Weddings are notorious for being expensive, and the bigger the wedding, the bigger the price tag.
A main factor influencing the figure is the total number of guests.
Weddings often feature over a hundred guests by the time you include the family of each side, including kids and cousins etc. And there are friends, of course.
And the greater the number of guests, the bigger the venue required and the higher the catering cost.
But a big wedding does not suit everybody. Few people like to be the center of attention in front of so many guests.
So, if you decide to go for a small wedding, or even a micro wedding, then you effectively kill two birds with one stone.
A smaller crowd and a more affordable cost.
Another factor affecting the overall cost is the venue. More people these days are interested in having their wedding at home, and this is an excellent way to save money.
Coming Up
The purpose of this article is to give readers of how much money you can expect to pay for a small or micro wedding, by going through the various costs for each element of the big event.
In this article, we’ll be going through the typical costs of small weddings in different venues.
Of course, goods and services can vary in price depending on what organizations you go to, and how expensive your taste is.
More specifically, we will go through the costs of 50-guest small weddings, 25 guest small weddings, and micro 10-guest weddings.
We will lay out the typical costs for weddings at banquet halls, community centers, restaurants, and at home.
Some costs will remain the same, such as the cost of the wedding rings, the license and the officiant.
And without further ado, let’s get straight to it.
Typical Costs For A 50-Guest Wedding
A wedding that features just 50 guests or fewer is classed as a small wedding.
Hosting A 50-Guest Wedding At Home
If you’re lucky enough to have a home where you can accommodate 50 guests, then it’s certainly worth considering this option, as you could potentially save a great deal of money.
In fact, the whole thing can often cost just $2,000.
You will have to have the home looking really good, and you can still purchase decorations, but, you can skip the venue hire costs.
Not to mention how much more comfortable you will feel in familiar surroundings. You won’t have to buy any tables or chairs because you can simply rent them instead.
The following typical costs are for a wedding that features wedding cake and drinks, but no catering.
Here’s the lay down…
Wedding Ceremony
Wedding Rings $325
Officiant & License $300
Subtotal $625
Food And Drinks
Wedding Cake $130
Toasting Wine (Sparkling) ($14 x 10 bottles) $140
Non-Alcoholic Punch $20
Subtotal $290
Rentals
Cake Table $5
Cocktail Tables $45
Chairs $100
Tablecloths And Napkins $40
Subtotal $190
Miscellaneous
Wedding Attire $750
Invitations $45
Decorations $50
Flowers $50
Subtotal $895
Overall Total = $2,000
Having A 50-Guest Wedding In A Banquet Hall
Weddings often take place in ballroom and banquet halls, as well as local hotels and wedding halls.
Having your small wedding in a banquet hall means that you get to have dinner and a dance at your wedding.
They usually ask for a minimum number of guests, such as 100 people. However, they may consider lowering or waiving the minimum fee for a smaller wedding.
Wedding Ceremony
Wedding Rings $325
Officiant & License $300
Subtotal $625
Room Rental
Fee $2,000
Subtotal $2,000
Wedding Vendors
Photographer $1,700
DJ $800
Subtotal $2,500
Food And Drinks
Catering ($60 x 50 people) $3,000
Bar Package ($30 x 50 people) 1,500
Wedding Cake $170
Subtotal $4,670
Miscellaneous
Wedding Attire $2,000
Invitations $95
Centerpieces $95
Favors $95
Flowers $170
Subtotal $2,455
Overall Total = $12,250
Typical Costs For A 25-Guest Wedding
A wedding that features just 25 guests or fewer is classed as a very small wedding.
In this example, we’ll assume that you will provide catering as well as cake and drinks.
25 people will likely be more than you’re accustomed to, but self-catering your own wedding is do-able.
Hosting A 25-Guest Wedding At Home
Wedding Ceremony
Wedding Rings $325
Officiant & License $300
Subtotal $625
Food And Drinks
Food Order ($20 x $25 people) $500
Wedding Cake $130
Drinks $200
Subtotal $830
Rentals
Cake Table $5
Tables And Dining Chairs $80
Ceremony Chairs $60
Tablecloths And Napkins $30
Subtotal $175
Miscellaneous
Wedding Attire $1200
Photographer $1200
Invitations $40
Centerpiece $100
Decorations $50
Flowers $50
Subtotal $2,640
Overall Total = $4,270
Having A 25-Guest Wedding At A Community Center
Wedding Ceremony
Wedding Rings $325
Officiant & License $300
Subtotal $625
Food And Drinks
Catering ($50 x 25 people) $1,250
Bar package ($20 x 25 people) $500
Wedding Cake $150
Subtotal $1,900
Rentals
Room Rental Fee $1,200
Subtotal $1,200
Wedding Vendors
Photographer $1,500
DJ $800
Subtotal $2,300
Miscellaneous
Wedding Attire $1200
Invitations $40
Centerpiece $100
Decorations $50
Party Favors $50
Flowers $50
Subtotal $2,490
Overall Total = $8,515
Typical Costs For A 10-Guest Wedding
A wedding that features just 10 guests or fewer is classed as a micro wedding.
