What's Considered a Small Wedding?
A small to medium sized wedding usually consists of 100 people or less. Scaling the event to a more intimate size will make sure you love where you are, and who you're with. Your event will be more intimate, and you can spend more quality time with the people that matter the most. The less people you invite, the more special the event can feel. Just remember, the average wedding costs $25,000. That said, the majority of American couples spend $10,000 or less on a wedding or roughly $100 per guest. That's why choosing the perfect wedding venue is so important. A wedding or reception venue in Charlotte, NC is almost always more expensive because they are much busier and serve a larger variety of couples.
This is your day so let us help make it PERFECT!
First Things First... Pick the Right Venue
That's where Carnes Lake Banquet Hall can help. One of your top considerations when planning your special event is ensuring that the venue is the right size for your gathering. Simply put, a large, half-full venue just isn't as much fun as a more intimate space packed with your friends and family. We are here to make sure Carnes Lake Banquet Hall is just right for you.
Choose One Venue Instead of Two
By scheduling one venue for the wedding and reception, you’ll save on logistics and transportation, as well as the cost of the venue. When you combine the wedding and reception, you save. When your guests don’t have to travel from ceremony to reception, you save. When you have to decorate one venue instead of two... well you get the idea.
Consider Privacy
A significant reason why many people choose a small wedding is because of privacy. Not everyone wants, or has the budget, for a big wedding. If this sounds familiar, think about how special and intimate your big day can be at our private 7 acre lake. Carnes Lake is fenced and gated to ensure the privacy of you and your guests. The private lakefront venue will make you smile and breathe a little easier as soon as you arrive. The hall will accommodate around 100-150 people inside and room to double that with outdoor seating. Another great feature is ample parking for all you guests.
Plan an Intimate Ceremony
It doesn't matter whether you’re going the traditional or non-traditional route, our event venue will be a great choice. Our gazebo is the perfect backdrop for your perfect event. We offer lots of room for outdoor seating as well. If your event needs an outside venue, Carnes Lake is the perfect choice.
Treat Your Guests Like VIPs
Planning a small guest list will allow you to make every person in attendance feel special. That is much harder with a larger wedding. Consider creating something customized specially for each guest. This is a great way to make sure all your guests know how important they are to you and your new spouse.
Set Up a Casual Wedding Theme
Casual weddings and elegance don't have to be mutually exclusive. Food, décor, florals, and dress ideas for casual celebrations are just as beautiful as a formal event. Rather than a boring button-down affair, encourage your guests to kick off their shoes and take the dance floor by storm in flip flops, instead .
Consider a Family-Style or Buffet Dinner
Choose a casual serving method. Instead of a more formal dinner experience, create a buffet or family-style serving for guests. You can choose a casual food like barbecue to encourage that all-important mingling.
Smaller Means Better Quality
A small wedding doesn’t have to mean cheap. With a smaller guest list, you can pamper everyone just a little bit more. Fewer guests means you can get creative with personalizing and tailoring your wedding to your tastes. You will have total control and freedom to make your special event your own.
More Personal
Since you're sending fewer invitations, create ultra-personalized stationery. Order custom invitations from Etsy or ShutterFly and choose colors, wording and designs that fit your style, the feel of your event and are just right for you.
Get Your Guests Involved in the Event
Most intimate events involve a select group of family and friends. If you're having a small wedding, you can involve some of your most treasured guests. For instance, you might ask them to read aloud from your ceremony, have them encircle you as you exchange your vows or seat them at one big table at the wedding reception.
Focus on the Small Details
Small touches like table place cards, thank you notes and favors can make a real difference in the guest experience. Thinking about ways to incorporate small, personal touches into your wedding will make for many cherished memories for you and your guests. For example, you can make hand-written dinner menus with notes to all of your guests. Place them at each table setting to let your guests know why you're glad they came and thank them for coming.
Cherished Memories
Last but most importantly, memories from your wedding will last forever. This is because it was all about you and being surrounded by the ones you love. When you look back on the pictures from this day you will see all the things that make life worth living.
