Small wedding, big personality: your ultimate guide to planning a small, intimate wedding day

And I want to be clear that less people absolutely doesn’t mean less magic on your wedding day - if anything, it quite often means more connection, more time to chat, more flexibility, and a little more wiggle room in your wedding day budget!

So if you’re thinking about planning a small wedding in Wellington, welcome to your ultimate guide. 

What actually counts as a small wedding?
There’s no strict rule on what actually defines a “small wedding”, but generally I would consider them a wedding that sits somewhere between 10-50 guests. 

If you’re in the throes of wedding planning at the moment, and you’ve just sat down to figure out your guest list, you’ll know how quickly the number of people can stack up. A smaller sized guest list gives you the chance to spend real time with everyone there, not just a quick hug and a “thank you for coming” as you sprint past to the next table.

Ideas that work beautifully for a small wedding in Wellington

1. Choose a fun, creative or meaningful location for your ceremony and reception
This is one of the biggest perks of hosting a smaller wedding day. You’re not limited to traditional wedding venues that cater to 100+ people - you can get a little creative with it, and choose somewhere sweet and significant. From experience, some of my favourite weddings of all-time have been hosted at places like:

• A favourite beach or lookout (Wellington’s coastline has so many options!)

• Your family home or backyard (always a lovely idea)

• A boutique restaurant or private dining space (because who doesn’t love an excuse for a bougie dinner?)

• Gardens or parks with sentimental value

• Airbnb or lodge-style accommodation for a full weekend celebration

2. Make it personal 
With fewer guests, you can often choose to invest more time and budget into thoughtful touches that feel personal. It’s all about your own priorities and the bits and pieces that you want to focus on - and when you have more budget to allocate to a smaller group, you could consider personalised touches like:

• Handwritten notes or personalised place settings

• Custom menus or cocktails inspired by your relationship (this is a really fun and memorable one!)

• A shared dining table instead of separate guest tables

3. You can keep timelines a little more relaxed
Small weddings don’t have to follow traditional timelines. Neither do big weddings, really - but when you’re chasing around 150 people, sticking to a strict timeline becomes a lot more imperative. With a smaller group, you’ve got more freedom to design a day that feels natural and enjoyable, and less focused on getting through a list of 50 family photos. 

If you’re hosting a smaller wedding and want a more relaxed timeline, you could choose to share a long, relaxed lunch instead of a formal reception, or opt for a cocktail hour with more time dedicated to catching up with your guests. 

Some practical bits and pieces to consider when planning your smaller wedding day

Think about the guest list
This is quite often the trickiest part. Smaller weddings mean tougher decisions about who to invite, so if you’re choosing to stick to a set, smaller number of guests, it can help to spend some time really considering your guest list. Who do you want by your side on the day? Who are your nearest and dearest? Who are you only inviting because you feel obliged or pressured to?

Venue logistics
Smaller venues can be more flexible (it’s easier to find a sheltered spot from the rain for 10 people than for 100 people!) but sometimes require extra planning. I’d recommend you think about things like:

• Wet or windy weather backup options (especially for Wellington weddings)

• Seating and accessibility

• Catering requirements and kitchen facilities

These things come up with all weddings, but if you’re going for a more creative or unique venue that isn’t necessarily used to hosting weddings, they’ll be important things to consider. 

Photography options
Small weddings often create really incredible photo opportunities because the atmosphere is more relaxed and natural. You’ll likely have more time for candid moments and mingling with your guests, greater flexibility for creative shots, more interaction between you and your guests captured naturally, and overall just a whole lot less rushing around. And I might be biased, but that sounds like a win to me! 

Prioritising your budget
One of the advantages of a small wedding is flexibility with spending.  You might choose to reduce overall costs and host a wedding on a smaller budget, or you could reallocate your budget into elements that matter most to you. It’s all about priorities, and what you two want to focus on most. I’d still recommend keeping track of your budget as you plan, as it’s easy to go overboard on spending! Common priorities I’ve noticed that couples planning smaller weddings choose include:

• Elevated food and drink experiences (adding in things like grazing tables, degustations, classy cocktail pairings)

• A meaningful venue - spending a wee bit more on a special, significant space 

• Photography and videography (always a good idea!)

• Styling or florals

• Jewellery, accessories, or even a second outfit for the day (because why not?!)

• Extended celebration time (like a full weekend event with an Airbnb, or a day-after celebration)

There’s no right or wrong here! The key is deciding what will create the most value and memories for you. 

Pros and cons of a small wedding
Stuck? Unsure how many guests to have? Here’s a speedy wee pros and cons list on a smaller wedding day versus a larger guest list:

Pros

• More quality time with guests

• Greater flexibility with venues and locations

• Often less stress and easier logistics

• Opportunities for highly personalised details

• Usually a more relaxed, intimate atmosphere

Cons

• Guest list decisions can be tricky and emotional

• Some traditional elements may feel less suited to a smaller group - and some venues might feel a little too big for a smaller celebration 

• Certain vendors or venues may have minimum spend requirements, so it always pays to check!

At the end of the day, it’s up to you. Small weddings have this incredible way of stripping things back to what truly matters… celebrating your relationship surrounded by the people who know and love you best. 

If you’re planning a small Wellington wedding, my biggest piece of advice is this: lean into the intimacy. Choose a sweet little venue for your ceremony. Host a dinner at a restaurant instead of a classic reception. Tie the knot in the back yard of your childhood home. Design a day that feels comfortable, and completely reflective of you as a couple, because those are always the celebrations that I think feel the most unforgettable.