Micro Weddings Are Here To Stay
“Micro wedding” is the new buzz word in the wedding industry as we enter our second year of dealing with the coronavirus pandemic. What does it mean exactly? A micro wedding can mean a lot of different things, but essentially it represents a smaller, more intimate celebration that doesn’t sacrifice too many elements of a traditional wedding.
What is a micro wedding?
To keep it simple, the biggest difference between a micro wedding and a traditional wedding is the guest count. Having a smaller group means your options for venues are much more flexible, which is crucial to navigating the Covid closures and restrictions on regular venues. Micro weddings are typically 25 guests or less, which opens up the possibilities for utilizing an Airbnb, a family member’s home or backyard, or even outdoors. Did you know in some locations you don’t even need a permit for a small ceremony on public lands? The Deschutes National Forest in Central Oregon only requires permits for events larger than 50 people.
How is it different than an elopement?
The word “elopement” tends to draw up imagery of an Elvis-style, wham bam thank you ma’am, nuptials in Vegas. In fact, there is resounding agreement among wedding professionals that when it comes to eloping, there are NO RULES. From the location to the guest count to the attire, eloping can mean whatever you want it to mean. But for some couples, a “micro wedding” feels more comfortable because the word wedding is closer to what they’re envisioning. To draw a line in the terminology sand, an elopement is a non-traditional ceremony, often at a destination, that focuses entirely on the couple’s experience, maybe with some witnesses. A micro wedding is a celebration with more emphasis on the guest experience, and potentially with more traditional wedding elements.
Are people really doing this?
Hell yeah! Shimika + Oliver just tied the knot and held nothing back when it came to their micro wedding. The bride wore an incredible Pronovias crepe gown from Bespoke Bride and had professional hair and makeup done. The arbor was adorned with elaborate flowers, they hired a professional photographer, the “reception” was dinner by a private chef in their rental, and even had a 3-tier cake for a traditional cake cutting!
How do I plan a micro wedding?
Start brainstorming dates and locations with your fiance, then discuss the guest count. Having these 3 elements decided will make all the other decisions so much easier.
Discuss your purpose. Obviously the goal is to get married, but the purpose is about more than just that. Your purpose should describe your goals and your vision for the special day. It might sound a little “woo-woo” but write down 1-2 sentences that will help reverse engineer the outcome of your micro wedding. Example: “Our purpose is to get married in Bend, Oregon with only our immediate family, because it is a very special place to our relationship, and capturing the wildness of the landscape in our photographs is a priority.” When you feel indecisive or lost later in the planning, go back to your purpose.
Pick your top five priorities for vendors, and rank them in order of importance. Even with a generous budget, it can be helpful to identify the design elements that are most important to you as a couple. If your attire doesn’t make the top five, I would think carefully about your dress budget. Similarly, if florals are your #1, then you can anticipate spending a big chunk of your budget on a florist and skimp in other areas.
Plan it like you would a “regular” wedding. A micro wedding needs (almost) as much attention to details, design, execution, and logistics as a gathering with hundreds of guests. Especially if you are having a destination wedding! Hire a day-of coordinator to ensure you and your partner are guests at your own wedding. Just because you have a more intimate or casual day planned doesn’t mean you should be working or stressed on your wedding day.
Silver linings
Micro weddings are one of the things I vote we keep in a post-pandemic world. Our priorities as a community have shifted with the pandemic: we hold our closest “bubble” tighter than ever, we’ve had life stripped down to just our core priorities, and finances are insecure for many. For all of these reasons, micro weddings are a great option right now, but I predict that micro weddings are here to stay. Wedding traditions are, well… sometimes just that: traditions that society expects but that don’t necessarily fit you and your spouse. At the end of the day, what matters most is you two, and celebrating your union exactly as you see fit.
do we plan micro weddings?
Heckin’ heck yeah we do!!!!! A micro wedding has all the moving parts of a regular wedding: vendor hiring, design, day-of timelines, & set-up and clean-up. If you need help knowing how to start, reach out so we can chat about your micro wedding dreams!