I was due to get married in April and walk down the aisle in front of 200 guests. I felt excited, in love – and terrified. Did I really want 400 eyes on me as I said my vows? Would my new husband and I have any time together on the day, or would we be running around talking to guests?
So when corona came and cancelled the day, yes I felt sad – but also relieved.
Somehow, in between UK lockdowns, we managed to rearrange our wedding day. Our guest list got sliced from 200 down to 15. And you know what, I don’t regret it one bit. Here’s why, from one micro wedding bride to another, it could be the best thing you ever do.
1. We got cake!
We weren’t going to have a cake at the ‘original wedding™’ – I’d been to too many weddings where it gets forgotten about as guests drink the bar dry. So when our evening wedding party turned into a long lunch, cake seemed the perfect finisher. Having a small day allowed for other thoughtful details that otherwise would have been cost prohibitive. We chose to give favours (designer hand sanitiser) and each menu and place name was personally calligraphied. Plus, the menu is now framed in my downstairs loo, so I got a piece of art out of it too.
2. I felt relaxed – and that showed in the photos.
Whilst getting ready wasn’t the fanfare it was going to be, it was also bloody lovely! I remember reading that Erin Foster had got ready for her wedding on her own, and thinking how chilled that would be. I didn’t go quite that extreme, but just had my best friend come and join me for hair and make-up. The whole day was relaxed and beautiful, and you can see that in the photos. There’s plenty of me cracking up and chatting with people – we got the time to really let it sink in and enjoy it.
3. It’s a wedding like no other.
Let’s be honest, how many micro weddings have you been to? I’m guessing not many (I’ve only been to my own!). Which means that for your guests, it will stand out and be super memorable. What’s more, when there’s a celebration during corona it feels even more special. All our guests couldn’t wait to get their glad rags on (dress code was ‘let’s celebrate!’) and we’ve been dissecting the day for weeks since.
4. The budget is so much more manageable.
Yes, your wedding day is the best day of your life, but it’s crazy how the budget just grows and grows. Ours was getting out of control, until corona chopped it down to size. I joke that I never expected to have the cheapest wedding of my siblings but I did and it was bloody brilliant!
So there you have it. A micro wedding may not be for everyone, but for us it was perfect.
When she’s not planning (and re-planning) her wedding / talking about her micro wedding, Jessica helps the sandwich generation look after their older parents at ElWell.