The Rise of Micro Weddings
Words by Fairina Cheng, of Fairina Cheng Jewellery www.fairinachengjewellery.com
Epic white weddings with hundreds of guests and a six-figure budget are making way for the “micro wedding” trend. The micro wedding, typified by single-digit guest lists and intimate ceremonies, are fast becoming the celebration du jour for couples valuing authenticity over grandeur. I mean, how romantic is the thought of having just a tiny handful of wedding guests, people who you are most close to, your biggest love cheerleaders, there with you when you tie the knot?
As a custom jeweler who some may describe as a bit unconventional, I am working with more and more couples who either elope or get married with just their family and close friends in attendance. They want their wedding to be about them, and don’t care for flashy affairs and blingy engagement rings. Instead, they want their special day to be authentic, meaningful, and full of fun memories.
Generally, couples opt for a micro wedding because they’re keen to have a stress-free, drama-free event where they can enjoy themselves and the company of their favorite people. As a bonus, micro weddings usually cost less, which means couples can focus on personalized details like unusual venues and handcrafted wedding and engagement rings. It also means that fewer couples are heading into marriage in debt, which you will be very thankful that you did later on down the track.
However, to pull off an epic mico-wedding of your own, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Keep the guest list small
Start with the five most important people in your lives. If that doesn’t cover it, allow five more. Don’t just include people because they would be upset if they weren’t invited; instead, ask yourself, ‘Would I be sad if they weren’t there?’ It’s easy to add one person to the list and then feel guilty about not inviting the ten other people in that social circle, so be selective. Remember that no one else, not your family or your friends, can dictate who you want there on the big day. Hold strong to that one. Weddings are notorious for bringing out [well-intentioned, I’m sure] opinions of others.
Get creative with your venue
With fewer people, it’s easier to be flexible with your location. Go beyond the traditional wedding venues and think about your favorite restaurants, bars and places that mean something to you as a couple. This could be the park where you had your first kiss or the place where you had your first date. Sometimes the most untraditional places are where you’ll get the best photos. Having fewer people to cater for may also mean that you can have the destination wedding you’ve been dreaming of! Take your favorite people with you and have the kind of wedding you would never have been able to with a hundred guests in tow.
Put your money where your heart is
With couples spending an average of more than $30k on their weddings, micro weddings empower couples to spend their cash on the things that matter most to them. For you, this might mean great photographs that capture memories you’ll back on years down the track, or a bespoke ring that is completely customized to you and your partner’s shared history. As a jeweler, the most interesting rings are those that feature hidden symbols that lovers can keep secret or choose to share. I love subtle references to the place you met, memories you hold dear, or quirky symbols that mean the world to you both. There’s nothing quite like a personalized piece of story-telling jewelry you can carry with you every day of your married life.
