Alright, so I need some advice from all of you!
Typically, weddings in my family are very large (ie. 300-400 people), and everyone is invited to every aspect of the wedding. My ideal wedding, however, is small and intimate. And I simply don't have enough money to accommodate that many people. If I start picking and choosing who to invite and who not to invite, it could really create some hard feelings.
So I've been trying to think of ways to compromise; I want the feeling of a small wedding, but don't want anyone to feel left out. And I want to stay under budget.
So far, I've thought that I would keep the ceremony and the meal to a very limited number of only the most immediate family, closest friends, and people who are travelling long distances, then everyone else would be invited for after dinner cocktails, dessert, and toasts/speeches/other reception activities/dance.
What are your opinions? Do you think this will insult people who are used to going to the ceremony and being fed? Are desserts enough to accommodate them? Am I straying too far from tradition?