Why Are More Couples Choosing Small Weddings? A Guide to Intimate Weddings in Australia
Not every couple dreams of a wedding with hundreds of guests, a huge reception and a packed dance floor.
For some, the idea of a smaller wedding feels much more personal. It might mean celebrating with their closest family and friends, spending more time with the people who matter, or simply creating a wedding day that feels relaxed rather than overwhelming.
Across Australia, couples are choosing small weddings, micro weddings and intimate weddings for all sorts of reasons. And while there is no single definition of what makes a wedding “small”, the appeal is often the same: less about the size of the guest list and more about the experience.
What is a small wedding?
There is no official number that defines a small wedding.
A micro wedding is often used to describe a wedding with around 20 guests or fewer, although the term is used fairly loosely. A small wedding might have 20, 30 or even 50 guests, while an intimate wedding can be any size where the focus is on creating a more personal celebration.
An elopement is another option, traditionally associated with just the couple. These days, however, elopements don't necessarily mean getting married alone. An elopement with guests might include a handful of close family members or friends.
In other words, there are plenty of ways to have a smaller wedding. The important thing is choosing the format that suits you.
Why do couples choose small weddings?
1. They want to spend the day with the people they know
One of the biggest advantages of a smaller wedding is being able to spend meaningful time with your guests.
At a large wedding, it can be surprisingly difficult to properly talk to everyone. Between photographs, speeches, dinner and everything else happening during the day, couples can find themselves spending only a few minutes with many of their guests.
With a small wedding, there is more opportunity to slow down.
You can sit at the same table as your family. You can have a proper conversation with your closest friends. You can actually remember the people you spent the day with.
For many couples, that is exactly what they want from their wedding.
2. They would rather spend money on the experience
A smaller guest list can also change where the wedding budget goes.
Instead of paying for a large number of guests, couples may choose to put more into the things that are important to them — better food, accommodation, photography, flowers, wine or simply creating a memorable experience for everyone attending.
That doesn't necessarily mean a small wedding is inexpensive. A beautifully planned intimate wedding can still be a significant investment.
The difference is that the budget can be focused on a smaller group of people.
3. They want less stress
Planning a wedding for 20 people is very different from planning one for 120.
There are fewer invitations, fewer dietary requirements, fewer seating arrangements and generally fewer logistics to manage.
That can make the whole experience feel more manageable.
For couples who don't particularly enjoy being the centre of attention, a smaller wedding can also feel more comfortable. You still get the ceremony, the photographs and the celebration, without feeling like you're hosting a major event for everyone you've ever met.
4. They don't want a traditional big wedding
There is no rule saying a wedding has to follow a particular format.
Some couples simply don't want a large reception.
They might prefer a beautiful ceremony followed by lunch with their family. Others might want a relaxed dinner, a weekend away or a small celebration followed by an elopement-style ceremony.
A small wedding gives couples more freedom to decide what the day actually needs to include.
How many guests do you need for a small wedding?
This is one of the first questions couples often ask when looking at small wedding venues.
There isn't a magic number.
A wedding for two is very different from a wedding for eight guests, which is different again from a celebration for 20 or 30 people.
You might find that your ideal wedding looks something like:
Just the two of you
You, your celebrant and a few close family members
8–10 guests
Around 20 guests
30 guests
A group of up to 50-60 of your closest friends and family
The right number is really the number of people you genuinely want to share the day with.
Small wedding or elopement?
The terms small wedding and elopement can overlap, but they aren't necessarily the same thing.
An elopement is often associated with a very small ceremony, sometimes just the couple and their celebrant. But modern elopements can take many forms.
You might choose an elopement for two, or invite a few people to join you. You might have an intimate ceremony followed by dinner, or turn the occasion into an overnight getaway.
That's why searches for things such as elopement wedding packages, elopement with accommodation and elopement with guests have become increasingly relevant for couples looking for alternatives to a traditional wedding.
The important thing is that you don't have to fit neatly into one category.
