The not-so-big wedding

Twenty-five years ago, architect Sarah Susanka authored a fascinating book titled, “The Not So Big House.”  In many ways, her thinking is a natural complement to a post-pandemic trend, the ‘not-so-big wedding.’

Susanka points out that the 1980s sparked what she called the “‘starter castle’ complex, the notion that houses should be designed to impress rather than nurture.”

Think about that in terms of your upcoming wedding. Are you trying to impress anyone? Or should you instead focus on connection, quality, and deeper meaning?

Susanka continues:

“More rooms, bigger spaces, and vaulted ceilings do not necessarily give us what we need in a home. And when the impulse for big spaces is combined with outdated patterns of home design and building, the result is more often than not a house that doesn’t work.”

Again, overlay her architectural philosophy on the ‘architecture’ of your wedding planning. Does a huge wedding ‘work’ as well as a not-so-big-wedding? Will a big wedding put you in debt and spread you so thin at your own celebration that you’re unable to connect with your guests?

Finally, Ms. Susanka states: 

“When my husband and I, both of us architects, were planning our new house, we knew that we wanted a home that would inspire us and make the best use of the money we had to spend. Whatever we ended up with, we wanted our house to express the way we actually live.”

Apply her words to wedding planning: 

“When my husband and I were planning our wedding, we knew that we wanted a celebration that would inspire us and make the best use of the money we had to spend. Whatever we ended up with, we wanted our wedding to express the way we actually live.”

So the idea of the ‘not-so-big-wedding boils down to a few simple ideas: live within your means; avoid excess; focus on the profound meaning of your wedding and the importance of your family and close friends as community. Go for quality, not quantity at your Fayetteville wedding celebration.

The not-so-big-wedding provides a nice balance for many couples. It allows you to affordably connect on a deeper level with your community of family of friends who will stick with you during good times and bad.

Five Star Entertainment are the perfect wedding entertainment specialists whether planning a not-so-big-wedding or an epic blowout. We have technology and talent to provide balanced, clear music, and deft, timely MCing that’ll delight your guests. And to enhance the quality of your experience, we offer decor lighting and photo booth to take your party to the next level. Check us out.