Why do most people recommend the 3/4 tons? Longer wheelbase, more weight, less likely to have the tail wagging the dog, so to say. A 3/4 will be more forgiving for a bad setup or a newbie behind the wheel. Higher payload is another factor, makes it easier to put more people and stuff in the cab or the bed. On a F250 crew cab with say a 6.2 and 2500 lbs of payload you'd have no problem putting 6 people in the cab and 3 loaded coolers in the bed while towing 10,000 lbs. Well ok as long as all 6 didn't weigh 300 lbs.
That said lots of people tow with half tons and the SUVs based on half tons like ours and get it done safely. Take the time to go to the CAT scales to get your setup dialed in with your WDH. The weight range you mention is a good one, i.e., not pushing the tow rating to the limit, and probably not even pushing the payload to near the limit with only two adults.
Speaking to my own situation, the problem with my Navigator for towing is that it only has a payload of 1400 lbs. It has the big tow package with 9000 lb rating, but with the payload limitations it would be a balancing act to get anything close to that, unless there was only 1 person in the vehicle. A tongue weight of 650 leaves you only 750 lbs capacity for people and cargo in the vehicle, not so ideal. I've thought about renting a travel trailer for the weekend but taking anyone along other than my wife and child would be an issue with the payload.
Realistically the towing capability with 5 people in the car is probably about half of what Ford advertises on my rig at 9K lbs, but anyway. My family of 3 weighs about 550 so the absolute max limit would be an 850 tongue weight and even then everything that is not a fully clothed human would have to go in the trailer...not ideal, again.
Having 1798 payload as Knut mentions on reply #14 his would be a lot better, I would probably be able to also take my parents in the car with the extra 400 lbs. They live only a few miles away and it's a shame we can't take them along with any trailer than could actually accommodate them.