Microweddings – What They Are and Why I Love Them
Microweddings are one of the newer trends we’re seeing hit the wedding industry and I have to tell you, I am so excited for them. By definition, “microweddings” are intimate weddings with roughly two to 30-or-so guests in attendance.
Microweddings are the perfect hybrid between having a full-blown, traditional wedding and eloping, allowing you to keep things intimate but still include your most favorite humans on the planet.
This “trend” is long overdue as it might just be the perfect solution to many common issues you hear with traditional weddings or standard elopements. While I’m excited to share my thoughts, know that I’m in no way knocking traditional weddings OR standard elopements. I think couples should choose whichever path is best for them. To me, elopements will always be one of the most romantic things in the world and traditional weddings fill my heart to the brim seeing all that love and support in one room. Microweddings are just another option out there for couples to explore — and I love that.
Photo by Daniel Moyer Photography of Lauren and Sean’s NYC Microwedding at the Gramercy Park Hotel
The Benefits of Having a Microwedding
There are many benefits to having a microwedding which may or may not be important to you. Again, choosing the right size for your event comes down to what makes the most sense for you.
You’ll Likely Save Money
One of the biggest factors to any event budget is the number of guests on the list. The more guests attending, the higher the budget needs to be or the more that that budget needs to be spread out.
Obviously, there are certain factors not affected by the guest list. Things like photographer, attire, and your officiant.
But your big items like food, drinks, venue space, rentals, and florals are all heavily based on the size of your party.
In addition, because you’ll likely have more flexibility with dates, you can typically save money by having your wedding any day but a Saturday. Many venues and wedding pros can offer you a fairly discounted rate for having your wedding mid-week, like on a Tuesday or Wednesday when chances are very low they’d otherwise have an event.
You Can Be More Creative With The Guest Experience
What I love about the thought of a smaller guest list is that instead of trying to make your funds spread out across everyone, you can take those funds and provide an unreal out-of-this-world experience (and often STILL save money) for your guests. You definitely get more “bang for your buck”, as they say.
Let’s take centerpieces, for example. In our area, an average centerpiece is anywhere from $150-$350 per table. With 20 tables, that’s around $3,000-$7,000 for an “average” centerpiece on each table. Now, let’s just think about 1 or 2 tables. You can allocate $1,000 for each table and still be well under that amount. And I’m telling you: a $1,000 centerpiece would be GORGEOUS and a BEAUTIFUL focal point for your meal.
Same goes for food. Instead of having to cater to a large number of people who need to be fed at roughly similar times with MANY different food preferences and restrictions, you can focus on giving your intimate group a “meal of a lifetime” with highly customized and interesting courses.
Really this goes for just about anything. Splurge in the areas that are a priority to you and you know your guests will appreciate.
And don’t forget about the venue! Because your event will be much smaller, you can often host your event in more unique places. There are a TON of gorgeous restaurants in Philly who are more than happy to host your microwedding. And if you want an easy way to search, look for good “rehearsal dinner” spots. Or, think outside the box and go for something super unique.
One of my favorite locations in our area is Promise Ridge. If you’re considering a microwedding and love the thought of a beautiful setting in nature, I don’t think it gets much better than Promise Ridge.
Photo of a microwedding at Promise Ridge by M2 Photography
The “Spotlight” On You Will Be Much Smaller
If you’re having anxiety about 400 eyeballs being on you all day, a microwedding is a great way to reduce that feeling. Yes, you and your partner will still be the “main attractions” of the day but you’ll be surrounded by a much more manageable group of people. So if you consider yourself to be “shy” or particularly introverted, and you’re worried about saying your vows or doing your First Dance in front of EVERYONE — this can be a wildly huge benefit to you.
You’ll Have Much More Quality Time With Your Guests
Another direct benefit of having a smaller guest list is the amount of time you’ll get to spend with each person. Instead of trying to get around to 200 people to thank them for coming, you can have quality conversations with each person in attendance. And if the thought of entertaining 30 people for five hours seems daunting you, keep in mind that microweddings are often just two to three hours total – and that includes the time for your ceremony.
You Should Do What Feels Best To You
Now despite all of these benefits, you may be thinking to yourself “but this just isn’t what I want”. If so, that is completely ok and you should do what feels like the best choice for you and your partner.
But if this sounds like something that is speaking to your heart and soul, I HIGHLY encourage you to look into it further.
I worked with a couple last year who started planning their 180-person wedding in Philly and realized that it simply wasn’t what they wanted. So we switched gears, dropped the guest list to 30 and moved the location to a beautiful rooftop venue in New York City. It was stunning, intimate and probably one of my favorite weddings I’ve been a part of over the past decade.
And if you’re thinking of having a microwedding and need some help, I am SO HERE FOR YOU. I offer packages specifically geared towards microweddings and elopements and can help you create a day that’s everything that you want and 100% meaningful for you and your guests.
