kellyelizabeth says
I think a small part of me would love to have a huge kim kardashian wedding, but I know a smaller one with close friends and family would be 10x more better. so definitly a smaller wedding for me (when the time finally comes lol)
Whitney @ Everything Happens For a Reason says
I got married on June 11, 2011 and only had about 45 guests. We got married in the garden of a mansion from the 1800s that was in the historic district. We had the cocktail hour outside, and moved the reception. The caterer was a famous restaurant in town and we also had a fully stocked bar with cupcakes, instead of a cake. Ours wasn't the traditional affair. I loved it, cause it was a reflection of our personalities.
Sweet Posy Dreams says
We had nine guests. We got married in the tiny chapel at the University of Chicago. It was perfect.
Dinx says
unlike many other girls, planning my wedding was never something i ever did at any age! But I think I would like a well rounded middle one…not too big and not too small. Just friends and family and plus ones of course
Dinx @ Lovely in Random xoxo
Girlie Blogger says
Small. Ours was as small as we could make it. Hubby had A LOT of family and friends.
http://www.thegirlieblog.com
Martine says
It's strange how small weddings to you in America is when inviting less than 100 people. I've listed all my friends and family members and if all my friends and cousins get boyfriends/husbands by the time I marry, it will be 55 people and 1 dog on my side. Got some second cousins with family I should probably invite too… So add 5 to that. His family and friends will have to come too, of course. And here in Norway that's considered a big gigantic humongous wedding.
So I think I just want a small alternative ceremony, or bonding, in the forest, with friends and nearest family, and then maybe have everyone over for food and social activities afterwards.
Sue says
I kept mine small- 40 people- and it was perfect. I had time to talk/laugh/hug/dance with everyone and I didn't feel overwhelmed by the insane amount of people there.
Rowan says
I want a small-ish, intimate wedding, with only my and my husband's families and closest friends. I'd guesstimate that 50 to 75 people would be our limit. Not sure how well that would work considering what a huge family I have, but considering my boyfriend's family is very small, and that I don't really know a lot of the relatives my grandmother would try to pressure me to invite (so screw my great aunt's stepson whoever-his-face-is), I think we could keep the numbers down.
Grace Martin says
My boyfriend and I have talked about this once or twice, and both of us would prefer a small wedding. But with Austin's family, a small family get together is probably 70 people. So there you go. Small Wedding = Impossible. 🙂
Melissa Blake says
Congrats, Whitney!! Your wedding sounds perfect…i've always wanted to get married in a beautiful garden.
p.s. yay for the cupcakes! i'm planning on having root beer floats at my wedding!
Melissa Blake says
Martine — Wow, i love learning about traditions in other countries…now i want to add up all my family! xoxo
Melissa Blake says
Grace, you could always elope… 😉
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