Micro Wedding or Elopement Wedding

WHAT IS A MICRO WEDDING?

Many people ask what’s the difference between a micro wedding and an elopement wedding. A micro wedding usually has a small guests list of up to 20 individuals including family and a few close friends, whereas an elopement wedding usually involves just the couple and the wedding officiant. 

A micro wedding may either be scaled back to fit a budget or very elaborate for the few family and friends you choose to invite. Some couples may choose to have a ceremony right in their own backyard or fly to a fun destination with their guests right beside them for an extremely memorable wedding day. 

Here are some tips that might help you choose whether you want to have a micro wedding or any elopement wedding. 

WHY ARE TINY WEDDINGS BECOMING MORE POPULAR

Ok, we need to address the big event of 2020 and no it’s not a huge lavish wedding. Unfortunately, the pandemic safety restrictions have significantly reduced wedding numbers and therefore the popularity of micro weddings has increased dramatically. Large traditional weddings can come with a whole host of formalities, expectations and requirements but micro weddings offer couples the freedom to think outside the box and the flexibility to use their creative ideas. There are no tight schedules, and no large guest count needed to be entertained and accommodated.

Micro Wedding 

If it’s your decision to go for a small-scale wedding, then go ahead and try not listen to what anybody else may say about it. You may receive a little pushback from family, friends and associates that may try to dissuade you. This is because many of them might be hurt at the end of day when they fail to make the guests list. In this type of wedding, you are not going to meet everybody’s expectation. Keep in mind, at the end of all this, the wedding is mostly for you and your partner to tie the knot as husband and wife. You know what you want, and you should stick to it.

Elopement Wedding

You may choose to leave everyone behind, hop on a plane, and fly to Hawaii for a beach wedding ceremony with just the two of you. This may be a good thing for the couple who might feel uncomfortable in the company of others, sharing one of the most intimate moments in their lifetime. This type of wedding ceremony will definitely be your most budget friendly option and you will not have to worry about pleasing anyone else. You can just share the photos and video with everyone else when it’s all said and done. 

The Cost                                                                                                                           

It seems simple instead of providing for hundreds of guests a micro wedding instead lets you provide for a limited number reducing your financial outgoings. In some cases, inviting less than 20 costs significantly less than 100 especially when you are looking at a price per head basis. Budget can of course be a strong reason to choose a micro wedding.

However, as of the last decade a new trend is emerging in micro weddings where in fact couples are deciding to increase their price per head budget hugely for a select few and spoiling their special guests to indulgent wedding celebrations. Including exclusively hiring out venues to enjoy with their family and friends or flying love ones to amazing destinations (like Hawaii) to watch them say ‘I Do’ and creating a once in a lifetime experience for family and a handful of their closest friends.  

Just because you are planning a smaller scale wedding does not mean that you shouldn’t ask for help from family and friends. There is the tendency for the couple to handle everything by themselves. A coordinator can help you, but you must pay attention to details to ensure that nothing important is left out. The fact that the wedding is small does not suggest that it is simple. Small celebration needs better planning, and there are a lot of areas to consider.

Choose the perfect wedding attire                                                                           

Micro wedding does not have to necessarily mean a micro dress (although it really could, we have seen some amazing shorter bridal gowns which look incredible!) There is no rule as to regards to dress code for a micro wedding go as elaborate or simple as you desire, remember there’s no rule book. If you want to splurge on that ultra-beautiful break-the-bank designer wedding gown as you have a reduced guest list, go for it!

Wedding Day Jitters

Character and personality can certainly depict the right type of wedding for a couple. If you are naturally more introvert and the thought of a room full of hundreds of eyes on just you, fills you with utter dread and anxiety then a smaller micro wedding could certainly be the right choice. Many couples feel more at ease and are able to relax on their special day knowing just a handful of loved ones are celebrating with them.

Less stress & time planning

Having to logistically think about less than 20 guests opposed to 100 can reduce your stress and the time planning your wedding day. There’s less invites to send out, less responses and questions to deal with, less menu choices to arrange, less table favors and name tags to sort. A whole host of things on your to-do list can be reduced in time or even totally eliminated by reducing your guest numbers. A smaller gathering gives you the time to really interact with your guests instead of your day being a steady stream of welcomes, goodbyes and guilt that you haven’t properly chatted to a hundred people individually. A micro wedding allows for a more relaxed vibe allowing more time for quality conversation on your magical day.

Gift advice is still necessary                                                                               

Irrespective of the size of the wedding, there is still the need to have registry or gift options for your wedding. Some people may think that because of the micro nature of the wedding that having a registry is not important. It is necessary as your loved ones may still want to contribute to the start of your married life together.

Flexibility in planning is the key                                                                         

Embrace the flexibility of planning a micro wedding. Make up your own mind and detach yourself from traditional wedding demands. If you are not comfortable wearing a white dress, ditch the idea. You might also want to consider adding a photographer or videographer to cover that special day. Don’t feel under pressure to satisfy any cultural demands, be in charge of your planning journey, enjoy and your wedding will be everything you dreamed of.