The average cost of weddings in America is $26,000! That’s no small amount. That can be a downpayment on your first home or a decent investment amount. But you don’t necessarily need to pay that much to have a memorable wedding. Small or micro weddings have become very popular in recent years.
What is a Micro Wedding?
A micro wedding is a small, intimate ceremony with close friends and family as guests. Most organizers keep their guest list limited to 20-50 guests, which helps create a comfortable vibe. The goal is to ensure you have a beautiful time with your loved ones.
Micro weddings have several benefits, making them a great alternative to traditional weddings. These benefits include:
- Lower Cost: Micro weddings are often more affordable. Sometimes, you don’t even need to book a separate venue for the ceremony. You can simply hold it in your backyard.
- Stree-Free: A big guest list comes with several logistical problems. You need to ensure everyone has enough to eat, that nothing is out of place, and that there’s enough parking. A small wedding isn’t such a logistical nightmare, which means the bride and groom get to enjoy their big day.
- Room for Slip-Ups: If you’re with your close friends and family, there’s less pressure to perform. You don’t need to ensure that every element of your wedding is perfect.
Micro weddings are more about the couple than about the guests. The couple can choose unusual themes, pick their favorite food, and select a smaller venue. A micro wedding is easy to organize and allows couples to focus on each other for their special day.
How to Plan a Micro Wedding?
Planning a micro wedding doesn’t have to be complicated or stressful. The idea behind these kinds of weddings is to minimize the effort put in. We have a few simple tips on how to have a small wedding!
1. Set a Theme
What will your wedding look like? What’s your ideal vision for the ceremony? Setting a theme lays the groundwork for your ceremony. As a part of setting the vision, consider the points we have mentioned below:
- Guest List: Decide who will be attending the wedding. Pick people who will help make the event more memorable and people who have positively influenced your life. Make sure the guest list doesn’t include more than 50 individuals.
- Appearance: Pick a theme for your wedding. Do you want a garden-style ceremony? A cool roof-top event? Or a destination wedding? Decide on the aesthetics for your ceremony to make the planning process easier.
- Focus on What’s Important: There’s no need to include all elements of a traditional wedding. You can pick and choose what’s most important to you. That’s the biggest benefit of micro weddings.
Once these factors are decided, you can move on to the logistics part of the process.
2. Logistics
The next step is to set the budget, pick a venue, and understand the legal requirements of the marriage ceremony. We have some tips that can help:
- Budget: The first step is to set a realistic budget for your ceremony. Account of major expenses like venue, catering, transport, flowers, and clothes. You can find the average costs of everything from venues to catering online. Just compare the prices and decide what works for you.
- Venue: Pick a suitable venue for your wedding based on your budget. The venue doesn’t have to be fancy or even far from your home. Many couples choose their home’s backyard for the ceremony. You can also pick places like your favorite park or restaurant for the event.
- Formalities: Take a look at the formalities regarding marriage in your place of residence. What kind of licenses do you need? Do you need to get permits? Do you need to pay fees? It is important to understand what you need to do to ensure your marriage is legally valid.
- Food and Drinks: Every wedding needs delicious meals and refreshing drinks. Consider people-pleaser meals that will suit every palate. Make sure you include options for people with different dietary needs as well. There are many options to choose from, including sit-down dinners, buffet, cocktail reception, and more.
- Decor: Most brides and grooms want their wedding venue to look beautiful and memorable. You can choose a specific theme or go for general wedding decor. For example, some couples may want a gothic wedding theme while others may want an English cottage vibe.
- Photography: Who doesn’t love wedding photographs? While you can take impressive pictures from your personal camera, having a few professional shots taken is always a good idea. Consider hiring an experienced wedding photographer to document your special day. You can compare the prices of local photographers to get the best deal.
- Save Money
Most people choose a micro wedding because they want to save money and still enjoy an intimate ceremony. We have some tips on how you can save some cash without compromising on your wedding.
- Save on Decor
Saving on decor is easy if you skip expensive flowers and artistic centerpieces. Some people choose simple fairy lights, local flowers, and DIY decorative elements to brighten the atmosphere.
2.Choose the Right Meals
Some dishes and caterers will be more affordable than others. Choose something that would appeal to a wide range of guests but still be easy on the pocket. Consider local caterers that use fresh produce to prepare delicious meals. Or you can be creative and order something for everyone from the local fast food chain.
3.Be Flexible
Sometimes your ideal vision will not come to life and that’s okay! Couples often chase perfection and end up spending more than they want to. The best way to avoid overspending is to be flexible. Try to let go of perfection and focus on what makes the day special, you and your family.
4. Venue
Picking a more affordable venue can help you save thousands of dollars. Local parks and gardens are a popular choice among people planning micro weddings. You can also host the wedding in your own home if you have enough room or a beautiful backyard.
As you can see, planning a micro wedding isn’t as difficult as it appears. You can even hire a micro wedding planner for some assistance. That will take more of the burden off of your shoulders.