5 of the biggest perks of planning a small intimate wedding reception

There are lots of reasons why planning a small intimate wedding reception could be a better fit for you as a couple. Maybe you want to keep the cost down, maybe you just want your wedding to feel more intimate, maybe you want to purposefully keep it small as you don't want the guest list to get out of control. Or maybe a smaller wedding is just what you picture when you think of celebrating, because you want to focus on the parts that really matter to you the most. Whatever your reason for it, I totally support the choice, as this is exactly the way me and my husband approached our wedding day. 

We invited between 40 and 50 guests which were all our close family and closest friends, which was about equal on either side. Anything below 50 guests is classed as a small wedding. We obviously know more people, but didn't feel we had to invite everyone. I think you have your own radar to sense where to draw the line. 

Our top priority was our guests experience. Making sure they had a good time was at the number one spot for us. So we decided very early on, to focus our attention on these three key areas of our dining experience. 1. Choosing food & drink we all enjoy. 2. Adding plenty of personal touches on the tablecapes. 3. Creating a relaxed atmosphere. These were super important to us and most of our budget went on these areas. There's things we didn't need or want so we could afford to splurge on the parts that got us most excited. And for me that was the table decorations, the stationery details, the personal handmade touches, the variety of food on offer and how we was going to create the perfect atmosphere inside our space. 

I'm assuming you'll already know that having a smaller wedding means it will automatically reduce you're stress levels, reduce the time you spend planning and save you money, so in today's blog post I am going to be focussing on what this decision means for your dining experience. As in my opinion this is what guests care about and remember the most from your wedding day anyway. 

So let's get into the five massive plus points why you might want to consider opting for a small wedding.

Venue Flexibility 

Having a small wedding means it opens you up to more unique venue options, so instead of just looking at typical 'wedding venues' in your local area that suit your vibe, you can instead look outside the box and research other possibilities. Which is very exciting! Checking out restaurants, pubs, garden centres, and even holiday retreats with lodges now cater for small wedding gatherings. I have noticed these are popping up all over the place at the minute, because business's are diversifying who they cater for. Some lodges I am aware of cater for up to 20 people, which is lovely for a small wedding gathering. You could even look at private gardens, woodlands, botanical gardens, or a back garden of someone you know. This could provide you with something very different to the norm and could create a more intimate vibe with less effort. It one of the biggest perks of planning a small wedding so it's worth some serious consideration. Couples these days are looking for a something different and a meaningful venue they can connect their story to, so the options become an exciting part of planning as you will find you have more to choose from. 

Get more creative with your space

Having less guests means you can get more creative with your space as there will be fewer tables and chairs to co-ordinate, depending of course with what you're working with. It means you could play with your layout creating something unique, which is not always possible with large numbers. You could opt for trending table designs with joining serpentine style tables, circular caterpillar tables, wavy layouts in shapes, or rows of rectangular banquet tables which all look absolutely stunning in the right setting. This is where having a smaller wedding plays to your advantage because you can easily create a one of a kind look, as you have the budget to play with. The thing I love about a small guest list is that everyone can be sat closer to each other, giving a real sense of togetherness.

Photo Holly Bryan Photography

Elevate the dining tables

A small wedding is perfect for you if you are completely obsessed with the table decorations, and want to go all out in this area for an elevated look. I bet your Pinterest board is overflowing with ideas, it's your favourite thing to get lost in! Maybe you get so excited at the thought of colourful glassware, gold cutlery & patterned linens, and maybe you just adore paper stationery goods and simply can't wait to pick the perfect pieces to help compliment your look. Or you might be flower or plant obsessed and you want to fill your tablescapes with lush greenery or fresh blooms to make a real eye catching display as your centrepieces. Well, I have good news, because having a smaller guest list means you can put your budget towards those things, if that's what's really important to you. You'll also be able to have those floral print linens you've been eyeing up and cute table lamps you're fond of, to help you set the mood, as your quantities list will make everything more affordable as it will be much smaller. This is the area I specialise in as an event table stylist based in Lincolnshire UK, and just love working with couples to elevate their tablescape designs. If you want to read more about that you can find more details here.

Images: The Jasmine Cottage Studio

Personal Touches

It also allows you to add any personal touches that you may not be able to do if you were dealing with a larger number guests. You will be able to spoil your guests a bit with  personal flourishes you've maybe made as you will have more space in your schedule to do so. These tasks will be easy to manage and your budget will maybe allow for these extras. Some ideas could include, making handmade favours for each guest. I made scented soap for our guests and it was such a nice touch for them to take away and use. But there are lots of things you could make, from homemade jams, cookies, honey to flavoured olive oil. Some edible favours like this are good as can be made well ahead of time. You could definitely choose something that aligns with the overall vibe and theme to tie everything in together.

Images: The Jasmine Cottage Studio

As you have fewer guests on the list you may want to handwrite letters to each guest to open as they sit down to eat. This would be such a thoughtful treasure for them to open and keep. These personal touches really do make all the difference, as it allows you to connect with your guests on a deeper level and makes guests feel important to you, which can totally transform the vibe of your day in an instant.

Other ideas for adding a personal touch are adding guests names to napkins & ribbons. For a larger wedding your budget may not allow you to splurge like this on each guest, so having a smaller wedding gives you that option. You can also make each guest feel special with bows on the back of chairs making each place feel elevated.

Other personal touches you could add in are signature cocktails for guests to try, an interactive table plan & personalised menu cards.

As a stationery designer, I have lots of pre made designs in my shop perfect for styling your tables with, that might fit in with your look. You can take a look here. Or if you are looking for something one of kind to suit your colour scheme and style I offer a bespoke design service while you may prefer, so we can work on something together. I love working with couples this way as it allows me to help each couple intergrate the pieces seamlessly into their design becoming part of the set up.

Relaxed Atmosphere

When there are less guests, the atmosphere is more relaxed and guests naturally mingle more together, creating a relaxed vibe that feels informal. You will also have more time to chat to them instead of rushing off to go and speak to someone else, just so you can round everyone who's attended. When you are amongst a smaller group, meaningful connection is more possible making everyone feel seen and involved which has a positive knock on effect on your wedding day as everyone will feel at ease. 

Photo Holly Bryan Photography

So after reading this, if the idea of having a small wedding is a better fit for you, because it will allow you to go to town on your dining experience which is very important to you both, I have created something I know you'll love. I have a free guide available all about how to create an unforgettable dining experience for your wedding reception in 2026. It's bursting with ideas to help get your plans well underway, including expert insights with some of Lincolnshire finest wedding suppliers in this area. It includes the latest colour palette trends, table decorations, current flower & cake styles, popular food and drinks, glassware trends and how to set the perfect atmosphere with your music choices.

All you need to do to the receive my Free Guide is sign up to my email list here. And you'll receive the link from me in a welcome email. It's as simple as that! Enjoy!

I hope you have enjoyed reading this blog post and found it helpful and encouraging. I really hope that it's inspired you to have a smaller wedding if that's what your heart desires. 

You might also love to take a look at;

3 Main things that guests actually remember from your wedding

5 Benefits of working with a small multi talented wedding team

How to make your wedding look & feel more personal