There was a time when a wedding guest list rivaled the census of a small country. Today you’re more apt to attend a smaller, more intimate wedding celebration. Let’s take a look at these micro weddings – what they are, who’s having them, and where they can be celebrated.
What is a Micro Wedding?
Micro weddings often feature many of the aspects of a traditional wedding, but on a smaller scale. For example:
- The guest list of a micro wedding generally tops out at 50 people
- The venue may be a room, not a hall
- Music may be provided by a Spotify playlist you curated
This spotlight on scale is what separates a micro wedding from an elopement or a minimony. While those two events tend to be focused on the ceremony, the micro wedding takes in the total wedding celebration.
Six Micro Wedding Benefits
There are pluses and minuses to every “way” to get married. And those of course will change depending on each couple and their unique situation. What’s important in planning a wedding is that you create a day and experience that best meets what you want. As you are weighing the type of wedding to have, consider these six micro wedding benefits.
A More Intimate Affair
At your micro wedding you won’t be spending half your time looking at a guest and trying to figure out how they are related. You’ll know everyone well and be able to spend quality time with them. You’ve invited all of these people to be with you for this moment and a micro wedding allows you to more directly share the experience with them.
You Won’t Break the Bank
According to Brides magazine, the average cost of a “traditional” wedding is around $30,000. A micro wedding could cost ¼ of that.
It’s Environmentally Friendly
Micro weddings mean less of everything. This lowers your landfill contribution and carbon imprint.
Less Stress
By their very nature, micro weddings bring less stress to the big day. There’s less planning and coordinating with a micro wedding. And by scaling back on “stuff” you’re scaling back on stress. Plus on your actual wedding day, you may find it a bit more relaxing than you expected it to be because there are less “day of” things to worry about and the overall intimacy of the day has a certain relaxed vibe to it.
It’s Uncomplicated
Planning a traditional wedding can be practically a full-time affair. A micro wedding can lessen that workload considerably. Especially if you choose to hold yours in one location with a team dedicated to making your special day just that.
More Places to Say “I Do”
Having a smaller guest list opens up the number of locations for your special day. It expands your options for the ceremony and celebration. In a micro wedding you could exchange vows in a special outdoor location and then head inside to party. Or you can do everything in one location like at The Hotel LeVeque, which offers multiple spaces to meet a couple’s specific needs.
Is a Micro Wedding Right for Us?
Everyone has different ideas for their wedding:
- Some people just like to keep things simple
- Others don’t like to shine under a spotlight
- Some couples might have complicated family dynamics
- Others might want to maintain the markers of a traditional wedding but in a more intimate way
A micro wedding sets up everyone for a successful day that will start their new life together with a warm heart and happy memories.
How to Plan a Micro Wedding
As you are planning your micro wedding you might start to feel pressure to make it just a little bit…bigger.
- “What’s a few more people?”
- “Why don’t you offer an extra appetizer?”
- “But a band is so much fun…”
Remember that all of those little “compromises” can quickly move your wedding from micro to macro. It can be difficult but saying “No” now can keep your micro wedding dreams alive.
Micro Wedding Locations
One of the joys of a micro wedding is that, because of its size, the possibilities for where it can be held are wide open. With a micro wedding you can add to the specialness of the ceremony by getting married in a place that has particular meaning.
- The backyard of your childhood home
- The steps of a downtown landmark
- Along the banks of the Scioto
- At the bar where you met
Or you might choose a central location like the historic Hotel LeVeque in downtown Columbus which has several beautiful rooms for ceremonies and celebrations.
- The Foyer and Coleman – These are ideal spaces for intimate wedding ceremonies. The Coleman can comfortably hold up to 40 guests and the Foyer is the perfect space for parties of 20.
- The Coleman, Deshler and Ionian – Perfect for hosting a cozy wedding reception or dinner. The Coleman can seat up to 30 guests for dinner while the Deshler and Ionian can each accommodate up to 40 guests for both a cocktail hour and dinner reception.
Micro Weddings at Hotel LeVeque
The LeVeque offers more than just space to celebrate. The iconic art deco windows and stunning déco, will delight guests and provide them with signature backdrops for celebrating and photo taking. Plus the neutral color schemes across the hotel won’t clash with your wedding theme.
Catering can be done through The Keep Kitchen & Liquor Bar which is located onsite and provides dishes that will transport your guest’s taste buds. There are also 149 spacious guest rooms so that you don’t need to coordinate transportation to and from locations – guests only need to summon an elevator!
Contact the Hotel LeVeque Events Manager today to talk about how to plan your micro wedding.
Related Resources
Determining the Cost of a Wedding Venue