Small Weddings & Elopements

Not every wedding needs 150 guests and a full weekend. Some of the most beautiful days I have planned were for ten, twenty or thirty people. A long table, good food, the people who matter, and time to actually enjoy it.

If you are thinking about a small wedding or an elopement in Prague, this guide covers the questions couples ask me most: legal or symbolic ceremony, where to celebrate, what it costs and how the planning works.

What counts as a small wedding or an elopement?

There is no official definition. This is how I use the words:

• Elopement: just the two of you, or the two of you with a few witnesses. Often a ceremony, a photographer, a dinner and a beautiful walk through Prague.
• Micro-wedding: up to about 30 guests. Usually close family and friends, one venue, one long table.
• Intimate wedding: roughly 30–60 guests. Still personal, but with more of the elements of a classic wedding, such as music and an evening party.

Small does not mean simple. A small wedding still needs a venue, a ceremony, suppliers, a timeline and someone who keeps it all together. There is just less noise around it, and every detail is more visible.

Legal or symbolic ceremony?

This is the first decision, because it changes the timeline.

Legal (civil) ceremony in Prague. You can get legally married in the Czech Republic as foreigners. Most couples need a valid passport, a birth certificate and a certificate of no impediment to marriage from their home country. Depending on your nationality, documents may need an apostille and an official Czech translation. If you do not speak Czech, an interpreter is part of the ceremony. The paperwork is the part that takes the longest, so it is worth starting early.

Symbolic ceremony. Many couples sign the papers at home and celebrate in Prague with a symbolic ceremony. There is no paperwork in Prague, and you have much more freedom with the place, the time, the language and the words. The ceremony can be led by a celebrant or by someone close to you.

Not sure which one fits you? We go through it together on our first call. I also coordinate the registry office side of a civil ceremony, including documents and translations. More in my FAQ.

Where to celebrate a small wedding in Prague

Prague is ideal for small weddings. Many of the most beautiful places work better for 20 guests than for 150.

• Villas and gardens. Villa Richter, with its view of Prague Castle and a terrace above the vineyard, is a favourite for intimate dinners.
• Palaces. Some palace halls and smaller salons are rented for small groups. A palace feels grand even with a few guests.
• Restaurants with a view. For 20–60 guests, a private room in a restaurant with a view of Charles Bridge can be the whole wedding: ceremony, dinner and toasts in one place.
• Hotels. Boutique hotels in the historic centre, such as the Mandarin Oriental or the Augustine, combine the venue, the dinner and the accommodation.
• On the water. A private boat on the Vltava for a ceremony, a drink at sunset or the whole dinner.
• Outside Prague. A chateau or an estate within an hour of Prague, for a small wedding weekend with everyone staying in one place.

You can browse the places I work with in wedding venues in Prague and wedding venues outside Prague.

What does a small wedding in Prague cost?

Honestly: a small wedding does not mean a small budget. In Prague, a small wedding most often costs CZK 300,000–900,000 (about €12,000–36,000). Where you land depends on how luxurious the venue, the catering and the suppliers are.

Why so much for fewer guests? Some costs stay almost the same whatever the guest count: the photographer, the videographer, the DJ or live music, and sometimes the venue rental. You save on catering, flowers and furniture. Everything else is quite similar to a larger wedding.

What affects the budget the most:

• Venue. Rental fee, minimum spend or a package.
• Food and drinks. Usually the biggest item.
• Photographer and video. Just as important for 10 guests as for 100.
• Flowers and design. A beautiful table matters even more when there is only one.
• Ceremony. Registry office fees, interpreter and translations for a civil ceremony, or a celebrant for a symbolic one.

I talk about the budget openly from our first call. If your idea and your budget do not match, I tell you, and we find what to change.

How I plan small weddings

The process is the same as for large weddings, just lighter.

1. First call. 45–60 minutes online. You tell me about yourselves, the guests, the type of ceremony and your budget.
2. Proposal. Within a day or two you get my offer and an honest sample budget.
3. Venue. I send you a few options that fit. You can visit them or see them on video.
4. Suppliers. Photographer, flowers, music, cake, hair and make-up. I recommend suppliers I know and trust.
5. Documents. For a civil ceremony I coordinate the registry office, translations and the interpreter.
6. The day. I am there with you, so you do not have to look at your phone once.

Most of the planning can be done remotely. Many couples I work with live abroad and come to Prague only for the wedding.

My fee is tailored to the size and complexity of the wedding.

If you want to plan everything yourselves and only need advice, I also offer online consultations for CZK 1,500 per hour. See Services.

A real example: Jana & Karel, 28 guests, Villa Richter

Jana and Karel wanted a small, elegant wedding with a view of Prague, and they had three months. We chose Villa Richter, kept the guest list to 28 people, and put the focus on one long table, great food and a relaxed evening. The full story is here: Jana & Karel at Villa Richter.

Quick answers

How far in advance should we start?
For a symbolic ceremony, three to six months can be enough. For a legal ceremony, leave more time for the documents. The most popular venues and dates in summer are booked well ahead.

Can we elope in Prague with just the two of us?
Yes. For a civil ceremony you need two witnesses. If you do not bring them, I can arrange them for you.

Do you plan small weddings outside Prague?
Yes, in the area around Prague, usually within about an hour’s drive.

Do you speak English?
Yes. I plan and host weddings in English, Czech and French.

Planning a small wedding in Prague?

Tell me when you would like to celebrate, how many guests you are thinking of and what kind of day you imagine. I will get back to you within two days.

Get in touch

Lucie Holá, wedding planner in Prague. 15+ years, 150+ weddings, CZ / EN / FR.