How To Save Money on a Micro Wedding, According to Redditors

If you’re hearing the words “micro wedding” everywhere, there’s good reason. The average wedding in 2022 cost around $30,000, according to a survey conducted by The Knot. That's a big chunk of change.

A micro wedding, however, could cost as little as $1,000, and couples are seeing the benefits. The money savings can be substantial, allowing for a significant home payment or extended honeymoon. It’s also much more affordable to enjoy high-end experiences, such as a destination wedding, with a small guest list.

Whatever a couple chooses to do for their wedding day, micro weddings can be easier to plan, more intimate, and less stressful. We scoured multiple Reddit threads and compiled a handful of ideas Redditors shared for a budget-friendly micro wedding. 

Related: AirBnB & VRBO Rentals That Are Perfect Wedding Venues

The whole point of a micro wedding is to have a small, intimate ceremony that's not outrageously expensive. Redditors are in agreement that around 25 people or under is the perfect amount of friends and family. “We are having 25 guests and I hadn't really considered it a ‘micro wedding,’ says one Redditor. “We've planned it using exactly the same ‘template’ you would use to plan a wedding with more guests.”

Related: How to Be in a Wedding Party Without Going Broke

Park, beach, or back yard — there are so many outdoor spaces to consider for an intimate wedding. A museum or library may also be able to accommodate a smaller event. A number of Redditors mentioned renting out homes as a micro wedding venue.

“My parents rented a house just outside of Zion National Park and we got married in the woods with just immediate family and our closest friends,” one Redditor shares. Other ideas include restaurants, community centers, and historical sites.

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AirBnBs, cabins, and similar types of venues are all options to consider for a small wedding. Not only can it save money by keeping the ceremony, reception, and all your family members in one spot, but it can also create a memorable wedding experience.

“We had 30 people at ours (cut down from ~200) in a hotel in the mountains,” writes one Redditor. “Everything felt very relaxed because we didn’t have a huge group to impress, timelines weren’t as strict, and we got to spend a lot more time with the guests we did have! I love baking and since we had so few guests, we were able to bake our own treats to send home with them.”

With a micro wedding, you’re only constrained by your imagination. You don't even have to have a wedding cake if you don't want to.

“Catering can be a buffet, set up and staffed by just two people. Then they clean up and leave,” suggests a Redditor. A number of commenters agreed that a private room at a restaurant works well for a group of this size. 

“You don’t have to do anything traditional you don’t want to. Remember this is YOUR day and it can be whatever you want it to be. If you don’t want a DJ and a dance floor/dancing, I recommend a nice dinner,” says another Redditor.

Some Redditors suggested saving money by having a passed first drink or wine on each table, with additional alcohol as a cash bar. “People will understand that you aren't Daddy Warbucks and still have a great time celebrating your wedding with you,” comments a subscriber.

Considering how popular micro weddings have become, it’s easier than ever to find packages that cater to the idea and have the same offerings as larger weddings. “Most of them included most traditional ceremony elements, ie. champagne, flowers, officiant etc,. when I looked into it,” a Redditor says. 

But perhaps the biggest perk of the micro wedding is that you don’t have to do any of this. A small guest count means you can spend more time on the details that matter to you — enjoying it with your nearest and dearest.