Mar 23
Micro Wedding Ideas: 33 Creative Options
By Wedding Spot
The average wedding includes 141 guests, but nowadays, more and more couples are having micro weddings. In this post, you’ll discover what a micro wedding is, as well as its many benefits. Then, you’ll explore some of the best micro wedding ideas for every season, and learn how to make your micro wedding perfect for you and your partner.
What is a micro wedding?
A micro wedding is any ceremony and/or reception with less than 50 total guests. Couples often combine an elopement and a reception to create their micro wedding, but you have the option to do both with a smaller party. Some married couples even choose to do a micro wedding for their anniversary or vow renewal. Save money on your nuptials, reception, or vow renewal with this more intimate — yet still beautiful — wedding option.
How much does a micro wedding cost?
A micro wedding costs anywhere from $1,600 for an elopement and reception combination with 12 or fewer guests to $10,000 for a full ceremony and reception with 50 or fewer guests.
Discover 33 of the best micro wedding ideas:
These ideas include packages, venues, receptions, and cakes that take a smaller guest list into account without sacrificing style. Add one or more of these creative ideas to your own wedding plans to get the most out of your small wedding.
Micro wedding packages
These packages include all the same elements of a regular wedding package but are tailor-made for the couple’s budget, style, and guest-list size. Enjoy these examples of packages you can book for your own celebration.
1. Storybrook Farm Weddings’ Fairytale micro-wedding package.
Plan the themed wedding of your dreams at this Tennessee venue with their package deal for weddings with 24 or fewer guests. The cost includes spaces for both a ceremony and reception, an onsite officiant, flowers, cake, and decor, plus an event coordinator to help you finalize details. Use this package as a template for your own event planning even if you don’t plan to travel to Tennessee — it includes all the bare essentials a micro wedding should have.
2. Elopement Co.’s “Adventure Elopement” package.
Rock climb, surf, or hot air balloon for your ceremony with help from this North Carolina-based wedding planning company. The 10-guest package covers destination research, travel booking, wedding photography, an officiant, and some flowers. Consider a thrilling and original ceremony idea for your own destination micro wedding since it’s much easier to travel with a small group.
3. Dream Day Weddings’ beach town micro wedding package.
Combine your ceremony, reception, and honeymoon all together with this package for 12-70 people. Enjoy a beachfront celebration with plenty of local entertainment, culture, and food that will turn your wedding into a vacation for your closest friends and family. Or, try this idea in a neighboring city or county to get a nice change of pace without the extra travel.
Micro wedding venues
Choose these venues (or ones like them) for your own micro wedding elopement, ceremony, or reception.
Location: Salem, Massachusetts
Gather your loved ones for an intimate celebration at this historic venue. Look for spaces with high ceilings like the ones at the Hawthorne Hotel to make your small ceremony feel grander.
Location: Oahu, Hawaii
Try a tropical locale for your destination micro wedding. All-inclusive packages like the kind O’ahu Wedding Villa offers make planning a micro wedding as simple and stress-free as possible.
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Get Started FreeLocation: Sunol, California
Pick a rustic vineyard if you love the idea of drinking world-class wine at a stunning outdoor celebration. Nella Terra Cellars is a good example of how micro weddings can still look and feel magical even with a smaller group.
Location: Middletown, Rhode Island
Cozy up with your partner with an East Coast beach micro wedding. Large, glass windows like the ones featured in the Newport Beach House bring in tons of natural light and make small parties feel more lively. Consider a venue with an abundance of sunshine if your wedding will take place in the morning or afternoon.
Location: San Juan Capistrano, California
Quirky yet beautiful spaces like this converted train depot one make tiny gatherings that much more interesting and fun.
Micro wedding reception ideas
Customize each of your major planning categories with these ideas suited for small group settings.
9. Hire musicians.
Skip a DJ and go for a local band or a dueling piano group. They’ll be plenty loud enough for your wedding and, because micro wedding receptions are typically shorter, they’ll probably take requests.
