Small Wedding Venue in Upstate New York

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Jennifer and Dan's ceremony for their small wedding at The Maples Estate in Upstate New York

We absolutely love hosting “micro” or small weddings!

While some venues do not allow micro events onsite, we happen to LOVE hosting small weddings at our venue in upstate New York!

We love them so much that we even have a special micro wedding package just for these small wedding gatherings of 30 guests or less. Micro Weddings have so much personality! I know, it can be hard to narrow down that guest list and define who your closest friends and family are…but the reward is so great! Let’s be honest, small weddings are not for everyone; but for those of you that are looking to enjoy quality time with each and every one of your guests, and find every opportunity to showcase your personality, micro / small weddings can be a huge perk!

Take Jennifer and Dan for example, pictured above with their 21 person guest list. This Seattle couple had been together for over 15 years and believe it or not, their families had never met each other. They wanted their wedding to not only be a celebration of their love, but also an opportunity for their families to get to know one another. That can be pretty hard to accomplish when you have 150 guests. Considering their family was all on the east coast and they were living on the west coast, it was also an opportunity to spend quality time with each of their guests. They also hated the idea of a traditional wedding and wanted to showcase their personalities in every aspect of their wedding. You can read more about Jennifer & Dan’s wedding, and view pictures HERE.

So, what are the benefits of a micro / small sized wedding guest list?

  • Quality time with each of your guests

    With a small guest size you will have every opportunity to engage directly with ALL of your guests. No more running around to every table for a quick hello before you are off to the next, you can sit and relax, chat and make the celebration exactly what you want it to be.

  • Can be more relaxed and less formal

    Managing 100+ guests means you should probably stick to the schedule. With a smaller guest list you have the ability to be more flexible in your timeline, but also in the way you choose to celebrate.

  • More opportunities and spaces to celebrate

    A smaller guest list means more spaces that can fit your event. At The Maples Estate, we can host different events in different spaces throughout the property, all depending on the guest size. With a small wedding, you can celebrate anywhere across the estate!

  • Your budget can stretch further

    Less guests means less stuff! While the price of your photographer, DJ, or wedding planner may not change, the number of tables and chairs, plates, florals, linens, quantity of food, etc. may! Think about what items are important to you, splurge there and cut back elsewhere.

  • You can inject your personality into every aspect of the wedding

    With a smaller wedding guest list, there is more opportunity to get creative! You can cut the traditional wedding timeline and make it whatever you want it to be. Jennifer and Dan decided to forgo a sit down dinner and instead they arranged for vintage lounge seating to make for a less formal environment with an outdoor living room. Together we created a weekend of events that suited not only their personalities and interests, but also those of their guests.

If micro weddings are that great, why would a venue stray away from weddings of this size?
Many traditional wedding venues have required guest minimums because they need to earn a certain dollar amount back in catering and rentals. They may also have extensive lodging on site that needs to be filled for all their weddings. This business model is the model that works best for them, but here at the Maples Estate we never lock our couples into specific caterers or minimums. We love that every event is different, so we allow you to work with the vendors of your choosing, and match your selections and guest size with the specifics of your event(s).

If you are looking to host a micro / small wedding at The Maples Estate, get in touch!
We would love to answer any questions you may have and schedule a tour, either in person or virtually!

More planning inspiration!