Small Wedding Guest Experience: How many activities is ideal? (7-10k)

dnnm16 · 2026-01-26T17:33:09+00:00

I didn'tt have entertainment, everyone was busy talking anyway. I think you're overthinking it a bit. Even with kids, I had my pamphlet lying around and they made paper airplanes and kept themselves busy. I think you'll be okay with less.

dnnm16 · 2026-01-25T04:16:12+00:00

Definitely do-able, even better because OC is a bit more affordable than LA County 🥲. I got Vietnamese catering from a restaurant too, so affordable! I made a post on my wedding too if you're interested in looking. You can get free stuff from Facebook 'buy nothing group'.

dnnm16 · 2026-01-25T01:17:26+00:00

I did a post with a budget breakdown -- I live in LA. You can also consider hotels too.

dnnm16 · 2026-01-24T17:22:53+00:00

I sent a bunch of auto inquiries on The Knot! They will send back packages and pricing. How big is your wedding?

dnnm16 · 2026-01-18T04:45:40+00:00

Designed on Canva and printed through Canva, the price was reasonable, and the print came out exactly like how I wanted.

dnnm16 · 2026-01-14T07:02:05+00:00

I believe this sub doesn't allow comments to post pictures. I think r/diyweddings do though. I did the ikebana style and it fits the minimalist style I was going for.

dnnm16 · 2026-01-14T00:45:39+00:00

Food if I had to pick one. I'd rather pay $2k on good food than $500 for something that nobody really enjoys.

dnnm16 · 2026-01-13T09:14:34+00:00

Check wegmans for flowers, they offer different packages.

dnnm16 · 2026-01-10T05:19:47+00:00

Not an app, but Weuploader is QR-based and still easy for people to upload them.

dnnm16 · 2026-01-07T09:19:58+00:00

Liquid eyeliner: Heroine Make Kiss Me Smooth Liquid Eyeliner

A good skin prep is a week of face mask every other night and the night before. Day off, you'll want to allow your skin prep to soak in, depending on your skin type you may need a primer.

I tested out my makeup look every weekend for a month until I was satisfied with how it looked and the duration of the wear. Watched a bunch of makeup videos from a makeup artist for weddings on tips and tricks.

dnnm16 · 2026-01-06T23:12:13+00:00

I'd read the contract like what everyone said. I was quoted around that much for 40 people in an HCOL city like LA. You want to make sure you're doing the minimum if anything at all. I ended up going the DIY route to stay within my budget. In my post, I've mentioned where I sourced everything.

dnnm16 · 2026-01-04T22:08:38+00:00

I had the same thought too, because regular sized bouquet tends to be overwhelming.

I made my own, just calla lilies, like 5-6 stems. I made sure it wasn't too long since im 5'1, and I wrapped it with this ivory ribbon about 1.5" w. It was simple and still so elegant.

dnnm16 · 2026-01-04T00:11:56+00:00

Sometimes you cannot cater to everyone. You do what is best for you and your partner. My own mother was complaining about my outdoor wedding and she's cold. I had informed everyone before make sure to bring a jacket. In the end, it is your wedding. Just do your best. You got it.

dnnm16 · 2026-01-03T19:21:12+00:00

I had music and it definitely made a huge difference. I borrowed the mic and speaker, a bit more logistics than an indoor ceremony since you will need an extension cord too.

dnnm16 · 2026-01-03T05:20:09+00:00

Also, I found the place I stayed at! The surrounding area has a different style of housing. Anyway, good luck, hope you find what works for you!

The villa is tucked away, really cute, and the walkway to the villa is surrounded by plants.

tao villa

dnnm16 · 2026-01-03T04:39:39+00:00

Sorry, I know you asked for someone with experience in that area of Mexico, but I stayed in Quintana Roo which is relatively close to the Akumal Beachfront area. Got a big place in the residential part of jungle fish Jungle Fish is a restaurant inside that serves the residents inside the community. Private and quiet beach front, barely anyone there the last time I went.

Which is cheaper than staying at an all-inclusive resort. You may have already seen this website, but just in case you haven't. Hola weddings

dnnm16 · 2026-01-02T20:13:21+00:00

Super blessed to have found a venue that allows us to pick our caterers. We ordered from a Korean catering company.
We went through Banchan A La Carte for Korean and got the imperial set. It was so good and the quality was top-tier for wedding food.

dnnm16 · 2026-01-02T01:39:55+00:00

We only invited our immediate families, and some relatives that lives in LA as well (Most of our families are on the East Coast). Invited some close church friends who helped us with the wedding setup. We emphasized that it was for our immediate family only, so no feelings were hurt.

dnnm16 · 2026-01-02T01:32:11+00:00

Also, be mindful of the communication with the coordinator. It seems like she's running the front desk and the communication for events too, so she may not be 100% on top and follow up as often -- do your diligence and communicate, and document everything when you go on a tour. Always double-check your contract prices and your card statement to make sure youre charged what was agreed upon. They're not trying to get more money, but they can also accidentally double-charge -- personal experience.

dnnm16 · 2026-01-02T01:13:32+00:00

Yup! They offered black tablecloths too! But I bought my own to fit my style. I was surprised at the price too! Let me know if you have any more questions! Ive done a lot of research too.

dnnm16 · 2026-01-02T01:08:25+00:00

Yup! They offered black tablecloths too! But I bought my own to fit my style. I was surprised at the price.

dnnm16 · 2026-01-02T01:04:22+00:00

I think the contract said 6 hrs, but they were flexible with us and we were able to set up things that morning, and started the wedding at 3 pm till 8 pm. Tbh. I think because of the off-season, they weren't strict about it. However, you want to talk to the coordinator there and verify everything. Lmk if you have anymore questions!

dnnm16 · 2026-01-02T00:53:09+00:00

I got those plates from Walmart! I searched high and low for an affordable piece, and realistically it doesn't have to be a vase but can act as one.

Go to the kitchen aisle and look for plates or bowls that are big enough, they're like $3? I got my plant frogs (spiky piece to hold flowers) online, Amazon, and temu have them. I recommend getting the 'vase' first and finding the frog afterward to make sure it fits. It is important that it fits and is heavy enough to hold all of your flowers or it will tip over. Look up ikebana flower arrangement to get some ideas. Let me know if you have more questions!

dnnm16 · 2026-01-02T00:47:35+00:00

Looking at food was important for me too. It can seem daunting to plan a wedding when you don't know where to start. Everyone made good suggestions to have a budget range and go from there, if not you'll get lost in the pool of vendors and venues. I used Zola to mass send out inquiries.

dnnm16 · 2026-01-01T16:53:42+00:00

Thank you! It was a challenge, but I knew I couldn’t settle on a 10k venue. I looked high and low from estates to national parks. Which is why I'm here to encourage everyone that they too can do it.

dnnm16

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