Small Wedding Ideas - Tips for Planning a Micro Wedding
What will weddings look like in this new age of physical distancing? No one knows for sure what the future will hold, but we do know that traditional weddings with extended guest lists and vast budgets are on the back burner, perhaps permanently. Hence the micro wedding - a small wedding ceremony for close friends and family.
Introducing...the Micro Wedding.
In this (hopefully) post-pandemic day and age, keeping social gatherings small can help provide flexibility as well as helping to keep your guests feeling comfortable. However, this also requires you to get creative and think outside the box when it comes to hosting a wedding.
Traditional weddings have been replaced by the new micro wedding. Still featuring the same traditions as their larger counterpart, these smaller wedding celebrations offer a much more intimate feel. If you’ve already started planning but are uncertain as to how to proceed, here are a few tips on hosting a small wedding:
Tip #1: Pare Down your Guest List
Drafting a guest list is difficult at the best of times, but now you need to have a guest list that is...smaller. How small? That depends on your comfort level, but under 50 people (including you, your new spouse, and the wedding party) is a good rule of thumb if you'd like to maximize the ability to host an event should gathering limits change. Where do you draw the line? Stick to your close family and friends that are already in your social bubble. On the positive side, reducing your guest list will also reduce the cost of your wedding, so now you can splurge on a few items you wouldn’t have been able to with a larger guest list.
Tip #2: Get Creative
Don’t let the transition to a micro wedding stop you from having the wedding you want! Let your creativity go wild. Look for unique small wedding venues, such as a microbrewery, winery, or a friend’s fun backyard. Rent gold chairs for a touch of glamour, create a custom cocktail menu, or splurge on interesting party favours for your guests. The possibilities really are endless.
Tip #3: Ensure Guest Safety & Comfort
Whether you are renting a small wedding venue or hosting one in your own in a backyard, be sure to follow all the necessary precautions to keep everyone safe and double check any new/changed health order, if there are any. A best practice is to keep a list of all guest and vendor contact information in case contact tracing becomes necessary. Set up a station with masks and sanitizer for your guests upon arrival so they can decide what they're comfortable with. Post signage reminding of any applicable health orders (if any) such as masking or physical distancing. Need help? Avalon has a complete sanitization selection of hand sanitizing stations, hand wash stations and signage for your wedding.
Tip #4: Consider Outdoor Spaces and Venues
Outdoor small wedding venues are more popular than ever before because they tend to allow much more flexibility - particularly as gathering guidelines change. By using multiple tents, you can ensure proper physical distancing between tables themselves and reduce the number of guests seated at each table. For cocktail hour, the bar can be placed away from the main tent allowing for more mingling room. The same goes for the dancefloor! Avalon can assist you with space planning as we have the industry-leading “PartyCAD” software allowing us to design your space to scale. If you need a tent, Avalon has the largest selection in the interior with tents ranging from 100 to 10,000 sq.ft.
Tip #5: Wave Goodbye to Buffets
Over the past few years, communal food styles have dominated over traditional plated service. It seems now there will be a shift back into a more refined dining experience. Start with a caterer experienced in providing seated table service, and then browse Avalon Event Rentals’ extensive inventory of china, glassware, cutlery, and napkins to match your style and dining needs.
Tip #6: Extend the Fun
If paring down the guestlist for your celebration is not plausible, there are options! Host a virtual ceremony so everyone can “attend” and then plan several smaller events to get together with friends and family. Hosting smaller wedding celebrations can help make planning easier, where you’ll just need a location such as a backyard to set up, and then perhaps a few rentals including a barbecue, tent, tables and chairs. Avalon Event Rentals even has the perfect sound system so you can keep dancing.
Tip #7: Hire Help
Putting some of your wedding budget towards a professional wedding planner is money well spent. Instead of worrying about all the details, your planner can help coordinate, suggest vendors and suppliers, and can let you relax and enjoy this most important day. You deserve it!
Through it all, Avalon Event Rentals is here to help plan your perfect micro wedding. From tents to tables, sanitizing stations to portable washrooms, and even heaters for the cooler months, we can help you take your small wedding ideas into reality. Start by browsing our catalogue or give us a call!
