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Small weddings, elopements & courthouse: Micro and intimate weddings

Twenty to fifty guests opens up restaurants, private rooms and beautiful places that can’t host a crowd.

The key points

  • Spend more per guest on food and experience
  • Restaurants and private dining rooms
  • One long table
  • A bigger party later if you like

Read more about micro and intimate weddings

Quick answers

How many guests is an intimate wedding?

There is no official number, but most people mean 50 guests or fewer. A micro wedding is often 20 or fewer.

Venues & locationsAll questions

Is a small wedding cheaper?

Usually the total is lower, because food, drink and rentals scale with guests. Fixed costs like photography and attire do not, so the savings are often smaller than people expect.

Venues & locationsAll questions

How do you tell people they are not invited to a small wedding?

Tell them early, kindly and the same way you told everyone else. Share your guest-list rule, and offer to celebrate together another time.

Venues & locationsAll questions

How many vendors does a wedding need?

The Knot’s 2026 study found an average of 13. A small wedding might need four or five: venue, food, photographer, officiant and flowers.

Vendors & contractsAll questions

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