Micro Weddings - Why it might be right for you?

If you have been perusing wedding social media lately, you have probably heard the term "micro weddings", a trendy alternative to having the wedding of your dreams but on a scaled down version. You still have the ceremony and the reception, but you are limiting your guest size to around 10 - 75 guests. For couples that are more introverted, a smaller guest count is an already given plus to micro weddings, but for any couple what are the advantages of having a micro wedding?

First, a smaller guest count could mean a smaller wedding budget. Catering, bar budget, table decor, invitations costs, and any other wedding item that only increases with the amount of guests you have, can be reduced with a micro wedding. Instead of spending $15,000 on a caterer, you now may only have to spend $2000. The extra savings a couple may gain from these areas can allow for money to be allotted towards personal savings, a honeymoon, or even put towards other elements of a wedding that may be of more importance to the couple like florals, photography, or that string quartet you have always wanted to play at your wedding. You could also splurge on a specific caterer or catering menu that you couldn't afford if you invited 200 guests but now can because there are only 50 guests to feed. Staying on wedding budget is important, and a micro wedding may help couples achieve that.

Secondly, micro weddings allow for other venue options to be considered. Perhaps you have dreamed of having your wedding at a small public garden where you had your first date or an historic venue with stunning architecture, but there was no way those spaces would fit 150 guests. You have to ask yourself is the space where you want to say your vows as important and the people that surround you. If it is and the space is too small to incorporate a larger crowd, then limiting your guest size to a micro wedding size might be the right thing to do.

Another reason to consider a micro wedding is the reduced stress that it may provide. A smaller guest list means not as many people in a seating chart to figure out or fewer RSVPs that you hope will be returned. So many couples want to include little personal details and favors for their guests, which take time to make and personalize. Less guests mean less DIYing which means less time taken which can definitely mean less stress. Also, the more guests you have means the more personalities in one room and sometimes that may not always be a good thing. The reality is that planning and hosting a wedding can be stressful, so scaling back the size of your guest list may bring you the peace of every couple wishes for on their wedding day.

Lastly, micro weddings provide an intimacy that is harder to achieve with a larger wedding. Being able to take the time at your reception to talk with each of your 300 guests is a challenging task. Larger weddings may be filled with unknown plus ones or distant cousins that even though you are grateful that they came, they feel more like a stranger to you. For some couples, larger crowds of people are intimidating, and it just feels more comfortable being surrounded by less people. Having only those around you that really know you and your love story. Those family and friends that are going to be a part of your life long after the cake has been cut and the DJ has announced the last call. Micro weddings allow for quieter conversations, more inside jokes that everyone is going to get, and chance for the bride and groom to connect with every guest they invited.

Mico weddings aren't for everyone, but they may be for you and fiancé. The first wedding planning conversation you have with each other should be about the kind of wedding that feels right for the both of you. Big or small, simple or extra, expensive or pocketbook friendly, these are all valuable points to come to an agreement on so that you can enjoy planning your wedding.

If you are considering a micro wedding, The Rafter is offering micro wedding packages January 1 - March 21, 2027. Now, I know what you are thinking, it can be cold in Kentucky during that time, and The Rafters is a country venue. Both things are true, but The Rafters is climate controlled and off of a main highway, making us warm and easy to get to. By reducing the size of your guest list to under 92, the reception room has the ability to be a quaint ceremony site on one side of the room, and a place for tables and chairs for dinner on the other. Our micro wedding packages still allow you to have the venue from Friday through Sunday and all of our amenities are included. Micro wedding pricing starts out at $3500, so please contact us today if this is something you would be interested in.

~Christal