There’s a sweet spot happening in the wedding world right now, and it’s absolutely worth talking about. We’re seeing more and more couples who don’t want a micro wedding with 20 guests, but they’re also not feeling the traditional 150+ person celebration either. Welcome to the era of the “in-between” wedding, and honestly? It might just be the best-kept secret in wedding planning.
What Exactly Is an In-Between Wedding?
An in-between wedding typically hosts between 50-100 guests. It’s intimate enough that you can actually have meaningful conversations with everyone who attends, but it’s still large enough to include all the people who matter most without agonizing over every single name on the list.
Think of it this way: it’s not so small that Aunt Linda will be offended she didn’t make the cut, but it’s not so large that you’re greeting people in the receiving line wondering how you know them. It’s the Goldilocks of weddings, just right.
Why Couples Are Choosing The Middle Ground
Photography by Tiffany Longeway
The shift toward in-between weddings isn’t just a trend; it’s a reflection of what couples actually want from their wedding day. After years of pandemic-era micro weddings and the subsequent return to big celebrations, many couples realized something important: size isn’t just about budget. It’s about experience.
Here’s what we’re hearing from couples who choose this approach:
They want genuine connection: When you have 75 guests instead of 175, you can actually spend quality time with the people you’ve invited. You’re not speed dating your own wedding reception, trying to get to every table for a quick hello. You can sit down, share stories, and actually remember the conversations you had.
They’re prioritizing quality over quantity: These couples would rather invest in an amazing photographer, a killer band, or that farm-to-table dinner they’ve been dreaming about than stretch their budget thin to accommodate twice as many people. The in-between approach lets you have your cake and actually taste it too.
They want flexibility without sacrifice: Micro weddings sometimes mean making tough cuts – leaving out college friends, work colleagues who’ve become family, or extended family members you genuinely love. The in-between wedding gives you breathing room to include the people who’ve shaped your story without spiraling into obligation invites.
The Practical Magic of 50-100 Guests
There’s something almost magical about the 50-100 guest range, and it’s not just emotional, it’s practical too.
From a venue perspective, you have way more options. You’re not limited to massive ballrooms or hotels that can accommodate hundreds. Suddenly, that charming barn venue, the intimate garden space, or the rustic farm setting becomes not just possible, but perfect. Places like Vida Buena Farm are designed with this guest count in mind, offering enough space to feel expansive without feeling empty.
Your budget becomes more flexible in the best possible ways. Instead of choosing between a good photographer and a good caterer, you can potentially have both. That upgrade to premium bar service? More feasible. Adding that extra hour of reception time? Suddenly within reach. The money you save on sheer volume can be redirected to the elements that will actually make your day unforgettable.
Planning becomes less overwhelming, particularly with the help of our in house coordinator Shannon (of Key Details). Coordinating 75 meals is challenging, sure, but it’s nothing compared to managing 200. Seating charts are complex but not impossible. You might even be able to do handwritten place cards without developing carpal tunnel. The logistics shift from “I need a spreadsheet and a project manager” to “I’ve got this.”
Creating Intimacy At Scale
One of the biggest concerns couples have about larger weddings is losing that intimate feeling. But here’s the beautiful thing about the in-between wedding: you can absolutely create intimacy with 75 to 120 guests. It just requires a bit of intentionality.
Thoughtful seating arrangements make all the difference. Instead of cramming 10 people at each table, consider tables of 6 to 8. This creates natural conversation flow and helps people actually get to know each other. Mix your college friends with your work friends, your family with your partner’s family. These smaller groupings encourage real connections to form.
Personalization becomes actually doable. With this guest count, you can realistically write personal notes for each guest, create customized welcome bags, or even give short toasts acknowledging different groups of people. These touches would be exhausting with 200 guests but are absolutely achievable with 75 to 100.
The Sweet Spot For Different Wedding Styles
Photography by Tiffany Longeway
The in-between wedding works beautifully across different wedding styles. Whether you’re planning a rustic barn celebration, a garden party, or an elegant gathering, this guest count adapts.
For a rustically charming venue like Vida Buena, 50-120 guests fill the space beautifully without it feeling crowded. You can create distinct areas – a ceremony space, a cocktail area, a reception zone without guests feeling spread too thin. The energy stays concentrated and joyful.
If you’re going for a more formal approach, this size still allows for elegant touches without the stuffiness that sometimes comes with larger events. You can have a plated dinner that feels special, not rushed. You can incorporate multiple courses, wine pairings, or interactive elements that would be logistically nightmarish with twice as many people.
For the couples leaning boho or eclectic, the in-between wedding gives you room to play. You can mix vintage furniture, create lounge areas, set up lawn games, or design a festival-style atmosphere that actually works because you’re not trying to move hundreds of people through the experience.
Making The Guest List Work
Let’s be real: the hardest part of an in-between wedding is the guest list. You’re not doing a micro wedding where everyone understands the severe constraints, but you’re also not doing a blow out where you can invite everyone you’ve ever met.
