Is a Micro Wedding for You?
8 Benefits of Having a Micro Wedding
Photo by Kadarius Seegars on Unsplash
So you’re engaged, congratulations! Now it’s time to start planning your wedding and the first few things to consider are your budget, guest list, and venue. More and more, couples are foregoing a traditional wedding for a micro wedding or elopement. COVID-19 helped increase that trend dramatically, but the average cost of a wedding in the U.S. also has a lot to do with couples turning to different alternatives rather than a traditional wedding. In 2021, the average cost of a wedding was $28,000. Not only is the cost of a wedding high (you can buy a brand new Subaru Forester, Toyota Camry Hybrid, or Toyota Corolla Hybrid, and many used cars for less than $28,000), but how couples are paying for their wedding has changed over time, from the bride’s family covering the majority of the costs to 41% of couples sharing the costs with their parents and in-laws, with 37% of couples planning to pay for the entirety of their wedding, according to a 2022 survey completed by Zola. This same study also found that “more than two-thirds of the 3,309 couples survey said they were going over budget… because [couples] found that wedding costs are more expensive than they had anticipated, and they’re willing to spend more to get exactly what they want”.
Now that you have a better idea of the cost of a traditional wedding with a guest list of around 150 people, I invite you to consider a micro wedding. But what is a micro wedding?
A micro wedding is a small, intimate affair made up of 50 guests or less. It typically consists of an elopement for the wedding couple combined with a smaller reception for their closest family and friends. The average micro wedding costs anywhere from $1,500 to $10,000, depending on what the couple desires for their intimate celebration.
When planning a micro wedding, you need to set hard limits on your guest list and let go of any shame or guilt around not inviting more than 50 guests. As the couple, this wedding is for you. If you can’t invite everyone who thinks they deserve to be at your wedding, that’s ok. Typically, people do not have expectations when it comes to being on a couple’s guest list, despite what the couple may think. You don’t have to invite everyone, and it’s ok to limit who you invite to those you are closest with, whether that’s friends or family.
Despite being a smaller affair than a traditional wedding, it’s a mistake to think that you have to limit the amount of detail, decor, or beauty you envision for your wedding. Micro weddings may be more cost-effective, but they can be a fair amount of work. Consider hiring a wedding or elopement planner for your micro wedding if you have a vision for a more unique or adventurous wedding or if you’d just like someone to handle all the planning and details so that all you have to do is show up on the day of your micro wedding without having to worry about all the details. To learn more about how a wedding or elopement planner can benefit you, check out my blog post 7 Benefits of Hiring a Wedding or Elopement Planner.
8 Benefits of Having a Micro Wedding
A micro wedding is more intimate. You will have the opportunity to mingle with all of your guests and these guests will be your nearest and dearest friends and family. You can provide a more personalized experience for your wedding guests if you want to splurge on entertainment, personalized favors, the type of ceremony you hold, or the cuisine and alcohol you serve.
A micro wedding is more cost-efficient. On average, you will save over $20,000 by having a micro wedding instead of a traditional wedding. That money can go towards your honeymoon, a new car, or a down payment for a house.
A micro wedding can provide a more exclusive feel to your wedding day. If you want to splurge, it can be an exclusive and luxurious feel. This exclusive feel may create a more unique guest experience and may allow you as the couple to ensure you have everything you desire at your wedding.
A micro wedding can be easier to plan than a traditional wedding. There are fewer guests, which means fewer save-the-dates, invites, and thank you cards to send, less stress over a seating chart, and fewer worries and conflicts around the budget because you will be spending less.
A micro wedding allows the couple to have more quality time together. You are not stressing about talking to every guest or going table-to-table to ensure everyone sees you. Instead, you have the opportunity to spend time with your spouse while finding quiet moments throughout the day just for the two of you, guilt-free.
A micro wedding opens up so many more venue options. With a micro wedding, you can choose smaller, more intimate venues since you don’t need a lot of space for your guests. You are able to consider adventure-style micro weddings or elopements such as mountain top ceremonies only accessible by hiking trails, lakefront or riverfront ceremonies only accessible by boat, museum or art galleries, public spaces, National Parks, etc.
A micro wedding provides you with the opportunity to have unique experiences at your wedding. Whether that’s live painters or caricaturists, dance instructors available for your guests at the reception, end-of-reception karaoke, or sending off something other than yourselves (like floating lanterns, for example).
A micro wedding allows you to add additional personalization to your wedding that wouldn’t be possible at a traditional wedding without breaking the bank. This personalization can be reflected in numerous ways through the design elements of the day, from luxe welcome gifts with things from your favorite dates or trips together to unique and creative place cards and invitations, to your personal fashion style with a one-of-a-kind wedding dress and tux.
BONUS A micro wedding allows you to splurge on your dream vendors, whether that’s your favorite Instagram photographer or videographer, to your incredibly beautiful, one-of-a-kind wedding cake. With a micro wedding, you have more financial flexibility and ability to prioritize your dream vendors over an inflated guest list.
If you are considering a micro wedding and are interested in hiring a wedding planner, please connect with me! I am a wedding planner and coach and would be happy to join you on your journey towards your beautiful dream micro wedding day!
