The pandemic has caused couples dreaming of tying the knot to postpone their plans. Shrinking guest lists and cancellations filled the wedding calendars when coronavirus came to take the spotlight. While there are couples who decided to put off their weddings until the pandemic subsides, there are also ones who braved the current situation and opted for small-scale weddings or micro weddings.
As weddings are considered mass gatherings by health officials, smaller versions can push through given guests, and the main stars of the event follow social-distancing and mask-wearing mandates.
What are micro weddings?
Ann Marie Leveille, founder of Birmingham-based Tiny Weddings stated that they are seeing people willing to conduct their weddings on smaller scales, hold the event outside, and are pushing to make weddings as normal as possible.
Micro weddings typically include up to 30 people on the guest list. The list often contains immediate family members and close friends. A more intimate event will make the wedding planning much simpler—wedding planners do not often receive small-scale wedding bookings. This means there is usually no wait list for weddings of this size.
Small scale weddings often require large indoor venues in order to spread out guests and maintain social distancing. Taking vulnerable individuals off the guest list is also one of its defining characteristics given the ongoing health crisis.
What should be considered when planning a micro wedding?
According to Dr. Wesley Willeford of the Department of Health in Jefferson County, Alabama:
“Anytime you have a lot of people close together without masks and being social with each other, that’s a chance for COVID-19 to spread.”
While this can be off-putting for both the guests and couples, some still choose to go through with their dream bash by going micro.
One of the first things to consider when planning a small-scale wedding during a pandemic is the number of people. If you and your partner plan to have an intimate wedding bash, you must be thinking of your immediate relatives.
Your immediate relatives might include elderly and sick people. It might come off as rude not to invite them, but with a virus that affects them more than any other people going around, opting to live steam your wedding for them is a good option. Live streaming the event will also eliminate the need for one of your guests to have their camera up during the wedding.
A venue big enough to have all your guests adequately spaced from each other is also one thing to consider. Having 30 people on your guest list might need a bigger space than it used to before the virus came into our lives.
Micro weddings do not have to be vastly different from traditional weddings we used to have before the pandemic. You and your partner can still dress up–match your white wedding motif with elegant wedding bands made of white gold and diamonds, prepare good food, music, and event segments for you and your guests, and make the milestone feel the way it should—joyful and celebrated.
Weddings are meaningful events that involve vowing to spend your life with another person. Something as meaningful as they are should be planned and celebrated to the best of your abilities. A way to ensure the smooth execution of wedding plans is to turn to the wedding planning pros—they can give you and your partner the best help to plan the dream bash.
Are there downsides to opting for a micro wedding?
There are downsides, yes. That includes not being able to invite each of your friends. Weddings usually have up to a hundred guests before the virus. Now, even if you invite acquaintances, chances are they might not be able to make it due to virus concerns and the nature of the event you invited them to attend being considered a mass gathering. Micro weddings will also prevent you from hugging and kissing your family and close friends during and after the event, which we all know is understandable.
Should you go micro?
If you and your partner really want to tie the knot and can’t take further delays, take this advice: weddings on this scale will allow you to conduct your dream event as a couple. But are you willing to compromise on some aspects of the event? That is one of the many things to consider if you are thinking of getting married during the pandemic.