Charleston Women Spring 2021

www. Char l es tonWomen . com | www. ReadCW. com | www. Facebook . com/Char l es tonWomen CW E ven before “social distancing” became a part of our vernacular, more and more couples were opting to forgo the big, expensive, showy wedding for smaller, more intimate nuptials. That’s because there are many benefits to having a guest list of under 20 people. For one, you’ll never look at one of your wedding photos and think, “Who is that person?” A smaller wedding also means a smaller budget, which allows you to splurge on something special that you may not have been able to afford if you were footing the bill of a three-course meal for 200 people. And of course there’s the intimacy that saying your vows in front of your immediate family and very closest friends allows for. Most importantly, fewer people means fewer details, which equals significantly less stress, allowing couples to truly enjoy their day as opposed to biting their nails between sips of champagne. So how does planning a wedding for 20 differ from planning one for 200? One thing remains the same; your first step should be to hire a wedding planner. It may not seem necessary for such a small affair, but you still have to book the same number of vendors, create a timeline and floor plan and have a point person on the day of the wedding. Hiring an experienced planner will not only alleviate stress on the day of the wedding – you won’t be the one answering the phone when your officiant’s car breaks down – but will also save you money by avoiding costly mistakes, understanding the right places to spend and giving you preferred pricing with vendors. A planner will also help you familiarize yourself with non-traditional options. Haley McCarrell, owner and creative director at luxury destination planning firm Willow & Oak Events shared, “A smaller guest count opens up the doors for unique types of wedding venues that may not have been available to you otherwise. You might consider a cozy courtyard with a glistening pool in the center, a long dock lit up by market lights or even a flower field. It’s easy to assume that your wedding needs to follow a more conventional trajectory and take place at an official wedding venue, hotel, park or restaurant, but thinking outside the box and finding that gem that feels like the perfect reflection of you and the vision you have for your day can be incredibly rewarding.” A planner will also help you translate your vision into a realistic budget. It’s important to take into consideration exactly how you see the celebration, whether that’s holding everything at a one-stop-shop location – think ceremony on a hotel rooftop, dinner at their restaurant and a block of rooms for your guests to stay on-site – or booking a blank-slate venue where you have to bring in everything from chairs to napkins. Some couples choose to have a ceremony somewhere picturesque and host a dinner reception in a private room at a fancy restaurant nearby. All of these factors are going to have an effect on your budget, so it’s important to have a guide that can help you understand where your money’s going. When hosting a small wedding, you benefit from BY L I NDSAY C . B I SHOP Keeping it Simple The Micro-Wedding Trend and How to Make it Work For You Photo by Br i an D Smi th Photography.