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Photo & officiant by Pop! Wedding Co.
If you've seen the word “micro-wedding” around the internet, your brain may jump straight to eloping, right? (Or maybe heating your wedding up like a Hot Pocket? Nah.) But it's actually a little different. Elopements are (arguably) mostly a ceremony with just the couple and witnesses, often without a ton of planning or notice to anyone else ahead of time.
A micro-wedding is a tiny, intimate wedding with less than 30 people, planned in a similar fashion to larger weddings — just on a much smaller scale.
Sounds pretty sweet, right? If you can get over the hurdle of convincing your ultra nearest and dearest that it's okay to only have them at the wedding, you're in the clear to plan your own micro wedding. Easier said than done, in some cases. Thankfully we've got a whole archive of guest list advice including how to attack your guest list like a ninja, rules for keeping your guest list small, and help when you're not inviting your whole family.
Ready to see if a micro wedding will be your jam? Here are the reasons teeny tiny weddings kick serious ass…
Micro weddings can save a ton of money
Weddings in the U.S. average about $35,000+, and can run even higher in larger metro areas like New York, Chicago, and LA. But a microwedding can be in a smaller venue with less food, fewer favors (or none!), less overhead costs, and can generally downsize the price of everything. You can channel that budget into higher quality elements for fewer people or keep things really budget-friendly by opting to scrap a lot of traditional options like a huge cake, food and booze for hundreds, and all those other extras that add up like whoa.
A microwedding can allow for serious options
Once you're not married to a huge venue based on a big guest list, your options become almost unlimited. You can see if your favorite intimate restaurant will host, a local bar, a tiny museum or cultural center, a sweet outdoor courtyard, or even a guerilla wedding in a public place (like this Wizarding World microwedding!).
Photo by Mary Anastasia Photo
Destination microwedding!
If you really want to channel that budget elsewhere, you can plan a destination microwedding anywhere you like. Grab your favorite crew and apply that cake and calligraphy budget to a luxe resort or AirBNB cabin. A lot of elopement venues have room for a microwedding if your guest list is small enough.
Microweddings are great for introverts
If you don't want to go full-on elopement mode with just you, a microwedding still allows for your closet friends and family to witness the wedding without sending you into serious introvert mode. Big weddings can drain the energy out of introverts, shy folks, and those with social anxiety FAST.
More tips for an introvert-friendly wedding:
Photo by Jenny GG
More time with the people who matter
The best part, in my humble opinion, is getting to spend all the quality time with the inner circle you love the most. There's no need to make the rounds and spend a fleeting moment with everyone when you can party hard all night with the best of them. Don't forget to utilize those guest list tips to make this part easier to swallow while planning, too!
Are you considering a microwedding? Tell us your pros and cons in the comments!
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About the Author: Catherine Clark
Catherine Clark loiters at her local library, makes art, watches movies en masse, plays video and tabletop games, poorly cooks healthy things, cuddles with her feline fur babies, and blogs at BijouxandBits.com.
