Should you have a big wedding or a small wedding? It’s a question that plagues every couple soon after they get engaged. It often comes down to how much of your family you’d like to invite and how big that family happens to be. When it comes to the Wadsworth Mansion, though, there are a few things to keep in mind if you have a big wedding or a small wedding. That’s exactly why we’re taking the opportunity to let you know how you can use the space if you have a larger guest count, or decide to keep things more intimate.
Big Weddings – 150 to 200 Guests
Kate and John celebrated their 2019 wedding in style with a larger guest count.
Photo by: Brooke Brady Photography
If you’re planning on having a larger wedding at the Wadsworth Mansion, then there are a few things to keep in mind. First and foremost, you’ll want to consider what time of year you’re planning on having your wedding. During the warmer months and during early fall, you have the advantage of using the outdoors for your ceremony and cocktail hour. This means that there is a lot more room for your guests to spread out and make themselves comfortable. This becomes more difficult with a winter wedding. You’ll absolutely want to have a heated tent on the terrace, and make sure it’s rated for colder temperatures. That way, your guests have somewhere to go for your ceremony, first dance, and other formalities.
When you have a larger guest count, you also need to remember that you’ll be seating guests in both ballrooms. The best way to make use of space is by having a sweetheart table in each ballroom. That way, guests can spread out in the Loggia during and then after dinner. You can get a great sense of how that works in our online tour video. Of course, you can always do a head table in the center of the Loggia. Just keep in mind that if you do that, you’ll have less room for your guests and will want to consider tenting the terrace even during warmer months.
As always, we’re here to recommend how to orient things so that your day flows smoothly.
Small Weddings – 100 Guests or Under
When it comes to smaller, more intimate weddings, there are a lot more options for using space at the mansion. You can fit 100 guests in each
Karlene and Paul celebrated their intimate and stunning wedding in 2021 with an indoor ceremony and small guest count.
Photo by: Amy Anaiz Photography
Planner: Honey Bee Wedding & Events
ballroom, which means that you can use one of the ballrooms for dinner, and the other ballroom for your cocktail hour or ceremony. You can even decide to do a head table in the Loggia, have one ballroom for dining, and the other ballroom for cocktail hour.
Since everyone can dine in one room, you also have the option to do your toasts during dinner rather than before dinner. If you decide to have a sweetheart table and keep the Loggia free, you also don’t need to worry about having a tent in case of rain. You can simply have your formalities in the Loggia, and then dancing on the indoor dance floor after dinner.
When it comes to planning how to use space at the mansion, it’s always a good idea to chat with us to figure out a plan. While I’ve mentioned the most common ways to use space at the mansion, there are also ways to embrace the outdoors by using a tent. No matter your size – big or small – your wedding will be a day to remember.
