Micro Weddings vs. Mini Weddings | is there a difference?
Honestly, this whole social media thing has never been my strong point. I get so focused on my clients, planning their weddings, venue walk throughs, vendor meetings, and trying to remember to eat during the day that social media always seems to get left behind. I am really really trying to be better though!
I have been training for a bikini competition and it has taught me so much discipline and has shown me how much time is wasted on things that don’t matter in the overall big picture of reaching a goal. For example, I love me some pizza. BUT that is not going to get me closer to stage weight, instead it’s going to set me back. Same goes for aimlessly scrolling my personal instagram feed and Mercari. Tons of time wasted that could be spent writing blog posts and engaging on my business accounts. So, here it goes!
Today I wanted to chat about the difference between micro weddings and mini weddings. A couple months ago we were featured in an article on CBS8 in San Diego for our elopement and micro wedding packages. When the pandemic first hit, there was so much uncertainty in pretty much every industry except maybe grocery stores and the medical field. The wedding industry REALLY took a hit though. As did the travel industry and other related fields. I mean… who could have every predicted ANY of this would ever happen?! No one. I used to joke with my parents that being a business owner in the wedding industry was actually really smart and stable because weddings would always be a thing. People would always be getting married. Then I was quickly put in my place, ha!
When everything did hit though, I knew this thing was here to stay for a bit and if I wanted to stay afloat (I had literally just bought out another rental company’s inventory literally two weeks before quarantine) and keep busy, I had to get creative… so I hopped on some calls with some of my fav wedding vendors and we threw together an all inclusive micro wedding package. This led to the article feature, which led to a huge and sudden influx of couples desperately wondering what they could do because they did not want to have to wait until the unforeseeable future to get married. The solution? Micro/Mini weddings.
The problem is, now that the terms are becoming so popular in the industry and the new “go-to” for pandemic weddings, people are confusing the two as interchangeable and they are not.
What is a micro wedding?
A micro wedding is going to be a ceremony with less than 50 guests in attendance that can be socially distanced. You can choose to live stream the ceremony to more guests or even to people who don’t feel comfortable being in large gatherings right now.
Things in San Diego are starting to open up so that’s good news! Regardless, you CAN hold a ceremony in Cali outdoors with social distancing. You could add in a toast or to-go grazing boxes for your guests so there’s a little something to say “thank you” to everyone after the ceremony. The receptions are what is not allowed, so a micro wedding is a good option for anyone who still wants to get married right now and it will keep everyone safe. You also can absolutely still take all your formal wedding pictures and portraits!
What is a mini wedding?
A mini wedding is what tons of people have been confusing for a micro wedding. I’ll admit, I was one of those people. These weddings haven’t been at the forefront of anyone’s portfolio so the confusion is to be expected. However, it is so important to me that I stay up to date with the latest trends and directions of the wedding industry, so I educated myself on the topic!
A mini wedding is going to look something like a small ceremony, formal pictures, a mini reception, formal introductions, specialty dances, toasts, and cake cutting. You may be wondering to yourself, “ok, well then how is that different from a typical wedding?” The answer is because you won’t have an open dance floor, bar, or 10 hour event. Your guest count will also be considerably smaller. The sweet spot for this is under 20 guests. It can be stretched a little, but take into consideration your area and the ability to be distanced in order to stay in state compliance.
Most of the weddings we are planning this season are taking on this format in some way. What I have been recommending to my clients is a ceremony, normal cocktail hour for guests so pictures can take place, and a small intimate family dinner with some of the formalities mentioned above. You don’t really need a DJ or bartender for these small events, especially if you’re hosting a backyard wedding or it is on a private property. Opt for just some beers and wine in tubs of ice and self-serve style.
The beauty of mini weddings is that you likely went from a decent size guest list with a budget that correlated, then to a smaller guest list but the money still accounted for. In turn, some things are able to be a little more extravagant than they originally were. Keep in mind though, just because you are having a much smaller guest count and a mini wedding, doesn’t necessarily mean you can do it for dirt cheap. Costs that will always be around the same amount are a rental location, photographer, videographer, officiant, and maybe even your planner. Costs that will be dependent upon your guest count are catering, florals, HMUA (depends on # of people getting hair and makeup done), desserts, and alcohol. These aren’t necessarily set in stone either way, but the point is to expect to be able to save in some ways, but pay regular fees in others.
I have tons of couples still reaching out and wondering what their options are and what a micro/mini wedding looks like. Hopefully this gave you a little more insight! We do offer planning for these weddings so head on over to our contact page for more information.