Planning a wedding isn’t easy – for some, it’s rather daunting. Of course, there are wedding planners who can help with the process – but since 2020, the world has changed, and so have weddings. Ever since then, many brides have abandoned the traditional wedding and have opted to elope. Many others, however, cannot fathom the idea of completely doing away with wedding tradition. Enter the micro wedding. But, what is a micro wedding?
The Difference Between a Wedding, Elopement, and Micro Wedding
There are many similarities between weddings, elopements, and micro weddings. Mainly, they’re all still a type of wedding!
But there are a few major differences – here are a few.
Weddings
Weddings are what we’re all fairly used to prior to 2020. Large parties, beautiful venues, vast amounts of food, and incredibly structured days.
The cost of a wedding has gone up significantly, but most of them tend to run upwards of $30,000 to $50,000.
For a couple getting married, it is usually a full-day event. Starting the moment you wake up, all the way until after the couple leaves the reception venue.
Things you might see at a wedding include:
- Large Venues
- 100+ Guests
- Large Reception / party
- DJ and loud music
- Large wedding party
- Multiple Venues
Elopements
When determining what is a micro wedding, Elopements, unlike weddings, are much smaller than a wedding. They often abandon tradition completely and are incredibly intimate events.
While they can also be full-day events, the “wedding” portion of the day is usually completed in just a few short hours.
One of the benefits of elopements is they can be performed pretty much anywhere – from the tops of mountain ranges like at Petit Jean, to (dare I say it) a gas station.
Often there are no guests at elopements, save for a photographer, officiant, closest friends, and parents.
Micro weddings
Finally, we have a micro wedding. What is a micro wedding? Well, it’s a combination of a wedding and an elopement.
Many couples find themselves not wanting to abandon a wedding, but don’t want to deal with the stress of one. A micro wedding is the perfect in-between as it allows them to keep the guest count low, get married just about anywhere, and keep some traditional aspects of a wedding.
Some of these aspects include:
- Having a wedding-specific venue
- Allow for a small reception
- Multiple vendors (though only necessary ones)
- Lower costs
