It's done - you're engaged! However, before you stand on the wedding carpet, you have to plan everything down to the smallest detail. Ahead of you is a period of crazy preparations and feverish waiting for this one of the most beautiful and most important days in your life. First of all, you should consider whether you are throwing a grand wedding or a party for several dozen people. We present the advantages and disadvantages of both solutions.

A grand wedding is a tradition

Crazy party until dawn, feasting at a well-laid table and slightly embarrassing and controversial oczepin games - this is what traditional Polish weddings. Many people do not even think about whether to organize a wedding or a party. Loud parties weddings are obvious to them. Many couples believe that the wedding is the only opportunity to organize a large-scale event. By the way, gathering 150 or 200 guests is not difficult. Lots of cousins, uncles, closest friends... and suddenly the list is quite large.

The big plus of classic weddings is the possibility of joyfully celebrating the marriage together with the whole family. The fun lasts 8 or 12 hours and ends only in the morning - between 5 and 6. After such a wedding, no one feels unsatisfied! A big party is a way to enter a new stage in life with a bang.

Classic weddings usually take place in banquet halls in hotels or in separate wedding houses. A large selection of them can be found, for example, in Lower Silesia – wedding Wroclaw enjoys great success. The event is preceded by long (sometimes even several years) preparations that require a lot of commitment and considerable financial outlays. The event itself is usually accompanied by various wedding customswhich have become a permanent part of the Polish wedding tradition - i.e. greeting with bread and salt, carrying the newlywed wife across the threshold of the wedding hall, the first dance, as well as crazy oczepiny at midnight.

What makes a grand wedding so special?

A grand wedding is a joyful celebration until dawn, madness on the dance floor, shiny outfits and a guarantee of unforgettable memories! The modern market offers us a lot of possibilities thanks to which a large wedding can gain an even more spectacular dimension. A drink bar for a wedding, a magical fireworks show, a first dance among small soap bubbles shimmering with all the colors of the rainbow, or maybe an amazing themed party that will take guests into a wonderful world of fun and fascinating emotions?

A grand wedding is an epic party that always stays on the tongues for a long time! And what are the advantages of organizing an intimate party? Is it possible to unequivocally answer the question: which is better - a wedding or a party?

An intimate party can be just as beautiful 

In recent years, more and more people decide to celebrate the wedding day with a small group - the closest family and a few friends. Organizing a dinner for a dozen or several dozen people does not require such long and meticulous preparations, which is also associated with significant time and health savings. Less preparation, less stress! 

Can an intimate party be as spectacular as a grand wedding? Of course! Celebrating in a small group has an exceptionally family and romantic character. Such a celebration will undoubtedly be an unforgettable experience for lovers and invited guests. 

Wondering whether to organize a grand wedding or wedding party for 30 peoplefinancial considerations should be taken into account. A dinner for a dozen people will undoubtedly cost less than a large party with 150 or 200 guests. What does it look like in practice?

Wedding or party - comparison of food costs

The biggest expense related to the organization of a wedding or wedding reception is catering. Wedding halls usually charge for the so-called a plate. Meals at a traditional wedding usually consist of a classic dinner (starter, soup, main course, dessert) and 2-3 hot dishes served approximately every 3 hours. The price for a plate can range from PLN 150 to even PLN 400. 

It all depends on the location of the room, the reputation of the facility, the number and type of dishes and the ingredients used to prepare them. In addition, cold appetizers appear on the tables - salads, plates with meat, dumplings and fish in various forms, platters with fruit and cakes. A set of cold appetizers is usually included in the price per plate. In addition, you have to take into account the cost for soft drinks, coffee service and alcohol. Some couples also decide to enrich the menu with a country table with traditional cold cuts, lard and regional alcohol. A country table is an additional cost of approx. PLN 1,000.

To sum up, you have to pay even 40 or 50 thousand zlotys for just food for a grand wedding. Often there are additional culinary attractions, such as live cooking or a chocolate fountain, through which the final cost of catering can grow to exorbitant proportions. 

Behind wedding party you will pay much less. At an intimate wedding, a two-course dinner and dessert are usually served, accompanied by wine and soft drinks. Some also opt for cold appetizers or cake platters. The price for a plate can range from PLN 60 to PLN 200. In the case of ordering a second warm day, served e.g. at the end of the party, the cost of food may increase by about PLN 15-50 per person. Assuming a total amount of PLN 180 for one guest, you will pay only PLN 3,600 for a party of 20 people.

wedding catering

Wedding catering expenses should also include:

• alcohol - drinks offered by the wedding hall or restaurant payable for consumption or in the form of a lump sum for the open bar; in the case of own alcohol, you usually have to pay the so-called cork,
• soft drinks - the price of the plate usually includes a certain number of drinks per person; after exceeding the set amount, an additional fee is charged,
• cake – wedding venues usually do not offer cakes and you have to organize it on your own,
• service and maintenance - approx. 10% from the value of the final bill,
• after-party – after a boisterous wedding, after-party is often organized, which (depending on the form) can cost an additional few thousand zlotys; an intimate party is usually a wedding without corrections.

Small party, big opportunities

By organizing a small party, you can save a lot of money - not only on food, but also on the music (no need to hire a band or DJ), the work of the photographer (shorter working time = lower cost), or decorations (the less wedding hall, the lower the cost of the total wedding arrangement). You can spend the saved funds on spectacular attractions that will spice up this unique event.

A great idea is to hire a string quartet that will provide pleasant live music and give the party an extraordinary, exceptionally elegant character. Another solution is to organize an away wedding combined with a 2- or 3-day holiday for all guests. The wedding can be moved, for example, to our beautiful Karkonosze Mountains. 3 days of celebration with a view of the majestic mountain peaks is a guarantee of great fun and unforgettable experiences. An intimate wedding in the mountains it can be even more romantic and magical, and at the same time as spectacular and exciting as a huge wedding for several hundred people! The trick is to organize them properly.

Wedding or party - which decision to make?

In fact, it all depends on your dreams (and financial possibilities - but that's in the second place). The wedding is your party! You are supposed to feel good on it. Choose the form of celebration that will give you more fun. Don't invite distant family or neighbors if you don't want to. The argument "because it's the right thing to do" has never been, is not and will never be enough. Put your expectations first. Remember - it is you who will remember the wedding for the rest of your life, not others. Therefore, take care of your comfort!