8 Top Tips For Your Amazing Micro Wedding Reception
By Beth A Weddings, creator of Marvellous Micro Weddings
Photos by Lisa Jane Photography
When life gives you lemons…
The ever-evolving wedding industry is now swinging towards micro weddings in response to government guidelines. Whilst small and intimate may not have been the wedding you’d always dreamed of, there is still the potential to to have an amazing micro wedding reception. Just follow these 8 top tips from Beth A Weddings, a UK based wedding coordinator who’s used to dealing with weddings of all shapes and sizes!
1. Don't be confined by tradition.
It’s not about doing a smaller version of a traditional wedding. With a micro wedding you have the freedom to do things differently. Keep the customs and rituals you love but bring in your own ideas too. Speeches for me are an essential, but this can be done in a more informal way, with guests saying a few words throughout the dinner. This is a Swedish tradition with between 8-12 short speeches being the norm.
2. Make it personal.
Your wedding reception should be all about you. If you are foodies, book your favourite restaurant. If you love adventure, hire a boat or go on a hike. If your idea of heaven is cuddling up watching movies, have a film night. It's about having all your favourite people together, celebrating love and having fun. It might cause some confusion amongst the older relatives but if its well planned and they can see you're happy, they'll love it.
3. Just because numbers are smaller, don't try to do it all yourself.
Caterers, coordinator, makeup artist... all these suppliers will make the day relaxing for you and your guests. Family members might want to volunteer their services but make sure they are only doing and making things that can be done in advance of the wedding.
4. A great photographer and videographer are essential.
Smaller numbers means that there's bound to be people who would love to see the day, even if they're not on the guest list. Look for those who have experience doing micro weddings or elopements and get to know them on a video chat before you book. It's important for you to love your team as they will be a part of the party (while at the same time being totally professional).
5. Wear what you like .
Animal onesie, festival inspired two piece or designer dress - if it suits the style of the wedding then go for it! This goes for grooms too. The most important thing is that you feel great in whatever you decide to wear.
6. Location is key.
Talk to venues about how you can adapt them to suit your guest list or choose a venue such as an airbnb house or restaurant with a private room. For those on a budget you could go for your local park or beauty spot - though the British weather means that it's always wise to have a back up plan. The legal ceremony doesn't need to take place on the same day as your reception, but if this is important to you then you need to take this into consideration when choosing your venue.
7. Combine the hen/stag and make a weekend of it.
Friday night for the crazy fun, Saturday for the romantic fun with those important wedding traditions and Sunday for the big breakfast before everyone heads home. You might not want your Granny at all events, so have a stationer design a guide to the weekend so everyone can see where they need to be and when!