Micro Weddings, Elopements & “Mini-monies”

Haven’t heard of the above options? No problem! We’re here to lay it all out for you and provide you with the details to make an informed decision when it comes to your special day. A micro wedding is a smaller-scale affair, while still honoring traditions and formalities. An elopement is whisking away as a couple alone or with a small number of close friends and family. A “mini-mony” celebration is holding a smaller ceremony initially, and then having a larger ceremony and reception at a future date. Read on to gain knowledge of different options should you need to postpone your original wedding date or would like to get married in 2020.

Micro Weddings

A micro wedding is a smaller festivity, commonly with less than 50 guests. With fewer guests, you may have to worry less about details, and timelines become more flexible. As a couple, you’ll have more time to interact with your guests and enjoy the party! Holding a micro wedding can be more cost conscious and allows you to incorporate the original details you spent time pulling together and tasks that are already executed. You could also choose to maintain the same budget, just host a smaller guest count. This could actually allow you to extend your budget to a better bar package, better photography package or upgrade your accommodations if you went this route. If you need to rethink your venue to follow with the smaller guest count, also possibly saving on budget, think about some of your favorite places together as a couple! Catering by a favorite local restaurant, renting out a unique venue – first date, proposal spot, etc. could really lend to the specialness of the wedding. In summary, this option would be quite like your full-scale wedding, simply with a paired down guest count.

Elopements

In today’s current reality of social distancing and the restrictions on traveling, the option of eloping has been seen more and more. An elopement is a popular option for couples who may feel overwhelmed with pulling together details for a celebration or if money is tight. Guests will understand; communication is key when deciding to elope. If you end up choosing this option, there are some great ways to announce your marriage to guests prior to or after your nuptials. Be creative and have fun when putting something spontaneous together. If spontaneity is not your forte, give us a call, it most definitely is ours, and you can have a lot of fun planned for a quick getaway.

“Mini-Monies”

A “mini-mony” honors your original wedding date but incorporates planned details on a much smaller scale. Hosting a larger reception or following the originally planned wedding would come at a future date, in adherence to today’s social distancing. For the “mini-mony,” guests in attendance would be close friends and immediate family members. With the current realities we are all facing, it would be a very difficult decision to cancel a wedding altogether. This option helps keep the momentum and excitement going that’s been building since engagement, instead of putting a halt to something so significant.

We came up with a helpful checklist below to help you determine the right fit for your celebration.

· Are you able to pair down your guest list to 20-50 people? If so, actually write them down.

· Do you like the idea of making things official alone as a couple, or would you like a few close family or friends present?

· Are any of your wedding visions, your “wish list” per se, not possible if you had a small guest list?

· Make a list of the least critical elements, things you wouldn’t miss or could cut from your budget.

· What are your thoughts on live streaming your celebration? Would most of your family and friends have the technology/wherewithal (know how) to watch via computer or phone?

· Is anything already paid for non-refundable, and are there date cutoffs to getting deposits back?

· Could you recreate your small-scale celebration at a later date, with all the bells and whistles?

· Is the actual wedding date an important factor? Does the date itself having meaning? If you had to move your date, what are some other dates would you think about extending the celebration to?

· Is it important to you to follow traditions and a host a big to-do?

· Would you feel that you are missing out if your originally planned wedding didn’t go as planned?

There are a few staples every wedding celebration should have, regardless of size or location: great food, various types of music to fit the theme/vibe and photography to relive the moments. Make your big day meaningful and personalize it! Having a smaller event does not mean you can’t celebrate in the future with additional loved ones. Perhaps you could choose to use these options when celebrating vow renewals or an anniversary. In lieu of canceling all together, you can choose one of the above options. Don’t sacrifice the time you’ve spent planning, potentially the money you cannot be refunded, or the opportunity to celebrate on your originally planned date. After all, love is meant to be celebrated for a lifetime, regardless of the circumstance! Why not spread the love to encompass a few different times of celebration?