What is a Micro Wedding?

Published:
November 24, 2023
Updated:
October 21, 2024

What is a Micro Wedding?

Hey friends! We’re kicking off the microWED collective site launch by answering the question that so many couples are asking these days: what is a micro wedding, anyway? Should I have one?

If you've been daydreaming about your wedding day, chances are you've stumbled upon the buzz about these tiny celebrations. They're all the rage these days, and for good reason! There are so many benefits to going small: less overwhelm, more venue options, less expense (or more money to go around!), the list goes on and that’s why we’re so passionate about them.

Our journey into the world of micro weddings began from a deeply personal place. After planning and experiencing one ourselves, we were inspired to create microWED collective—your ultimate micro wedding resource. Two things stuck out - first, it was sort of hard to plan a micro wedding. I felt like everything was created for big, grand weddings and that just wasn’t what I was after. Frankly, I started to feel a bit left out, like I was going to miss out on something if I didn’t do it the way everyone else was. Fortunately, we stayed the course with the smaller guest list, and the day turned out amazing which is the second reason why I wanted to create this community. I would hands down do it all over again and coming out of that experience I became super passionate about helping others who have decided to go down this path.

Welcome to microWED collective 💕

Meet the experts

Micro wedding vs minimony vs elopement

We cover micro wedding vs elopement in depth in another blog, but here are the highlights.

What is a Micro Wedding

A micro wedding typically hosts anywhere from 1 to 50 guests, keeping the guest count intentionally small. That’s it! Guest count is the only thing that separates a wedding from a micro wedding 🤯

Micro weddings took off primarily out of necessity during the pandemic and they’ve since become quite the trend. In fact, some predictions say that the smaller format is going to continue to increase in popularity as the years go on. Some quick stats for ya:

  • The hashtag “#microwedding” has been viewed over 140 million times as of July 2023
  • Google Trends shows a continued increase in searches related to micro weddings since (not surprisingly) mid-2020

We like to say that micro weddings are nothing more than a tiny version of a traditional wedding. These smaller celebrations can still have all the elements that you'd see in a bigger wedding, just with less people. Alternatively, they can be super simple, too. Micro weddings are all about being super intentional with every detail, ensuring your love story takes center stage. Couples who choose to have a wedding with less than 50 guests still commonly hire all the same wedding pros including photographers, planners, videographers, officiants and more (you can find some great options in our micro wedding vendor directory!) and have a similar set of activities and timeline of a larger wedding.

You might hear micro weddings referred to as small weddings or intimate weddings, too.

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What is an Elopement?

Traditionally, an elopement was thought of as a way for people to become legally married quickly, usually out of necessity. While that reason holds, today, elopements have become a way for couples to have a truly intimate experience, simplifying their wedding day down to just a few key elements. You’ll likely see elopements defined as anything between zero and up to twenty guests.

Adventure elopements have also grown in popularity with couples choosing dramatic, unique, remote locations to exchange vows.

Minimonies

You might also hear the term “minimony” thrown around. This term emerged in a big way during the pandemic and it refers to an event somewhere between an elopement and a micro wedding. Some guests, but not as many as a micro wedding. I know, it’s kind of gray. All you need to know is that this term exists and in case you see it pop up as you’re looking at venues or wedding pros and packages, just know that this might be relevant to you if you’re planning a wedding with 20 guests or less.

What is a Hybrid Wedding?

Another wedding format that has gained popularity in the past several years is the idea of a hybrid wedding. A hybrid wedding is a combination of a more intimate celebration, commonly a destination wedding, and a larger reception either immediately after the ceremony or several weeks, months or even years later. This is a great way to be able to celebrate with all the people in your life without having a huge wedding. The one thing to consider with a hybrid wedding is that you may end up with more expenses and more stress than if you were to just throw one big wedding.

What a Micro Wedding is Not

It's essential to clarify that a small wedding is not about limitations or compromises on your dream celebration. It's not about cutting corners or sacrificing what's important to you. Instead, it's an intentional choice to prioritize connection and intimacy over sheer numbers. A micro wedding is not a lesser version of a traditional wedding; it's a reimagining of what a wedding can be, focusing on the heart of the matter: your love story. Just a friendly reminder, and something that is so so important to consider as you decide whether to go micro or not.