10. Offer DIY food and drink ideas.
Swap servers for an interactive dinner or dessert experience instead. Not only will it get people talking, but it also opens the doors to tons of creative food ideas.
11. Use one long family-style table.
This will give your wedding an intimate feel and, depending on this size, will make every person feel as included as the next.
12. Create one or two custom drinks.
Forego a fully stocked bar for some personalized cocktails instead. Base the menu on you and your partner’s favorite drink. Or, name each creation after your beloved pets, alma maters, or professions to customize it even more.
13. Take a group photo.
Fit everyone into the frame in a giant selfie or in a professional picture. Print and mail the photo in your thank-you cards after the celebration for a lovely, sentimental keepsake.
14. Choose a non-traditional venue.
Explore local cafes, recording studios, and intimate concert or theatre venues. Renting non-traditional venues is both more affordable and perfect for your group size.
15. Start in the evening.
Host your ceremony or reception after dinnertime so guests will have just enough time to socialize without feeling bored. Skip dinner altogether with a wedding that starts after 7 pm and serves light bites, desserts, and coffee or tea to save money on catering.
16. Limit flowers.
Stick with a single arrangement bridal bouquet or flowers for just the bridal party to save money since less is more in small party settings.
17. Minimize decor.
Plan to at least include twinkle lights, tulle, and candles for your venue decor if they do not already have them. These items make any space feel cozier, plus it’s all easy to transport and quick to set up.
18. Personalize wedding favors.
Take the time to write personal notes for each table setting with your favorite memories you have shared. Or, provide on-theme wedding favors that are custom made for each individual. For example, give guests at your zodiac-themed wedding a keychain with their names and sun signs on them.
Micro wedding cake ideas
Note that having fewer guests means having less dessert. Get creative with your budget without wasting any leftovers.
19. Use a single-layer base.
Assume everyone will have at least one or two moderate slices of your wedding cake. Serve a 10” cake for guest lists of up to 35 people or a 12” cake if you plan to have as many as 50 guests.
20. Supplement with cupcakes.
Keep the cake for you, your partner, and your bridal party (a 6” cake is best for up to 10 people) and serve matching cupcakes for the rest of your guests.
21. Serve nontraditional desserts.
For example, you may want to consider this creative cinnamon bun micro wedding cake or some other baked treat that is big enough to share yet unique enough to represent you and your partner’s tastes.
Micro wedding ideas for fall
22. Have an eccentric Halloween or cozy Thanksgiving wedding since friends and family will already plan to be out and about for these social holidays.
23. Drape ceremony chairs with pashminas or blankets to accommodate the changing weather.
24. Serve an outdoor dinner at a long picnic table filled with seasonal floral arrangements and matching china.
Micro wedding ideas for spring
25. Tie bunches of dried lavender to ceremony chairs with sides facing the aisle way for fragrant ceremony decor.
26. Consider an Easter egg hunt for children and adults as part of your reception activities if you plan to host an afternoon reception.
27. Serve individual berry pies in mini mason jars.
Micro wedding ideas for summer
28. Have an adult-sized teepee filled with blankets and pillows for a playful touch.
29. Hand out customized flip flops in the correct sizes for your wedding favors.
30. Provide straw hats and parasols to beat the heat.
Micro wedding ideas for winter
31. Have guests write their names with gold or silver paint pens on a mismatched set of Christmas ornaments instead of a wedding sign-in book.
32. Choose a venue with a fireplace and bring plenty of blankets for guests to snuggle up in and enjoy at your reception.
33. Include a large winter sled or wagon ride through the woods for one of your activities.
Customize your micro wedding ideas further with a theme
Now you know exactly what a micro wedding is, along with plenty of ideas to help you plan it. You also know how to customize it for each season, how much it costs, and how to plan a simple one. Now, personalize your micro wedding further with affordable outdoor themes such as a backyard wedding or even a beach wedding.
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Wedding Spot
The Wedding Spot blog is designed to help couples navigate every step of the wedding planning journey. From before the engagement to after you say “I do,” our goal is to give you the tips, ideas, and inspiration to prepare for your big day — and all that comes with it.