Hot Take: Why I Think Micro Weddings Are the Best

I think Micro Weddings are the best thing since sliced bread. And I’m not just saying that because I photograph them, I’m saying that because that is exactly how I got married! Micro Weddings are popular and trending, and for good reason. They consist of low guest counts, under 50 people but average 20-25. Micro Weddings include all of the joy, excitement and love as bigger weddings and usually come at a lower price point, lower stress, and less overwhelm.

If you're searching for micro wedding ideas or considering a small wedding in Richmond, Virginia, or somewhere else that feels like you, I hope you can get some inspiration on how to do things differently (and give yourself permission to do so!). Because I have some thoughts about the wedding industry, so let’s chat about them.

Micro Weddings aren’t “cheap” just because they cost less

Whoever said that is crazy! Just because something costs less, doesn’t make it any less valuable, meaningful or beautiful! Everyone deserves a gorgeous wedding with their loved ones. There is nothing wrong with throwing a giant wedding if that is what you want and what you can afford, but the reality is: not everyone can. With rising costs, societal pressures, materialism, and the wedding industry making you feel like you have to have buy SO much stuff for your wedding to be perfect — i think it’s important that we ground ourselves back into what really matters. The people you surround yourself with, your marriage, and being in the sacred moments of your union.

A beautiful wedding doesn't have to mean a high ticket venue, insane flowers, hundreds of guests, or all of the little details you've been told you need (and that will honestly go to waste after the day is done). You can have a gorgeous micro wedding without taking out a loan, and you can prioritize the things you actually care about. Maybe that's your photographer, a delicious dinner with your favorite people, or getting married somewhere that has special memories. Whatever that looks like for you, it doesn't have to cost a fortune!

And just because you're spending less doesn't mean you're settling. You're making choices about where your money goes, and honestly, I applaud you.

Break the mold - you’re not being selfish

You don’t have to do something just because it is “tradition.” You don’t have to follow something that is against your values, and you certainly don’t have to think about anyone other than you and your fiance for your wedding day. Some people might say you’re selfish, inconsiderate, or get upset when you choose to have your wedding day YOUR way. And that’s on them. It is called YOUR wedding day for a reason! Here is your permission to choose your own budget, happiness, and priorities on your wedding day!

Let's talk about the guest list, because I think this is one of the biggest stressors when planning a wedding. You have your family (personally, I come from a huge one!), your partner's family, friends, coworkers, family friends, and the people you feel obligated to invite because they invited you to their wedding five years ago. Before you know it, you're planning a wedding for 150 people, you’re like wait… how the hell did I get here?!

But, you don’t have to do that. What if you invited the people who genuinely show up for you, who love you, and who make you feel safe and celebrated? What if you spent your wedding day surrounded by the people you actually want there?

You can love someone and still choose not to invite them to your wedding.

And if someone is upset that they didn't get an invitation? That is a conversation you can have, but it doesn't mean you need to change your entire wedding to make everyone else happy.

Micro Weddings are still a BIG deal

Your wedding is still your wedding, regardless of how many people are there to witness it. You are still marrying the love of your life. You are still celebrating something incredibly special, and you deserve to have every bit of that. And with a smaller guest list, you may have more time to actually enjoy your wedding day. More time to talk to your people, soak in the moments, and be present with your partner instead of feeling like you're being pulled in 15 different directions.

Elopements aren't the same as micro weddings

I photograph both, and while they can overlap, micro weddings and elopements aren't necessarily the same thing.

A micro wedding typically includes a small group of guests, often around 20–25 people, and can still include many of the traditional wedding elements. Like cake, toasts, first dance, etc. You can have all the parts of a traditional wedding that you love, just on a smaller scale.

An elopement, on the other hand, tends to focus more on the couple (typically no guests) and the experience of getting married itself. Maybe it's exchanging vows on a mountaintop, having a private ceremony somewhere meaningful, or bringing along just a handful of your favorite people. Elopements can be adventurous, intimate, laid-back, or completely unconventional.

And here's the thing: there isn't a strict rulebook! An elopement can include guests, and a micro wedding can be incredibly unconventional. The two can overlap, and neither one is more meaningful than the other.

The biggest question is what kind of experience you want to have. Sit down and list out your musts and then the things you can budge on. Once you figure that out, you can start building a wedding day that feels like you.

Your wedding day should feel like YOU

I think we get so caught up in what a wedding is supposed to look…. so I want to ask you: what do you want?! (cue Noah asking Allie)

Do you want to spend hours taking photos with a wedding party? Do you want a big reception with dancing until midnight? Do you want to get married in the mountains and have dinner with your favorite people afterward? Do you want to skip the traditional ceremony altogether?

There is no right or wrong answer here.

Your wedding doesn't need to be Pinterest-perfect. It doesn't need to look like the weddings you see on Instagram. It doesn't need to make sense to anyone else. It just needs to feel like yours.

So, how do you feel?

If the thought of a smaller wedding makes you feel relieved, excited, or like you can finally breathe a little, I think that is worth noting!!

Micro weddings aren't for everyone, and that's okay!

But if you're looking for a more intimate, intentional, and potentially more affordable way to get married, I hope you know that you have options. You can have a beautiful wedding without spending your entire savings account. You can get married without inviting 100 people. You can break traditions, make your own, and build a day around what actually matters to you.

And if you're dreaming of a small wedding or micro wedding in Richmond, Virginia, or an intimate mountain elopement, I'd love to help you bring that vision to life. As a Richmond wedding and elopement photographer, I want to document your day as it actually feels — the big emotions, the little moments, and all the beautifully real stuff in between.