In 2023, small-scale weddings became a widespread trend, offering a surprising advantage of fostering genuine interactions and connections. Ashley Mason, a renowned wedding planner and the brain behind Saunter Weddings and Design in Dallas, emphasizes the authenticity that smaller weddings can bring. These intimate events allow couples to focus on what’s truly important to them.
Insights from Ashley Mason: Wedding Planning Expert
Ashley Mason’s expertise in event planning and design has made Saunter Weddings and Design a notable name in the industry. She brings a unique perspective to wedding planning, highlighting the benefits of smaller, more intimate gatherings.
Understanding the Scope of a ‘Small’ Wedding
The concept of a small wedding is subjective, varying based on family dynamics, cultural backgrounds, and personal preferences. Mason categorizes weddings into different sizes: average (75-150 guests), large (over 150 guests), and further divides smaller weddings into intimate (50-75 guests), small (less than 50 guests), and tiny or ‘minimony’ weddings (15 or fewer guests).
Crafting Your Ideal Wedding Size
The process of determining the size of your wedding is not just about numbers. It involves choosing guests who have played significant roles in your life. Mason suggests considering people you’d naturally want to share major life moments with. Another perspective she offers is to think about whom you’d invite to a dinner at a restaurant, emphasizing the importance of meaningful relationships over large numbers.
Venue Constraints and Selection
Mason advises considering venues like private villas, quaint bed and breakfasts, or boutique hotels that naturally lend themselves to smaller gatherings. The size of these venues often sets a natural limit on the number of guests. Choosing such venues not only ensures a cozier and more intimate setting but also reflects the couple’s personality and style. Private villas offer a sense of exclusivity and luxury, while bed and breakfasts can provide a homely and charming atmosphere. Boutique hotels blend the best of both, offering unique themes and personalized services. These venues often come with stunning backdrops perfect for wedding photography, be it lush gardens, historical architecture, or chic urban settings. By selecting such venues, couples also alleviate the stress of managing a large crowd, making the event more enjoyable for everyone involved. This choice can turn a wedding into a memorable retreat for the guests, offering a unique experience that large venues can’t match.
Choosing the Right Date
Opting for weekday weddings or holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving can naturally limit the guest list to closer family members. Mason reassures that those who truly want to attend will make it, regardless of the weekday. Weekday weddings can also be more cost-effective, allowing the couple to allocate their budget towards other aspects of their celebration. Choosing a holiday for the wedding imbues the event with a festive spirit and makes it memorable. However, it’s important to consider the availability of guests, as holidays might conflict with their personal plans. Mason suggests sending out invitations well in advance to ensure that guests can make arrangements to attend. Additionally, weekday or holiday weddings can lend themselves to creative themes and decorations, aligning with the spirit of the holiday or the uniqueness of a mid-week celebration. Such dates can also be significant to the couple, adding a layer of personal meaning to their special day.
Communicating Your Decision
In a post-pandemic world, people are more understanding of the desire for smaller celebrations. Mason recommends explaining your decision with empathy and care, ensuring that those not invited understand the reasons. It’s important to communicate this decision personally, either through a phone call or a heartfelt letter, rather than a generic email or text message. Emphasizing the intimate nature of the event and your wish to maintain a small, personal gathering can help soften the blow. Mason also suggests being transparent about any limitations, whether they’re related to budget, venue capacity, or health and safety concerns. This honesty can help maintain good relationships with those not included. Furthermore, couples should be prepared for a range of reactions and handle them with grace and understanding. It’s a delicate balance between standing firm in your decision and being compassionate about others’ feelings, a balance that Mason emphasizes as key to navigating this aspect of wedding planning.
Embracing Virtual Options
For those unable to attend in person, consider live-streaming the ceremony or sharing a video edit of the event. This approach not only includes guests who can’t be there physically but also captures the essence of the celebration for posterity. Live streaming can be done through various platforms, and couples can even add interactive elements like live chats to make virtual guests feel more involved. Additionally, hiring a professional videographer to create a high-quality edit of the ceremony can provide a beautiful keepsake that virtual guests can watch at their leisure. Mason suggests personalizing the virtual experience with dedicated messages to those watching online or even sending out virtual wedding favors. This thoughtful approach ensures that all loved ones, regardless of their physical presence, are part of the celebration. Embracing technology in this way not only overcomes geographical barriers but also reflects a modern approach to wedding celebrations, making the event inclusive and memorable for everyone.
Making a Small Wedding Memorable
Personal Touches
Mason suggests personalizing the experience with handwritten notes or tailored activities, ensuring each guest feels valued.
Quality Time with Guests
A smaller wedding allows for more meaningful interactions with guests, like individual outings or small group activities.
Unique Vows
Smaller weddings can reduce the pressure of public speaking, allowing for more personal and creative vows.
Budget Reallocation
With a smaller scale, couples can redirect their budget towards aspects that truly matter to them, like preferred entertainment, décor, or a dream dessert bar. This redirection of funds allows for a greater focus on quality rather than quantity. Couples can opt for bespoke decorations that reflect their personal story or invest in higher quality, gourmet catering that might have been cost-prohibitive with a larger guest list. The savings can also be channeled into hiring top-tier musicians or entertainers, ensuring a memorable experience for both the couple and their guests. Furthermore, a smaller wedding gives couples the freedom to splurge on elements like a custom-designed wedding dress or a more luxurious honeymoon. It can also allow for more sustainable and eco-friendly choices, as fewer guests typically mean a smaller carbon footprint. The flexibility in budget allocation thus opens up possibilities for a wedding that is not only more personal and intimate but also more aligned with the couple’s values and priorities.
Ashley Mason’s perspective on small weddings highlights the opportunity for authenticity, personalization, and meaningful experiences that larger weddings might not offer. Her approach underscores the significance of celebrating love in a way that resonates deeply with the couple’s identity and story. By focusing on the elements that truly matter, small weddings can become a powerful expression of a couple’s journey together, creating an atmosphere of intimacy and significance that is often lost in larger, more traditional weddings. Mason’s insights reveal that in the world of weddings, bigger isn’t always better; sometimes, the most unforgettable experiences come in the smallest, most personal packages.
Embracing the Intimate Wedding Experience
In conclusion, the shift towards smaller weddings, as illuminated by Ashley Mason’s insights, represents a significant change in how couples approach their special day. This trend, which gained momentum in 2020, has not only persisted but evolved into a preferred choice for many. The intimate wedding experience transcends traditional norms, prioritizing personal significance over grandeur. It challenges couples to rethink the essence of their celebration, focusing on the quality of relationships and experiences rather than the quantity of guests.
Mason’s approach encourages couples to view their wedding through a lens of intimacy and authenticity. By reducing the guest list, couples can create a more meaningful and memorable event, where each moment is shared with those who truly matter in their lives. This not only enhances the emotional depth of the occasion but also allows for a more personalized and detailed planning process.
Furthermore, smaller weddings offer a unique opportunity to allocate resources more effectively. With fewer guests, couples can invest in aspects that genuinely reflect their personalities and preferences, whether it’s exquisite culinary experiences, bespoke decor, or entertainment that resonates with their story. Ultimately, the intimate wedding trend, as championed by experts like Mason, signifies a deeper understanding of what a wedding can and should be. It’s about celebrating love in its purest form, surrounded by those who have shaped and will continue to shape the couple’s journey together. In this new wedding landscape, the focus shifts from impressing a crowd to cherishing connections, making every small wedding not just an event, but a personal testament to the couple’s journey and future together.