Pros and Cons of Having a Small Wedding

Benefits of a Micro Wedding

Now that you know what a more intimate celebration entails, the big question is, should you have one? TBH, I’m not going to try to sway you because I truly believe that the best thing you can do is have the wedding that you dream of, but I will provide some of my thinking to help you make the decision you feel is right for you.

Here are a few reasons why a micro wedding might just be the perfect fit for you:

Intimacy

With fewer guests, you can connect on a deeper level with each and every person present - aka you will actually have time to spend with all of your guests!

Budget-Friendly

A smaller guest count often means a more manageable budget for your micro wedding, allowing you to allocate your resources where they matter most. It’s important to note that while you can make a micro wedding less expensive it's more about making the money that you do have to spend on a wedding go further. There’s more to go around when you’re not feeding 150 people!

More Venue Options

This is absolutely my favorite topic! You will have so many options for your small wedding venue. I realize that can sound overwhelming, but trust me it’s the best part as long as you know where to find them (more on that below). You can even opt for an Airbnb wedding!

Personalization

With fewer logistics to worry about, you can focus on adding personal touches that make the day uniquely yours. Less people = less complexity, simple as that. This allows you to put your focus on the things that matter most by incorporating really cool small wedding ideas into your special day.

Less Stress

Planning an intimate affair can be less overwhelming, giving you more time to enjoy the journey towards your big day. Overwhelm can come in many forms - too many details, too many people, too much to think about - I cringe recalling all of the emotions that came with planning. Going smaller can help in a lot of ways, and using microWED collective as your one-stop-shop for all things planning will definitely help too!

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Challenges of a Micro Wedding

I can’t think of many downsides to having a micro wedding, but there are a few. First, deciding who gets invited and who doesn’t can be a tricky thing to navigate. Additionally, finding wedding pros and venues appropriate for smaller guest counts can also prove challenging as many spaces and offerings are tailored to an average wedding size which is over 100 guests.

Narrowing Down the Guest List

I would say that narrowing down your wedding guest list is probably the most challenging part of having a small wedding. Many people are accustomed to a wedding including the entire family, people from the community, co-workers, and friends and many will expect to be invited, just because that’s been the norm for so long.

No matter how much you try, there is going to be some emotion attached to creating the guest list. It can be very challenging to find the right place to cut it off. My best advice is to put some guidelines around who you want at your wedding and then listen to your heart for the rest.

Finding a Venue

I noted venue options as a benefit of a micro wedding, but this can also be a challenge. We repeatedly see couples asking for help finding a venue more appropriate for a wedding with less than 20 or 50 guests. Be sure to check out our guide for finding a unique wedding venue perfect for your micro wedding.

Finding Wedding Pros for Your Micro Wedding

Similar to wedding venues, many wedding pros are set up and priced to serve larger weddings. Technically, you can hire whoever you want but you might end up paying for services and minimums that exceed your needs so you’ll just want to keep an eye out for that. Luckily, we’ve rounded up some great micro wedding vendors that all understand the value of an intimate wedding and will be excited to work with you.

How to Decide if You Should Have a Micro Wedding

Determine Your Priorities

The first step in figuring out if a micro wedding is right for you is to determine your priorities. Is it the location, the people, the food, the budget? Your priorities are yours to decide and having these nailed down will help you make decisions throughout the planning process.

Consider These Things

The beauty of weddings lies in their diversity. Whether you're envisioning a grand extravaganza or an intimate gathering, what truly matters is that it reflects your love story. Consider what resonates with you and your partner. Does the idea of an intimate celebration tug at your heartstrings? Does the thought of being able to spend quality time with all your guests bring a smile to your face? Do you have your eye on a unique location that can only accommodate 30 people? If yes, then a micro wedding might just be your match made in wedding heaven!

Ready to start planning? Check out our guide for planning a micro wedding.

Welcome to microWED collective - we can’t wait to be with you every step of the way.

Author Bio
Jennie Swenson is a former micro wedding bride, and she now supports countless couples in planning their own intimate celebrations through her blog, featuring real micro wedding stories and a curated vendor directory. Her practical advice and firsthand experience make her a go-to resource for those seeking to create memorable and meaningful micro weddings.
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