Planning a micro wedding: A helpful guide

 

The wedding industry is alight with a new buzz word: Micro Weddings! If you’ve been planning a wedding for 2021 you’ve likely encountered some roadblocks as COVID-19 has changed the landscape of weddings for the short term. There’s been so many terms floating around it can get confusing. Micro wedding, minimony, elopement, virtual wedding. So what is a micro wedding and how it is different from an elopement or minimony?

Let us help!

 

What exactly is a Micro Wedding?

As we mentioned above, there can be some confusion about what a micro wedding is, as it’s pretty much an intimate wedding day. Micro weddings usually have about 30 or less people, most often about 10-15, not including your vendors. A micro wedding still has all of the vendors you would normally have. The main difference is that couples can still utilize their original budget to have the wedding of their dreams because they have a smaller guest count.

As a couple, you’re in charge of what a micro wedding really means to you. This gives you a lot of choice and flexibility in your planning – and who doesn’t love that?!

Planning A Micro Wedding:

• First and foremost – hire an amazing team of vendors to carry out your vision – the investment here is still worth every penny!
• Keeping the guest list smaller allows you more budget room to have other items you may have foregone with an elopement; think LUSH flowers, a higher end venue, a videographer.
• Invite those you are closest-to. This includes immediate family and your closest friends and their spouses if you choose.
• You can be creative with your wardrobe and opt for something bigger budget.
• Consider allocating any extra time for a pre-wedding party, relaxed getting ready portion or an extended portrait session.
• A micro wedding allows couples the freedom to keep similar elements of a traditional wedding just with a smaller guest count.
• Ensure your timeline has a lot of room for special time with those closest to you. Hiring a wedding planner will make this easy for you.
• The timeline of a Micro Wedding is usually still a full day, so plan for this accordingly!

 

Calgary Wedding Vendors Offer Their Thoughts on Micro Weddings:

 

We have a lot of amazing wedding vendors in Calgary who have some fantastic thoughts about micro weddings! Here’s what they had to say:

Julianne Young Weddings has planned absolutely gorgeous weddings and we love their view:  “Micro weddings have been the gift we all didn’t know we needed. Less stress, more meaning, more love. Couples are able to stick to their vision on a scaled down budget, which had been a total blessing in disguise. With an open mind, the possibilities are endless and we have the opportunity to make the event something most of the guests will not even have thought of!”

Top Knot Brides has been creating stunning bridal hair and makeup in Calgary since 2015. “Micro weddings should be a forever thing! We experienced a drastically different vibe from our micro wedding brides. From the way they communicated with us all the way to the day of the wedding. A relaxed morning of pampering and wedding excitement still filled the room as any other traditional wedding day. Robes were worn, Champagne was poured, and everyone felt beautiful long after the sun had risen! Micro weddings for the win as they are a reminder of what marriage is meant to be about. Love!”

Modern Rentals provides rentals for every occasion including luxury weddings:  “We’re seeing many brides creating an even more magical wedding experience with fewer guests. Tented weddings have been a wonderful way to do this… the addition of carpet, twinkle lights, clear tops and real furniture add an intimacy and comfort to a beautiful wedding. We’ve also been seeing many brides adding special table details that perhaps they wouldn’t have the budget for on a large scale event, however with a smaller guest list the bride and groom have a little more space to splurge on a few things they feel particularly connected to like perhaps special glassware, chargers or flatware.”

Pretty Sweet creates glorious cakes and confections. We love what their owner, Vicki had to say: “I think Micro Weddings will be exciting for couples, those ideas they’ve had about a grand tablescape of sweets or individual styled cakes for their guests that might have blown the budget completely with their original guest count. Now, something that can fit within their budget with less guests could now be attainable. They could be closer to their dream wedding!”

 

Fun Options For Guests

Having a lower guest count means a bigger budget to treat your guests to an unforgettable experience! Having a smaller guest count means you can invest in interesting ideas like a pre-wedding party or welcome dinner, post-wedding send off party, tourist visits, wine tastings, surprise activities or entertainment. Getting creative and thinking outside the box can lead to extending the fun and creating fantastic lasting memories!

 

 

Tips on Creating a Wedding Guest List

We have another recent blog on creating a small wedding guest list. Whether your guest list will be smaller because of the pandemic or you were planning a micro wedding from the start, it can be hard to choose who is invited and who is not. There is something really special about having an intimate day with the people who have supported you and been the closest to you over the years.

You will always remember the moments with those closest to you 30 years down the road. What better way to start your marriage off?

If you still want other friends, colleagues or acquaintances to join in the festivities, Zoom or Facetime is a cost-effective way to be inclusive for the parts of the day you wish to share with others.

 

How do you personalize a micro wedding?

The beauty of having a bigger budget to work with means you can include components that are close to your hearts. That might mean your dinner is served by your favourite restaurant, or you are able to host your wedding at a destination location that means something to you. Having flexibility means you can really spend time with your family and friends.

Some Fun Micro Wedding Ideas:

• Having a special ceremony or ritual like a ring warming (which takes some time), letters from your family read aloud
• Activities like wine tastings, tourist attractions, horseback riding, – whatever works with your personalities and budget
• Rent a resort or B&B and have a days or week long celebration to keep the fun going!
• Plan a destination wedding based on someplace special to you

 

Whatever you choose to do, let your creative juices flow! Your wedding day should be a reflection of you, your love and those closest to you. Hiring a team of professional, experienced vendors will help ease pressure so that you can focus on celebrating your love.

We hope you find this guide helpful. Have a comment or something to add? Let us know below so we can keep this fresh and current.

Special Thanks to our industry friends for their time and collaboration on this piece.

 

xo,

 

Nicole Sarah Studio