Here’s how to approach it with grace:
Start with your non-negotiables. Who absolutely must be there? Immediate family, your closest friends, the people you can’t imagine celebrating without. Write these names down first.
Think about your day-to-day life. Who are the people you actually see, talk to, and share your life with? Not who you were close with a decade ago, but who’s in your present. These are your people.
How Vida Buena’s Packages Work For In-Between Weddings
Photography by Tiffany Longeway
The beautiful thing about planning an in-between wedding at Vida Buena Farm is that our packages are designed with this sweet spot in mind.
Our Intimate Wedding Package is perfect for couples landing on the smaller end of the in-between range. For up to 50 guests, this package includes 12 hours of venue access, catering (grazing table, buffet with your choice of protein, sides, seasonal salad, and house-made bread), an officiant with a custom ceremony, all the essentials like tables, chairs, and place settings, plus day-of coordination.
Our Premium Wedding Package shines for those heading toward the upper end of the in-between range with up to 120 guests. This is where things get really exciting because you get a full 48-hour experience – from noon Friday through noon Sunday. The package includes everything you need: barn wood tables and chairs for all your guests, complete place settings, day-of coordination with two planning sessions, access to the Bridal Loft for the weekend, multiple ceremony locations (including a covered rain option), and all those special touches like wine barrels for décor, the vintage ‘Lil Red trailer, bocce courts, and even camping options for guests who want to make it a weekend.
Of course, if you’re leaning even smaller, we’ve got you covered too. Our Micro Wedding Package accommodates up to 25 guests for an 8-hour celebration with a champagne toast, ceremony officiant, and all the essentials.
For the ultimate intimate experience, our Elopement Package is perfect for up to 10 people with 4 hours of venue access, ceremony, champagne celebration, and everything you need for a stress-free day.
And if you’re the ultimate DIY couple who wants to handle all the details yourself, our Do-It-Yourself Package gives you 12 hours of venue access with tables, chairs, and the bridal suite – you bring your vision, and we provide the beautiful backdrop.
Here’s what makes these packages work so well for in-between weddings: they give you a strong foundation to build on. You’re not starting from scratch, trying to figure out where to find 75 chairs or how many wine glasses you need to rent. The essentials are covered, which means your budget and energy can go toward the elements that will make your wedding uniquely yours.
The flexibility is where the magic happens. With the Intimate Package, catering is included, so you can invest more in photography, florals, or entertainment. With the Premium Package, you have the venue for an entire weekend, which means you can create a full experience for your guests – welcome drinks on Friday, the wedding on Saturday, a farewell brunch on Sunday without feeling rushed or cramming everything into one day.
And here’s the real win: you’re not so constrained that every decision is about cutting costs, but you’re also not spending so much on pure volume that there’s nothing left for the details that matter. The in-between wedding at Vida Buena gives you room to breathe, room to customize, and room to create something that feels completely like you.
Check Out Our Wedding Packages
Why This Might Be Perfect For You
The in-between wedding isn’t for everyone, and that’s okay. But it might be perfect if you’re nodding your head yes to any of these:
You want to actually enjoy your wedding day instead of feeling like you’re hosting a production. You want to remember conversations, not just handshakes. You want your guests to feel genuinely welcomed, not like plus-ones in a crowd.
You value experience over optics. You’d rather have fewer people having an amazing time than tons of people having an okay time. You want the freedom to linger, to laugh, to not watch the clock.
You’re willing to make hard choices about the guest list because you know the tradeoff is worth it. You understand that a smaller celebration doesn’t mean people love you less, it means you’re being intentional about how you want to spend one of the most important days of your life.
Making It Happen At Vida Buena Farm
Photography by Tiffany Longeway
At Vida Buena Farm our space is designed to feel warm and inviting for groups in this range – large enough to feel celebratory, intimate enough to feel personal.
The rolling hills, the barn setting, and the natural beauty of our property shine with this guest count. There’s room for everyone to spread out during cocktail hour, space for lawn games or lounge areas, and the reception feels full without feeling cramped.
When you’re planning your day here, you’ll find that 50-120 guests is the sweet spot where everything flows.
The in-between wedding is rising in popularity because it offers something that both micro and traditional weddings sometimes miss: the perfect balance of intimacy and celebration. You get to include the people who matter without the overwhelm of a massive event. You get to create meaningful moments without the pressure of making everyone happy.
If you’re planning your wedding and feeling torn between small and large, intimate and grand, simple and elaborate – maybe the answer isn’t choosing one extreme or the other. Maybe the answer is finding your perfect middle ground. Not micro, not traditional, just right for you.
Because at the end of the day, your wedding should reflect who you are as a couple and what matters most to you. And sometimes, what matters most is having the people you love most, celebrating in a way that feels most like home. That’s not too small or too big, that’s just right.