3 Ways Intimate Weddings Save You Money (Without Sacrificing Luxury)
Let's talk about something the wedding industry doesn't want you to know: smaller doesn't mean less.
When most people think about cutting their guest list, they imagine sacrificing—settling for something smaller because they can't afford what they really want. But here's what I've learned after years of designing intimate celebrations: the opposite is true.
An intimate wedding doesn't mean doing less. It means doing better. More intentional. More luxurious. More you.
Here's how a smaller guest list actually elevates your wedding—and your budget.
1. Fewer Guests = More Room for What Actually Matters
Every person you add to your guest list multiplies across your entire budget. Meals, drinks, invitations, favors, rentals, transportation. It adds up faster than you think.
But when you keep your wedding intimate—let's say under 75 guests—something shifts. Suddenly you have room in the budget to invest in the things that will actually make your wedding feel like yours.
That dream photographer whose work makes your heart stop? You can afford them now.
Those lush, textured floral installations you've been saving on Pinterest? They're within reach.
Luxurious linens. Hand-lettered menus. A signature cocktail hour with a private bartender. The details that create atmosphere—the ones you'll actually remember—become possible when you're not spreading your budget thin across 200 people.
Intimate weddings give you permission to curate, not compromise.
2. Smaller Venues, Bigger Impact
Here's what happens when you plan for 50-75 guests instead of 150: Toronto's most beautiful boutique spaces suddenly open up to you.
Chic private dining rooms. Historic estates with original architecture. Modern galleries with moody lighting already built in. Intimate hotel suites with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city.
These spaces already have ambiance. They already have character. You don't need to spend thousands transforming a blank ballroom into something interesting—the venue does half the work for you.
Instead of renting everything from scratch, you're enhancing what's already beautiful. A statement floral moment here. Candlelight everywhere. Elevated table settings that feel personal and considered.
The result? A wedding that feels atmospheric and intentional, without the massive décor budget.
3.Quality Over Quantity, Always
When you're not trying to scale everything to feed and entertain 200 people, you can focus on creating an experience instead of just hosting an event.
This is where intimate weddings truly shine.
You can serve a thoughtfully curated tasting menu instead of a buffet. You can offer wine pairings with each course. You can hand-write place cards and menus. You can incorporate heirlooms, travel photos, sentimental details that would get lost in a massive production.
You can serve a thoughtfully curated tasting menu instead of a buffet. You can offer wine pairings with each course. You can hand-write place cards and menus. You can incorporate heirlooms, travel photos, sentimental details that would get lost in a massive production.
The wedding industry will tell you that bigger is better. That you need 150+ guests to make it "worth it." That cutting your guest list means settling.
I'm here to tell you the opposite.
An intimate wedding—designed with intention, styled with care, filled with people who actually know your story—will always feel more meaningful than a massive production where you barely get to talk to anyone.
You don't need to invite everyone you've ever met to have a beautiful wedding. You need the people who matter. The atmosphere that reflects you. The details that tell your story.
And when you strip away the pressure to host half the city, you'll find that you actually have more budget for the things that will make your wedding unforgettable.
That's not compromise. That's clarity.
Ready to create a wedding that feels like you—intimate, intentional, and beautifully yours?