Such weddings have always been popular for weddings abroad, but during the pandemic there were many more micro weddings due to the restrictions in place in various regions.
Having a micro wedding like this gives guests a better opportunity to become better acquainted with one another, if they don’t all know each other already.
It naturally has a cozier, more welcoming fee.
Hosting A 10-Guest Wedding At Home
Hosting a 10-guest wedding at your home is far easier than hosting a 50 or 25-guest wedding.
Catering for 10 people is relatively easy to achieve. It’s not your only option, however.
Many restaurants can make wonderful takeout dishes that you can have made up and delivered directly to your door.
Wedding Ceremony
Wedding Rings $325
Officiant & License $300
Subtotal $625
Food And Drinks
Restaurant Takeout Dishes ($55 x 10) $550
Drinks $100
Wedding Cake $95
Subtotal = $745
Rentals
Ceremony chairs $25
Dining tables & chairs $75
Tablecloths & napkins $40
Subtotal = $140
Miscellaneous
Wedding Attire $1,000
Invitations $30
Centerpiece $40
Flowers $50
Subtotal $1,120
Overall Total = $2,630
Having A 10-Guest Wedding At A Restaurant
Another great thing about having a micro 10-guest wedding is that it’s a sufficiently small party to book a table in a nice restaurant.
You can have the most fantastic wedding and still remain strictly within a small budget.
Many restaurants offer a private function room or special space that can be reserved especially for your wedding party.
You will be able to raise a toast, have the best man’s speech and so on. Occasionally, such venues may even have space for dancing afterward.
Wedding Ceremony
Wedding Rings $325
Officiant & License $300
Subtotal $625
Food And Drinks
Restaurant Meals ($95 x 10) $950
Drinks $250
Wedding cake $125
Subtotal = $1,325
Miscellaneous
Wedding Attire $1,200
Photographer $1,200
Centerpieces $100
Party Favors $25
Invitations $30
Subtotal = $2,555
Overall Total = $4,505
Summary
Here follows a quick summary that sums up everything we’ve covered so far.
Hosting A 50-Guest Wedding At Home $2,000
Having A 50-Guest Wedding At A Banquet Hall $12,250
Hosting A 25-Guest Wedding At Home $4,270
Having A 25-Guest Wedding At A Community Center $8,515
Hosting A 10-Guest Wedding At Home $2,630
Having A 10-Guest Wedding At A Restaurant $4,505
So, clearly having a great wedding on a tight budget is most certainly feasible, and even if you have less than $5,000 to put towards it, you can make great things happen.
Disclaimer
Please remember to bear in mind that the values listed in this article are typical values only, and that the cost for each and every one of the items listed can vary considerably.
The purpose of this article was merely to provide you with an idea of possible costs for different types of weddings.
Wrap Up
If done right, a small, or even a micro, wedding can be a wonderful occasion that will remain in the minds of everyone lucky enough to attend.
The biggest downside to any kind of wedding is, generally speaking, the cost.
But, as this article has shown, it is perfectly possible to have a wedding that is everything you could want it to be, while still sticking to a tight budget.
But that said, it’s your special day, so if there’s anything that you don’t want to hold back on, then by all means go ahead.
It’s perfectly OK to splash out on the odd thing here and there, especially when it comes to magical moments concerning the coming together of two people in love.
Looking through this article should give you an idea of just how much there is to think about if you’re particular about your finishing touches.
And we all know what precipitates that “Bridezilla” feeling, planning weddings can be stressful.
But smaller weddings are usually easier to prepare and manage, and that can be as good a reason as any to go for a small wedding, regardless of budget.
But in 10, 20 years time, you get to look back on the day with fondness.
And regardless of cost, so long as you mean every word of your vows, and you’re surrounded by those you love, that’s often all it really takes to have the wedding of your dreams.
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