What is a Micro Wedding? 

A micro wedding is an intimate wedding ceremony and/or reception with no more than 50 guests, think something between an elopement and a big wedding. Micro weddings have become popular during the Coronavirus pandemic and they’re an alternative if you don’t want to reschedule your wedding. 

The main component of a micro wedding is the limited guest count. That being said, microweddings can look differently: 

• Some couples opt for an elopement and a small reception with their closest family and friends
•  Others opt for a mini ceremony, also known as minimony and a reception afterward
•  Some couples only host a ceremony without a reception party. 

 

Depending on the couple’s preference, micro weddings can still include timeless wedding traditions such as having a maid of honor, best man, bridesmaids and groomsmen, a first look, first dances, bouquet toss, cake cutting, etc, on a smaller scale. 

What is a Minimony? 

A minimony is a brief, mini wedding ceremony, hence the name. A minimony is typically shared with the officiant and close friends and family, no more than 10 guests. The term minimony began during the Coronavirus pandemic and many couples are holding minimonies to honor their original wedding date but plan to celebrate their larger wedding on a new date. 

Micro Wedding vs. Minimony 

We now know the definition of a minimony and micro wedding definition and while these two may seem similar, the main difference between a minimony and a micro wedding is that a minimony consists of only a quick ceremony: similar to an elopement but with guests, while a micro wedding can also include a reception and even last all day: a regular wedding with a lower guest count. 

Benefits of a Micro Wedding | Tampa Micro Wedding

Now that we know the answer to: What is a micro wedding? Let’s talk about some of the benefits of a micro wedding. 

Micro Weddings Save you Money  

According to The Knot, in 2019 weddings in the United States cost an average of $33,900 and some big contributors to that are the number of wedding guests and the venue. 

Micro weddings can help you cut down wedding expenses because everything is done on a smaller scale. An intimate wedding with a limited guest count means that you won’t need a big room that can host 200+ guests, you will spend less on wedding favors, wedding invitations, and food.

Wedding caterers normally charge meals per person and catering costs average at $4,000 in the U.S., imagine having an open bar for hundreds of guests, costs add up quickly. 

The best part is that because you’re saving on things like food and venue space, you have more room to go over the top with your wedding decorations, you can get that breathtaking Galia Lahav dress, you can order those stunning floral arrangements, hire the wedding vendors you absolutely love and upgrade coverage like adding more photography and videography coverage. 

Wedding venues normally have different space options available so you can still host your wedding at the venue of your dreams but in a smaller space. 

Which leads to my next point…

Micro Weddings Make Destination Weddings Possible

Close your eyes, imagine you’re having your wedding at Isola del Garda in Lake Como, Italy, envision yourself standing right by your boo in a luscious garden, overlooking beautiful blue water, surrounded by the most gorgeous Italian architecture. Truly a dream! 

An Isola del Garden Wedding is very possible friend! 

You can use your micro wedding savings to hold a destination wedding and while you’re at it have your honeymoon there too. 

Italy here we come! Or wherever your dream destination might be 😉 

Side note: I’m a destination wedding photographer and I absolutely love traveling so count me in! 

Micro Weddings Give You More Options

Whether you want to have a down to earth, simple micro wedding with minimalist decor and just your closest family, whether you want to have the wedding of your dreams in terms of venue, vendors, decor, and reception, whether you want to honor wedding traditions or not, micro weddings make it possible for you to shape your wedding however you like and make your big day truly unique. 

I can keep going on and on about the benefits of a micro wedding but I think you get the picture. 

I also can’t ignore that there are some withdrawals to having a micro wedding, like having to shrink down your guest list significantly, this can be very hard if you have big families and lots of friends. 

This is why before you decide to have a micro wedding, you should really consider if a micro wedding is right for you. 

Here are 3 ways to know…

3 Ways to Know if a Micro Wedding is Right for You

#1 The Wedding Guest List 

The main component of a micro wedding is the smaller guest count so naturally, this is the first thing you should consider when deciding if a micro wedding is right for you. 

For couples having to reschedule due to COVID-19: 

How big was your initial guest list? 

Did you send out invitations already? 

How soon do you want to get married? 

Having Coronavirus mess with your wedding plans is certainly no fun and if you’ve been engaged for a while, you’re probably more than ready to tie the knot so don’t let the pandemic stop you, go ahead and get married!

A lot of couples are eloping or getting married by court and planning a full wedding for a later date. You have options! 

For newly engaged couples: 

How big is your immediate family? 

Do you have lots of friends and can’t imagine leaving some out? 

Do large weddings seem overwhelming to you? 

Have you imagined having a big reception party or a more intimate affair? 

#2 How Have You Always Visualized Your Big Day? 

Take a trip down memory lane, from when you were a kid till recently:

How have you always imagined your wedding day? 

What are some things you absolutely must have on your wedding day? 

What are the most important things to you? 

Does a micro wedding make it easier or harder to have the wedding of your dreams? 

Answering these questions honestly can really help you figure out if a micro wedding is right for you. 

#3 Go With Your Gut 

I know, I know, it sounds cliche, but if you’ve been going back and forth about whether you should reschedule your wedding, have a micro wedding, have a minimony or elope, informing yourself and listening to your gut are the best solution. 

With all the noise going around these days about Coronavirus and weddings, it can be easy to stray away from your vision. Don’t let Coronavirus, wedding trends or even friends or family determine what type of wedding you should have. This is your big day, you and your honey get to make it exactly how you want it to! 

How to Plan a Micro Wedding | Tampa Micro Wedding 

It almost goes without saying, planning a micro wedding is much easier than planning a wedding with hundreds of guests, no more having to chase down people for RSVPs. 

That being said, planning a micro wedding can get overwhelming and there are little details you might miss, this is why I recommend working with a wedding planner. 

Wedding planners offer many services with different levels of involvement such as day-of coordination, partial planning, or full wedding planning. You can choose your wedding planning service depending on how simple or luxurious you want your wedding to be.

Tampa Florida Micro Wedding Photographer

Micro weddings started because of Coronavirus but I think they’re here to stay. 

I personally love them, both Tampa micro weddings and destination micro weddings. My favorite thing about micro weddings is how they allow you to spend quality time and share one of the best days of your life with those who are truly your closest, most loved friends and family!

I recently had the pleasure of capturing Kaitlyn & Zach’s destination Tampa micro wedding at Yacht Starship, check it out here:

Yacht Starship Tampa Micro Wedding  

I hope this was useful and if you think the benefits of a micro wedding outweigh having to cut down your wedding guest list, consider having one!