The Complete Micro-Wedding Checklist: Plan an Intimate Wedding

Not everyone wants a big, fancy wedding. Not only do the organisational challenges grow incrementally with more guests, but costs can also start to soar. Rather than the ‘Big Day’, a scaled-back micro wedding lets you have all the ceremony, the glamour, and the sense of occasion but on a smaller scale.

In this article, we’ll look at what a micro wedding is and the small wedding planning checklist you need to put together to make your day just as special and organised, but with a lot less hassle. We’ll show you what a micro wedding checklist should include, and why a micro wedding could be a more attractive option than a big wedding. We’ll also discuss the key points of a small wedding checklist, what to include, and the best places to have your micro wedding.

What is a micro-wedding?

A micro wedding is a small, intimate wedding that typically includes fewer than 50 guests, though many couples keep the guest list between 10 and 30. We’re not talking about an elopement or ‘shotgun’ wedding, but one that has all the ceremony, sentiment, and elements of a larger event. With a micro wedding, you scale things down to suit a smaller event.

Guest lists include close family and friends rather than aunts, uncles, and cousins you’ve never met. The day includes a full ceremony (either in a church or a registered venue), and full wedding attire including suits for the groom and a dress for the bride. A professional photographer captures the event, and a reception or meal that includes speeches and celebrations completes the day.

Your micro wedding checklist should include everything you’d normally consider for a large wedding, but with a more restrained approach.

Why should you consider a micro-wedding?

The biggest advantage of a micro wedding is, quite simply, the cost. A modern large wedding can cost tens of thousands of pounds, with the average wedding of 80 guests and all the trimmings costing up to £25,000 if you include honeymoons, gifts, and hen and stag parties. However, that doesn’t mean you have to ‘go cheap’ with a micro wedding. In fact, fewer guests mean you can spend a little more on the details, such as the meal, a more intimate venue, and even upgraded décor and outfits.

A micro wedding also feels much more personal and lets you spend more time with your guests. Interaction is more natural in smaller groups, and nobody ends up feeling left out of the proceedings.

Planning a smaller event also takes some pressure off and lets you focus on the key elements of your special day. Your micro wedding checklist probably won’t be much shorter than for a larger event, but you’ll have fewer invitations to send and fewer family ‘situations’ to navigate.

If you dream of having a wedding abroad, a micro event is much easier to organise than a larger wedding. It also means the people who really want to be there will be, and you won’t put undue pressure on guests who may not be able to afford the cost or have the time to attend a wedding overseas.

Micro weddings put the focus back on the happy couple and the people who are most important to the bride and groom, which is why they’re becoming increasingly popular.

Your Micro-wedding planning checklist

1. Decide what you want from your wedding – Before you even start to plan your micro wedding checklist, sit down together and decide what you want from your wedding. You can’t decide on a wedding, guest list, or venue until you’ve defined your wedding vision. Imagine your perfect day, and jot down all the elements that are essential to you, your family, and your guests. Once you have that vision, you can start planning in a little more detail.
2. Start early – A small wedding checklist isn’t a last-minute thing. You’ll need to start your checklist up to a year before you get married. Break it down into things to organise a year in advance, six months before, three months before, a month before, two weeks before, a week before, and on the day. By stretching your checklist over a longer period, you take some pressure off. You also leave yourself plenty of time to make alternative arrangements if your first-choice photographer isn’t available, or the venue you really wanted is already booked for that date.
3. Create your guest list – A micro wedding is an intimate affair, so it’s time to sit down and figure out exactly who you want at your event. This is where some element of guilt can kick in. Do you really have to leave out your friend from college or that great aunt you haven’t seen since you were a child? Also, remember your guest list includes friends and family from both the groom’s and the bride’s side, so a micro wedding of 20 to 30 people means only 15 people from each side will get an invitation. You are going to let some people down, but remember that this is your day, not theirs. Be firm about your choices and keep a reserve list in case any of your first-choice guests can’t make it on the day.
4. Set your wedding budget – Once you’ve got a firm idea of the guest list, you can think about the budget. A micro wedding list will help you stay on track and keep your budget from running away. As we mentioned earlier, a smaller wedding means you can spend a little more on certain elements, such as the venue, the reception menu, and hotel accommodation. Deciding on a budget as early as possible means you can spread the cost over a year and, if things change, still have time to adapt your budget to suit your plans.
5. Find your micro-wedding venue – Wedding venues aren’t limited to churches and registry offices these days, and locations like country houses or even a Scottish castle are ideal choices for a micro wedding. Your micro wedding venue options can range from country houses and barns to beaches and private gardens. However, if you want to hold a legally recognised marriage ceremony, you’ll need to ensure the location and arrangements meet the relevant legal requirements.
6. A micro wedding abroad – If you’re planning to have your micro wedding overseas, book the venue and arrange the ceremony as soon as possible. Check whether you need to arrange any paperwork and let your guests know the location and the costs of flights, accommodation, and any visa requirements.
7. Set the date – Once you’ve arranged your venue and made sure you can have a legal wedding ceremony there, you can finally set the date. This is when your micro wedding checklist really starts to come into its own.
8. Book the caterers – Now you can start to focus on the individual elements of your micro wedding, most importantly, your caterers. You can book wedding services months in advance, so put this at the top of your small wedding checklist. Discuss menus with your provider, including options for vegetarian and vegan guests.
9. Send out your invites – You can start sending invitations to the select few attending the wedding so you can confirm exact numbers as early as possible. If anyone drops out, you can ask the first person on your reserve list if they’d like to come instead.
10. Choose your wedding theme – If you want to introduce a theme (such as a Steampunk theme or a beach wedding), add it to your micro wedding checklist now, as it’ll influence other considerations such as the décor at the venue, outfits, and the cake.
11. Speaking of the cake… It’s now time to discuss your cake requirements with your chosen baker. Wedding cake specialists are like other essential wedding services; they can be booked up months in advance.
12. Other services – Add other service providers such as photographers, florists, taxis and cars, and the officiant who will oversee the wedding ceremony and explain the arrangements for completing the marriage documentation.
13. Publishing the banns – If you’re having your micro wedding at a church, you’ll need to liaise with the priest or vicar to discuss the ceremony, as well as publishing the banns to let everyone know your wedding is going ahead.
14. Booking accommodation – If your micro wedding is being held away from your usual area, you may need to book accommodation and let guests know what’s available, as well as how to get to the venue.
15. Outfits – It’s time to sort your outfits and buy the two most important pieces of jewellery for the day: the wedding rings. Do this well in advance in case your rings need resizing, or your dress or the groom’s suit needs tailoring.
16. Book your honeymoon – Adding your honeymoon to your intimate wedding checklist helps you book flights and a hotel without juggling everything else. It also gives you time to look around for bargains if you’re hoping to keep the costs down.
17. All the extras – Your micro wedding planning checklist can also include other elements such as:
    1. Invitations and final RSVP dates to confirm your guest list
    1. Marquee arrangements if a wedding is outdoors
    1. Preparing a wedding emergency kit
    1. Booking hairdressers and makeup artists
    1. Buying gifts for bridesmaids, parents, and ushers
18. Wedding insurance – While you may not spend as much on your micro wedding as a big event, it’s still a good idea to add wedding insurance to your small wedding checklist.

