Too Many Wedding To-Do's: The Size, The Swank, and The Setting

In this mini-series called “Too Many Wedding To-Do’s”, I will outline a bit about each step in the Wedding To-Do List.

Step #2: Decide on the size, formality, and setting of your wedding.

Oi, this is a biggie.  And this is the one that can have the power to define many of the rest of your plans.  Many brides struggle with this step, while many find it to be the simplest one of all.  Personally, I went back and forth on the local vs. destination wedding for quite some time; I think I changed my mind (and had new supporting reasons for my decision) every single day.

In regards to the size of the wedding, this can be largely (ha ha no pun intended) determined by the size of your families.  If you have a relatively small family, you may have a smaller gathering, whereas the opposite may also be true.  Weddings range from as small as 10 people to several hundred (or thousands – 1,900 to be exact –  if you’re Prince William and Soon-to-Be Princess Kate).  My personal feeling is that you should be at least good acquaintances with the people who will be joining you on your Big Day.  After all, you will be sharing some of your most intimate feelings in front of them.

Moving along to the topic of formality, this tends to be largely dictated by your personalities.  If you prefer to hang out at the local pub, you may opt for a more casual wedding.  However if you’re used to attending swanky galas, then perhaps a high-end soiree is more your style.  Comfort is key when it comes to this, as you need to make sure that you’re going to be comfortable with the number of forks, knives, and spoons that you’ll see surrounding your plate at dinner.  If you prefer finger foods, then go with it!

The setting of your wedding… the biggest question on this topic is local or destination.  Once you’ve got that one narrowed down, it can guide your venue search a lot better.  If you opt for a destination wedding, you will likely end up at a large hotel or resort complex with a beautiful beach sunset as your backdrop.  Local weddings tend to offer a bit wider selection.  Banquet halls and churches are well-equipped for weddings, however these days you can choose to have your wedding just about anywhere you please.  From golf courses to art galleries to old historic barns, the sky’s the limit!  Just think back to the picture you have in your head and you will likely be able to narrow it down to a category.  Many online sites offer directories of venues, but sometimes its the places that are right beneath your nose (that you may never have considered otherwise) that are the best.

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