Plan a Small Wedding in Chicago
I am a wedding planner based out of Chicago, who has planned hundreds of events of all sizes. However, when it came to my own marriage I decided to have a small wedding in Chicago! We had 75 guests and it was intimate, gorgeous and FIERCE.
Chicago is a great place to get married, but it can also be intimidating if you are planning a large wedding. Recently it has been reported that the average wedding in Chicago is nearly $60,000. That price tag is one of the top reason that a lot of couples I work with decide on a small or even micro wedding. Small weddings offer the prospect of a much smaller budget, but they also offer a lot of options that you just can’t take advantage of if you have a larger ceremony.
Due to Covid-19 small weddings aren’t just a choice, they’re a necessity. During phase 3 of Chicago’s reopening weddings are suppose to be limited to 10 people or less (Elopement or Micro Wedding). During phase 4 of Chicago’s reopening weddings are suppose to be limited to 50 people or less (Small Wedding).
1. Small Wedding Venues
With a limited guest list come some perks. You have up to 10 times as many venues to choose from. While you still have access to all the tradition wedding venues, like banquet halls, country clubs, and hotels you are now more likely to fit in your favorite restaurant, an art gallery, or even a boat on lake Michigan. While at first the number of options may seem overwhelming, the truth is you are more likely to be able to find the perfect settings that matches your theme, date and budget. Small venues are often not booked as far in advance, and can cost less per person than larger traditional venues.
Below are a couple wedding venues I like for more intimate ceremonies. I currently partner with them on small wedding packages through Fierce Productions, but they are wonderful for any size or type of event!
This list of small wedding venues in Chicago that are open during the coronavirus lockdown
The Joinery
A bright, chic, loft styled venue in the heart of Chicago’s Bucktown neighborhood the Joinery offers incredible amenities like a sky light ceiling, farm tables and chairs, a speakeasy, an outdoor space with a built in bar, and lots of fun styling options like donut walls and highboys!!! We absolutely love how unique and gorgeous this venue is. They also offer a gorgeous Airbnb right next to their venue! What?!
Wicker park Inn
This boutique bed and breakfast has 9 fabulous rooms with wifi, tv, comfy beds and gorgeous bathrooms. They also host elopements and micro weddings! They have an outdoor backyard space across the street from the Inn and an indoor space upstairs incase it rains. Their indoor space includes a kitchen space, a farm table and chairs and a gorgeous exposed brick wall. And the best part is you, your beau, bffs and family can buy out the entire Inn so you can feel safe while socially distancing!
Big Delicious Planet
This catering team also has a gorgeous venue in the West Loop. It’s their organic farm! The only organic farm i Chicago! They have a fabulous outdoor space with farm tables and chairs and their kitchen is onsite so you will save on delivery fees! Sitting in their farm on a summer day is incredibly romantic and feels like you are outside of the city in the middle of the West Loop. They also have an adorable indoor space incase it rains! And the best part is they are organic, woman owned, and master chefs.
The Lytle House
A LGBTQ+ owned wedding venue created for elopements and small weddings in Chicago! They have always hosted small weddings under 80 people so the layout for the venue is very friendly for a 2 to 50 person event! They have a gorgeous mural you can take photos infront of, a wall with vines for your ceremony and an indoor/outdoor space. They offer farm tables and chairs and you can rent a food truck that can drive into their property making a very affordable option for you and your guests!!!
This is obviously just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to small wedding venues. If you are interested in hiring a wedding planner, I would be happy to help you find the perfect venue for your special day.
2. The best food in the world
This is not just fluff. Chicago is the food capital of the world and you can have that food served as part of your wedding. When you have a more intimate wedding you also have more options. While many restaurants are not setup to accommodate a reception of 100 or more people, but they often can accommodate small weddings with either a catering option or with an event space right in the restaurant. If you have micro wedding or even an elopement you can even go as far as to hire a personal chef to cook for you and your guests. Whatever you choose to do Chicago offers a wide variety of culinary options. Use them to your advantage.