How much does a micro-wedding cost?

A micro wedding can cost as much or as little as you want. By cutting down on the number of guests, you can save money, especially since your venue doesn’t need to be as large and your catering costs can be reduced. However, you can spend that money to make your micro wedding more luxurious. By setting your budget early, you can plan further ahead and, if needed, increase it by spreading the cost and saving more over the course of a year.

How can I make a micro-wedding feel special?

Every wedding is special. A micro wedding can feel even more exclusive if you include vows, you’ve written yourself and that are unique to you. A more elaborate menu adds an elegant touch, while gifts for the guests make everyone feel valued and special. Choosing a venue with personal meaning can also make the day one you’ll never forget.

Micro-wedding vs elopement

A micro wedding isn’t the same as an elopement. A micro wedding is a small, intimate wedding that’s planned carefully (thanks to that all-important micro wedding checklist) and that includes around 20 or 30 of your closest friends and family. An elopement used to be a secret marriage with just the bride, groom, a witness, and the officiant. Today, it’s rarely a dash to Gretna Green; instead, it can be a very intimate wedding focused on the marriage ceremony itself rather than the guest list.

If you want to focus purely on your relationship, an elopement is the ultimate personalised experience. However, if you want to include family and friends in your special day, a micro wedding is best.

Common micro-wedding mistakes

• Assuming that a small wedding requires less planning – Nothing could be further from the truth. A micro wedding needs just as much planning as a big event. The only key differences are the number of people involved, the venue size, and the budget. Creating a micro wedding planning checklist is a good idea, no matter how big or small your event is.
• Forgetting the legal stuff – Forgetting the legal aspects of getting married could scupper your big day. Make sure you’ve added all the legal elements, including arranging a registered officiant to perform the ceremony and registering the marriage certificate, to your small wedding checklist.
• Leaving booking the venue to the last minute – Just because you’re having a small wedding doesn’t mean your chosen venue will be able to accommodate you at short notice. Book well in advance, especially if you’re having your wedding during the busy season or the venue is particularly popular.

How many guests are usually at a micro-wedding?

A micro wedding usually has anything between 20 and 30 guests, and sometimes up to 50. Remember, your guests will come from both families, so you’ll need to be strict about who makes the list.

Is a micro-wedding cheaper than a traditional wedding?

Not necessarily. While smaller venues and fewer guests can help keep costs down, you may still end up spending more on a luxurious event.

Make the day special with TH March

For over 130 years, TH March has been providing bespoke insurance to discerning customers. Our new wedding insurance helps protect your special day by providing financial cover should things go wrong. If your venue cancels due to financial failure, or your caterers pull out at the last minute because they’ve gone bust, our wedding insurance can cushion the financial blow. You’ll also get personal liability cover to protect you against compensation claims for injury or property damage. You can find out more on our wedding insurance page or contact us direct to discuss your needs with one of our team.