Micro-Wedding Is The Newest Trend On The Block
Weddings have been synonymous with a flamboyant event, considered to be better only if it is on a grand scale. However, with the change in the perspective of modern-day couples, the current trend of intimate micro-weddings is gaining immense popularity.
When you mention a wedding, rarely, you won’t follow it up with the prefixes ‘Big’ and ‘Fat’, especially; if your roots belong to India. Unarguably, weddings for most of us have always been a grand affair, replete with all the extravaganza, fineries, band-baaja, naach-gaana and weeklong celebrations.
However, recently with more and more modern couples wanting their big day to be an intimate affair, the conventional big-fat-wedding has given way to a new trend — Micro-wedding. Moreover, this latest wedding trend has further gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic; since celebrations are now restricted with only a limited number of guests allowed to join in the revelries.
So, are you wondering what is a micro-wedding exactly?
Well, it’s fairly simple. As the name suggests, micro-wedding is an intimate wedding day celebration; where you engage in all the same rituals and fun but instead of having a guest list with over hundred people, you choose to celebrate your special day with immediate family and close friends. A micro-wedding can either be a casual affair or incorporate most aspects of the traditional nuptial ceremony but on a smaller scale. While a big-fat-wedding is stressful and demands huge investment, a micro-wedding, on the other hand, is far less stressful and easy on the pocket too.
While one has seen a rise in the micro-wedding trend during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the fact is a lot of young couples today are bucking the conventional wedding norms and instead are opting to wed in a minimalistic way for the sheer beauty of simplicity, including some celebrities.
Model-turned-actor Milind Soman, who got married to Ankita Konwar in 2018 in a small intimate ceremony attended only by friends and family said, “My wife, Ankita, wanted to have a simple, understated yet meaningful wedding. We just had some close friends and family for the rituals. The intimate ceremony made it meaningful.” Even Neha Dhupia and beau Angad Bedi ditched the fancy trimmings of a big-fat-wedding and instead opted for a low-key ceremony. Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost, who got married during the pandemic, also opted for a micro-wedding. Actress Shweta Tripathi, supermodel Natalia Vodianova, Princess Beatrice are among the many celebrities, who skipped the big hurrah for a micro-wedding.
Well, if keeping it simple, small and intimate appeals to your sensibilities and you would like to go micro too, we have collated some tips to help you plan a successful micro-wedding. Here’s how you should plan for the perfect micro-wedding…
Chalk Out The Guest List
Perhaps, this is the toughest task on hand while planning for a micro-wedding, hence better to start your preps for the D-day by building your guest list or rather downsizing the list. Because micro-wedding is all about keeping it intimate and limiting the number of people attending your wedding, a specific headcount is always important. So ideally it is best to plan your guest list in advance. It’s indeed a tough call to make to resist inviting the whole town for your big day, but remember sticking to a limited number of invitees is also crucial during coronavirus times. Having your guest list in place will also help you break down the cost of the entire ceremony. Lesser the number of people, the more you can save or splurge on things that you really want for the wedding. A micro-wedding typically consists of 30-50 guests. So, make sure you send the invites only to the ones who matter. Most importantly, don’t feel guilty for cutting out distant relatives and fair-weather friends.
Different Guest List For Different Functions
If you are planning to have more than one wedding function, it is wise to divide the number of guests between the various functions. This way you can also manage to invite the ones, who you were feeling terrible about having to keep out.
Make Your Budget
While you have decided to go ahead with a micro-wedding, bear in mind that it still comes at a cost. Agreed, you have opted for an intimate affair, but depending on the venue, décor, food, music band, your outfit for the big day, etc., a micro-wedding is still going to cost you a good deal of money. Hence, it is important to know your spending limits. Decide beforehand how much money you want to allocate for the wedding and for what. A well-planned wedding day budget will save you from any last-minute anxieties.
Make A Saving vs. Splurge List
While a micro-wedding gives you an option to save money, it also gives you an option of splurging on things like food, drinks, décor, music, memorabilia, etc. For every couple the preferences are different and knowing where you would like to spend more and what you would like to keep casual is essential, so that you are only smiling on the D-day and not getting worked up about spending that extra dough on an unnecessary floral arrangement. Decide whether you want to treat your guest to an elaborate feast or would you rather splurge on the orchids floral arrangement that you wanted. Even though, it’s a micro-wedding you need to decide whether you want to keep things casual or fancy, and where to splurge and where to scrimp.
Choose Your Dream Venue
The best part about having an intimate style wedding is that it gives you more flexibility to choose your dream venue. The minute you cut down on the guest list, you have more options to look for that perfect location as now you don’t have to stress about accommodating hundreds of guests. Whether it’s a quaint cottage by the sea, or a beautifully decorated backyard, or a sprawling vineyard, or your favourite restaurant, or for that matter a gorgeous destination — you can now treat yourself to that dreamy venue you always wanted for your special day. With your budgets under control and a limited guest list now you can spend the dough where it matters the most. A micro-wedding is also the best bet for couples wanting a destination wedding, as they only have to manage the arrangements for 30-40 guests. So, don’t hesitate much with selecting your unique wedding venue. Planning well in advance will also get you some great deals.
Make Your Guests Feel Special
Make your special day all the more special by making your guests feel special by giving them handwritten notes, or treating them to small thoughtful tokens of appreciation or personalized gifts. Given that it is a micro-wedding, it is much easier to add such meaningful touches to your ceremony.
Don’t Skip The Professionals
Even though it’s a micro-wedding, don’t forget it’s your big day hence make sure you hire professionals. Be it a photographer, baker, florist or an event planner turn to pros to ensure a smooth hurdle-free perfect wedding ceremony. You would want to document your special day, hence bringing on-board a good photographer is always advisable as opposed to asking a friend or family member to capture the ceremony. Likewise, your cake and décor too need professional attention, even though it’s an intimate affair.