How to Plan a Beautiful, Meaningful Micro Wedding So That You Can Celebrate Your Postponed Nuptials Right Now

When it comes to preparing for the wedding day, there are so many scenarios that the couple and their vendors make contingency plans for. The bride or groom is ill on the morning of the wedding, a VIP or vendor gets lost on the way to the venue, or weather that forces an outdoor ceremony inside. But 2020 delivered something that even the most seasoned of wedding pros couldn’t have expected: the coronavirus pandemic. And when businesses were forced to temporarily shut their doors and suspend events in March and April of 2020, leaving couples wondering if or when their dream wedding would be possible again, industry experts started thinking about creative alternatives. Enter, the micro wedding.

With so many couples postponing their larger weddings and choosing new dates in 2021, beautiful venues and talented professionals have more availability than ever before to host more intimate celebrations, which is exactly what’s necessary in order to tie the knot during the pandemic. Micro weddings, also known as “minimonies”, are usually attended by anywhere from five to a few dozen guests; these smaller guest lists allow for proper social distancing protocols but still let a couple celebrate with their nearest and dearest. Ultimately, it’s a way to have the best of both worlds—you can get married now with a small group of guests, then celebrate with everyone you love at a larger wedding next year—which takes a little bit of the sting out of having to postpone the celebration you’ve spent months (or maybe even years) planning. 

As the weeks in quarantine extended, couples looking forward to their celebrations started to worry about what their party might look like. Having their closest family and friends present while they exchanged vows quickly became the priority. We really wanted to create a visual to help couples planning this new approach and to see how they could create a special day focusing more on the intimate details.

Here are some tips to help you plan your own micro wedding….

Embrace traditions you love

It’s important to remember that your micro wedding isn’t just something to while you can’t host a larger gathering—it’s your actual wedding day. That means you should embrace any traditions you’ve always dreamed of for your nuptials.

Get creative with your color palette

While you might be tempted to go with the exact same color palette and flowers as you initially chose, the experts at Twisted Willow suggest saving that plan for the future celebration and doing something different for your micro wedding. Do something different. There are way too many beautiful blooms and color schemes to just stick to one with the option.  Doing so makes both events feel special.

Think about safe seating

Social distancing is paramount, even at a micro wedding, so it’s important to consider a setup that will allow guests to have their own space. Our experts love a ceremony in the round for that reason.  A ceremony in the round [is a good way to] include all the guests that are present but still [give them] enough distance to stay safe.  Everyone gets a great view and can hear without having to bring in speakers.  Plus, there’s no better way to officially tie the knot than to be surrounded (literally!) by everyone you love most.

Emphasize single-serve food and drinks

To keep everyone safe, our experts suggest choosing a menu peppered with single-serve options. Mini bottles of sparkling water or wine, complete with paper straws, work nicely for cocktail hour—a waiter can hand one out to each guest, which means no one has to line up at a bar or pour drinks from communal bottles.

Think dinner party, not reception

Think about this portion of the celebration as a dinner party, not a wedding reception. Doing so will allow you to better use your space—your micro wedding for 30 guests might be taking place in a space originally designed to fit 300.  Having a small intimate group in a larger space will allow you to spread out and keep social distancing in check. Long tables are so great if you want to have guests spread out but still feel cozy. Also, large square tables lend themselves to social distance guidelines but have a grand feel that also fill up a large space.

Pay attention to the details

Details are what make your celebration unique to the two of you, so don’t skimp on them for a micro wedding.  Beautiful linens, customized menus, and upgraded rentals can take your day to the next level.  When planning your intimate wedding, it’s helpful to keep in mind that smaller weddings make for a more intimate setting where you have the ability to get creative and added special touches to your celebration. Things like personal vows or love letters, serving a personal favorite dish for dinner, or interactive ceremony elements that get your guests involved can make your day feel monumental and unique.

In this day and age, ‘mini’ goes a long way!