You’re getting married – Congratulations! Maybe you have been engaged for a while to soak it all in before starting to think about the wedding planning or maybe you’re jumping right into it. You might find yourself in brand new territory with a bunch of new terms you’ve never heard of and options, lots of options!

Wedding can be overwhelming. And big. And Expensive. Maybe you’re looking for something simple, smaller and more intimate. Welcome to the micro wedding!

Micro weddings include many of the traditional elements of a wedding just on a smaller scale based on a guest count of approximately 20 guests.

Just like with planning a traditional wedding, any and all of the same components may still apply.

A micro wedding should not be confused with an elopement, which would be a more private event and sometimes even done in secret. An elopement typically would just be the couple and their two witnesses (could be friends, family or the photographer and videographer, you choose!) present and might just be a ceremony.

Whether you choose an elopement, micro wedding or a more traditional wedding, it all depends on you and your personal priorities for how you envision your day!

Why have a Micro Wedding?

More time to spend with each guest.

It can be hard having personal conversations when your guest list has hundreds of attendees. With a smaller guest count, you have more flexibility with your time to spend with each person in attendance. Since you have curated your guest list, they are likely very important to you and what a great way for them to know it!

Better on the budget!

Or at least you can stretch your budget given that you have less guests. The big cost factors with a wedding are food and beverage so when you’re scaling down your guest list numbers, those numbers should inevitably come down significantly as well. Also for smaller guest lists, that could mean fewer tables, meaning not as many centrepieces are needed, candles, wedding favours, the list goes on!

Quality over quantity

Much like the above, you can use your budget towards luxury items that maybe you wouldn’t have been able to consider otherwise. Champagne toast? Live musicians? Upgraded food options? Specialty desserts or late night snacks? Some or all may now be more feasible given that you have 20 guests to provide for instead of double, triple or even quadruple the amount.

How do I know if a Micro Wedding Is Right For Me?

So many factors go into figuring out what type of wedding you want. Here are a few areas you can hone in on to see if a Micro Wedding could fit with your wedding wishes.

Ideal Guest List

Make a list of who you see as being a part of your wedding day. This is your ideal list of guests that must be there. Set your parameters. Will it be immediate family plus a few of your best friends? Will kids be invited or keep it as an adults only event?

Figure out your Decision Makers

Who is part of the decision process? For many couples, they are the ones making the decisions. There are others who have external pressures such as from immediate family and sometimes even from external family members or friends! This is different for everyone. It’s up to you to decide how much value you place on these outside opinions and if you want to choose to listen to them. If there is someone or multiple people that you really want to weigh in, bring them into the process.

I suggest coming up with priorities with your partner first so that you are clear on things and then opening it up to a broader discussion with others if that’s something important to you. It’s helpful to take that first step together so that your own thoughts and ideas don’t get lost.

Talk over your Budget

This is a huge factor in planning a wedding. It’s hard to know what numbers are realistic so if you aren’t sure, talk to friends who have gotten married, do a little research online for your local venues that may list some pricing. Vendors do not charge a premium for weddings, the rates may seem high and that’s because of the amount of work and effort that goes into making your wedding amazing!

A Micro Wedding can be a great option to stretch your budget further without sacrificing as many of your wants as if you were planning a much larger scale wedding.

If you’re still unsure, talk to a Wedding Planner! I offer a complimentary consultation and maybe that’s what you need to get started on the right foot. Contact me to find out more

So what do you think about the Micro Wedding? When it checks off the above boxes for you, it can be such a wonderful option and done beautifully!

Mel