What is a Micro Wedding and is it right for you?

A micro wedding is an intimate, scaled-down version of a traditional larger wedding, typically involving fewer than 30 guests. These smaller celebrations allow couples to focus on what truly matters—love, connection, and personal touches—while often reducing stress and costs.

But is a micro wedding the right choice for you? In this guide, we’ll explore what a micro wedding involves, its benefits, and how to create a meaningful and unforgettable experience.

What Defines a Micro Wedding?

A micro wedding retains the structure of a traditional wedding but is intentionally smaller in scale. It typically includes:

• A carefully curated guest list (usually 30 people or fewer)
• An intimate venue, such as a boutique hotel, private garden, or scenic outdoor location
• A relaxed, meaningful experience focused on quality over quantity

While micro weddings are small in size, they can still be as stylish, emotional, and full of personality as larger celebrations.

The Benefits of a Micro Wedding

1. More time with your guests

Smaller weddings and receptions can also allow you to spend quality time with your guests. How many weddings have you been to where you see the bride or groom endlessly doing the rounds of greeting everyone? Doesn’t sound like something you want to do? Take the pressure off and keep it small. With a smaller guest list, you can cherish quality time with your closest loved ones and truly celebrate together.

2. Budget-Friendly with Luxury Touches

With fewer guests, your budget can go further. Many couples opt for high-quality dining, bespoke décor, or a dream location they might not have been able to afford for a larger wedding.

3. A Stress-Free Wedding Planning Process

A smaller guest list means fewer logistics, making wedding planning simpler and more enjoyable.

4. More Venue Options

Smaller weddings allow for more unique venue choices, including:

• A countryside retreat
• A secluded beach or forest ceremony
• A luxury Airbnb
• A historic castle or estate for an intimate fairytale setting
• A non-typical wedding venue like a restaurant, art gallery, botanical gardens or even a gin distillery.

Micro Weddings: A Growing Trend

Born out of necessity during the pandemic, micro weddings have proven their staying power. Over the past year, searches for micro weddings and intimate weddings increased by 24.14% and 21%, respectively. These smaller celebrations allow couples to invest more in creating meaningful moments and personal touches, rather than focusing on large-scale event logistics.

Celebrant-led micro weddings particularly shine as they offer the perfect balance of intimacy and ceremony. With fewer guests, couples can incorporate more personal elements and interactive rituals that might be impractical with larger numbers.

Budget Micro Weddings: Hosting Your Wedding at Home

For couples looking for an intimate, low-key, yet beautiful occasion, hosting a micro wedding at home or in your own garden is a great option.

Why Choose a Home Wedding?

Hosting your wedding at home saves money on venue hire while providing a relaxed, personal setting with no time restrictions, allowing you to celebrate for as long as you like. It also gives you complete freedom to decorate and customise every detail to suit your vision.

Ways to Elevate Your At-Home Micro Wedding

• Create a dedicated ceremony space – Use an arch, floral backdrop, or fairy lights to define the space
• Hire a celebrant – A professional celebrant can make your ceremony feel just as special as any grand venue
• Consider catering options – A private chef, food truck, or stylish grazing table can elevate your home celebration.
• Embrace outdoor beauty – If the weather permits, an alfresco ceremony and reception in your garden can create a magical atmosphere. Plan for the worst and hope for the best – have a gazebo/marquee or umbrellas ready in case it rains.

Hosting your wedding at home is an excellent way to create a personal, stress-free, and cost-effective micro-wedding.

Micro Wedding Ceremony Ideas: Interactive Unity Rituals

Micro weddings provide a wonderful opportunity to include interactive unity rituals, where guests can take part in meaningful moments. Here are some Celebrant-inspired ways to involve your guests:

• Handfasting – A symbolic tying of the hands, with guests offering their own well-wishes.
• Ring Warming – Pass your wedding rings around your guests, allowing them to bestow blessings or well wishes before they reach you.
• Wine Ceremony – A symbolic unity ritual where you blend two wines into one, with guests raising a toast to your future.
• Ring of Light – Guests each hold a candle, forming a circle around the couple. One by one, they share their light, before the last candle is used to ignite the main unity candle for the couple. It’s like the Olympic torch ceremony for weddings!
• Sand Ceremony – Guests pour sand into a central jar, symbolising their love and support for the couple. You can use different colours for each of the guests and it can be preserved as a lasting reminder of the day.
• Seed Blending – A new unity ritual where guests add symbolic seeds to a bowl. The couple later plants their seed mix at home, watching their love grow and flourish.

These personal touches make micro weddings deeply memorable, inclusive, and meaningful.

Advice for Intimate Wedding Venues: Finding the Perfect Location

With fewer guests to accommodate, micro-weddings offer greater flexibility for venue choice. But choosing the right venue is key to creating the perfect atmosphere. Consider:

• Guest List Size – Ensure your venue fits your number of guests comfortably; too much space can make an intimate gathering feel sparse.
• Unique, Personal Settings – Look at small boutique venues, private gardens, or scenic outdoor locations.
• Inclusive Packages – Some venues offer micro wedding packages that include catering, styling, and coordination.
• Private Dining Spaces – A favourite restaurant or cosy wine bar can make for an unforgettable wedding meal.
• Luxury Airbnbs – Some larger Airbnbs allow small wedding ceremonies (just ensure you have permission from the host).
• Hotels with Small Event Spaces – Many hotels offer elegant rooms designed for intimate celebrations.

Explore some of the best micro wedding venues here.

The Drawbacks of a Micro Wedding

Micro weddings aren’t for everyone. Here are some potential downsides:

• Limited guest list – A micro guest list might feel too restrictive if you want to celebrate with a large group of friends and extended family.
• Cultural considerations – In cultures where big weddings are the norm (e.g., Italian, Indian, Middle Eastern), it may be difficult for family and friends to understand the concept of a micro wedding.
• Missing the big wedding atmosphere – If you’ve always dreamt of having a full gospel choir or a big band at your wedding, a micro wedding might feel too small.
• Fewer traditional elements – If you enjoy the idea of multiple speeches, a grand entrance, and a packed dance floor, a micro wedding may not deliver the same experience.

If you’re torn, consider a hybrid approach—a micro wedding for your ceremony, followed by a big party or reception at a later date.

Final Thoughts

A micro wedding isn’t just a smaller wedding—it’s an opportunity to create an unforgettable, deeply personal experience. If you’re dreaming of a wedding day that’s intimate, meaningful, and completely unique to you, a micro wedding could be the perfect fit.

Are you ready to start planning your dream micro wedding? Find your ideal celebrant today and bring your vision to life.