What does an intimate wedding actually look like?
There is no standard format.
A small wedding could start with a ceremony in a garden or historic setting, followed by photographs and drinks. You might then have a long lunch or dinner with your guests.
Another couple might choose a simple ceremony, spend the afternoon exploring the area with their family, and finish with a relaxed dinner.
If accommodation is available at the venue, the wedding can become more than just a few hours.
Your guests can arrive, stay overnight, celebrate with you and enjoy the destination together.
That can be particularly appealing when your guests are travelling from different parts of NSW or further afield.
Why choose a small wedding with accommodation?
For couples considering a small wedding with accommodation, having everyone in one place can make the whole experience easier.
There is less travelling between the ceremony, reception and accommodation. Guests don't have to find their way home after the celebration, and the wedding can feel more like a shared getaway.
It also means the celebration doesn't necessarily end when the reception does.
You can have breakfast together the following morning, enjoy another meal or simply spend a little more time with the people who travelled to be there.
For a destination wedding in a regional area, this can be particularly appealing.
Why the Southern Highlands suits an intimate wedding
The Southern Highlands is well suited to couples looking for something smaller and more relaxed.
Rather than feeling like you're organising a large event in the middle of a city, the region offers the opportunity to turn a wedding into a country getaway.
Historic buildings, gardens, countryside, villages, restaurants and accommodation all provide options for creating a wedding weekend or intimate celebration.
For couples looking for small weddings in NSW, the Southern Highlands also has the advantage of being within easy reach of Sydney while still feeling like a destination.
That makes it practical for couples who want their guests to travel, stay overnight and enjoy the region without committing to a much longer trip.
What should you look for in a small wedding venue?
Finding a venue for a small wedding isn't simply about finding somewhere that will accept a smaller number of guests.
The venue should actually suit the scale and style of the celebration.
When comparing micro wedding venues and intimate wedding venues, consider:
Does the venue work for your guest numbers?
A venue designed primarily for large weddings may not create the atmosphere you're looking for with 10 or 20 guests.
Ask how the spaces work for smaller groups and whether the venue has experience hosting intimate celebrations.
Is accommodation available?
If you're inviting guests from outside the area, onsite accommodation can make a big difference.
It can turn a wedding into a shared experience rather than simply a ceremony everyone travels to and then leaves.
Can you have the ceremony and celebration in the same place?
Keeping everything together can make a small wedding much easier to organise.
It also means you and your guests aren't spending the day travelling between locations.
Does the setting feel special?
When you're inviting only a small number of people, the setting becomes even more important.
A historic property, garden, country setting or beautiful private space can provide a memorable backdrop without needing elaborate decorations.
Fitzroy Inn Garden Gazebo
Does the venue understand small weddings?
Perhaps most importantly, find out whether the venue genuinely caters for intimate weddings.
A good small wedding venue should understand that a wedding for 10 or 20 people isn't simply a scaled-down version of a 150-person wedding.
It can be its own style of celebration.
Small weddings don't have to mean less of a wedding
Choosing a smaller wedding doesn't mean choosing a less important wedding.
In many cases, it allows couples to concentrate on the parts of the day that matter most to them.
It might be having your parents there. Sitting down to a long meal with your closest friends. Staying overnight somewhere beautiful. Having time for photographs without rushing. Or simply being able to look around the room and recognise every person there.
For some couples, that is exactly what a wedding should feel like.
Planning a small wedding in the Southern Highlands
For couples considering a micro wedding, elopement or intimate wedding in NSW, the Southern Highlands offers an opportunity to combine the wedding itself with a relaxing getaway.
At Fitzroy Inn Historic Retreat in Mittagong, couples can celebrate in a historic Southern Highlands setting with accommodation onsite, making it possible to bring the ceremony, celebration and stay together in one place.
Whether you're planning an elopement for two, a wedding with a handful of guests or a celebration for around 20–30 people, a smaller wedding gives you the freedom to create a day around the people and experiences that matter most.