Weddings are looking a little different these days. With up to only 30 people (including your lovely wedding suppliers) allowed to attend a ceremony only, this isn’t how most people envisage their wedding day at all. There’s currently little sight on when wedding receptions can begin to take place and certainly nothing in the foreseeable future about larger gatherings. So, what’s the future for weddings? I think there’s going to be a rise in micro weddings and more intimate celebrations.
Image: Catherine Mead Photography
Micro or intimate wedding?
There’s a small (sorry!) difference here. Micro weddings are typically for around 20 guests or less whereas intimate weddings tend to have a slightly larger guest list at around 30-60 people. Both are still full wedding days with many traditional elements such as the wedding breakfast, speeches, cake cut and first dance. Although that being said, a smaller wedding often means you don’t have to be tied to traditions that perhaps aren’t your cup of tea.
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Micro weddings aren’t for everyone. A key thing to think about is your guest list – could you narrow it down to just a handful of guests without feeling guilty about not inviting the rest? If you genuinely can, then a small and intimate celebration could be a great option for you. The next key consideration is the size of your venue. If your heart is set on a beautiful venue that holds up to 200 guests then hosting a micro wedding there will just mean the event feels lost in such a huge space. There are plenty of gorgeous options out there though that are perfect for more intimate weddings.
Image: Catherine Mead Photography
Smaller celebrations tend to be a more relaxed affair. You don’t have to stick so rigidly to timings as when you have 150 people to gather together for photos and into one room for the wedding breakfast. It’s easier to get the attention of 20 people rather than 150! You’ll also have much more time to mingle with your guests and to be able to have proper conversations rather than fleeting chats because you have so many people who want to offer their congratulations. With fewer guests you could even extend the celebrations by turning it into a wedding weekend allowing you lots of quality time with your nearest and dearest. If there’s one thing I hear time and time again it’s the couple on their wedding day asking me if I can just slow down time because its all happening so fast! Sorry to break it to you but that’s one of the few things I can’t do. Extending your celebrations is a great way to give you more time to soak it all in.
It’s tempting to think that a micro wedding means a micro budget too and whilst that’s true to an extent it’s not always the case. That being said you can make your budget work harder for you with smaller numbers. A small wedding gives you the option to go more luxe on the aesthetics, food, dress and entertainment – if you’re real foodies then you can increase your spend per guest and really go to town on your menu or perhaps you’re big music lovers and can now splash out on the band you’ve always wanted.
Just because it’s a micro wedding doesn’t mean that a wedding planner can’t come in handy too. Wedding planners have great supplier contacts so can find you the best of the best and suppliers that will really suit you and the style of your wedding. They’ll also make sure that your day runs smoothly so you don’t have to worry about a thing on your special day.
I think micro weddings can be just as gorgeous and special as the more traditional, larger affairs so I hope this has given you some inspiration. No matter how you choose to celebrate, I'd love to hear all about your plans so do let me know in the comments below.
Happy planning!
Gem xx