3. Small wedding Packages.
One reason you might be thinking about a smaller wedding is it requires less planning. If your or your spouse are not much of the planning type you can simply purchase a wedding package. Then you can just select from a couple of different options and have the venue, catering, photography, music, flowers, and bar figured out. I have small wedding packages as part of my little but fierce weddings, but there are any number of wedding planners and venues that have packages that just require you make a couple of selections and be done with a big part of your planning. You will still have to worry about the guest list, but the only way around that is to elope, but you could do that in Chicago too!!
4. The Little Details
Do you want to make your own place card for every guest, or maybe you were planning on hand making a favor for each guest? Think how much easier that will be with an intimate guest list. Since you have fewer guests you can put more individual care and attention into each guest and into your wedding decorations that now only need to fill a smaller space. Not to mention you will actually be able to talk to each one of your guests for more then a couple of seconds. While you might not be able to invite everyone, you will be able to share more moments with the people that are most important to you.
5. Entertainment
A more intimate setting lends itself to more intimate performances. If you have a friend you love who plays an instrument, like the guitar, they can add some fabulous ambiance to your small wedding. If you don’t know someone who can perform at your wedding, Chicago has entertainers of all varieties. Seek them out and make them a special touch on your wedding day. You can also take a look at our entertainment services and small wedding packages as we’ve already partnered with some fabulous local musicians!
6. Bars & Clubs
Sometimes you might not want to plan a reception but that does not mean all your guests can’t still get together and party. Chicago is home to a wide variety of establishments, ranging from quite comfortable bars to energetic dance clubs with bottle service. Know your crowd and pick a place that can accommodate everyone. Make sure to check with the establishment ahead of time. You don’t want to show up to a packed bar with 40 people and not be able to get in.
7. Budget
I already mentioned this at the beginning, but obviously small weddings are generally going to be less expensive then large weddings. Micro weddings will be cheaper then small weddings, and elopement will usually be the cheapest option you could choose. This is not always true. I have planned small weddings, where the couple spared no expense. I have also planned large weddings where the ceremony occurred in church and reception was in a park. Your choices will always drive your budget, but if all things are equal a more intimate wedding will end up being easier on the budget.
Additional Questions you may have about small weddings
What counts as a small wedding?
Any wedding under 50 people is considered a small wedding! The more guests included the more complicated and the more logistics. Before Covid an average size wedding in Chicago was 150 people.
How do I keep my wedding small and simple?
It’s all about the guest count. The fewer guests you have the more affordable your wedding, and the fewer decisions you need to make! You will need fewer chairs, less food and liquor, and you will have fewer guests to visit and chat with. Do you see a pattern here? Before Covid many couples who were stressed by planning big weddings would often elope because it would put the focus on their love and their celebration only. Now smaller, more curated and styled weddings are a necessity!
How do you plan a small wedding to be special?
It’s all about the details. It’s all about creating an intimate, elevated, experience for you and your guests. Like planning for larger weddings there a millions of options out there to choose from. Luckily, we have made it very easy for you. As planners, we have already done the leg work and have come up with a fierce curated wedding package that you can mix and match depending on your budgets and needs.
Contact us about our Little but Fierce Weddings here.
What is the average cost of a small wedding?
The average cost of a small wedding with all the bells and whistles for 25 guests is about $10,000. The most expensive part of any weddings is the catering. If you are on a tighter budget, forget the catering and just offer some fun favors for your guests to take to go. At the minimum, for your small wedding or elopment, you are going to want a venue or location (if you have a beautiful backyard and back up indoor space this is a great option) photographer, an officiant (which can be a friend who will do it for free), a coordinator, and a florist. To-go dinner and desserts are great options for those who want to spend less on their small wedding rather than catered meals that include a chef and staff.
Planning a small wedding? We will take care of everything for you!
If you are looking to get married in 2020 and you are feeling overwhelmed and stressed out with all of the many planning options out there - look no further! Fierce has curated a handful of wedding experiences to choose from for you that is elevated with the best vendors in Chicago. We have worked with these vendors many times and we know that they are the best. They have also offered us exclusive pricing to make these micro weddings in Chicago affordable!