Daunted by the idea of planning a wedding amidst all this uncertainty? I don’t blame you. We had a flurry of cancellations and postponements and combinations of the two this spring as the wedding industry basically shut down for a few months to held stop the spread of Covid-19. I felt so terrible for these couples who had spent who knows how much time and money planning this once-in-a-lifetime celebration only to see it all fall apart - and then not be able to publicly mourn it, as it seemed like the mounting tragedy of fatalities and dire economic situation for many people around the world was relatively worse.
Through the summer, some events started to creep back, in line with or despite local area restrictions and mandates. Being dependent on the wedding and events industry, part of me was relieved for colleagues near and far but another part of me was feeling very judgmental of people who proceeded with large events - especially now as we enter fall, the start of flu season, and are seeing record spikes in case counts across the country again. It’s a reflex, based on my understanding of this virus and its transmission and the news sources I follow, and not everyone feels like me! But it does seem to me that there should be ways to still get a once-in-a-lifetime celebration without putting our communities in danger.
Enter, the micro-wedding!
A microwedding is NOT an elopement - a quick, secretive getaway unattended by loved ones, or maybe just a witness or two.
A microwedding IS a wedding and reception (or meal), just, for far fewer guests (like, less than 20), but still full of all the same details you’d spring for if you were having a larger party. Mailed invitations, a photographer, extravagant floral, catering, a dreamy venue, hand-done paper goods, the perfect gown, a DJ - you name it! Whatever is important to you can still be there. The only difference is guest count.
One of the things we know about Covid is that it spreads faster indoors in poorly ventilated spaces, so having a microwedding outdoors is still a good option. But at least with fewer guests, you may be able to facilitate testing, or have a clearer standard for everyone on pre-event distancing expectations.
Microweddings didn’t come about because of a global pandemic - this piece from RealSimple in August 2019 espouses the benefits of having one instead of a traditional wedding. Before that, there was this October 2018 mention in Martha Stewart Weddings, but the good ol’ New York Times was on the trend as far back as 2017.
We’ve been lucky enough to be part of at least three, and the level of detail and customization we’re able to provide is hard to achieve with larger guest lists.
Take a peek at how three couples did it:
Provence, France :: Charlotte + Alex
Published on Style Me Pretty in 2018, and shot by Sophie Epton Photography, this dreamy wedding for 12 took place at Abbaye St. Eusebe in the South of France while the lavender was in bloom. You can see that the couple still had a gorgeous setting, a lavish set up for a meal, a luxurious vintage getaway car, and with only a few guests, we were able to hand-cut the vellum invitation wraps to echo the shape of the 12th Century Abbaye itself. Pure romance!
Blanco River, Texas :: Jessica + Chad
When all you want to do is be outside, fishing with your family and friends on the river, and maybe squeeze a wedding in, too - consider this intimate fiesta style soiree. This 18-person party was also published on Style Me Pretty in August of 2019. Planned by Westcott Weddings and photographed by Feather and Twine, some of my favorite details include the private location (likely logistically impossible with a larger group!), the fun welcome bags, the hand-stitched menus at dinner paired with tiny milagros charms- and tying in all the things the couple finds important into their sweet wedding crest.
Dunton Springs, Colorado :: Cammy + Chang
An all time favorite of mine, it looks like this incredibly elegant, high-end event was air-lifted and dropped into the middle of nowhere, Colorado. Shot by Sophie Epton (see a trend emerging? This woman loves a microwedding, too!) and executed to perfection with her team, including Remi + Gold on floral, Cammy and Chang were able to have a gorgeous celebration in a rustic, special setting. The ceremony site was backed with a view of the mountains and accented with an incredible floral installment, and the outdoor dinner party got details like agate place card and hand-calligraphed menus on deckle edge paper - a huge budget commitment for a large guest list, but totally attainable for their party of less than ten. For the rest of the gallery it’s available here, because yep, this one too was published on Style Me Pretty. Just proof that you can pack in all the same gorgeous moments worthy of publication on a much smaller budget!