Micro-weddings have become increasingly popular over recent years. They offer couples a more intimate, personalized and often more budget-friendly option for their big day.
With less than 50 guests, micro-weddings allow couples to focus more on the details that truly matter to them.
However, even with a smaller guest list, it’s essential to have a well-thought-out timeline, so that everything runs smoothly on the day.
As a Ireland wedding planner and wedding stylist, these are my recommendations on what to include in your micro-wedding timeline!
Micro-Wedding Timeline
Getting Ready
The first step to your micro-wedding timeline is getting ready! With weddings of any size, I definitely suggest that you have some breakfast before you get on with the day– you will need the energy!
As for the hair, make-up and getting dressed – allocate two to three hours for you and your partner to get ready. With a smaller wedding party, the getting ready process should be less stressful and more relaxed!
First Look
If you choose to have a first look or a first touch with your partner, schedule about half an hour for this intimate moment.
At this point, you could also schedule another half an hour for any pre-ceremony photos of your wedding party and immediate family members. This allows you more time at the drinks reception.
The Ceremony
Micro-wedding ceremony is a more personalized and intimate experience, focusing on the love and commitment between you and your partner.
The ceremony itself is short and sweet and normally lasts about 30min.
Post Ceremony
After the ceremony, schedule about an hour for photos. After the ceremony, it is the perfect time to capture any group photos with your intimate family , bridal party and loved ones.
You might want to add more time to this part of your micro-wedding timeline, depending on your agreement with your wedding photographer and whether you have them for long enough time to go off and take some more photos with just the two of you!
If you are heading off to take some more wedding photos, this is the time you should have some activities prepared for your guests.
Depending on the style of your wedding and your choice of venue, here are some activities you could include:
- A cocktail hour is a great way to entertain the guests while you are away. The guests can mingle, have a snack and a few drinks, and relax.
- Setting up a photo booth is a fun way for your guests to create some memories. If you have some polaroid cameras and a guest book, they can leave sweet messages for you to look back on!
- Set up lawn games like giant Jenga or cornhole for guests to play and have some fun.
Reception
Having a reception is a common part of many weddings, and it is not necessarily required for a micro wedding.
You may prefer to have a more relaxed celebration with your guests after the ceremony, such as a family-style buffet or a cocktail hour, rather than a more formal reception.
However, if you’d like to have a more formal reception, then it could include a few traditional key elements, such as a dinner, toasts from your loved ones, cake cutting and a dance party.
The duration of this part during your micro-wedding timeline would depend on your personal preference of how long you have planned your wedding day to be.
The Exit
A sweet way to close out your micro-wedding day is to have an exit. That way, your loved ones can give you a final farewell as you go on your journey together.
The exits are normally short and sweet! Depending on the style of your micro wedding, there are many different ways you could exit! For example, you can have your guests light up sparklers, throw some flower petals or blow bubbles!
Ready to Plan a Micro-Wedding?
While a micro-wedding may be a smaller affair, it still requires thoughtful organization to make sure your big day (or micro day!) is just the way you want it to be!
I hope that this blog has given you a good idea of what to include in your micro-wedding timeline!
If you want to chat about your unique micro-wedding celebration, I am a stylist and wedding planner in Ireland and you can get in touch here!
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